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Kim Gordon recommended The Flamethrowers in Books (curated)

 
The Flamethrowers
The Flamethrowers
Rachel Kushner | 2014 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"“Reading Rachel Kushner’s novel The Flamethrowers, I could relate to the sensation of being young in New York, living on the outside of the art world."

Source
  
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Something Borrowed (2011) in Movies

Aug 7, 2019  
Something Borrowed (2011)
Something Borrowed (2011)
2011 | Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi
6
6.8 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
“Sometimes good people do bad things!”

Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a successful New York City lawyer, the ever-loyal and perpetual good girl, who, on the night of her surprise 30th birthday party, sleeps with Dex, her old study buddy and secret crush from law school. Unfortunately, Dex happens to be the fiancé of Rachel’s egotistical best friend Darcy’s (Kate Hudson). Throughout the movie you find Rachel conflicted with the thought of hurting her best friend because she has just realized she is in love with Dex (Colin Egglesfield). Dex feels equally guilty for having fallen for Rachel but would rather do what everyone expects him to do, as opposed to following his heart.

As Rachel tries to assist the self-absorbed party girl Darcy plan her wedding, she finds it difficult to to hide her feelings for Dex. Rachel and Darcy’s childhood friend Ethan (John Krasinski) figures out that Rachel and Dex are more than just friends. He lends a shoulder for Rachel to lean on as well as some very harsh criticisms to help her realize that she does deserve to be happy.

Based on the novel written by Emily Giffin, Something Borrowed is a romantic comedy that explores the true meaning of friendship, love and ethics. Always a fan of Ginnifer Goodwin, she does a decent job at playing our heroine/doormat, Rachel White. Kate Hudson was spot-on with the role of self-centered, always-gets-her-way Darcy. And let’s not forget the Tom Cruise look-alike, Colin Egglesfield, who for some reason didn’t impress me much as Dex. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there was definitely something missing there. Plug in some weekend getaways to the Hamptons, some awkward drinking and partying moments, some flashback moments of Darcy and Rachel’s childhood as well as flashbacks to Rachel’s law school days when she was swooning over Dex and voila! A mediocre, very predictable movie. I’d have to say if it wasn’t for the sarcastic comedic stylings of John Krasinski as Ethan, this movie would have been a major flop.

This film is definitely a twist on My Best Friend’s Wedding, but not in the best way. If nothing else, it’s worth seeing as a “girls night out” kind of movie!
  
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Rachel Howser Roberts (96 KP) rated Crazy Rich Asians in Books

Jun 21, 2018 (Updated Jun 21, 2018)  
Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians
Kevin Kwan | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance
9
8.4 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
Modern Cinderella
Imagine if Cinderella lived today, she was a college professor, and she was already dating the Prince Charming of Singapore. That’s what Kwan’s debut novel reminded me of. Rachel Chu agrees to visit her boyfriend’s family in Singapore over the summer, only to slowly realize that they are crazy rich and live a lifestyle very different from how Rachel and Nick live in New York. I found the novel to be a fresh take on the Cinderella-type story. I also enjoyed learning how the crazy rich Asians of the title live.


I found the main character, Rachel, to be quite relatable. Despite the fact, that her mother immigrated from mainland China, Rachel is thoroughly American. She was thrown into this world of the crazy rich with no warning from her boyfriend. I liked that she behaved with dignity, even if she was often unaware of what was happening around her or how to act in a particular social situation.


The character of Nick, Rachel’s boyfriend, is not quite as fleshed out as Rachel’s. The reader sees him being generally a good guy (not participating in drugs and prostitutes brought in for a bachelor party), but I would have liked to see him realize and react to the way his family and family friends behave towards the woman he loves. It does not occur to him that they are treating her abhorrently until near the end of the novel.


The pacing of the novel was quick. Each chapter is from a different point of view, quickly switching from one experience to another. Although the book focused on relationships, and I’m more of a Sci-Fi or suspense girl, I found myself unable to put the book down. I read it in a day.


