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Sjon recommended Last Stories and Other Stories in Books (curated)

 
Last Stories and Other Stories
Last Stories and Other Stories
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"I don’t hesitate to state that no one becomes a great writer without drinking from the spring of fables. Sometimes their influence shows on the surface and at other times it remains hidden inside the story like bones in a body. In this magnificent collection of dark stories, Vollmann — who many consider having written the Great American Novel more than once — proves himself a master storyteller whose pitcher of that fabled water never runs dry. Drawing on sources from the North, The South, The East and the West he takes us on a journey through many last nights on earth and in the worlds beyond."

Source
  
Strobe Edge, Vol. 1
Strobe Edge, Vol. 1
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is my second manga by this author and I really liked the other [b:?????? 1 Ao Haru Ride 1 |13571757|?????? 1 Ao Haru Ride 1 (Blue Spring Ride, #1)|Io Sakisaka|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333286264s/13571757.jpg|19152133].

One thing I have noticed is that the guy looks eerily similar to the guy from the other one. In fact, that something I've noticed having read a handful of different ones--a lot of the characters kinda look the same.

Anyway, I'm intrigued by this one. I want them to get together already but as always there are several obstacles in the way. Off to start Volume 2.
  
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ClareR (5589 KP) rated Ashes in Books

Nov 24, 2022  
Ashes
Ashes
Christopher de Vinck | 2020 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What it’s about:
Belgium, July 1939: Simone and Hava are best friends. Simone’s father is a national hero, a famous general, and Hava is a Polish Jew.
When the Nazis invade in Spring 1940, Simone and Hava flee Brussels and the rules that dictate that they shouldn’t be friends.

My thoughts:
This book was an emotional rollercoaster. When I started reading it, I knew that there was going to be a high possibility that Hava and her family would suffer under the Nazis, but I wasn’t prepared for Simone’s single-mindedness to try and protect her friend. The attitudes of some of the Belgians and the acts of violence, were harrowing.
  
Joe (2014)
Joe (2014)
2014 | Drama
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
So, officially … spring is here although it still feels like winter to your friendly
neighborhood freelance photographer but according to the calendar it’s spring.

Another indicator that it might be spring? Nicolas Cage has a new film out.
Seriously, he does .. and it’s actually a dark, heavy-duty drama.

‘Joe’ is based on the 1991 novel of the same name written by author Larry Brown.
Directed by David Gordon Green who’se credits include comedies like 2008’s
‘Pineapple Express’ and the HBO t.v. series ‘Eastbound & Down’ … ‘Joe’is certainly
no comedy.

Starring Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, and Ronnie Gene Belvins ‘Joe’ is a dark, gritty
film that tells the story of Joe Ransom. An angry ex-con who befriends Gary, a teenager
from an abusive, broken home who approaches Joe looking for work with his ‘tree poinsoning’
crew. Impressed by Gary’s stubborness and determination Joe gives him a job (and later
his truck) and attempts to set Gary on ‘the right path’ and becomes an unlikely rolemodel
for him. At home though, Gary’s family life is slowly spiraling at of control due to
his alcholic father and the situation points to a dark, violent confrontation.

I can honestly say that this is one of Nic Cage’s best and ‘sincere’ performances in a
while and due to the darkness of the film, it will most likely go unrecognized. The film
doesn’t hold back. It’s in-your-face, gritty, and violent. The minute you don’t think it
can get more disturbing, it does just that. As the viewer, the experience was like an
old-fashioned pinball machine only you, the viewer, ARE the pinball.

I don’t recommend this as a ‘date movie’ but if you like Nicolas Cage’s work and you’re
looking for a good drama, this is defintely one to see. If this movie is any indication,
I imagine it won’t be too long before Nic Cage has another great performance under his belt
so keep an eye out. ‘Joe’ is rated ‘R’ and you can catch it in theaters on April 11th.
I give the film 4 out of 5 stars.
  
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Jamie (131 KP) rated The Vines in Books

May 24, 2017  
The Vines
The Vines
Christopher Rice | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
6
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Good suspense with plenty of twists (0 more)
Weak characters (1 more)
Mediocre ending
A haunted house thriller that could've been more
At Spring House, it’s not just a lone ghost that haunts the property—something has awoken. Almost as if the house were alive. That’s the impression I got going into The Vines, and I thought it was a unique twist to the classic haunted house story.

The book has several narrators starting with Caitlin, an heiress whom everyone loves to hate and who is taken advantage of and cheated on by her husband. Second is Nova, an educated young black woman employed at Spring that has a real chip on her shoulder. Lastly there is Blake, a homosexual male nurse that suffers from depression after witnessing the death of his lover. All of these character’s stories come together to form the mystery around Spring House.

I had a hard time really deciding how I wanted to rate this book overall. At certain points it was thrilling, I wanted to know more about the mystery surrounding Spring House and the action scenes are written in wonderful detail. On the other hand I also found myself pretty disappointed with how one dimensional many of the characters were, particularly Caitlin and Nova. I just couldn’t find myself caring much about either one of them, which made it a little bit hard to remain interested in their respective roles in the plot.

