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Craig Brewer recommended Purple Rain (1984) in Movies (curated)
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Swift (The Flight and Flame Trilogy, #1) in Books
Feb 24, 2021
<a href="https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2020/09/13/swift-celebrate-lit/">Travelers Wife 4 Life</a>
Have you ever read a book that made you feel lost in another world? Well, if not, Swift by R.J. Anderson will change that. It is the first book in the series and is a great introduction to the world of fairies for someone not used to it.
I really enjoyed the character development in this story Ivy grows so much as the story progresses, always learning and willing to look at things from a different perspective. Ivy was a very well-done character, and with the addition of the secondary characters Richard and Molly, it left me very invested in their outcomes and the continuation of the story! (and no, this one does not leave off with a cliff hanger, just the idea of adventures yet to come).
The storyline and plot were like getting immersed in a totally new land filled with Pixi dust, fairies, and spriggans. It kept my imagination working to dream of all the different characters and what they might look like; everything was described in vivid detail, so it helped me imagine things as R.J. Anderson envisioned them. I loved the almost coming of age theme to this book and I am really looking forward to where R. J. Anderson will take this adventure next as so much already happened in this book.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the creative characters, the amazing storyline, and for the great themes that were presented.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Have you ever read a book that made you feel lost in another world? Well, if not, Swift by R.J. Anderson will change that. It is the first book in the series and is a great introduction to the world of fairies for someone not used to it.
I really enjoyed the character development in this story Ivy grows so much as the story progresses, always learning and willing to look at things from a different perspective. Ivy was a very well-done character, and with the addition of the secondary characters Richard and Molly, it left me very invested in their outcomes and the continuation of the story! (and no, this one does not leave off with a cliff hanger, just the idea of adventures yet to come).
The storyline and plot were like getting immersed in a totally new land filled with Pixi dust, fairies, and spriggans. It kept my imagination working to dream of all the different characters and what they might look like; everything was described in vivid detail, so it helped me imagine things as R.J. Anderson envisioned them. I loved the almost coming of age theme to this book and I am really looking forward to where R. J. Anderson will take this adventure next as so much already happened in this book.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the creative characters, the amazing storyline, and for the great themes that were presented.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Season of Hope in Books
Feb 24, 2021
<a href="https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2020/08/15/season-of-hope-celebrate-lit">my link text</a>
Are you ready for a heart-searching, feel good, happily-ever-after type story? Well, then this is a book you definitely need to read! This is my first time reading a book by Carol James and I enjoyed the way she developed her story.
From the start, there is great tension and emotions between the characters without them being over the top or dramatic. They feel natural given the situation presented. Both Hope and her son were cute characters and I liked the conflicts between Hope and Josh. I felt they were very likely to happen to real people. The only thing I did not like was the way Hope’s son Mattie phrased things at times, it seemed like Carol James was trying to hard to get him to sound like a kid. Otherwise, I thought the characters were very well done.
The setting of this book takes place in a little Texas town near Fort Worth! I love all things Texas, and this was a fun addition to the storyline since I knew a couple of the places mentioned. The time period is set in the 1970’s right after the Vietnam War. I thought it was a unique timeline that I have not read very many books about. I truly enjoyed it.
I give the book 4 out of 5 stars for the creative characters, the interesting setting, and for the very prevalent aspects of finding faith and forgiveness.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Are you ready for a heart-searching, feel good, happily-ever-after type story? Well, then this is a book you definitely need to read! This is my first time reading a book by Carol James and I enjoyed the way she developed her story.
From the start, there is great tension and emotions between the characters without them being over the top or dramatic. They feel natural given the situation presented. Both Hope and her son were cute characters and I liked the conflicts between Hope and Josh. I felt they were very likely to happen to real people. The only thing I did not like was the way Hope’s son Mattie phrased things at times, it seemed like Carol James was trying to hard to get him to sound like a kid. Otherwise, I thought the characters were very well done.