I honestly picked up this book, because many of my friends are excited about the upcoming movie. After reading the book, I’m excited to see it, too. But as with any movie, I would recommend reading the book first.


Most of all, the book made me want to visit Asia again! I’ve been to Mainland China and Taiwan, but never Singapore. The crazy rich people did not sound pleasant to be around, but I would love to experience the culture. I would love to visit the food stalls Rachel visits as soon as she lands in Singapore.
  
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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Ash And Quill in Books

Oct 4, 2020  
Ash And Quill
Ash And Quill
Rachel Caine | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
166 of 200
Book
Ash and Quill ( Great library book 3)
By Rachel Caine

The unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone and Paper and Fire unite to save the Great Library of Alexandria from itself in this electrifying adventure in the New York Times best-selling series. Hoarding all the knowledge of the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets. But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its tyranny.

Jess Brightwell and his band of exiles have fled London, only to find themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit. But Jess and his friends have a bargaining chip: the knowledge to build a machine that will break the library's rule. Their time is running out. To survive, they'll have to choose to live or die as one, to take the fight to their enemies - and to save the very soul of the Great Library.



Kinda bitter sweet reading anything by Rachel Caine at the minute and this kinda took a lot longer than it normally would. I love this world, I love the characters and this boom did not disappoint. The only small thing I struggled with was a little repetition with some things for example the book press we have several pages across the books of how this is built and works. I’m hoping she can get chance to finish this series!
  
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Kevin Phillipson (10072 KP) rated Jackass Forever (2022) in Movies

Feb 11, 2022  
Jackass Forever (2022)
Jackass Forever (2022)
2022 | Comedy
8
8.0 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Johnny knoxville (3 more)
Chris pointus
The beginning
Ehren mcghehey
This movie is so good I've seen it twice this week anyway. let's start at the beginning one of the highlights of the movie the giant lizard on on the rampage thru new York I won't give it away but u will get it when u see it. Its hard to believe 20 years have gone bye since the first jackass movie and show and I saw the the first film at the cinema many moons ago so I knew what to expect from the crew stunts glore I felt sorry for ehren macghehey and what they put him thru the course of 90 movie painful to watch in places. What was good to see the next generation of jackasses fresh new blood who were willing to put their bodies including the first female Rachel wolfson on the line. Overall good sequel maybe one day there will a firth jackass movie one day
(1)   
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Lee (2222 KP) rated Crazy Rich Asians (2018) in Movies

Sep 3, 2018  
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
2018 | Comedy
6
8.3 (36 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Gemma Chan (1 more)
Constance Wu
OK. I don't do books, so I wouldn't have been aware of the best selling book that Crazy Rich Asians is based on. I don't usually do rom coms either, but that only tends to be the ones where they're the typical boy and girl hate each other and are thrown together until they love each other type movies. But, I do love a movie that's done well, regardless of genre. And as Crazy Rich Asians continues to receive much hype and success in the US (I'm in the UK), I thought I'd better go and see what all the fuss is about. So, as part of date night with the wife, we decided to go check it out!

Now, for this movie I think the trailer nailed it in terms of what you see is what you're going to get. And in my opinion, I'd say how you feel after seeing the trailer for this movie is a pretty good gauge for how you'll feel about the movie as a whole. Personally, I watched the trailer and I didn't think it looked that great. The story looked mildly interesting, there were some funny characters and some potentially great performances, but there was nothing in the trailer that grabbed me and stuck with me. And that's exactly how I felt about the movie after I'd seen it.

The story centres around Rachel and Nick, both living in New York and having been dating for a while. Nick is due to head home to Singapore for his best friends wedding and has asked Rachel to join him. The opening scene of the movie, featuring Nick as a young child, gives us some insight into how much wealth and power his family possess. We also see how an innocent photo of Nick and Rachel talking in a bar quickly hits Singapore social media, setting thousands of tongues wagging and giving us a pretty good idea just how big a deal Nick and his family are over there. And how much of a talking point it is that Nick is dating a girl raised in America, rather than Asia. It's only when they land in Singapore that Rachel realises the full extent of what she's let herself in for.