With Caitlin she didn’t seem to be such a bad person, but the hatred and scorn from the people around her have reduced her to being a shadow of a person, not much ever comes from her character. The development of her character is seemingly dropped, she’s just there, all blind anger and rage and while it’s understandable, she has little impact on, well, anything. Which was unexpected considering the book’s synopsis was about her. What is worse is that Nova isn’t too far off from Caitlin. While there is a part of me that likes how strong willed Nova is, it is kind of annoying how she is just as blinded by her own rage and prejudice. Even she is barely relevant to the plot, if I’m to be perfectly frank. It becomes obvious that the real story is about Blake and how he faces up to the past that has been haunting him for years. This is well and good and I enjoyed his story, but then all of the other characters just become filler and this was kind of a downer.

The book just took way too long to get to that point. The focus keeps shifting before the story really starts to pick up speed and it feels like it drags a bit. I also found the ending to be a little bit cheesy, it just didn’t do it for me. Overall the book was decent, Rice has a gift for description and it was entertaining for a while. I just didn’t find this one to be particularly memorable.
  
100 Hours
100 Hours
Rachel Vincent | 2020 | Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
A decadent spring break beach getaway becomes a terrifying survival story when six Miami teens are kidnapped.

Maddie is beyond done with her cousin Genesis’s entitled and shallow entourage. Genesis is so over Miami’s predictable social scene with its velvet ropes, petty power plays, and backstabbing boyfriends.

While Maddie craves family time for spring break, Genesis seeks novelty—like a last-minute getaway to an untouched beach in Colombia. And when Genesis wants something, it happens.

But paradise has its price. Dragged from their tents under the cover of dark, Genesis, Maddie, and their friends are kidnapped and held for ransom deep inside the jungle—with no diva left behind. It all feels so random to everyone except Genesis. She knows they were targeted for a reason. And that reason is her.

Now, as the hours count down, only one thing’s for certain: If the Miami hostages can’t thwart their captors’ plan, no one will make it out alive.

At first I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book but it turned out to be pretty good! I did think I was going to like Genesis at all but she was the best thing about it! The hostages manage to thwart the plans of the enemies but at the cost of Genesis and her supposedly dead uncle! Love the twists and turns at the end and definitely looking forward to book 2
  
The Rite Of Spring by Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring by Igor Stravinsky
2012 | Classical
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I thought we ought to have one classical album as I do play a lot of classical music at home. I thought about Chopin’s Nocturnes but they didn’t change anything. The Rite Of Spring really was, for me, the first punk album. It was the most uncompromising vision. In the period it was done, no one was doing anything like Stravinsky. He was writing parts for instruments that didn’t have those notes, so they had to have new ones made with extra notes so the orchestra could play that piece. That’s forward thinking. The whole story of the making of the album is so fantastic – that Stravinsky has no money and Coco Chanel comes along and invites him to live at his house and Stravinsky sits in a room alone writing all these parts for all these instruments. It’s extraordinary and a remarkable achievement. Then, the fact that on the opening night in a swishy Parisian theatre the audience hated it. They think it is the most terrible row and now it is acknowledged as one of the great masterpieces of the 20th century. It’s too good a story and I admire his commitment and his inventiveness and his absolute passion to making that record work. You listen to it and think "how did anyone ever do that?" Anyone who hasn’t heard The Rite Of Spring and likes music should really take a listen."

Source
  
AP
A Plain and Simple Christmas: A Novella
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
WAnna Mae McDonough is shunned by her family and the Amish community. She left her community to marry Kellen McDonough who is an Englisher and moved to Baltimore. She is know expecting her first child and is now long to reconnect with her family and with the approaching of the holidays.

Anna Mae reach out to her sister in law to make arrengments to come and visit her family for the holidays. Her sister in law talks to her husband David. Her husband tell her not to do this and agrees to take her and the children to visit Anna Mae and Kellen in the spring. Katherine goes against her husband wishes and plans this visit for Anna Mae.
  
AP
A Plain and Simple Christmas: A Novella
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
WAnna Mae McDonough is shunned by her family and the Amish community. She left her community to marry Kellen McDonough who is an Englisher and moved to Baltimore. She is know expecting her first child and is now long to reconnect with her family and with the approaching of the holidays.

Anna Mae reach out to her sister in law to make arrengments to come and visit her family for the holidays. Her sister in law talks to her husband David. Her husband tell her not to do this and agrees to take her and the children to visit Anna Mae and Kellen in the spring. Katherine goes against her husband wishes and plans this visit for Anna Mae.
  
Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)
Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)
2020 | Comedy
It's not as good as the original for the most part but it never could be, the character is too well known to have that level of anonymity ever again. But it has some absolutely cracking moments that more than makes up for it. A lot of the sequel is clearly scripted and those moments aren't as strong, although Maria Bakalova as Borat's daughter was a great addition, she's genuinely really funny. I still can't get over the fact that so much of the movie was made during lockdown in Spring, though. It's incredible really, and it'll be fascinating to relive some of those moments years later.
Full Review: https://oftenofftopic.wordpress.com/2020/10/30/borat-subsequent-moviefilm-2020/