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ClareR (5885 KP) rated Furiously Happy in Books
Feb 11, 2018 (Updated Feb 11, 2018)
Not to be read in public places, unless you're good at describing ridiculous things succinctly!
This book has been hours of me laughing out loud, sometimes hysterically, then having to explain to my husband why I'm laughing and him not getting it at all, because he hasn't read the book! So entertainment all round then!
I really liked how Jenny Lawson mixes her hilarious ramblings in with the sensible, sobering stuff. I would say that I'm hugely impressed with how she has exposed herself to the world, telling them about her mental health issues along with the other conditions she has, but I suppose this is the era of people starting to realise that 1 in 4 will have a mental health problem at some point in their lives. It's not a secret, and nothing to be ashamed about.
Anyway, this was hugely entertaining, and slightly embarrassing to read in public!
I really liked how Jenny Lawson mixes her hilarious ramblings in with the sensible, sobering stuff. I would say that I'm hugely impressed with how she has exposed herself to the world, telling them about her mental health issues along with the other conditions she has, but I suppose this is the era of people starting to realise that 1 in 4 will have a mental health problem at some point in their lives. It's not a secret, and nothing to be ashamed about.
Anyway, this was hugely entertaining, and slightly embarrassing to read in public!
Connie (244 KP) rated Amazon Kindle in Apps
Jun 7, 2018
Wide variety of books available and growing daily (2 more)
Partnered with Audible
Account is transferable from device to device
My go-to for ebooks!
This is an app I depend on daily. I can find everything from hidden gems, free books and classics to wildly popular current titles and even self-published books. Most titles that I want to find are available, sometimes even before the physical copy can be found nearby! Add in that I can get the audio book for a greatly reduced price through Audible if I buy the book via Kindle first, and I'm totally sold on this app. I also greatly appreciate that the books sync across devices, which makes it a heck of a lot easier to keep up with the material I'm reading.
Basically, there's nothing not to love about this app!
Basically, there's nothing not to love about this app!
ClareR (5885 KP) rated Watching You in Books
Jul 21, 2018
Well, this had me guessing right up to the end!
This has all the ingredients for a good thriller or mystery: a teenaged voyeur, a potentially unreliable witness with mental health issues, teenaged girls with a crush, career driven men, unfaithful spouses. Quite a lot for a book that's under 500 pages long!
An unspecified dead body appears in the first chapter, and the book then goes on to tell us the sequence of events that lead up to that moment. There are some interesting police interviews tucked in now and again too, that help to clarify (or sometimes obfuscate!) what is actually going on.
This was really good. There was no way that I was going to guess who was murdered and by whom, until the end - I liked that touch. The end was a proper bombshell moment. Great writing from Lisa Jewell!
An unspecified dead body appears in the first chapter, and the book then goes on to tell us the sequence of events that lead up to that moment. There are some interesting police interviews tucked in now and again too, that help to clarify (or sometimes obfuscate!) what is actually going on.
This was really good. There was no way that I was going to guess who was murdered and by whom, until the end - I liked that touch. The end was a proper bombshell moment. Great writing from Lisa Jewell!
ashezbookz (32 KP) rated A Humble Heart (Hollywood Hearts, #1) in Books
Jul 5, 2018
Another favourite author of mine - after coming off of Neighbour from Hell this is quite a different pace to come to and read. This book is very adorable and sweet, and actually has quite a bit of excitement, suspense maybe - action with the celebrity aspect. Throws a different light on that type of life I wonder if that's how all celebrity life is or if they live a more "normal" type of celebrity.
I like the book writer aspect and the kids, oh I love kids in books when written right, though sometimes I definitely felt the kids were written older then they were, it didn't bother me too much. This was a re-read for me though i can't remember when I read it for the first time (I read neighbour from hell repeatedly so I figured I'd re-read this series, not sad I did).
I like the book writer aspect and the kids, oh I love kids in books when written right, though sometimes I definitely felt the kids were written older then they were, it didn't bother me too much. This was a re-read for me though i can't remember when I read it for the first time (I read neighbour from hell repeatedly so I figured I'd re-read this series, not sad I did).
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Black Mass (2015) in Movies
Jul 8, 2018
The Departed it isn't
When it's a gangster film set in Boston, it's always going to get compared to The Departed. The problem with Black Mass is it's very similar to The Departed, but sadly not in quality.
The acting and cast are great, there is some fantastic casting in this although it's Johnny Depp that I'm not too sure on. He seems to be a little over the top and his physical transformation is very creepy and disconcerting. The true story is very interesting, but it sometimes comes across as dull and I do have questions over how true some of this. The film is lacking in humour too and they would've done better to try and liven it up somehow. Whilst I appreciate it's a true story, I do feel it's a little lacking. Not one I'd go out of my way to watch again.
The acting and cast are great, there is some fantastic casting in this although it's Johnny Depp that I'm not too sure on. He seems to be a little over the top and his physical transformation is very creepy and disconcerting. The true story is very interesting, but it sometimes comes across as dull and I do have questions over how true some of this. The film is lacking in humour too and they would've done better to try and liven it up somehow. Whilst I appreciate it's a true story, I do feel it's a little lacking. Not one I'd go out of my way to watch again.