Nick is part of a big, rich family, with each family member having their own set of problems and insecurities to deal with. I actually had trouble keeping track of who's who for a while, but one thing this movie does do is allow sufficient time for all family members to be explored and for some particularly strong performances to blossom. Nicks mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) is the one that Rachel is out to impress though, and although she remains polite at all times, it's clear that she doesn't approve. I thought this was going to be a variation of the boy and girl hate each other at first theme that I spoke about earlier, and while it kind of is in a way, it doesn't make for such a fun, easy ride like standard rom coms do.

For me, those strong performances I spoke about came from Gemma Chan as a millionaire cousin with an insecure cheating husband, and Constance Wu as Rachel. Michelle Yeoh is somebody we're probably a bit more familiar with, and she was also outstanding as Nicks mother Eleanor. There are plenty of characters providing comedy relief and bringing the 'crazy' to the films title. Most notably Awkwafina as Rachel’s best friend and Ken Jeong, who seemed slightly subdued for once.

Overall I didn't not enjoy this movie, but then I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped I would either. I laughed, I was entertained, but I felt the movie dragged and stumbled at times, and didn't really elevate itself above just a standard rom com for me.
  
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Rachel King (13 KP) rated Sweet Chic: Stylish Treats to Dress Up for Any Occasion in Books

Feb 11, 2019  
SC
Sweet Chic: Stylish Treats to Dress Up for Any Occasion
Rachel Thebault | 2010
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
There are few pastimes that can compete with my love of books, but baking is one of them. The premise of this cookbook seemed rather unique, as it attempted to combine baking with fashion. There is even a delightful foreword by Isaac Mizrahi to further the theme. The author, Rachel Schifter Thebault, runs her own bakery, Tribeca Treats, out of New York City, and this is her debut cookbook.
The book opens with an explanation of Rachel's philosophy of baking. In the same way that a woman uses a little black dress as the foundation of her wardrobe, using accessories to dress it up or down, so too can a baker take a basic recipe for the base of a dessert and use simple alterations to create a complete "wardrobe" of desserts for any occasion. Chocolate chip cookie dough becomes white chocolate coconut cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, snickerdoodles, or anything else a cook can dream up with a change in mix-ins. I used the oatmeal raisin cookie recipe and substituted in chocolate chips, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and they came out perfect!
The book is divided into three sections: Cookies, Cakes, and Confections. Each chapter in the three sections feature a basic recipe to build on, with names such as "The Crisp Oxford Shirt," "The A-Line Skirt," and "The Leather Jacket." Following the basic recipe of each chapter are several more example recipes of how to alter the base recipe to fit your needs. Vanilla Cake becomes Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes, and Basic Tempered Chocolate becomes Cranberry Almond Bark.
The detail that Rachel goes into is also quite impressive. The beginning of the book teaches the basics of baked goods by reviewing all of the major ingredients used in baking - things like eggs, cocoa powder, and extracts - as well as essential equipment used, like a cake turntable. She then goes into the basic techniques of baking, simplifying them for even the most amateur of novices, and provides a pictorial guide for icing a cake and dipping things in chocolate. Each recipe is provided with very specific details on how to perform each step, as well as ideas at the end on how to dress it up further.
I loved this cookbook, and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in baking, from the amateur to the experienced baker.
  
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Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Night Swim: A Novel in Books

Aug 4, 2020  
The Night Swim: A Novel
The Night Swim: A Novel
Megan Goldin | 2020 | Mystery, Thriller
7
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.

Having worked in the criminal court system for years, I was looking forward to The Night Swim by Megan Goldin. The premise that you follow along with a podcast to reach your own verdict of a current and controversial trial sounded intriguing. I found myself angry by the main character's obvious slant on her podcast. If her role was to present an unbiased reporting of the events in court, she failed at her job. Her reporting of the case proceedings and the investigation taken are accurate, detailed, and complete. Goldin successfully captures the emotions involved in sensitive cases such as the one podcaster Rachel Krall covers for the third season of her podcast, Guilty or Not Guilty.

