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BethZ (6 KP) rated Oxygen in Books

Dec 30, 2017  
Oxygen
Oxygen
Carol Cassella | 2008 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
well written, keeps you guessing, characters are likeable (0 more)
too much unnecessary details into medical procedures, no climatic dialogue between Marie and dad that aired out their differences. (0 more)
Fast Read!
I really enjoyed reading this book. I haven’t read anything in 2 days time in a very long time!

Dr. Marie Heaton is a successful anesthesiologist at First Lutheran Hospital in Seattle. In the seven years she’s been working there she has never made one mistake nor lost a patient. She prided herself on her meticulous organization skills, her neat charting, and her clean record. Until the day 8 year old Jolene stepped foot into her OR and passed away in the middle of a routine procedure she should have survived! Now Marie finds herself in the middle of a malpractice suit and on top of that, having to take care of her elderly father with whom her relationship with has been rocky.

This is a gripping story that tells us what doctors go through when fatal mistakes are made. I couldn’t put it down.

What I did not like about it:

1. too much medical detail. Some of it was necessary for us to understand what is going on in the story but most of it just felt like filler to me.

2. I expected the part where taking care of dad to come in a lot earlier than it did. And it wasn’t much caring for in the end. I was expecting her dad to be more belligerent to her about losing his independence and having to be taken care of. And since there has been unspoken animosity between them since Marie was a teenager, I expected there would be a climatic dialogue between them that airs out their problems and they get to move on from it. Never happened.

Other than those two things, there was so much to like about this book. The twist at the end had me on me on my seat! I did not expect it and I love when a story can surprise me! This was a great read!
  
Pig (2021)
Pig (2021)
2021 | Drama, Thriller
9
7.8 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A new Nicolas Cage film that's not below three stars on IMDb?! Who had "Earth sliding into the Twilight Zone" on their 2021 bingo card?

Rob must delve into his past when his only companion, a truffle-hunting pig, is pignapped in the dead of night.

I'm genuinely at a loss as to what I can say about the plot of Pig... I mean, it's basically Taken with a pig. I'm not sure I want to say much more about it at the moment because A] it mostly defies explanation, and B] bits of the detail will unfold as we go.

Nicolas Cage does some actual serious acting, and not the slightly ridiculous serious acting that happens in most of his other recent releases. Robin is basically a recluse out in the woods selling truffles and living off the land. I initially thought that we were going to get another non-speaking role with Pig, but his character evolves throughout in such a wonderful way.

Alex Wolff plays Amir, Robin's "food mover", it took me a moment to realise it was him. In my head he's still a "child", as I only really know him from the Jumanjis and Old. Seeing him playing an adult threw me. That did colour my opinion a little early on, but he started to grow on me as we got deeper into the film.

Their partnership starts off as one of necessity, but once the pignapping happens their bond transforms and you get to see how loss has affected both of them. They balance out the gaps in each other's lives, and the journey they take together works as a great way to further the background information and keep everything moving along.

The beginning did feel a little sparse, it wasn't quite a bored feeling, but I was fidgety and waiting for things to happen. That feeling carried on, and though that worried me a bit, I actually found it to be a rather calming tone that carried through the whole film. Robin's laid back attitude even flowed through the more actiony bits.

Robin's deep and insightful nature seeps into everyone around him and leaves them changes, it left me changed, and I enjoyed watching it all unfold throughout the story. There were some wonderful moments in the script and they left me thinking about the film on several different levels after I finished it.

There's something about this film, it hits you in so many ways. It's all stunning earthly tones that contrast well with the urban landscapes. My senses were going wild, I could smell the damp earth, and Robin, I could smell the food from all the sounds of cooking and the pouring of wine. It all led to some incredibly powerful moments.

I don't know how Pig managed to create such a feast for the senses, but it left me contented and oddly zen.

Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/09/pig-movie-review.html
  
TC
The Columbus Affair
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Okay. I hesitate to say too much in this review as the book hasn't been released yet & I know quite a few people anxious to get their hands on it. I don't want to spoil it for anyone. So I will say that it did not disappoint in the least.
I think the biggest issue I had with it is that it isn't Cotton Malone. I love that character! This is a stand alone book. It did take me a little reading to really get sucked in to the story. But with that being said, it is still a Berry book with all the trappings that make him such a wonderful author to read.
  
Exploding Kittens
Exploding Kittens
2015 | Animals, Card Game, Comic Book / Strip, Humor
Bonkers but entertaining
With a name like Exploding Kittens, you expect nothing other than something completely bizarre, and that's really what you get.

It reminds me a lot of Uno in a way, although i had been expecting something more like Top Trumps. It's a very fun yet completely bonkers card game, although the rules are fairly lengthy and it does take a while to get used to. It's not a game that can keep you entertained indefinitely, but once you get used to playing it it's good for a few fun rounds. It's a nice new spin on a card game, and one that feels like it has been made for adults for a change.
  
The Lottery and Other Stories
The Lottery and Other Stories
Shirley Jackson | 2009 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
Jackson is the queen of turning normal people's lives into a horror show. This short story is dark, disturbing and chilling.

Written and published just after WWII, this clearly sends out as message to all those involved in the Holocaust. Just because something is being done by the masses, and has become a sort of tradition, doesn't mean its moral and right. This message translates to today's times too. As another reviewer perfectly put it, "there is value in tradition but beware blind faith".

This in no way surprised me, it's not that I've seen spoilers for it, I just happened to get it very early on, but that doesn't take away the effect of the horrific ending.
  
TC
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Greg Rich and his parents are still stuck in 17th century France, and Spanish assassins have just targeted Greg and his friends, the Musketeers. This leads them to think that their old nemesis is plotting to overthrow the French government, so they take off to learn what kind of army is on the way. However, dissention in the group is making the trip hard. Can they keep it together to save the day? This is a fun mix of fantasy and historical fiction for kids. And adults. I certainly enjoyed it. It was another can't put down for me.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-last-musketeer-traitors.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
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Franjpan (10 KP) rated Periodic tales in Books

Nov 26, 2018  
Periodic tales
Periodic tales
Hugh Aldersey-Williams | 2011 | Science & Mathematics
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The curious lives of elements
Periodic takes is a very interesting book about one man's take on the periodic table of elements. 'The great rift Valley, the field of the cloth of gold, Newton's prism, the Mona Lisa; all impossible without the elements'. This book contains many different stories about the different elements, grounding them into everyday life. It requires little to no scientific knowledge and also includes lots of historical, geographical and cultural context. Personally, I found this book a great read as someone who is about to go to university to study chemistry but I also know of others who have read it and enjoyed it just as much as me.
  
Sherlock Holmes: The Voice of Treason
Sherlock Holmes: The Voice of Treason
George Mann | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
At first, I must admit, I wondered what a Sherlock Holmes story that had not been written by Arthur Conan Doyle would be like.

And then I listened to this.

Set in the 'traditional' Sherlock Holmes setting of late in Queen Victoria's reign (in this case, after Reichenbach Falls) - instead of the more contemporary setting popularised by TVs Sherlock - this did take me a bit to get into.

However, it is impeccably produced and acted - even if it relies quite heavily on flashbacks - taking in such key characters as Sherlock himself, Dr Watson, Sherlock's brother Mycroft and Professor Moriarty, in a mystery around the kidnapping of the Queen!
(I was never taught that in school …)
  
Vacation (2015)
Vacation (2015)
2015 | Action, Comedy
7
6.4 (11 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I'll be honest, I went into the new Vacation movie with very low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. I was laughing from the opening credits to the end. We all know it was Uncle Eddie that made the original vacation movies so great, but he sadly isn't in the new movie. There is a character that makes the new movie hilarious though, and that's the youngest Griswold son. That foul mouthed little asshole had me rolling. If you are on the fence about seeing it, I say load the family up in the old station wagon and take a road trip to the movies to watch Vacation.