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Merissa (12926 KP) rated A Reaper of Stone (A Reaper of Stone #1) in Books
May 26, 2023
This is a novella that comes with an epic story! With an excellent storyline, world continuation, and fantastic characters, you enter the world of Razors, the Academy and those people who believe in the dream. Friendships are forged but will they survive the fires?
Elinor is a feisty woman, sworn to uphold her duty to the King. It comes out in the story that she can't be bribed and she won't look the other way. But being such a character in a field of deception and intrigue is not so good for your health, as Elinor finds out.
Fast-paced, with plenty of action, and a storyline to thrill, this is a novella to read and enjoy. A perfect coffee break book.
* I received this book from the authors in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 12, 2016
Elinor is a feisty woman, sworn to uphold her duty to the King. It comes out in the story that she can't be bribed and she won't look the other way. But being such a character in a field of deception and intrigue is not so good for your health, as Elinor finds out.
Fast-paced, with plenty of action, and a storyline to thrill, this is a novella to read and enjoy. A perfect coffee break book.
* I received this book from the authors in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 12, 2016
Rewind: A Half-Century of Classics, Cult Hits, and Other Must-See Movies
Book
Some movies are iconic. Others are merely entertaining. In Rewind: A Half-Century of Classics, Cult...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Equalizer 2 (2018) in Movies
Jul 8, 2019
Ex-government assassin Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) takes it upon himself to right the wrongs of those who have been exploited. He spends his days driving a Lyft around making chance encounters with people. When one of those people is in need he will go to any length to dispense justice. His brand of justice is brutal and swift but he always give the oppressors the chance to redeem themselves. He does this for people passing though his life but when his best friend, and one of the only former colleges to know his alive, Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo) is killed while on an investigation he sets out to dispatch vengeance rather than justice. He will stop at nothing to find out why his friend was murdered and eliminate those responsible. Robert must first reveal that he is still alive to his former partner Dave York (Pedro Pascal) so he can have access to the investigation. Once he has access the pair will try and find the killers and exact revenge. That is before the killers find them.
This film is the follow up to 2014’s The Equalizer. It returns both Washington and Leo as well as Director Antoine Fuqua (Shooter, South Paw) and Writer Richard Wenk (Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, 16 Blocks) and Bill Pullman, as Brian Plummer. The action scenes in the beginning of the film are really well done. Maybe a spoiler here so caution, the climatic fight scene at the end is less well done and because it is set in a hurricane a lot of it is blurry and hard to follow. It puts you in the setting of the weather but because the action is hand to hand you can really miss a lot of what is going on. It didn’t really work for me personally. The story started out really how I expected and followed the first films story of McCall helping out those who had no other options. This part felt very much like the first film but not redundant. However, it really slowed down when it got into the main story of the film. This part really seemed overly predictable and unoriginal. You, or rather I, could see how the entire movie was laid out and the inevitable conclusion with very few plot twist. This made pace of the film is tough for me. Really action packed at the beginning and then really slow drawn out drama in the middle.
On its own this film is an okay movie. One of many action/crime/mystery films that are made each year. It didn’t really do a good job of distinguishing itself from the rest of the genre. But fans of this type of movie can enjoy how it is heartfelt and warm at times and bloody and action packed at others. The end I discussed above I was not a fan of. Also there is the issue of when you compare it to the original film it really is lacking some key things that the made the first film a success. The villain in this film really leaves something to be desired while the first film had a pretty good antagonist. The pace of the first film was much better and the story flowed more naturally. Sometimes it is really hard to recreate something and I think this film falls way short.
This film is the follow up to 2014’s The Equalizer. It returns both Washington and Leo as well as Director Antoine Fuqua (Shooter, South Paw) and Writer Richard Wenk (Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, 16 Blocks) and Bill Pullman, as Brian Plummer. The action scenes in the beginning of the film are really well done. Maybe a spoiler here so caution, the climatic fight scene at the end is less well done and because it is set in a hurricane a lot of it is blurry and hard to follow. It puts you in the setting of the weather but because the action is hand to hand you can really miss a lot of what is going on. It didn’t really work for me personally. The story started out really how I expected and followed the first films story of McCall helping out those who had no other options. This part felt very much like the first film but not redundant. However, it really slowed down when it got into the main story of the film. This part really seemed overly predictable and unoriginal. You, or rather I, could see how the entire movie was laid out and the inevitable conclusion with very few plot twist. This made pace of the film is tough for me. Really action packed at the beginning and then really slow drawn out drama in the middle.
On its own this film is an okay movie. One of many action/crime/mystery films that are made each year. It didn’t really do a good job of distinguishing itself from the rest of the genre. But fans of this type of movie can enjoy how it is heartfelt and warm at times and bloody and action packed at others. The end I discussed above I was not a fan of. Also there is the issue of when you compare it to the original film it really is lacking some key things that the made the first film a success. The villain in this film really leaves something to be desired while the first film had a pretty good antagonist. The pace of the first film was much better and the story flowed more naturally. Sometimes it is really hard to recreate something and I think this film falls way short.