The setting of this book takes place in a little Texas town near Fort Worth! I love all things Texas, and this was a fun addition to the storyline since I knew a couple of the places mentioned. The time period is set in the 1970’s right after the Vietnam War. I thought it was a unique timeline that I have not read very many books about. I truly enjoyed it.
I give the book 4 out of 5 stars for the creative characters, the interesting setting, and for the very prevalent aspects of finding faith and forgiveness.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Starfish Pier (Hope Harbor #6) in Books
Feb 24, 2021
What a roller coaster this book was, hold on and prepare the Tacos!
I loved Starfish Pier by Irene Hannon. From the characters to the setting, it drew me in and made me feel at home from the very beginning. Starfish Pier is part of the Hope Harbor series (I believe book #6) but it can be read as a standalone. All the books are just based in the same town, so you get to see previous and future characters interwoven throughout the series; I think it is a lot like some of the series Debbie Macomber has written.
Holly and Steven were a great combination of characters. Each one had a unique viewpoint, some very different personalities, and struggles to overcome. I loved Holly’s outlook on life, she was always reaching out to others to try and help make their days better even when she was not having a good day herself. Now Steven. I loved his strength, his selflessness, and his willingness to put others before his happiness. His character is someone I could know in real life.
The themes in this book were quite varied, from depression, physical disabilities, overcoming addiction, protection of life… So many thought-provoking arguments were brought forth in this book, and both sides of the arguments were presented, which I thought was interesting. Plus, you cannot forget the yummy Tacos and advice!
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the in-depth characters, varied themes, and the love of Tacos! I recommend reading this book!
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
I loved Starfish Pier by Irene Hannon. From the characters to the setting, it drew me in and made me feel at home from the very beginning. Starfish Pier is part of the Hope Harbor series (I believe book #6) but it can be read as a standalone. All the books are just based in the same town, so you get to see previous and future characters interwoven throughout the series; I think it is a lot like some of the series Debbie Macomber has written.
Holly and Steven were a great combination of characters. Each one had a unique viewpoint, some very different personalities, and struggles to overcome. I loved Holly’s outlook on life, she was always reaching out to others to try and help make their days better even when she was not having a good day herself. Now Steven. I loved his strength, his selflessness, and his willingness to put others before his happiness. His character is someone I could know in real life.
The themes in this book were quite varied, from depression, physical disabilities, overcoming addiction, protection of life… So many thought-provoking arguments were brought forth in this book, and both sides of the arguments were presented, which I thought was interesting. Plus, you cannot forget the yummy Tacos and advice!
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the in-depth characters, varied themes, and the love of Tacos! I recommend reading this book!
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Anna's Secret in Books
Feb 24, 2021
This was such a touching story!
Anna’s Secret was a good story that made me feel like I walked away from it having genuinely learned something. The characters and their backgrounds were fed to us little by little, making it seem natural and conversational. Although both characters make some not so good choices, they do end up admitting their wrongs and being the better for them in the end. I personally loved Anna’s strength, and courage through some difficult times, and I think she handled her decisions both good and bad to the best of her ability. I think her mistakes really emphasized how we need to rely on God for all things and not our own strength. Matthew was also an interesting character and I enjoyed getting to know him. He led me on a journey of discovering the love of the true Father, making mistakes and owning up to them and learning to really trust people. Overall, I thought he complimented Anna very well. The plot was a true back and forth friends to enemies’ book, with some unique twist and turns throughout the storyline. This is my first time reading a book by Blossom Turner and I really liked her writing style.
I truly think that this book is a great reminder of lessons we need to keep with us on a daily basis. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for the creative theme, the wonderful lessons, and the message of the gospel. I recommend reading this book.