Alice (12 KP) rated A Devil in Scotland (No Ordinary Hero, #3) in Books
Jul 3, 2018
This was the first regency romance book I've read in over a year where I've been focusing on the fantasy genre.
I'm very glad I read this book and it was filled with plenty of action, a thrilling tale of revenge and a Scottish accent to die for.
The writing and story had an easy-going flow to it that made the book finish quicker than I would have liked. Each character was written with a specific role in mind and there were no filler characters which was great.
Each character had their own individual flaws which were written to perfection and there wasn't anything that needed changing with the characters in this book. Sometimes characters are written too perfect and they have no faults of their own which makes it unbelievable even for fiction.
Overall, a good story with a solid plot and solid characters.
I'm very glad I read this book and it was filled with plenty of action, a thrilling tale of revenge and a Scottish accent to die for.
The writing and story had an easy-going flow to it that made the book finish quicker than I would have liked. Each character was written with a specific role in mind and there were no filler characters which was great.
Each character had their own individual flaws which were written to perfection and there wasn't anything that needed changing with the characters in this book. Sometimes characters are written too perfect and they have no faults of their own which makes it unbelievable even for fiction.
Overall, a good story with a solid plot and solid characters.
BendyZebra101 (0 KP) rated Inside Out (2015) in Movies
Aug 26, 2018
Great way to approach different emotions (1 more)
Upbeat while dealing with sensitive matter
Love love love love love it
Absolutely adore this movie.
It is a great way of explaining different emotions & how sometimes we can be happy one moment then sad the next to both younger children & people that may have issues regarding emotions.
It addresses some sensitive issues while still managing not to become too depressing.
It's not just because I love all things Disney that I love this movie. The music score is perfect for what is happening. It addresses something that we all experience at one point or more in our lives, and helps normalise the feelings we may have during the change.
Can't wait until my son (1 year old) is able to sit through a full movie as this is one of the many disney movies I plan on getting him to watch.
It is a great way of explaining different emotions & how sometimes we can be happy one moment then sad the next to both younger children & people that may have issues regarding emotions.
It addresses some sensitive issues while still managing not to become too depressing.
It's not just because I love all things Disney that I love this movie. The music score is perfect for what is happening. It addresses something that we all experience at one point or more in our lives, and helps normalise the feelings we may have during the change.
Can't wait until my son (1 year old) is able to sit through a full movie as this is one of the many disney movies I plan on getting him to watch.
ClareR (5885 KP) rated The Dark Lake in Books
Sep 5, 2018
One to watch for.
A debut thriller that really kept me on the edge of my seat. Rosalind Ryan, a local Drama and English teacher, is found dead in the lake at a local nature reserve. Gemma Woodstock, a local Detective Sergeant, is put on the case. Except Gemma has a history with Rosalind, and she has a lot of other personal baggage.
I enjoyed this. They're all very human characters with lots of faults, sometimes unpleasant ones: but I liked that. I liked that the murderer wasn't at all obvious (to me, anyway!) and had me guessing right up to the end, and the whole reason for the murder was a shock, and at the same time, understandable.
I will keep an eye out for future novels by this author, particularly in this series. I really do think that she'll be one to watch out for in the future.
I enjoyed this. They're all very human characters with lots of faults, sometimes unpleasant ones: but I liked that. I liked that the murderer wasn't at all obvious (to me, anyway!) and had me guessing right up to the end, and the whole reason for the murder was a shock, and at the same time, understandable.
I will keep an eye out for future novels by this author, particularly in this series. I really do think that she'll be one to watch out for in the future.
Caitlin Ann Cherniak (85 KP) rated Here to Stay in Books
Oct 21, 2018
This is one of those romance novels that reviews encouraged me to keep on reading. Like everyone else (most probably), I hated Luke at first because I really couldn't stand "the disabled kid being the world's biggest brat" trope, but that quickly changed after I got through the first few chapters.
Sometimes as I read novels, I question why characters get together (like the majority of romance novels), but for this one, I was so happy that they did. For a party guy, Zach is the nicest person I've ever read about in my life. And I feel so bad for Mandy because though I didn't grow up in an abusive household, but I've been in her shoes for taking care of my little sister, too.
I really don't wanna spoil the book, but it really turned in places I didn't expect, and I really hope that people will read this.
Sometimes as I read novels, I question why characters get together (like the majority of romance novels), but for this one, I was so happy that they did. For a party guy, Zach is the nicest person I've ever read about in my life. And I feel so bad for Mandy because though I didn't grow up in an abusive household, but I've been in her shoes for taking care of my little sister, too.
I really don't wanna spoil the book, but it really turned in places I didn't expect, and I really hope that people will read this.
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated The Penguin History of the USA in Books
Nov 5, 2018
A very concise and yet still strangely detailed history of one of the youngest super powers ever to exist. It is an effective and informative text that provides a complete history of the United States, although I must admit I was slightly let down by the lack of detail in later years, from Kennedy onwards. Brogan has a good degree of insight into the events and imparts this in a sometimes comical, but always fair way, never making assumptions unless he had solid foundations. All in all I found this an incredibly informative, if not slightly hard going due to the amount of fact covered, and one that deserves every attribute given to it by critics and ordinary readers alike. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is seriously interested in developing a more in depth knowledge about the history of this great country, scholars and casual readers alike.