RəX Regent (349 KP) rated The Birds (1963) in Movies
Feb 25, 2019
Hitchcock at his best
1960 saw the release of Psycho, Hitchcock's signature work, but Psycho is not the only film that people think of when talking about his work. The Birds, made three years later, has a warm place in film fans hearts and a much larger fan base than people seem to think.
I know more people who dislike Psycho compared to those who like The Birds and I feel that this is most defiantly Alfred Hitchcock at his best. Rear Window and Vertigo are also up there but this film offers the right blend of shocks and a disturbing sense of dread, that makes it accessible by many, whilst still being fun to watch.
The birds have turned. Nature is taking her wrath upon man for a brief moment, but the sheer scale of the idea that nature could turn on us is a primally frightening concept. I do feel that this was the vain in which M. Night Shyamalan's dismal The Happening was attempting to tap into decades later, but Hitchcock got this right first time, for all time.
The effects are dated but their impact is still strong, as the ideas are so pronounced that there's little need to show anything. The acting is decent and the direction, though not as perfect as many would argue for Hitch, still doing the job well. This is a timeless and more accessible Hitchcock classic than Psycho, yet often dismissed and I wonder why?
Both films are clear genre pieces and are still being drawn from today. This is a textbook thriller with a natural twist and a dire tone. But the image of the crow massing on telegraph poles is a simple as it it frighting, just because it happens every day
I know more people who dislike Psycho compared to those who like The Birds and I feel that this is most defiantly Alfred Hitchcock at his best. Rear Window and Vertigo are also up there but this film offers the right blend of shocks and a disturbing sense of dread, that makes it accessible by many, whilst still being fun to watch.
The birds have turned. Nature is taking her wrath upon man for a brief moment, but the sheer scale of the idea that nature could turn on us is a primally frightening concept. I do feel that this was the vain in which M. Night Shyamalan's dismal The Happening was attempting to tap into decades later, but Hitchcock got this right first time, for all time.
The effects are dated but their impact is still strong, as the ideas are so pronounced that there's little need to show anything. The acting is decent and the direction, though not as perfect as many would argue for Hitch, still doing the job well. This is a timeless and more accessible Hitchcock classic than Psycho, yet often dismissed and I wonder why?
Both films are clear genre pieces and are still being drawn from today. This is a textbook thriller with a natural twist and a dire tone. But the image of the crow massing on telegraph poles is a simple as it it frighting, just because it happens every day
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Take One With You in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Imagine a world where you could get back at those who had done you wrong. "An eye for an eye." In, Take One With You, Oak Anderson takes that ideal to a whole new extreme.
Charlie and Sarah had both suffered great loss. They had 'met' each other online in chat rooms dedicated to such things. They met several other people with the same suffering. One particular person, though, was an inspiration to them. She was courageous and brave.
Melissa Stevenson was tired and wanted to end her life. But there was someone else's life that had to end too. The person who made her life so horrible. Missy was going to take her life and take him with her.
From this inspiration, Charlie and Sarah created the TOWY website. People who were suicidal or terminally ill could take their own life and take the life of someone else as well. What a way to rid this earth of all the scum!
I really enjoyed this book. It's an original idea that is eerily realistic. The relationship between Charlie and Sarah is very intense. One part of this book, that was very different from any other book that I have ever read was the use of different media articles that talk about the effects the website is having on the world. I didn't like where they were placed in the book, but that was my own issue.
This is a great novel that will get you thinking. Are there really people out here who are already doing these things. Murder/suicide is a common practice. "If you die tomorrow...who would you kill tonight?"
Please read Take One With You!
Charlie and Sarah had both suffered great loss. They had 'met' each other online in chat rooms dedicated to such things. They met several other people with the same suffering. One particular person, though, was an inspiration to them. She was courageous and brave.
Melissa Stevenson was tired and wanted to end her life. But there was someone else's life that had to end too. The person who made her life so horrible. Missy was going to take her life and take him with her.
From this inspiration, Charlie and Sarah created the TOWY website. People who were suicidal or terminally ill could take their own life and take the life of someone else as well. What a way to rid this earth of all the scum!
I really enjoyed this book. It's an original idea that is eerily realistic. The relationship between Charlie and Sarah is very intense. One part of this book, that was very different from any other book that I have ever read was the use of different media articles that talk about the effects the website is having on the world. I didn't like where they were placed in the book, but that was my own issue.
This is a great novel that will get you thinking. Are there really people out here who are already doing these things. Murder/suicide is a common practice. "If you die tomorrow...who would you kill tonight?"
Please read Take One With You!
