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Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Small Great Things in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Here lately we hear a different story every week where a person of color has been wrong by the police or another authoritative figure in their community. Jodi Picoult tackles this issue head on. Telling the story of Ruth Jefferson, the only black nurse in the Labor and Delivery Unit at Mercy-West Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. When she is removed from the Bauer case because of the color of her skin, she's upset but continues to to do her job. When something horrible happens to the baby, Ruth has to choose between doing the job she was trained to do and fulfilling the wish of the white supremacist parents. When tragedy strikes, Ruth finds herself in the middle of a murder trial.
This book was amazing. I have been a fan of Jodi Picoult for a long time. Her books have a way of grabbing at your heart strings and make you look at the world from a different perspective. This book was no exception. I literally read this book from cover to cover. Rarely do I read the Author's Notes, but this time I did. I had to know where the inspiration for this book came from and what would make a white woman write a book about such an explosive topic in our society today. As a woman of color I felt a lot of emotions while reading this book.
Ruth Jefferson is a highly educated nurse at Mercy-West Haven Hospital. Despite being the only black woman in her department and one of the few in her neighborhood, she gets along well with her colleagues and neighbors and considers some of them friends, or so she thinks. As Ruth tells her story, I can relate to some of the struggles she faces. I was always taught not to judge people by the color of their skin. With part of my family descending from slaves and another part who owned slaves, my family is quite a mix of cultures. But when Ruth is put on trial or murder, these colleagues and neighbors were no longer her friends, they were now people who saw her as the black woman who killed a white baby.
This is an important book for everyone to read. Told from three points of view; Ruth's the nurse on trial for killing a baby; Turk, the white supremacist father of that baby; and Kennedy, the white, female public defender who is Ruth's attorney. Each character learns about themselves and the people around them over the course of this book.
I commend Jodi Picoult for tackling this difficult subject, especially during this time in our country when the subject is so relevant. As she mentions in her Author's Notes, most white authors write historical fiction about the black community, but this book fits right with today's headlines and some are even mentioned. This book helps to confirm why Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors.
This book was amazing. I have been a fan of Jodi Picoult for a long time. Her books have a way of grabbing at your heart strings and make you look at the world from a different perspective. This book was no exception. I literally read this book from cover to cover. Rarely do I read the Author's Notes, but this time I did. I had to know where the inspiration for this book came from and what would make a white woman write a book about such an explosive topic in our society today. As a woman of color I felt a lot of emotions while reading this book.
Ruth Jefferson is a highly educated nurse at Mercy-West Haven Hospital. Despite being the only black woman in her department and one of the few in her neighborhood, she gets along well with her colleagues and neighbors and considers some of them friends, or so she thinks. As Ruth tells her story, I can relate to some of the struggles she faces. I was always taught not to judge people by the color of their skin. With part of my family descending from slaves and another part who owned slaves, my family is quite a mix of cultures. But when Ruth is put on trial or murder, these colleagues and neighbors were no longer her friends, they were now people who saw her as the black woman who killed a white baby.
This is an important book for everyone to read. Told from three points of view; Ruth's the nurse on trial for killing a baby; Turk, the white supremacist father of that baby; and Kennedy, the white, female public defender who is Ruth's attorney. Each character learns about themselves and the people around them over the course of this book.
I commend Jodi Picoult for tackling this difficult subject, especially during this time in our country when the subject is so relevant. As she mentions in her Author's Notes, most white authors write historical fiction about the black community, but this book fits right with today's headlines and some are even mentioned. This book helps to confirm why Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Snow like Ashes in Books
Oct 9, 2018
The world-building in this book is fascinating. At first, it seems like yet another YA novel about displaced royals trying to win back their kingdom, but this royal is in much more dire straits than most. Meira is a refugee living on the run with seven others, one of them her rightful King. All the rest of their people have been enslaved by the conquering country, and their kingdom's link to the magic inherent in the land has been broken.
A little backdrop is needed. In Meira's land, there are eight countries. The Rhythm countries, where seasons proceed as normal, and the Seasons - 4 countries locked in one season each. The rulers of each country have a magic conduit that lets them feed magic to their people - but the conduits are gender-locked. In four of the countries, only women can use the conduit; in the other four, only men. Meira and her little band are all that's left of the free people of Winter. Spring invaded sixteen years ago, killed Winter's queen, broke the locket that was their magic conduit (each ruler has one) and enslaved their people. Because the queen only had a son, he can't wield Winter's magic anyway. They're still trying to find the two pieces of the locket so when he has a daughter, she can wield it. You'd think at this point, since he's of age, he should be trying to get as many women pregnant as possible to up the odds of getting a royal heir who can wield the magic, but that...doesn't come up.
