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Christine A. (965 KP) rated Even If I Fall in Books
Jan 23, 2019
Stand alone YA novel that focuses on how family members are affected by one person's crime
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
In "Even If I Fall" by Abigail Johnson, Brooke's life is destroyed when her beloved brother confesses to killing his best friend, Calvin. Beginning about a year after the confession, the story focuses on Brooke, her family, and the struggles they have while trying continue with their lives.Brooke can not talk to her family so, because of a rainy day and a broken drown truck, she finds the one person she can talk to and who will understand, Calvin's brother.
I work in the criminal justice system and have seen how families are affected by one person's crime. They often can not talk to other family members because they are hurting just as much. One case sticks out among all of the others I have seen. At the beginning of the trial, two grandmothers, the defendant's and the victim's, sat as far away as possible from each other. By the end of the trial, when the verdict was read, they held each other up for support and said, "No one wins. Two young men's lives are ruined". The grandmothers left the courtroom still holding each other.
I have added both of Johnson's other book to my want to read list.
In "Even If I Fall" by Abigail Johnson, Brooke's life is destroyed when her beloved brother confesses to killing his best friend, Calvin. Beginning about a year after the confession, the story focuses on Brooke, her family, and the struggles they have while trying continue with their lives.Brooke can not talk to her family so, because of a rainy day and a broken drown truck, she finds the one person she can talk to and who will understand, Calvin's brother.
I work in the criminal justice system and have seen how families are affected by one person's crime. They often can not talk to other family members because they are hurting just as much. One case sticks out among all of the others I have seen. At the beginning of the trial, two grandmothers, the defendant's and the victim's, sat as far away as possible from each other. By the end of the trial, when the verdict was read, they held each other up for support and said, "No one wins. Two young men's lives are ruined". The grandmothers left the courtroom still holding each other.
I have added both of Johnson's other book to my want to read list.
Joseph Rogers (13 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019) in Movies
Jan 14, 2020
Another Star Wars Movie, And It's Great!
The Good:
The saga is over and we finally know where Rey comes from! Would have preferred not to have known but who cares!
A lot of people dislike this movie, almost more than Last Jedi I feel but I take it for what it is: a Star Wars movie. If they didn't make it people would be mad but they did and you can dislike the movie but it's the facetious reviews I can't stand.
We see a lot of older characters return and it really felt like a reunion of old and new.
The Bad:
The editing felt really wonky in places, the first 30mins alone was too much to handle in one sitting (had to see it twice).
I did feel like they suffered slightly by getting a different director in for Last Jedi as they're bound to have a different outlook on Star Wars. That's not discrediting Rian Johnson's directing at all. I'm just a purest and completeist, if you're going to start a trilogy with one director, keep that director for the rest of the movies.
All in all a movie worth watching over and over if you're a star wars fan. I tend to rate a movie 10/10 if it's part of a franchise like star wars that I know I'd watch over and over but as it just came out I'll leave it at 9 for now 😉
The saga is over and we finally know where Rey comes from! Would have preferred not to have known but who cares!
A lot of people dislike this movie, almost more than Last Jedi I feel but I take it for what it is: a Star Wars movie. If they didn't make it people would be mad but they did and you can dislike the movie but it's the facetious reviews I can't stand.
We see a lot of older characters return and it really felt like a reunion of old and new.
The Bad:
The editing felt really wonky in places, the first 30mins alone was too much to handle in one sitting (had to see it twice).
I did feel like they suffered slightly by getting a different director in for Last Jedi as they're bound to have a different outlook on Star Wars. That's not discrediting Rian Johnson's directing at all. I'm just a purest and completeist, if you're going to start a trilogy with one director, keep that director for the rest of the movies.
All in all a movie worth watching over and over if you're a star wars fan. I tend to rate a movie 10/10 if it's part of a franchise like star wars that I know I'd watch over and over but as it just came out I'll leave it at 9 for now 😉
The Boy is Gone: Conversations with a Mau Mau General
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A story with the power to change how people view the last years of colonialism in East Africa, The...
Case Studies in Neural Data Analysis: A Guide for the Practicing Neuroscientist
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As neural data becomes increasingly complex, neuroscientists now require skills in computer...
Hidden Histories: A Spotter's Guide to the British Landscape
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For the times when you' re driving past a lumpy, bumpy field and you wonder what made the lumps and...
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated The Crossing at Cypress Creek (Natchez Trace #3) in Books
Feb 23, 2021
Over the Hills and through the sea to sea a family reunited and a family started !
Such a great book ! This book is the last one in a series, but I do believe that you can read this one as a stand alone (I did ). It made me want to go back and read the previous books, as well as hoping to someday get to read a fourth book in the series (Hint, Hint ;) .
I believe that this is one of the first books I have read by Pam Hillman (I can't believe it as this one was so good), I already have ordered the previous two books in the series. I believe that Pam did a great job at showing some of the struggles people went through before there was "Civilization" around, and she made me believe I was right there and that I could here the forest all around me.
I loved the characters, how they interacted, the ways you got to hear their thoughts and share a little piece of their lives. I thought that the underlying message was that it is never too late to receive grace, or ask forgiveness from God.
I give this story a 5 out of 5 stars, for original and engaging characters, amazingly detailed descriptions, and page turning smiles.