* I volunteered to read this story in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Anna’s Secret was a good story that made me feel like I walked away from it having genuinely learned something. The characters and their backgrounds were fed to us little by little, making it seem natural and conversational. Although both characters make some not so good choices, they do end up admitting their wrongs and being the better for them in the end. I personally loved Anna’s strength, and courage through some difficult times, and I think she handled her decisions both good and bad to the best of her ability. I think her mistakes really emphasized how we need to rely on God for all things and not our own strength. Matthew was also an interesting character and I enjoyed getting to know him. He led me on a journey of discovering the love of the true Father, making mistakes and owning up to them and learning to really trust people. Overall, I thought he complimented Anna very well. The plot was a true back and forth friends to enemies’ book, with some unique twist and turns throughout the storyline. This is my first time reading a book by Blossom Turner and I really liked her writing style.
I truly think that this book is a great reminder of lessons we need to keep with us on a daily basis. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for the creative theme, the wonderful lessons, and the message of the gospel. I recommend reading this book.
* I volunteered to read this story in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
ClareR (5906 KP) rated The City of Tears (The Burning Chambers #2) in Books
Feb 6, 2021
The story of Minou and Piet continues, starting with their idyllic lives in Puivert: Minou is the chatelaine, and Piet has returned from fighting for the Huguenot cause. They have two children: Marta, a precocious little girl, and their baby son Jean-Jacques. As a family they decide to travel to Paris for the wedding of the Catholic Marguerite de Valois (the King’s sister) and the Protestant Henri of Navarre (the first Bourbon King of France - and I never know whether to think of the biscuit or the drink whenever I hear the word ‘Bourbon’ 🤷🏼♀️). Their union is hoped to end the religious wars in France.
But of course nothing goes to plan. Cardinal Valentin is there in his role as the Duke of Guise’s confessor, and he’s out for revenge. The St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre tears Minou and Piet’s family apart so that it is forever changed.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that Minou and Piet end up in Amsterdam. In Amsterdam their is a peaceful change in power from Catholic to Protestant. It’s interesting to see how their lives change, and how they are able to live in relative peace and cooperation with their Catholic friends and neighbours. It’s no less exciting than The Burning Chambers though. The family’s adventures take them back to France and in to more danger.
I loved all of the historical detail, and the thoughts and beliefs around religion at this time - and I cannot wait to read the next TWO books in this series! I’m hooked!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for this serialisation - it was outstanding!
But of course nothing goes to plan. Cardinal Valentin is there in his role as the Duke of Guise’s confessor, and he’s out for revenge. The St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre tears Minou and Piet’s family apart so that it is forever changed.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that Minou and Piet end up in Amsterdam. In Amsterdam their is a peaceful change in power from Catholic to Protestant. It’s interesting to see how their lives change, and how they are able to live in relative peace and cooperation with their Catholic friends and neighbours. It’s no less exciting than The Burning Chambers though. The family’s adventures take them back to France and in to more danger.
I loved all of the historical detail, and the thoughts and beliefs around religion at this time - and I cannot wait to read the next TWO books in this series! I’m hooked!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for this serialisation - it was outstanding!
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Summer at Sandcastle Cottage in Books
Jul 1, 2021
This book is told from multiple perspectives, Kitty, Apollo and Jemini are sharing their thoughts and feelings. I really liked not only the main characters but all characters mentioned in this book. They all are very realistic, unique and incredibly funny. The protagonists had a difficult past, but I am happy about their present life.
The narrative was very entertaining and enjoyable. I really enjoyed the little twists and turns, that the author incorporated into this novel. The topics discussed in this book were difficult relationships, everyday life, racism, looking for love, friendships and plenty more. One thing that really annoyed me is the term “politically correct” used in multiple places throughout this book. I don’t think it was needed and it irked me a lot.
