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The Success Code: How to Stand Out and Get Noticed
Book
From personal influencing skills and positive psychology to handling relationships and...
Paris for One and Other Stories
7.2
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Book
A collection of 11 unmissable short stories from the Number One internationally bestselling author...
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Dog Days (2018) in Movies
May 15, 2021
Cheesy but Solid
Dog Days revolves around a number of moving parts stories that shows the strength of relationships between people and man’s best friend.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 5
Typically with stories like these that have a number of different characters sharing screen time, it really can be a challenge to get the film off to a hot start as you introduce everyone. Ten minutes in, I wasn’t completely sold on the film, but it was enough for me to say, “What the hell? I’ll give it a shot.” Not bad, but not great.
Characters: 8
Again, moving parts stories introduce a lot of characters and it’s hard to try and get people to care about everyone. While I wasn’t invested in everyone all of the time, there were plenty of moments where I cared about the character’s outcome. There were certain characters I cared about a lot more than others like the coffee shop girl and the shelter owner.
Cinematography/Visuals: 7
Conflict: 6
This is a family film, very much meant to be light-hearted. While Disney has somehow found a way of perfecting having conflict while keeping things light, Dog Days suffered a bit more in that respect. Maybe it’s the fact that you know everything is going to work itself out in the end. Then again, you kind of know that for most movies, but it’s that drive of conflict that really makes things seem dire and leave you wondering for a bit. Not the case with Dog Days.
Entertainment Value: 10
Not going to lie, this movie really had me invested from beginning to end. It’s funny, endearing, and you get to see a bunch of cute dogs. Not going to win any academy awards, but it’s a fun movie I would recommend for any family. I didn’t leave the theater thinking I had wasted my time. It was more of a, “Wow, that was surprisingly fun.”
Memorability: 9
Pace: 10
The 113-minute runtime definitely doesn’t feel like it. Sometimes having a number of storylines can confuse the audience, but I managed to follow along at an easy pace. There are no bumps, it’s pretty smooth sailing from beginning to end.
Plot: 5
Resolution: 9
Overall: 79
I can think of countless family movies that would be a better use of your two hours than Dog Days. However, for what it is, the movie does the trick. It’s undeniably cute and pretty darn entertaining. Even better if you’re a dog lover. For all of it’s cheesiness, it’s pretty solid overall.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 5
Typically with stories like these that have a number of different characters sharing screen time, it really can be a challenge to get the film off to a hot start as you introduce everyone. Ten minutes in, I wasn’t completely sold on the film, but it was enough for me to say, “What the hell? I’ll give it a shot.” Not bad, but not great.
Characters: 8
Again, moving parts stories introduce a lot of characters and it’s hard to try and get people to care about everyone. While I wasn’t invested in everyone all of the time, there were plenty of moments where I cared about the character’s outcome. There were certain characters I cared about a lot more than others like the coffee shop girl and the shelter owner.
Cinematography/Visuals: 7
Conflict: 6
This is a family film, very much meant to be light-hearted. While Disney has somehow found a way of perfecting having conflict while keeping things light, Dog Days suffered a bit more in that respect. Maybe it’s the fact that you know everything is going to work itself out in the end. Then again, you kind of know that for most movies, but it’s that drive of conflict that really makes things seem dire and leave you wondering for a bit. Not the case with Dog Days.
Entertainment Value: 10
Not going to lie, this movie really had me invested from beginning to end. It’s funny, endearing, and you get to see a bunch of cute dogs. Not going to win any academy awards, but it’s a fun movie I would recommend for any family. I didn’t leave the theater thinking I had wasted my time. It was more of a, “Wow, that was surprisingly fun.”
Memorability: 9
Pace: 10
The 113-minute runtime definitely doesn’t feel like it. Sometimes having a number of storylines can confuse the audience, but I managed to follow along at an easy pace. There are no bumps, it’s pretty smooth sailing from beginning to end.
Plot: 5
Resolution: 9
Overall: 79
I can think of countless family movies that would be a better use of your two hours than Dog Days. However, for what it is, the movie does the trick. It’s undeniably cute and pretty darn entertaining. Even better if you’re a dog lover. For all of it’s cheesiness, it’s pretty solid overall.
Public Urban Space, Gender and Segregation: Women-Only Urban Parks in Iran
Book
Public spaces are the renditions of the power symmetry within the social setting it resides in, and...