I volunteered to read this book from Tyndale House Publishing in return for my honest feedback, the thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Such a great book ! This book is the last one in a series, but I do believe that you can read this one as a stand alone (I did ). It made me want to go back and read the previous books, as well as hoping to someday get to read a fourth book in the series (Hint, Hint ;) .
I believe that this is one of the first books I have read by Pam Hillman (I can't believe it as this one was so good), I already have ordered the previous two books in the series. I believe that Pam did a great job at showing some of the struggles people went through before there was "Civilization" around, and she made me believe I was right there and that I could here the forest all around me.
I loved the characters, how they interacted, the ways you got to hear their thoughts and share a little piece of their lives. I thought that the underlying message was that it is never too late to receive grace, or ask forgiveness from God.
I give this story a 5 out of 5 stars, for original and engaging characters, amazingly detailed descriptions, and page turning smiles.
I volunteered to read this book from Tyndale House Publishing in return for my honest feedback, the thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Will Young recommended David Live by David Bowie in Music (curated)
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Sweet Dreams (The Kihn #2) in Books
Jun 25, 2021 (Updated Jun 25, 2021)
96 of 250
Kindle
Sweet dreams (Saltwater books 2)
By Rivi Jacks
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Sweet Dreams begins where Sweetwater: The Kihn ended.
It is not a stand-alone novel. There will be one more book in the Sweetwater series.
Sofie Reece and Lucas Santiago’s love story continues in Sweet Dreams.
Sofie Reece has a secret.
A secret she’s kept hidden for most of her life and now the man she loves is determined to uncover what she’s hiding.
What he discovers will put Sofie and all she holds dear in peril as she and Lucas confront the role she plays in their struggle against a ruthless and unimaginable enemy.
I’m so disappointed I absolutely loved the first book but this one was drama after drama! I really changed my rating from 2 to 3 and backsi many times. Sofie has become so insecure and whiny also so yes sir no sir! Lucas comes across as a bully and refuses to let sofie get a word in edge ways his controlling behaviour got tedious. Their whole relationship comes across as quite toxic! The whole idea behind the Kihn is so good and Sofies connection to them holds so much promise which is why I think I settled at 3 stars. I don’t usually give too much negativity in my feedback but I couldn’t find much positive to say!
Kindle
Sweet dreams (Saltwater books 2)
By Rivi Jacks
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Sweet Dreams begins where Sweetwater: The Kihn ended.
It is not a stand-alone novel. There will be one more book in the Sweetwater series.
Sofie Reece and Lucas Santiago’s love story continues in Sweet Dreams.
Sofie Reece has a secret.
A secret she’s kept hidden for most of her life and now the man she loves is determined to uncover what she’s hiding.
What he discovers will put Sofie and all she holds dear in peril as she and Lucas confront the role she plays in their struggle against a ruthless and unimaginable enemy.
I’m so disappointed I absolutely loved the first book but this one was drama after drama! I really changed my rating from 2 to 3 and backsi many times. Sofie has become so insecure and whiny also so yes sir no sir! Lucas comes across as a bully and refuses to let sofie get a word in edge ways his controlling behaviour got tedious. Their whole relationship comes across as quite toxic! The whole idea behind the Kihn is so good and Sofies connection to them holds so much promise which is why I think I settled at 3 stars. I don’t usually give too much negativity in my feedback but I couldn’t find much positive to say!
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Agent Zaiba Investigates - The Poison Plot (Agent Zaiba Investigates, #2) in Books
Sep 24, 2020 (Updated Jan 26, 2021)
My beloved agents are back, Zaiba is leading another investigation, where her dad and little brother Ali are potential suspects! We have some new characters added this time, that are quite sneaky and have their secret agendas.
The plot of this book is quite interesting and has some really surprising twists and turns. I really liked the parent-child relationships analysed in this book. How parents influence their children without even realising it, I think it is quite an interesting topic. The investigation has its intriguing nuances, but this time the author could not hide the culprit, it was very obvious who it was.
The whole book was set in the school fete, with a very cheery atmosphere, that I thoroughly enjoyed. 🙂 The writing style of this novel is entertaining and easy to read, like in the previous book. The chapters have medium length, but the great illustrations make this book a quite entertaining read. The ending, as I mentioned before was quite predictable. Like in the first book, this book also has great material for young agents, that I think will be useful and fun. 🙂
So, to conclude, it is a great novel with beloved and new characters as well as a plot that has some surprises, and life lessons to teach. This book can be read as stand-alone, but if you read the first part and missed the crew, do give this part a go, it is a very enjoyable read indeed.
The plot of this book is quite interesting and has some really surprising twists and turns. I really liked the parent-child relationships analysed in this book. How parents influence their children without even realising it, I think it is quite an interesting topic. The investigation has its intriguing nuances, but this time the author could not hide the culprit, it was very obvious who it was.
The whole book was set in the school fete, with a very cheery atmosphere, that I thoroughly enjoyed. 🙂 The writing style of this novel is entertaining and easy to read, like in the previous book. The chapters have medium length, but the great illustrations make this book a quite entertaining read. The ending, as I mentioned before was quite predictable. Like in the first book, this book also has great material for young agents, that I think will be useful and fun. 🙂
So, to conclude, it is a great novel with beloved and new characters as well as a plot that has some surprises, and life lessons to teach. This book can be read as stand-alone, but if you read the first part and missed the crew, do give this part a go, it is a very enjoyable read indeed.