I absolutely loved the setting of this book. I would love to spend holidays in a place like Firefly Common, where you can go to the beach and enjoy idyllic walks. The book is set during summer, so it was a great escape to somewhere nice during the lockdown. The chapters of the book have medium length, but the story is very entertaining and the pages just fly by. The ending was quite predictable, but I liked the way this story was concluded. There is a short story/prequel to this book called Christmas At Sandcastle Cottage. I haven’t read it, but I hope it would explain the past situations of the main characters better.
So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this funny, romantic novel, filled with intriguing and humorous characters as well as the plot that takes you to a beautiful place and makes you believe in a better life.
The narrative was very entertaining and enjoyable. I really enjoyed the little twists and turns, that the author incorporated into this novel. The topics discussed in this book were difficult relationships, everyday life, racism, looking for love, friendships and plenty more. One thing that really annoyed me is the term “politically correct” used in multiple places throughout this book. I don’t think it was needed and it irked me a lot.
I absolutely loved the setting of this book. I would love to spend holidays in a place like Firefly Common, where you can go to the beach and enjoy idyllic walks. The book is set during summer, so it was a great escape to somewhere nice during the lockdown. The chapters of the book have medium length, but the story is very entertaining and the pages just fly by. The ending was quite predictable, but I liked the way this story was concluded. There is a short story/prequel to this book called Christmas At Sandcastle Cottage. I haven’t read it, but I hope it would explain the past situations of the main characters better.
So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this funny, romantic novel, filled with intriguing and humorous characters as well as the plot that takes you to a beautiful place and makes you believe in a better life.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated 44 Tiny Secrets in Books
Sep 24, 2020 (Updated Jan 26, 2021)
The protagonist in this book is Betsy, and this book is told from a single perspective. Betsy’s parents are very well known pianists, hoping that Betsy inherited their talent but no matter how much she tries, she can not play the piano well. I feel very sorry for Betsy, she is so eager to please her parents, and she stresses out so much when she fails. 😦 I really didn’t like Betsy’s mother, she seems heartless and blind, seeking a trophy child rather than a real child with its fears and flaws.
The narrative feels pretty slow, to be honest. I think the whole idea was not fully utilised. The book concentrated more on pleasing and inner thoughts, missing what children really like, funny situations, the more of them, the better. 😀 That is why this book has a little depressing atmosphere.
The writing style was enjoyable, and I liked the way the book was designed. It is quite spaced out, and the colourful illustrations are superb. The chapters were too long for my liking and I did feel a little bored. The ending rounded the story nicely, but I hope in the next part of series there will be more surprises and adventures.
So, to conclude, it is a story about a wish to please and impress. Some of the characters annoyed me with their high expectations, but sometimes that is what adults do to children not even realising it. I liked what this story has to offer, but I was expecting more… But it is only my humble opinion, please do give this book a go, and I hope you will like it more.
The narrative feels pretty slow, to be honest. I think the whole idea was not fully utilised. The book concentrated more on pleasing and inner thoughts, missing what children really like, funny situations, the more of them, the better. 😀 That is why this book has a little depressing atmosphere.
The writing style was enjoyable, and I liked the way the book was designed. It is quite spaced out, and the colourful illustrations are superb. The chapters were too long for my liking and I did feel a little bored. The ending rounded the story nicely, but I hope in the next part of series there will be more surprises and adventures.
So, to conclude, it is a story about a wish to please and impress. Some of the characters annoyed me with their high expectations, but sometimes that is what adults do to children not even realising it. I liked what this story has to offer, but I was expecting more… But it is only my humble opinion, please do give this book a go, and I hope you will like it more.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Death Wish: Movie Tie-In Edition in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The main character in this novel is Paul, he is an accountant, and while he is in the business meeting, his flat gets burglarized, and his wife killed. Paul is devastated after his wife’s death and seeks justice, but it seems that police is clueless. So he takes matters in his own hands. I have to be honest with you, I found this book quite boring and corny. I liked Paul as a character, and I fully understand his thoughts and disappointment with the police’s work. Emotionally, this book is really deep and got me thinking quite a bit.