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Art Fiasco (Poppy Denby Investigates #5) in Books
Nov 9, 2020
The protagonist in this book is Poppy Denby, an investigative journalist from London, who is visiting her family in Newcastle and the towns around it. After a famous artist is murdered, Poppy needs to figure out who actually killed her, to protect her aunt, that is accused of it. I fell in love with Poppy instantly, she is such a cool young woman, and her interactions with other characters are very amusing to read about. The story is told from multiple perspectives, and it was a true joy to know more about the characters that sometimes get forgotten. There are quite a few characters in this book, and the author provides a very handy list of all the characters at the beginning of the book. (I did not need to use it though 🙂 ) All the characters are diverse, very charismatic, very intriguing personalities, some of them have disabilities, and I really loved the author’s choice of all the characters for this novel.
The narrative of this book was very absorbing to me. I really loved the 1920ties atmosphere and the whole setting of this novel. I liked the way the author played with the multiple timelines in this novel, there were parts from the past, as well as the present, that increased my curiosity even more. There is a lot of things happening in this novel, but the whole investigation was written superbly. I really loved how the author was trying to confuse the reader, and how all the clues were piecing the whole story beautifully. The topics discussed in this novel were paedophilia, coal miner’s lives, the art world, romance, family relationships, teenage pregnancy and many more. The author has experience in art and journalism, and I really liked that she utilised her personal experience in this novel.
I absolutely loved the writing style of this book, the whole book is masterfully plotted and kept me guessing throughout the whole book. The author provides the map of Newcastle in 1920ies, to allow the reader to follow Poppy throughout her adventure. The chapters are to the longer side, but the story really gripped me, so I just could not put it down. Even though this book is a part of a series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. The ending of this book was spectacular and I think it rounded the story very well.
So, to conclude, Poppy Denby has a new fan! I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, filled with unique and complex personalities as well as incredibly well-plotted narrative, the had me glued to this book, and always intrigued.
The narrative of this book was very absorbing to me. I really loved the 1920ties atmosphere and the whole setting of this novel. I liked the way the author played with the multiple timelines in this novel, there were parts from the past, as well as the present, that increased my curiosity even more. There is a lot of things happening in this novel, but the whole investigation was written superbly. I really loved how the author was trying to confuse the reader, and how all the clues were piecing the whole story beautifully. The topics discussed in this novel were paedophilia, coal miner’s lives, the art world, romance, family relationships, teenage pregnancy and many more. The author has experience in art and journalism, and I really liked that she utilised her personal experience in this novel.
I absolutely loved the writing style of this book, the whole book is masterfully plotted and kept me guessing throughout the whole book. The author provides the map of Newcastle in 1920ies, to allow the reader to follow Poppy throughout her adventure. The chapters are to the longer side, but the story really gripped me, so I just could not put it down. Even though this book is a part of a series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. The ending of this book was spectacular and I think it rounded the story very well.
So, to conclude, Poppy Denby has a new fan! I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, filled with unique and complex personalities as well as incredibly well-plotted narrative, the had me glued to this book, and always intrigued.
Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) rated Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist in TV
Apr 22, 2021 (Updated Apr 22, 2021)
The first season (4 more)
Song choices
Incorporation of songs into emotional scenes
Singing
Choreography
The First Season broke my heart.
Contains spoilers, click to show
The premise of the show is intriguing. Zoey goes to the hospital for an MRI of her brain and is given a pair of headphones to wear during the test since it is a bit noisy. The MRI technician says they have practically every song known to man downloaded on their system so she can play whatever music she wants. There is a power outage followed by a power surge and all the music that had been downloaded on the hospital's MRI machine gets transferred to her brain. The next morning, she awakens to music in her brain that she just can't shut off. She discovers that she can hear the songs people are singing inside their heads and hearts, hereafter known as heart songs, even though they aren't singing out loud and have no idea that anyone can hear them (or know what they're thinking by what song they've chosen.) Her newfound superpower causes complications in some ways but also helps her interpersonal relationships in other ways. Getting to know what's in people's hearts benefits her greatly with her father who is suffering from a rare neurological disorder that has rendered him speechless and unable to move or communicate. The superpower is her curse and her gift.
I love this show. It's sweet, heartfelt, exciting, funny, and evocative. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will make you sing along. Mary Steenburgen singing The Bee-Gee's How Can You Mend a Broken Heart will break your heart. Peter Gallagher's performance is understated and beautiful and believable. The relationship between him and Jane Levy's Zoey character is warm and loving. I'm at a time in my life where the health and mortality of my parents are at the forefront of my mind so the relationship between Zoey and her parents is what I focus on most. However, Zoey, being a single young lady in her late twenties is in the dating world and working in the male-dominated tech world, and those play a large part in the show, as well.