The book does delve into the country's people being oppressed, used as slaves, and being incredibly abused by the conquering country, and this is where I ran into a quandary. The Season's people reflect their countries: Autumn's people have copper skin, Spring's citizens are blond-haired and green-eyed - and Winter's people are white. Pale skin, snow-white hair, blue eyes. Writing white people as the oppressed people just rubs me the wrong way. (In that false "help I'm being oppressed because other people want equal rights!" kind of way.) Yes, this is fantasy, yes, it has nothing to do with our world's politics - but it bothers me. It's at least not white-savioring, as Meira's trying to save her own people, but I don't know. Is it better or worse to write white people as the oppressed protagonists?
That question aside, this was a well-written novel of fighting against an oppressor. There is definitely still work to be done at the end of the book, and there are two more books, as well as two short stories. While I am a little curious what ultimately happens, I don't know if the series has earned more time on my reading list.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
A little backdrop is needed. In Meira's land, there are eight countries. The Rhythm countries, where seasons proceed as normal, and the Seasons - 4 countries locked in one season each. The rulers of each country have a magic conduit that lets them feed magic to their people - but the conduits are gender-locked. In four of the countries, only women can use the conduit; in the other four, only men. Meira and her little band are all that's left of the free people of Winter. Spring invaded sixteen years ago, killed Winter's queen, broke the locket that was their magic conduit (each ruler has one) and enslaved their people. Because the queen only had a son, he can't wield Winter's magic anyway. They're still trying to find the two pieces of the locket so when he has a daughter, she can wield it. You'd think at this point, since he's of age, he should be trying to get as many women pregnant as possible to up the odds of getting a royal heir who can wield the magic, but that...doesn't come up.
The book does delve into the country's people being oppressed, used as slaves, and being incredibly abused by the conquering country, and this is where I ran into a quandary. The Season's people reflect their countries: Autumn's people have copper skin, Spring's citizens are blond-haired and green-eyed - and Winter's people are white. Pale skin, snow-white hair, blue eyes. Writing white people as the oppressed people just rubs me the wrong way. (In that false "help I'm being oppressed because other people want equal rights!" kind of way.) Yes, this is fantasy, yes, it has nothing to do with our world's politics - but it bothers me. It's at least not white-savioring, as Meira's trying to save her own people, but I don't know. Is it better or worse to write white people as the oppressed protagonists?
That question aside, this was a well-written novel of fighting against an oppressor. There is definitely still work to be done at the end of the book, and there are two more books, as well as two short stories. While I am a little curious what ultimately happens, I don't know if the series has earned more time on my reading list.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Underworld: Blood Wars (2017) in Movies
Jul 12, 2019
The latest installment of the Underworld franchise will not make you happy, but it may entertain you.
Let my preamble consist of this important note: I am a huge fan of the property. With that in mind, we’ll continue.
Kate Beckinsale is back in her black, skin-tight vinyl to deal death and continue the war that’s raged for 1500 years. While a few characters from previous movies show up in this film, most roles are taken by fresh faces. Scenes from the old movies as inserted under the guise of memories narrated by Selene, as well as the jumpy blood memories.
With so many films preceding this one, the creators were kind enough to run us through the major events that set up the current plot. However, as happens with most sequels, I cursed myself for not remembering to watch the previous film beforehand. I recommend doing so; it had been so long I’d forgotten connections and details.
The story of the war continues. The current crisis is coming to a head with a powerful Lycan named Marius in command of the pack. They are intent upon winning the war, once and for all, with a concentrated assault.
Both sides seek avenues to make their species more powerful, and in this case, it’s Selene’s daughter.
The action sequences are shot in the same choppy style as in previous films, but are somehow not captured as beautifully as before.
The plot proceeds at a breakneck pace, often too fast for its own good. Whether it’s due to poor writing, poor direction, or some combination of both, the short scenes feel forced. They exist purely as plot points and do little to attach the audience to the characters. Though the film was marketed as “the final showdown,” it lacks the same epic feeling of the previous one. It’s clear they are trying to milk this franchise for all it’s worth. The payout we all desperately want — a conclusive ending — just won’t come.
The crowning failure comes at a pivotal point when two characters are screaming at each other while pushing bullets out of their skin. It made me feel like I was watching a campy, low-budget action flick. It was so bad that my movie buddy and I started laughing out loud.
