Sign up
Search
Advanced search settings

Search only in certain items:

Search results
All (5000)
Content
People
Apps
Books
Orbs
Movies
Music
Podcasts
Shows
Tabletop Games
Tech
TV
Video Games
YouTube Channels
Videos
40x40

ClareR (5906 KP) rated Memorial in Books

Jan 19, 2021  
Memorial
Memorial
Bryan Washington | 2021 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Memorial is the story of Mike and Benson’s relationship and about their separate lives. They have lived together and loved one another for a few years, but when Mike gets word that his estranged father is dying back in Japan, it seems to come at the right time for their relationship. They clearly need the space to think. Except “frying pan” and “fire” comes to mind. Benson is left to live with Mike’s mother who has come to visit her son, and Mike is propelled in to caring for a dying man, a stranger to him, and running his bar.
It was so interesting to read about their lives and motivations. What starts out to be a purely selfish move by Mike (I felt that he was running away at first), actually becomes a selfless act. Of course, there is the advantage that he gets to know his father before his death, but he is there for him until the end.
Even though Mike’s childhood was much harder, it’s Benson who, to me, seemed to have been more affected by his parents break up. His father’s alcoholism, his mother leaving them and starting a new family, and his HIV+ diagnosis, all added up to a difficult mental space for him. But I didn’t feel that any of this became sentimental. It’s a joint decision when Benson and Mike realise that their relationship is coming to an end.

I really enjoyed this book. Its gentle pace where small acts and occurrences form the bigger picture really appealed to me. It’s an original and engrossing story from an author that I’ll be looking out for in the future.

Many thanks to Atlantic books for providing me with a copy of this book through NetGalley.
(2)   
40x40

Merissa (12995 KP) rated Heart Fire (Under Violet Suns #1) in Books

Apr 14, 2022 (Updated Jun 24, 2023)  
Heart Fire (Under Violet Suns #1)
Heart Fire (Under Violet Suns #1)
Rose Mackie | 2022 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
HEART FIRE is the first book in the Under Violet Suns series and the debut novel by this author. This promises to be a great series as we deal with two opposing cultures, political machinations, plus someone trying their best to sabotage all the good work being done by the colonists. Is it one of them or someone who was on the planet before them? No idea so far!

The females from Falosia may be seen as weak by some due to their caring and compassionate natures, aided and abetted by their empathy. However, I wouldn't cross one of them! And the males from Verit... bless them. They've had it rough and so don't quite believe the females are as they seem.

The world-building was brilliant, for the new colony AND the two worlds our colonists are from. The pacing is brilliant and the overall character development is consistent throughout. The only place where I felt this book faltered slightly was the relationship between our two main characters. The first book is always hard as it has to set the scene for whatever comes next, but it seemed as though their relationship fell foul to this, meaning they didn't have enough time together for their relationship to grow properly and, as such, it didn't feel as smooth as the rest of the book.

Overall, this was a great read that I enjoyed and I look forward to continuing with the series and seeing where the author takes me next. Definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* 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!
Apr 11, 2022
(1)   
40x40

Laura (40 KP) rated The Upside of Unrequited in Books

Oct 1, 2017  
The Upside of Unrequited
The Upside of Unrequited
Becky Albertalli | 2017 | Young Adult (YA)
9
8.2 (25 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book was such a quick and easy read. The book is told entirely from Molly’s point of view, she is very relatable and has a distinct and developed voice. I soon felt like I knew her and really related to her as a main character. One of the things that I really loved about The Upside of Unrequited is the importance of the relationship between Molly and her twin sister Cassie, and the strong relationships she has with the rest of her family. There are so many important elements woven in to this story, and I felt like it was really well done. There is a lot of diversity, and it feels totally natural, and none of the characters are reduced to their diverse characteristic, they all read like real people, and I really liked all the different relationship dynamics.

*This book was kindly provided to me for honest review by the Publisher via Netgalley. This has not impacted on the content of this review, which it my own honest opinion.


A full review is available on my blog: https://readingsanctuaryblog.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/review-the-upside-of-unrequited-by-becky-albertalli/
(2)   
40x40

jmercado (1 KP) rated Eliza and Her Monsters in Books

Jan 15, 2018  
Eliza and Her Monsters
Eliza and Her Monsters
Francesca Zappia | 2017 | Romance, Young Adult (YA)
6
8.7 (15 Ratings)
Book Rating Watch
I don't know how to feel about this.

It was a little everywhere at the beginning and it took me about 100 pages to actually get the hang of it and start enjoying it.

I really did enjoy Eliza and Wallace at the beginning.

But towards the end i didn't really feel their connection anymore.

I was more concerned about Eliza and her anxiety and depression and holy shit did that hit me in the feels.

I think if this would have been one of the books that she would have done well had they just stayed friends and she worked on herself more than being in a relationship.

I would really love to see Monstrous Sea be a real thing . I would pay big bucks for that lol

I also want more on Max and Emma. They are my favorite side characters and they weren't even physically with Eliza.

To me, with the hype going around this, it missed its mark for me ( I didn't really feel the relationship aspect of it) But that aside i loved the concept, the art and looking forward to reading more from this author.
  
40x40

Awix (3310 KP) rated Phantom Thread (2017) in Movies

Feb 9, 2018 (Updated Feb 9, 2018)  
Phantom Thread (2017)
Phantom Thread (2017)
2017 | Drama
9
7.5 (11 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Not a Fun Guy to Be With
Yet another reissue of the controversial 1999 movie, but this time George Lucas has taken out all the stuff with taxation and Jar Jar Binks in favour of fashion design... ha ha, I jest.

Daniel Day-Lewis plays an obsessional creative genius who throws himself completely into his work and is very demanding of everyone around him, and is occasionally prone to hallucinating dead family members (so perhaps this role was less of a stretch for him than many).

Initially this comes across as a slightly so-what romantic drama about the relationship between a powerful, privileged man and a much younger woman, with him as a manipulative user and her, essentially, as a victim, but it eventually turns into a dark and even slightly twisted tale of what it sometimes takes to make a relationship work.

Day-Lewis is good, obviously, but so is Vicky Krieps as the woman in his life; presumably it's only her obscurity that's kept her from getting awards nods as she is really as good as he is.

Probably not for everyone, but Paul Anderson's most satisfying and accessible film for some years.
(1)