Had the show ended at season one, I would have been all right with that decision as that arc ended so beautifully.
With the second season comes more complications, conflicts, miscommunications, fun, drama, sweetness, and love. I'm still going to watch it but I think the first season was the highlight.
I love this show. It's sweet, heartfelt, exciting, funny, and evocative. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will make you sing along. Mary Steenburgen singing The Bee-Gee's How Can You Mend a Broken Heart will break your heart. Peter Gallagher's performance is understated and beautiful and believable. The relationship between him and Jane Levy's Zoey character is warm and loving. I'm at a time in my life where the health and mortality of my parents are at the forefront of my mind so the relationship between Zoey and her parents is what I focus on most. However, Zoey, being a single young lady in her late twenties is in the dating world and working in the male-dominated tech world, and those play a large part in the show, as well.
Had the show ended at season one, I would have been all right with that decision as that arc ended so beautifully.
With the second season comes more complications, conflicts, miscommunications, fun, drama, sweetness, and love. I'm still going to watch it but I think the first season was the highlight.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated I'll Find You in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist in this story is Emily, a nurse, who is struggling with the loss of her sister Zoe. Zoe has been missing for over a year, and Emily still keeps looking for her. The rest is covered by the blurb pretty accurately. Emily is a very disturbed character, she has mental health issues and is trying to cling to normality very hard, but life keeps throwing unusual situations at her. I think Emily is a very interesting and unique character, and I did like her baffled but a very strong personality.
The narrative of this book is told from multiple perspectives, including the thoughts of a police officer – Geraldine, who shares her opinion about Emily and her situations. I was not a very big fan of Geraldine, she was quite boring and didn’t bring much to this story. The book was a slow burner for me, there is a lot of thinking done in this book, and I liked that sometimes, the author was trying to confuse the reader by suggesting ideas. This novel does carry some interesting twists and turns, and that made the book livelier. Author’s experience is shining through in this novel, she explains all the procedures done to the patients in great detail, and her knowledge about Bath is felt very strongly. The topics discussed in this book would be grief when your family member disappears; difficult child-parent relationships; mental health issues etc.
I am not really sure whether I liked the writing style of this book. I think it was quite repetitive, very detailed, and characters kept asking questions in the search for the answers. (I prefer to ask the questions myself) The chapters have a very decent length and do fly by quite quickly. I really liked the culmination in this novel, it was very unexpected and surprising. I really liked the ending of this book as well, I think it rounded up the story very nicely.
So, to conclude, this book carries a lot of grief, insecurities and confusion between what is real and what is not. The narrative is layered, unexpected, and I really had the urge to find out where Emily will be taken by all these events in her life. I think this book would be enjoyable for people interested in medicine and the fans of Shari Lapena. (I see some similarities between the writing styles) Do give this book a try, and I hope you will enjoy it!
The narrative of this book is told from multiple perspectives, including the thoughts of a police officer – Geraldine, who shares her opinion about Emily and her situations. I was not a very big fan of Geraldine, she was quite boring and didn’t bring much to this story. The book was a slow burner for me, there is a lot of thinking done in this book, and I liked that sometimes, the author was trying to confuse the reader by suggesting ideas. This novel does carry some interesting twists and turns, and that made the book livelier. Author’s experience is shining through in this novel, she explains all the procedures done to the patients in great detail, and her knowledge about Bath is felt very strongly. The topics discussed in this book would be grief when your family member disappears; difficult child-parent relationships; mental health issues etc.
I am not really sure whether I liked the writing style of this book. I think it was quite repetitive, very detailed, and characters kept asking questions in the search for the answers. (I prefer to ask the questions myself) The chapters have a very decent length and do fly by quite quickly. I really liked the culmination in this novel, it was very unexpected and surprising. I really liked the ending of this book as well, I think it rounded up the story very nicely.
So, to conclude, this book carries a lot of grief, insecurities and confusion between what is real and what is not. The narrative is layered, unexpected, and I really had the urge to find out where Emily will be taken by all these events in her life. I think this book would be enjoyable for people interested in medicine and the fans of Shari Lapena. (I see some similarities between the writing styles) Do give this book a try, and I hope you will enjoy it!