Incredibly haunting
I won’t be the only one to admit that I know little about the real detail behind the incident at Chernobyl, so for me this series was a true eye opener and not a particularly pleasant one. Whilst I don’t doubt that some of this may have been embellished a little like most tv productions, I really think that most of this is the real truth behind Chernobyl.
This definitely isn’t a nice watch. Right from the first episode it’s harrowing and frankly frustrating and maddening to see how people initially reacted to the incident, and it doesn’t get any easier as the episodes go on. I just cannot believe the denial and actions (or lack of) of those I’m charge. By the end of the final episode with the clips and video of the real events and people, I was virtually in tears it was just so haunting. For me I’ve learnt so much watching this about the true events, and it was good to get the updates on the real life situation and people, with even some good news thrown in amongst the somber. My only criticism is that whilst the cast is fantastic and there’s a lot of recognisable faces that pop up in this even briefly, is that I don’t understand what’s with all of the English accents? It got a tad irritating after a while and surely some attempt at a Ukrainian accent would have been better?
That said, this is a truly harrowing yet informative show and I think everyone should watch this and learn a think or two. I definitely have, and I’ll now have a whole new understanding and appreciation of the true magnitude of the situation when I visit Chernobyl in October.
This definitely isn’t a nice watch. Right from the first episode it’s harrowing and frankly frustrating and maddening to see how people initially reacted to the incident, and it doesn’t get any easier as the episodes go on. I just cannot believe the denial and actions (or lack of) of those I’m charge. By the end of the final episode with the clips and video of the real events and people, I was virtually in tears it was just so haunting. For me I’ve learnt so much watching this about the true events, and it was good to get the updates on the real life situation and people, with even some good news thrown in amongst the somber. My only criticism is that whilst the cast is fantastic and there’s a lot of recognisable faces that pop up in this even briefly, is that I don’t understand what’s with all of the English accents? It got a tad irritating after a while and surely some attempt at a Ukrainian accent would have been better?
That said, this is a truly harrowing yet informative show and I think everyone should watch this and learn a think or two. I definitely have, and I’ll now have a whole new understanding and appreciation of the true magnitude of the situation when I visit Chernobyl in October.
Leigh J (71 KP) rated American Psycho (2000) in Movies
Nov 10, 2019
Hip to be square... and psychotic?!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Patrick Bateman has everything; a high rank Mergers and Acquisitions job at Pierce and Pierce, a gorgeous (expensive) Apartment, a beautiful Fiancee and an extremely active social life. But, he's psychotic, and, after a few cheeky murders of Co-Workers and complete strangers alike, is on the verge of snapping completely. This is his descent into madness...
Based on the Novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis; American Psycho is a very chic, bloodsplattered love letter to the '80s. I love the New Wave Soundtrack which complements the film perfectly; especially when paired with Music fan Bateman's own two cents about certain Bands and tracks. The Cast are absolutely amazing; I love how connected they are to each other yet also hopelessly disconnected because of their jobs and knowing so many people (for example, when Patrick says the name Ed Gein, one of his "friends" says "The maitre 'd at Canal Bar?") that Bateman can get away with murder because they swear he was having Dinner with them the night of the murder! One thing that really does stick out to me about American Psycho (and still bothers me to this very day) is the HUGE ambiguity, which will make some people scratch their heads and question everything. I like ambiguity and I think American Psycho makes it work, and definitely sparks a conversation, but some people hate the Movie for those moments. It doesn't detract from how wonderful the Movie is though, and American Psycho is a cinematic beauty that should be watched by everyone. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to return some Videotapes...
Based on the Novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis; American Psycho is a very chic, bloodsplattered love letter to the '80s. I love the New Wave Soundtrack which complements the film perfectly; especially when paired with Music fan Bateman's own two cents about certain Bands and tracks. The Cast are absolutely amazing; I love how connected they are to each other yet also hopelessly disconnected because of their jobs and knowing so many people (for example, when Patrick says the name Ed Gein, one of his "friends" says "The maitre 'd at Canal Bar?") that Bateman can get away with murder because they swear he was having Dinner with them the night of the murder! One thing that really does stick out to me about American Psycho (and still bothers me to this very day) is the HUGE ambiguity, which will make some people scratch their heads and question everything. I like ambiguity and I think American Psycho makes it work, and definitely sparks a conversation, but some people hate the Movie for those moments. It doesn't detract from how wonderful the Movie is though, and American Psycho is a cinematic beauty that should be watched by everyone. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to return some Videotapes...
Vanishing Ireland: Recollections of Our Changing Times
James Fennell and Turtle Bunbury
Book
In Vanishing Ireland: Recollections of our Changing Times, award-winning photographer James Fennell...
Negotiation Skills in A Week: Brilliant Negotiating in Seven Simple Steps
Book
Effective negotiation skills just got easier There was a time, not that long ago, when negotiation...