I found the narrative of this book quite boring and even though it is a tiny book, it dragged for me. There were quite a lot of unrealistic situations, and it wasn’t fully accomplished. I didn’t really like the ending as well, it didn’t have a proper conclusion.
Even though the book was “Meh” for me, I really liked the movie! Bruce Willis (Paul) done an excellent job in this movie, I loved his acting. The narrative was quite different from the book, and to be honest, it was way better than in the book. I liked the way the script was written, it had great twists and I think the movie was very well delivered. It had a great ending as well, which rounded the story very nicely.
So, to conclude, this is a very rare case, when the movie is better than the book so, I would recommend watching the movie. But if you would like to know what happened in the original version, feel free to check it out as well, it is only around 150 pages.
I found the narrative of this book quite boring and even though it is a tiny book, it dragged for me. There were quite a lot of unrealistic situations, and it wasn’t fully accomplished. I didn’t really like the ending as well, it didn’t have a proper conclusion.
Even though the book was “Meh” for me, I really liked the movie! Bruce Willis (Paul) done an excellent job in this movie, I loved his acting. The narrative was quite different from the book, and to be honest, it was way better than in the book. I liked the way the script was written, it had great twists and I think the movie was very well delivered. It had a great ending as well, which rounded the story very nicely.
So, to conclude, this is a very rare case, when the movie is better than the book so, I would recommend watching the movie. But if you would like to know what happened in the original version, feel free to check it out as well, it is only around 150 pages.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Summer of 84 (2018) in Movies
Sep 26, 2020 (Updated Sep 26, 2020)
Contains spoilers, click to show
I have mixed feelings about Summer of 84, another 80s love letter following in the wake of the cataclysmic popularity of Stranger Things. Probably easier to break this one down into bullet points.
- The four main characters are pretty hit and miss. The actors are all fine, but some of the dialogue and pop culture references seem very forced. They provide the movie with some funny moments for sure, but their characters are fairly cliché and the chemistry goes through some flat moments.
- The story is pretty straightforward and decent, and provides an entertaining mystery, but some of the plot points are odd and a lot of the characters are just insufferably stupid.
- The ending is conflicting as well. Considering the majority of the film is quite comedic and seems intended towards a family audience, the ending is pretty bleak. My initial thoughts were "fair enough, quite ballsy" but now I can't decide whether it was in fact just plain mean spirited. Either way, it left a nasty taste in my mouth, and I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.
- A couple of positives - I really enjoyed the music score, and the cinematography. The film has a lovely aesthetic to it.
- Not sure how the babysitter character was supposed to be portrayed, but she seemed a bit too old for a love interest to the 15 year old protagonist. Made me feel uncomfortable...
Summer of 84 is an entertaining enough psuedo-slasher thriller, but it suffers from pacing issues amongst other things that stops it being as good is it could have been.
- The four main characters are pretty hit and miss. The actors are all fine, but some of the dialogue and pop culture references seem very forced. They provide the movie with some funny moments for sure, but their characters are fairly cliché and the chemistry goes through some flat moments.
- The story is pretty straightforward and decent, and provides an entertaining mystery, but some of the plot points are odd and a lot of the characters are just insufferably stupid.
- The ending is conflicting as well. Considering the majority of the film is quite comedic and seems intended towards a family audience, the ending is pretty bleak. My initial thoughts were "fair enough, quite ballsy" but now I can't decide whether it was in fact just plain mean spirited. Either way, it left a nasty taste in my mouth, and I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.
- A couple of positives - I really enjoyed the music score, and the cinematography. The film has a lovely aesthetic to it.
- Not sure how the babysitter character was supposed to be portrayed, but she seemed a bit too old for a love interest to the 15 year old protagonist. Made me feel uncomfortable...
Summer of 84 is an entertaining enough psuedo-slasher thriller, but it suffers from pacing issues amongst other things that stops it being as good is it could have been.