Goldin's story of the trial, the people involved, and the overlapping, interconnected tale from the past are woven into a clever novel narrated by Bailey Carr, January LaVoy, and Samantha Desz. All three narrators are accomplished voice actors. LaVoy narrated books by Patterson, Deaver, Grisham, and Goldin's New York Times Bestseller, The Escape Room.

The narrators' voices matched the story well, but the speed in which they spoke was too slow for me, and I listened to the story at a faster rate.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 8/3/20.
(5)   
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Morning Glory (2010) in Movies

Aug 8, 2019 (Updated Aug 8, 2019)  
Morning Glory (2010)
Morning Glory (2010)
2010 | Comedy
7
7.6 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Suddenly fired from a job she worked incredibly hard at, Becky finds herself hitting the mean streets of New York to continue to pursue her dream of producing a television show. The odds are stacked against her when she finds herself producing a failing morning show with challenging anchors, a boss who doubts her skills, and a new romance threatening to distract her already splintered focus.

Diane Keaton brightens the screen looking great while completely selling her role as the eager morning television show anchorwomen, Colleen Peck. The unexpected Harrison Ford adds a rough edge as the once great journalist and now subpar anchorman, Mike Pomeroy. However, it is rising actress, Rachel Adams, as the determined Becky, who stole the show.

Morning Glory offers exactly the amount of oddness one might expect from a film with action star Harrison Ford as a news guy. Yet somehow the story is sweet and mildly uplifting and, on occasion, laugh out loud funny.
The plot is not brilliant, new, or even all that imaginative, still the film is unique. Morning Glory oddly brings to mind “Little Black Book” all be it in a much lighter and less romantically driven tone. In fact the romance element is so light in this film that it is much more likely to fall in the drama/comedy category, with romance taking a backseat to the real focus of the film: the challenges of work-obsessed Becky.

Mashed firmly between an decent episode of the Mary Tyler Moore show and the Dolly Parton classic “9 to 5”, Morning Glory is a one-of-a-kind take on a story that is increasingly all too familiar. Without the unnecessary bells and whistles so often thrown in to modern cinema, Morning Glory keeps the audience watching and sometimes even laughing.
  
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Merissa (12510 KP) created a post

Dec 20, 2021  
In the mood for a romantic comedy? Overachiever is FREE on Amazon until Wednesday! You can grab it here:

Amazon US https://amzn.to/3rKBBR9
Amazon CA https://amzn.to/3pH7UhU
Amazon UK https://amzn.to/2KKotek
Universal link https://geni.us/Overachiever

"Overachiever was hands down one of the best rom coms I have ever read. One word. Banter. It has that in spades and gets better as you read as if that's even possible!" -- #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Rachel Van Dyken

"Overachiever is a snort inducing, laugh out loud sweet romance that you absolutely need to read." -- Melissa Teo, Booksmacked

It started with a summer job and a ridiculous sex dream.

If you were to ask my friends to describe me, they’d tell you I’m an ambitious person. Responsible, driven, and focused on my goals. Words like stubborn and uptight would probably get thrown in there too. I’m not sure about that, but I know who I’m not.

I’m not the woman who lets a guy derail me from my plans. Watching others make that mistake has taught me well. No serious dating. No relationship until I’m successfully settled into my career. That’s the promise I made to myself and I’m determined to keep it.

Despite being an excellent student, there’s one lesson I fear I’ve learned too late. Funny men aren’t as harmless as they seem and should be avoided at all times. They sneak in under your radar and end up under your skirt. One second you’re laughing. The next you’re hunting for your underwear on a hotel room floor. Believe me, it’s not worth it.

If only my heart would stop screaming louder than my brain, I might be able to believe that Owen falls into that category. He’s my friend, but every day we spend together in this hotel, or working on our summer job building houses for charity, the harder it gets to convince myself we shouldn’t be more.

Years of diligence, and I’m being destroyed by a goofy smile.
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