We are both huge fans of the property, but were greatly disappointed by poor movie-making and the lack of closure to the story. They probably won’t be given another chance to finish it.
Despite all of this, the acting is actually pretty good. And let’s be honest here: if you are a fan of this franchise, you’re going to go watch it no matter what I say. That’s fine, but don’t go in with high expectations. You can extract some entertainment, but this is just not a good film.
Let my preamble consist of this important note: I am a huge fan of the property. With that in mind, we’ll continue.
Kate Beckinsale is back in her black, skin-tight vinyl to deal death and continue the war that’s raged for 1500 years. While a few characters from previous movies show up in this film, most roles are taken by fresh faces. Scenes from the old movies as inserted under the guise of memories narrated by Selene, as well as the jumpy blood memories.
With so many films preceding this one, the creators were kind enough to run us through the major events that set up the current plot. However, as happens with most sequels, I cursed myself for not remembering to watch the previous film beforehand. I recommend doing so; it had been so long I’d forgotten connections and details.
The story of the war continues. The current crisis is coming to a head with a powerful Lycan named Marius in command of the pack. They are intent upon winning the war, once and for all, with a concentrated assault.
Both sides seek avenues to make their species more powerful, and in this case, it’s Selene’s daughter.
The action sequences are shot in the same choppy style as in previous films, but are somehow not captured as beautifully as before.
The plot proceeds at a breakneck pace, often too fast for its own good. Whether it’s due to poor writing, poor direction, or some combination of both, the short scenes feel forced. They exist purely as plot points and do little to attach the audience to the characters. Though the film was marketed as “the final showdown,” it lacks the same epic feeling of the previous one. It’s clear they are trying to milk this franchise for all it’s worth. The payout we all desperately want — a conclusive ending — just won’t come.
The crowning failure comes at a pivotal point when two characters are screaming at each other while pushing bullets out of their skin. It made me feel like I was watching a campy, low-budget action flick. It was so bad that my movie buddy and I started laughing out loud.
We are both huge fans of the property, but were greatly disappointed by poor movie-making and the lack of closure to the story. They probably won’t be given another chance to finish it.
Despite all of this, the acting is actually pretty good. And let’s be honest here: if you are a fan of this franchise, you’re going to go watch it no matter what I say. That’s fine, but don’t go in with high expectations. You can extract some entertainment, but this is just not a good film.
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Merissa (13197 KP) rated Driving Whiskey Wild (The Whiskeys #3) in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Driving Whiskey Wild (The Whiskeys #3) by Melissa Foster
Driving Whiskey Wild is the third book in The Whiskeys series, but each book is written so it is standalone. Saying that, I would have loved to have read the first two books, simply because I'm nosy and like to see how everyone pairs up! In this book, we find out about Bullet. He is the mean and moody, belligerent and broody, alpha male - that is, until you get to know him and then you find out he has a marshmallow centre! The woman who gets under his skin is his total opposite in every way. Finlay is sweet, so much so he calls her 'lollipop', she prefers skirts and dresses, and has that sunny, 'everything is wonderful' attitude that made my teeth hurt. However, underneath, she is trying to keep everything together just as much as the next person. These two actually make a wonderful pair, and round each other out.
This was very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The characters are great, and you meet characters from the other books without them taking over the current story. If you are looking for a steamy, positive read, then I can definitely recommend this book.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This was very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The characters are great, and you meet characters from the other books without them taking over the current story. If you are looking for a steamy, positive read, then I can definitely recommend this book.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Lou Grande (148 KP) rated Latter Days (2004) in Movies
Jun 20, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
I saw this movie back when it was released fourteen years ago, when I was still young and had faith in things. I picked it up again to see if it held up, and you know? It's not bad. Usually romantic comedies don't do much for me, gay or straight, but I have a thing for Mormons--what can I say?
So Christian is a gay party boy livin' it up in LA, but ultimately lacking in purpose and drive. Aaron is a Mormon missionary from Iowa, who experiences culture shock and desire for the first time, because of course they become neighbors and hijinks ensue. Fun fact! This movie also stars Joseph Gorgon-Levitt as a total butt, which is quite a contrast to his role in Mysterious Skin, another gay-themed movie which came out in the same year.
The acting is actually not as horrible as you would think from the production value/budget, and the story is typical romantic comedy fare. Still, I think it would strike a chord with anyone who is queer and was brought up in a religious household. It doesn't shy away from how agonizing it can be to be betrayed by family, especially fourteen years ago. And you know, some of the dialogue is actually really poignant. If you can get over the vaguely "afterschool special" feeling of this movie, it's definitely worth a watch.