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist in this book was Tilda/Tilly, and she is sharing her life story. The story keeps switching between present and past, Tilly is sharing her life story from when she was little, and Tilda is sharing the events happening now. I really loved this kind of storytelling, the same person, but perspectives completely different and unique. Tilly is absolutely adorable and very grown up for her age. I loved everything about her, she is a funny, playful, smart and very extraordinary little girl. Tilda, on the other hand, was a very strange persona, who sounds very messed up and weird. My least favourite character would be the mother, I honestly didn’t understand the reasoning for what she was doing, it just didn’t make sense to me.
The narrative is carrying two different stories, but they are very entwined with each other. Tilda’s relationship with her mother is very complex, she can’t understand why her mother done some of the things in the past, so when she finds out, it leaves her gobsmacked. It is a very painful and emotional story to read, it shows how misunderstood people and their actions can affect you for the rest of your life. I really loved this constant suspense, I was dying to find out more about Tilly’s mother, and the author was very creatively teasing me all the time. This novel carries a great variety of characters, who are very intriguing, and Tilly’s gift makes the whole book very mysterious.
The writing style of this novel felt like a hug, it feels very comforting, snugly and absorbing. The language is easy to read, but it got me thinking because some things were a little confusing. The one thing that didn’t really leave me happy was chapter length and paragraph size. I know it is silly, but I normally read on my commute, so I prefer shorter chapters and paragraphs, it is easier to follow later on. The ending was very well thought through and rounded the story well, but I think it was very unfair and cruel.
To conclude, it is a very well written novel, filled with difficult relationships, very unique characters and layered plot. I really enjoyed different storylines as well as unexpected turns and twists. I am definitely in love with Ruth Hogan’s writing, and will definitely be going to read her previous novels. So, please, do give this book a go, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
The narrative is carrying two different stories, but they are very entwined with each other. Tilda’s relationship with her mother is very complex, she can’t understand why her mother done some of the things in the past, so when she finds out, it leaves her gobsmacked. It is a very painful and emotional story to read, it shows how misunderstood people and their actions can affect you for the rest of your life. I really loved this constant suspense, I was dying to find out more about Tilly’s mother, and the author was very creatively teasing me all the time. This novel carries a great variety of characters, who are very intriguing, and Tilly’s gift makes the whole book very mysterious.
The writing style of this novel felt like a hug, it feels very comforting, snugly and absorbing. The language is easy to read, but it got me thinking because some things were a little confusing. The one thing that didn’t really leave me happy was chapter length and paragraph size. I know it is silly, but I normally read on my commute, so I prefer shorter chapters and paragraphs, it is easier to follow later on. The ending was very well thought through and rounded the story well, but I think it was very unfair and cruel.
To conclude, it is a very well written novel, filled with difficult relationships, very unique characters and layered plot. I really enjoyed different storylines as well as unexpected turns and twists. I am definitely in love with Ruth Hogan’s writing, and will definitely be going to read her previous novels. So, please, do give this book a go, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Puppet Show (Washington Poe, #1) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
Tilly and Poe are an absolutely stunning combo. They are total opposites in everything: age, the way they work, IQ levels, but they make such an amazing team together. I really liked Poe and his personality, he has a great analytical mind and strong determination to achieve justice. However, Tilly was my favourite in this book, she is such a unique and original character! She is full of surprises, and her intelligence and naivety are incredibly refreshing. I really liked the way the author portrayed the different relationships between police personnel, all the politics and territorial fights were very amusing to read about, and gave the sense, that the author really knows what he is talking about. His work experience in the police and life in the Lake District was very well utilized in this book.
The narrative was very creatively written. The excitement in this book comes in waves, we have these calm periods, when it seems that not many things happen, and then the author throws in some great twist or turn, and the whole buzz comes back rushing. I really liked the topics which the author discussed in this book, such as workplace bullying, child abuse, politics in the management, etc. The story was told from a single perspective, bringing in a lot of Poe’s personal emotions. Even though it was sufficient to me, I would love to see how Tilly’s brain works and how she is processing different situations.
The setting of the book is constantly changing between different places in Cumbria, and the detailed descriptions made me feel like I am with Poe on this journey. The writing style was very pleasant with short chapters, which really just flew by. I have to add a little warning, this novel does carry some scenes where people might feel disturbed. The ending was very cleverly written, where it rounded the whole story very well, but at the same time, leaving you questioning of what is going to happen next.
