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Genuine Fraud
Genuine Fraud
E. Lockhart | 2018 | Mystery, Young Adult (YA)
6
6.0 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
***3.5 Stars***

Jule and Imogen are both orphans. But their lives couldn't have ended up more different. Imogen was adopted into a wealthy family at a young age and Jule was sent to live with an aunt. Though they were raised differently, it's this one similarity that draws them to one another. There is just one problem, Jule is look for someone to love and love her in return and once she has latched on to Imogen she will stop at nothing to get it. And Imogen, drops the person as soon as she finds the love she is looking for. How will this work out for this pair.

So this book was confusingly good! I gave it 3.5 stars because even though the story kept me interested it was also very confusing. First of all, it starts with chapter 18 and the story is told in reverse chronological order. Then it ends with chapter 19. Every character in this book is absolutely crazy, which isn't a bad thing, but at the end I was still confused.

Jule is a good listener, and that skill alone allows her to make her way into other people's lives without them even realizing she wasn't there from the beginning. She has a great memory and can remember numbers, dates and details perfectly. She has also been trained to use these skills to her advantage. This along with the training she received to be an expert fighter, she can go very far in life as long as she isn't caught.

Imogen is spoiled. She doesn't know what she wants to do with her life, but she is happy to travel around the world and spend her money until she finds out. Surrounded by friends all the time, she finds it hard to find herself and when she get tired or bored, she just moves on from those people and places to something new.

Jule and Imogen have a unique friendship. They are old school friends, right? They were so close. But what will happen when Imogen is tired of Jule? Will she dump her like the rest? Like I said before I was so confused by the end of this book. I wasn't sure which was truth and what was <u> Genuine Fraud</u>.
  
The latest DLC for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands has released and Fallen Ghosts gives a challenging and satisfying conclusion to the saga. The manufacturers have promised more content in the form of game modes and enhancements, so if this is it, then it ends on a high note.

Unlike the previous Narco Road DLC, Fallen Ghosts is a sequel to the main story of the game and does require players to create a new character in which to play. It is a shame that you cannot port over the character you used for the game but it is a minor annoyance as I was soon able to have my character ready to go.

The story follows the Ghosts as they are shot down in the jungle and surrounded by a new squad of elite exterminators called” Los Extranjeros” (The Foreigners). Their mission is to take down any American agents in the country and backed by Unidad, they have state of the art vehicles, weapons, and equipment which include cloaking and heavily armored suits.

Gameplay is the same as before as teams of up to four must complete missions, side quests, and other objectives as they gain intel, attack, extract, interrogate, and survive a relentless assault as they are the hunted this time around and have very few safe areas.

The game does feature new map areas and players will again have cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, planes, and helicopters to travel the detailed landscape complete with day and night cycles and weather patterns.

The challenge is greater than ever as seasoned gamers who joined me in the missions commented how much harder some missions were compared to the last game, especially the final assault. Completion of the game gave me a real sense of accomplishment and closure to the story as if this is indeed the end, and then this chapter ends on a high note indeed.

The graphics and sound of the game are solid and match the prior releases so players who played and enjoyed the previous segments will enjoy this.

Fallen Ghosts is available as part of the Season Pass or stand alone and does require the full version of the game to play.

http://sknr.net/2017/06/12/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-wildlands-fallen-ghosts/
  
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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated JCVD (Van Dammage) (2008) in Movies

Jun 20, 2019 (Updated Jun 22, 2019)  
JCVD (Van Dammage) (2008)
JCVD (Van Dammage) (2008)
2008 | Action, Comedy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Jean-Claude Van Damme has pretty much always been known as a cliche action movie star. He's known for his skills in various different types of martial arts and if you haven't seen any of his films, you can pretty much figure out what they're heavy on (and more than likely light on) considering his talents. Along comes JCVD, a film that tells the story of what it's like to be a washed up action star. Between his money problems and his ongoing custody battle for his daughter with his ex-wife, Van Damme has a full plate. So he decides to travel to Belgium, his homeland, to reconnect with his parents and hopefully just get away from all the headaches that come with living a Hollywood lifestyle. Then, a simple trip to the post office turns into a nightmare as Van Damme realizes he may not be walking out of there alive.

JCVD shows a side of Van Damme that nobody has really seen before. His acting chops take center stage this time around and it's incredible how much range he actually has. He's able to showcase the fact that he has a lot more talent than fans or the moviegoing audience actually gave him credit for. There's a six minute monologue that might just be the best scene in the film. You can hear the pain in Van Damme's voice as the anguish he's going through bleeds through the words spilling from his mouth. Tears stream down his face as his face wrenches in torment. And then as quickly as the monologue begins, it ends. The scene itself, along with the way it was pulled off, is really the most memorable part of the film for me.

JCVD highlights all of the potential Jean-Claude Van Damme has as an actor. Not as an action movie star, but as a legitimate actor. Don't go into this expecting the usual bone breaking or face bashing someone may find in a film that Van Damme is usually found in. This film has a kick to it and not in the literal sense. It's an unexpected surprise that could put Van Damme back on top of his game, if played right. It could certainly do for him what The Wrestler did for Mickey Rourke. People who aren't fans of Van Damme's work will more than likely still enjoy this if they're willing to give it a chance.
  
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>

Written about a young girl by a young girl, <i>Trying To Float</i> is the amusing, witty story of Nicolaia Rips’ life thus far. About to graduate from LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts in New York City, Nicolaia talks the reader through her life from birth, through preschool and elementary school, before coming to rest at the end of her middle school experiences.