(It has a happy ending!)
So Christian is a gay party boy livin' it up in LA, but ultimately lacking in purpose and drive. Aaron is a Mormon missionary from Iowa, who experiences culture shock and desire for the first time, because of course they become neighbors and hijinks ensue. Fun fact! This movie also stars Joseph Gorgon-Levitt as a total butt, which is quite a contrast to his role in Mysterious Skin, another gay-themed movie which came out in the same year.
The acting is actually not as horrible as you would think from the production value/budget, and the story is typical romantic comedy fare. Still, I think it would strike a chord with anyone who is queer and was brought up in a religious household. It doesn't shy away from how agonizing it can be to be betrayed by family, especially fourteen years ago. And you know, some of the dialogue is actually really poignant. If you can get over the vaguely "afterschool special" feeling of this movie, it's definitely worth a watch.
(It has a happy ending!)
Awix (3310 KP) rated Unearthly Stranger (1964) in Movies
Nov 9, 2018
Slightly bonkers British sci-fi B-movie isn't quite as good as some people would have you believe, but scores heavily for sheer weirdness, ingenuity, and the cult credentials of its cast. A project to achieve spaceship-free space-travel by unlocking the hidden powers of the human brain is being hampered by the fact that anyone who makes a breakthrough turns up dead with their brain exploded from the inside - could there possibly be foul play involved? Top boffins Davidson and Lancaster think so, but their investigations lead them to Davidson's beautiful new wife, who is a whizz in the kitchen but has no pulse, never blinks, and scares off small children at a hundred paces...
Dingbat attempt at knocking off Quatermass and Village of the Damned; may be a very distant ancestor of films like Under the Skin, but not the kind they talk about. Once you get past all the silliness, which is actually delivered with impressive conviction ('May I come to your house and anaesthetise your wife, so we can see if she is real or an illusion?'), there are a few reasonably eerie moments and curious insights into 60s gender politics - the viewpoint throughout is that of middle-aged white guys, with the women all wives or secretaries. The film is too daft for its sexist overtones to be really offensive. By no means a great movie but fun to watch if you're in the right mood.
Dingbat attempt at knocking off Quatermass and Village of the Damned; may be a very distant ancestor of films like Under the Skin, but not the kind they talk about. Once you get past all the silliness, which is actually delivered with impressive conviction ('May I come to your house and anaesthetise your wife, so we can see if she is real or an illusion?'), there are a few reasonably eerie moments and curious insights into 60s gender politics - the viewpoint throughout is that of middle-aged white guys, with the women all wives or secretaries. The film is too daft for its sexist overtones to be really offensive. By no means a great movie but fun to watch if you're in the right mood.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Cronos (1994) in Movies
Jul 27, 2019
A Vampire film?
Contains spoilers, click to show
The feature film debut of now Academy Award winning director Guillermo del Toro does not disappoint!
A mysterious scarab is found after 400+ years in hiding by an old man. He decided to use the device which activates and attached to his skin. He initial pain is followed by the man starting to feel and look younger.
The situation deteriorates as the man continues to look worse and worse but gain in strength becoming able to withstand pain that would slay a normal man.
I really enjoyed the tone and look of this film. Even though it was low budget, del Toro made the most of it and it never felt cheap or the special effects look fake. The scarab was an interesting device and reminded me of the puzzle box in Hellraiser or the flying silver balls in Phantasm.
I liked the slow developing degenerative story and it never really says it is a vampire film although it feels more and more like that as the story develops.
Whenever you are watching a great foreign film, the subtitles just go away and it feels like you are watching an English speaking movie.
It's too bad there was never a sequel to this as I would've liked to see where the story went once the movie ended.
Highly recommended. Thanks @Erika
A mysterious scarab is found after 400+ years in hiding by an old man. He decided to use the device which activates and attached to his skin. He initial pain is followed by the man starting to feel and look younger.
The situation deteriorates as the man continues to look worse and worse but gain in strength becoming able to withstand pain that would slay a normal man.
I really enjoyed the tone and look of this film. Even though it was low budget, del Toro made the most of it and it never felt cheap or the special effects look fake. The scarab was an interesting device and reminded me of the puzzle box in Hellraiser or the flying silver balls in Phantasm.
I liked the slow developing degenerative story and it never really says it is a vampire film although it feels more and more like that as the story develops.
Whenever you are watching a great foreign film, the subtitles just go away and it feels like you are watching an English speaking movie.
It's too bad there was never a sequel to this as I would've liked to see where the story went once the movie ended.
Highly recommended. Thanks @Erika