To conclude, I think it is a very intriguing and absorbing thriller, filled with very unique but at the same time believable characters, and the plot, that keeps thickening as you go, engrossing you with all the new findings and leads. It was a true page-turner to me and I can not wait for the second book in the series. If you haven’t read it, please do, I think it is worth the time, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
The narrative was very creatively written. The excitement in this book comes in waves, we have these calm periods, when it seems that not many things happen, and then the author throws in some great twist or turn, and the whole buzz comes back rushing. I really liked the topics which the author discussed in this book, such as workplace bullying, child abuse, politics in the management, etc. The story was told from a single perspective, bringing in a lot of Poe’s personal emotions. Even though it was sufficient to me, I would love to see how Tilly’s brain works and how she is processing different situations.
The setting of the book is constantly changing between different places in Cumbria, and the detailed descriptions made me feel like I am with Poe on this journey. The writing style was very pleasant with short chapters, which really just flew by. I have to add a little warning, this novel does carry some scenes where people might feel disturbed. The ending was very cleverly written, where it rounded the whole story very well, but at the same time, leaving you questioning of what is going to happen next.
To conclude, I think it is a very intriguing and absorbing thriller, filled with very unique but at the same time believable characters, and the plot, that keeps thickening as you go, engrossing you with all the new findings and leads. It was a true page-turner to me and I can not wait for the second book in the series. If you haven’t read it, please do, I think it is worth the time, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Puzzle Girl in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist in this book is Cassy, a very successful accounts director in the social media firm. I loved her and I hated her decisions at the same time. I admired her cleverness and organizational skills (She has a list for everything!), she is a strong and independent woman who has an incredibly funny gay best friend Dan. But no, she needs to mope about her trashy ex-boyfriend and get herself into the most bizarre situations ever (which were really funny, to be honest). I am absolutely jealous to Cassy that she has Dan, it is an amazing friendship they got there. 🙂
The narrative was incredibly funny and got me giggling and saying “Oh NO!” out loud many times. It is just unbelievable how unlucky one person can be! So kudos to Cassy for surviving all that mess, which she brought on herself. 😀 This book is full of twists and unexpected turns, but I knew who the puzzle man was way before things started being obvious. Nevertheless, I kept reading to see what another silly situation Cassy is going to get into, also, I wanted to see whether I was right with my guess. (Just to clarify, I am always wrong with my guesses, ALWAYS! Except for this time.) The narrative is told from Cassy’s perspective and it was fully sufficient for me. I really liked the way the protagonist opened up throughout the pages. She had some deep realizations about her life, and the mistakes she made in her relationships.
I really loved the writing style of this book, it is light-hearted and very enjoyable to read. I loved the setting of this novel as well, books set in London feel very relatable and close to my heart. I really liked the structure of the chapters, they are not very long and filled with lists and text messages which made the whole reading experience more playful and entertaining. The ending was very well deserved and rounded the story very nicely.
To conclude, it is a very funny and enjoyable novel, filled with very well developed, diverse characters and great adventures (kind of). I think it would be a great romantic comedy film, and I hope to see it one day. 🙂 I really enjoyed this novel, and if you are looking for something to lighten up your gloomy evenings, this is definitely a book to go for. Do give this book a go and I hope you will enjoy as much as I did.
The narrative was incredibly funny and got me giggling and saying “Oh NO!” out loud many times. It is just unbelievable how unlucky one person can be! So kudos to Cassy for surviving all that mess, which she brought on herself. 😀 This book is full of twists and unexpected turns, but I knew who the puzzle man was way before things started being obvious. Nevertheless, I kept reading to see what another silly situation Cassy is going to get into, also, I wanted to see whether I was right with my guess. (Just to clarify, I am always wrong with my guesses, ALWAYS! Except for this time.) The narrative is told from Cassy’s perspective and it was fully sufficient for me. I really liked the way the protagonist opened up throughout the pages. She had some deep realizations about her life, and the mistakes she made in her relationships.
I really loved the writing style of this book, it is light-hearted and very enjoyable to read. I loved the setting of this novel as well, books set in London feel very relatable and close to my heart. I really liked the structure of the chapters, they are not very long and filled with lists and text messages which made the whole reading experience more playful and entertaining. The ending was very well deserved and rounded the story very nicely.
To conclude, it is a very funny and enjoyable novel, filled with very well developed, diverse characters and great adventures (kind of). I think it would be a great romantic comedy film, and I hope to see it one day. 🙂 I really enjoyed this novel, and if you are looking for something to lighten up your gloomy evenings, this is definitely a book to go for. Do give this book a go and I hope you will enjoy as much as I did.