As the strap line <i>Coming of Age in the Chelsea Hotel</i> indicates, Nicolaia has lived in the Chelsea Hotel in New York for her entire life. Her unconventional father and travel obsessed mother decided to settle there after the birth of their only child, resulting in an unusual upbringing surrounded by avant-garde writers, artists and musicians, as well as the plethora of drug addicts, alcoholics and eccentrics.

Although Nicolaia’s lifestyle caused her to be the worldliest wise of five year olds, she was completely alien to the knowledge of friendships, hard work and the generally accepted behaviour of children. This resulted in numerous, often awkward, situations throughout her schooling which, although must have been soul destroying at the time, Nicolaia writes in a highly amusing tone.

<i>Trying to Float</i> reminded me of a television programme aired on the BBC last year: <i>The Kennedys</i> – a story of the daughter of highly peculiar and embarrassing parents, who was constantly surrounded by a mass of oddball characters. I could not help but see similarities even though there is absolutely no correlation between the two stories.

While Nicolaia has based this book on a journal she kept during her childhood, there are many scenes that have been warped by exaggeration and imagination to add comedic effect. Due to this, her original writing has been worked over so much in order for it to flow like a story, that it is more fiction than biographical.

It is not completely clear who the target audience is. Naturally a story about a child’s experiences at school would relate more to young adults, however the coarse language used by the inhabitants of the hotel make it more appropriate for adults. Whatever your age and background, you are likely to relate to something in this gem of a book. Nicolaia makes light of her experiences, but deep down it is a very heart-wrenching story.
  
Christmas at Tiffany&#039;s
Christmas at Tiffany's
Karen Swan | 2011 | Romance, Travel
8
6.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Light hearted (1 more)
Easy Read
Slightly Predictable (0 more)
Power to the women!
Contains spoilers, click to show
This book was recommended to me by a friend and I wasn’t sure what to expect. The whole time I was reading it, anyone that saw the book in my hands would ask ‘is that similar to ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s?’ The short answer to that is no, not even close.

I must admit that I was quite confused by the start of the book and the prologue could have been explained a bit better. The story is focalised through Cassie who is celebrating 10 years of marriage with her husband. 3 of her friends have come to visit her in order to celebrate this ‘achievement’. However, things quickly turn sour and it’s revealed that her husband has been having an affair with her best friend and they even have a child together. Her 3 visitors whisk her away and it is agreed that she will spend 4 months with each of them in order to find herself again. She will have to find her feet in New York, Paris and then London (it can’t be all bad!).

This novel shows you a journey of a woman who has always depended on her relationship and who gains her independence and finds what she truly wants. Granted, there are parts that are incredibly cheesy but I think that is part of the beauty of it. It’s a predictable feel-good book but there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

As a woman, it has inspired and reminded me that relationships aren’t everything and a happily ever after can come at any moment. The novel excites you as the prospect of a new and better relationship unfolds for Cassie. Swan takes you into this world where anything is possible even for a woman with a broken heart.

This book doesn’t just appeal to women that have had their heart broken but also those that love to travel. It highlights different things to do in the three locations and makes you feel inspired to go and see these for yourself. It is a bitter sweet romance novel and I’m just waiting to find my own version of Henry.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read and something that I could happily pick up again. I must admit, I’m surprised that they have made an adaptation of this novel. It would be an ultimate chick flick!
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Dear Wife in Books

Jul 8, 2019  
Dear Wife
Dear Wife
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
In Pine Bluff Arkansas, Jeffrey comes home from travel to find his wife, Sabine, missing. Her car has been left behind, and she's seemingly vanished into thin air. As Detective Marcus Durand begins his investigation, things quickly become complicated. Sabine and Jeffrey's marriage wasn't what it seemed, and all signs appear to Jeffrey wanting her gone. What was he doing between his flight and arriving home, for instance? Meanwhile, several hundred miles away, Beth Murphy is on the run, carefully executing a meticulous plan to escape her violent husband. One slip, one mistake, and Beth knows he will find her--and kill her.


"Four hours on the road, two hundred and eight-three miles of space between us, and it's nowhere near enough. I still hear the clink of your keys when you toss them on the table, still tense at the thud of your shoes when you come closer to the kitchen. Still feel the fear slithering, snake-like, just under the surface of my skin. You have three moods lately: offensive, enraged, or violent."


This was a really enjoyable, compulsively readable thriller. It pulls you in nearly immediately and never lets you go--I was completely sucked up in the various stories. The book alternates between the points of view of Beth, Jeffrey, and Marcus. Beth is focused on escaping her husband, Jeffrey on figuring out what happened to his wife, and Marcus on solving the case. Each has their own unique voice, but you're never quite sure of who is telling you the truth or what is happening.


"People don't just fall off the face of the planet. They run, they hide, or they are taken. I should know, because I am one of them."


The result of hearing each person's individual take is a really exciting, twisty story. Where is Sabine? Who exactly is Beth? There are a bunch of fun "aha" moments throughout. I figured out some ahead of time; others were great surprises. No matter what, I enjoyed every moment and was kept interested and guessing. I especially liked and was intrigued by the character of Beth. (Please note that there is a domestic violence trigger in this book.)

Overall, this is a quick, suspenseful read that will keep you flipping the pages. I recommend this well-executed and entertaining thriller! 4+ stars.