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Litte Fires Everywhere
Litte Fires Everywhere
2020 | Drama
The ensemble cast: outstanding (1 more)
An intelligent and often uncomfortable script
Gripping study of racism in small-town america
Flighty artist Mia (Kelly Washington) moves into the picture-perfect community of Shaker Heights Ohio with her daughter Pearl (Lexi Underwood) and is welcomed by busybody mum Elena (Reese Witherspoon). But as racial tensions, teenage passions and secrets from the past emerge, a pressure-cooker of tension builds.

This is an outstanding drama in the mould of Big Little Lies, and equally supported by an outstanding cast. Kerry Washington is Emmy nominated and justly so. But equally impressive is the young cast, particularly Lexi Underwood as Pearl and Megan Stott, who has a magnetic screen presence as Izzy and who I would predict great things for.

It’s a script that buzzes with uncomfortable racial tensions in these days of Black Lives Matters, and is gripping to the end.

I just hope that - unlike Westworld - they call it a day with this one perfect series.

Watch it!!
  
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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Fire in Frost (Crystal Frost, #1) in Books

Mar 20, 2020 (Updated Mar 20, 2020)  
Fire in Frost (Crystal Frost, #1)
Fire in Frost (Crystal Frost, #1)
Alicia Rades | 2015 | Paranormal, Young Adult (YA)
8
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
"There's a fire growing inside of me. It's not the harmful kind that can kill a girl like Olivia. It's the kind that can save her."

CRYSTAL FROST tells herself she isn't crazy, but sane people don't see ghosts. As her psychic abilities manifest, Crystal discovers she can see into the future, witness the past, and speak with the dead. Add blackmail to the list of things she never thought would happen to her, and you basically have her sophomore year covered. After spotting her first ghost, secrets from her family, friends, and classmates begin to surface. Uncovering secrets can be dangerous, but giving up means someone will get hurt. Again.

What was refreshing with this YA was there was no teenage sexual tension drama!! It was a really well written story about a young girl discovering her special gift. It also raised awareness for domestic violence and that it's not acceptable at any age, Alicia Rades did this without coming across as preachy like some authors can. I was impressed with her style and looking forward to reading more by her.
  
BT
6
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
As far as young adult novels go, this one lacked all the teenage drama and angst that most do. Very little action happened while Sunny, our narrator, was pumping us information about her, her family and life, and what she learned over the course of the novel. I liked that the plot was so simple. There was no world that needed to be saved except for Sunny’s (own little high school world). Although I found it awkward at BEST that a hundreds (maybe thousands) of years old vampire fell in love with a teenage girl in a matter of day.

Other than that, it was an overall enjoyable story. It was nothing spectacular and groundbreaking, and I am no hurry to read the rest of the series. But I am interested enough to read it eventually. I actually really enjoyed Sunny as a narrator. She was funny and sounded like a teenager, with a multitude of asides that actually didn’t take away from the story itself, regardless of how long winded they were.

At the same time, I wanted to punch her sister Rayne. Rayne was so stereotypical and cliche, but I could imagine her perfectly and have people exactly like it, making my dislike of her all that more real. I don’t think it helped that everyone but Magnus seemed to be bemoaning their situation (whiny ungrateful children).

The best part about the novel? The detail that Mancusi put into her vampire race and culture. I thought it was well thought out and unique. I wish there could have been vampire interaction that just Magnus and Lucifent, but I suppose that will have to wait for the other novels in the series.