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Taking God to School
Taking God to School
Marion Maddox | 2014 | Education
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Provides a great depth of research on the current educational system in Australia (1 more)
Acknowledges the validity of a plethora of religious traditions rather than just the prominent Christianity
Is in a sense repetitive and dry through its explanations of the nations educational and religious landscapes (0 more)
Deepening understanding can never hurt
Overall, I found this book to be insightful not only in relation to the nations current educational situation but also in the way that we, as a society, tend to treat religion. I believe that this is a book that is better read a chapter or two at a time rather than in one sitting due to the depth of research contained within its pages.
  
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Guillermo Del Toro recommended Vampyr (1932) in Movies (curated)

 
Vampyr (1932)
Vampyr (1932)
1932 | Horror
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"Sheer terror and sheer poetry, but both stem from distinctive medieval traditions. Häxan is the filmic equivalent of a hellish engraving by Bruegel or a painting by Bosch. It’s a strangely titillating record of sin and perversity that is as full of dread as it is of desire and atheistic conviction, and a condemnation of superstition that is morbidly in love with its subject. Vampyr is, strictly speaking, a memento mori, a stern reminder of death as the threshold of spiritual liberation. Like any memento mori, the film enthrones the right morbid imagery (skull, scythe, white limbo) in order to maximize the impact of the beautiful, almost intangible images that conclude it. If only Criterion had acquired my commentary track—sigh—from the UK edition."

Source
  
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Guillermo Del Toro recommended Häxan (1922) in Movies (curated)

 
Häxan (1922)
Häxan (1922)
1922 | Documentary, Fantasy, Horror

"Sheer terror and sheer poetry, but both stem from distinctive medieval traditions. Häxan is the filmic equivalent of a hellish engraving by Bruegel or a painting by Bosch. It’s a strangely titillating record of sin and perversity that is as full of dread as it is of desire and atheistic conviction, and a condemnation of superstition that is morbidly in love with its subject. Vampyr is, strictly speaking, a memento mori, a stern reminder of death as the threshold of spiritual liberation. Like any memento mori, the film enthrones the right morbid imagery (skull, scythe, white limbo) in order to maximize the impact of the beautiful, almost intangible images that conclude it. If only Criterion had acquired my commentary track—sigh—from the UK edition."

Source
  
The Naughty List
The Naughty List
Thomas Conway | 2019 | Children, Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
9
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
My thoughts seem to be hitting the mark on with is one. A really good book for the season. It is also good for everyone that wants to read it. It will tell the history of Christmas and how it differs for each person and Santa Claus.

It is for young adults and adults. I do not believe it is limited to them; it could go to children and teens as well. You will go on an adventure and a journey. There seem to be a group of kids that end up on a mission to rescue Santa. You will be surprised at each turn of the page.

There are surprises as to what the author puts into this story. I was surprised to learn about the history of Santa Claus and Christmas. This is told through the eyes of the children. They are from around the world. Christmas seems like it got a different meaning and Santa Claus has different names. You may learn something.

Did you know that Christmas has been around for many years? There seem to be different versions of it. We learn about the different Christmas traditions that happen around the world through the children and their families. We also learn about the meaning of Christmas and Santa Claus.

There are some actions and battles. Will good beat Evil? I was not expecting what I learned through this book but what a happy surprise and twist. There is plenty of action and adventure in this book. There a modern take on our favorite Christmas traditions. Everyone will love this book.
  
Trick 'r Treat (2007)
Trick 'r Treat (2007)
2007 | Horror
Great anthology stories that overlap (3 more)
Great characters
Good make-up effects
Good cast
A new Halloween classic
A great collection of Halloween tales that overlap each other on one Halloween night in a small town. It has some great moments in the 4 main stories, mixing up an urban ghost story, scary creatures, slasher and just the plain weird. It has a good cast including Brian Cox looking a little John Carpenter like and Anna Paquin of True Blood. The film also reminds the viewers of the reasons behind some of the traditions. A bit short at 80mins but very enjoyable, one of the best horror anthologies around! This could become a cult film taking into account it didn't get a cinema release....who knows why!? Plenty of extras on the DVD as well.
  
The Other Side of the Door (2016)
The Other Side of the Door (2016)
2016 | Horror, Mystery
5
5.8 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Love the South Asian-west mix of horror, but not particularly scary
An interesting concept, mixing some deep cultural traditions from India with western horror. After a mother loses her son in an accident, she brings him back by attempting to communicate with the dead. But what comes back is another being altogether. It's been done a million times, even in the form of Stephen King's Pet Sematary, but I like the Indian twist, especially for those who know that these kind of beliefs still exist. Shiva shamans, who are known to dabble in black magic, begin to stalk the family in an attempt to rid the house of spirits as well as other ghoulish entities. Great for those who understand the superstitions of India, but not for horror fans.
  
AI
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Christmas 1905 is approaching, and Molly is looking forward to spending a quiet holiday with her family. However, a young girl out in the cold attracts her attention, and she feels compelled to find out all she can about this girl’s family. Her mother disappeared months ago. What happened to her? Does the girl have any family left who would take her in?

The book gives us a wonderful look at Christmas in another time as we see different traditions we don’t follow any more. But that feeling is balanced by the mystery, which has some serious tones to it. Rhys Bowen balances the two perfectly. Mix in our favorite characters, and you’ve got a Christmas mystery to savor.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-review-away-in-manger-by-rhys.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Desire&#039;s Destiny (The Vespian Way #1)
Desire's Destiny (The Vespian Way #1)
Bethany Drake | 2018 | Erotica, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
DESIRE'S DESTINY is the first book in The Vespian Way series, and we are introduced to a world very different from Earth. They have their own customs and traditions, just like Earth does. Heather is assigned to the Ambassador as his bodyguard, but that assignment quickly makes her something else.

This is a very fast-paced story, with plenty of steamy scenes. At times I actually felt as though this detracted a little from the main story, but I could see where the author was going with it.

There are still questions left unanswered but this is only book one, so I'm hoping for answers to at least some of my questions in book two.

An intricate and twisted Sci-Fi Erotic Romance with plenty of stories and characters yet to learn about. If you're looking for something to get you hot under the collar, then I can definitely recommend this.
  
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tapestry100 (306 KP) rated Ghosts in Books

Aug 2, 2017  
Ghosts
Ghosts
Raina Telgemeier | 2016 | Children, Comics & Graphic Novels, Fiction & Poetry
7
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A cute and somewhat touching story about the bonds between sisters, told with the backdrop of Dia de los Muertos. Catrina and her family has moved to the northern coast of California so that her sister Maya, who has cystic fibrosis, has a better time breathing with the cool salty air off the ocean. Catrina does not like having to have moved away from her friends, but has done so begrudgingly for her sister. When she and Maya discover that there are ghosts in their new town, they are taught about some of the history of Dia de los Muertos and also learn a little about respecting those that have passed. I sometimes think that the explanations around Dia de los Muertos seemed maybe a little too simplistic, but that may just be me. If nothing else, it has made me want to learn a little more about the history and traditions surrounding the day.
  
A collection of three Christmas novellas set in Maine and starring the series sleuths by the authors. We get two murder by eggnog, and one missing moving truck and winds up with a dead body. Will these mysteries be solved by Christmas?

All three of these stories will get you in the Christmas spirit with a dead body along the way. We do get some time enjoying holiday traditions (recipes included with all three stories), some of them unique to Maine, which is a lot of fun. The mysteries are all good, although the first seems to wander quite a bit before it gets fully engaging. If you are a fan of one of these authors, here is a good way or sample some others while catching up with your favorite sleuth at Christmas time.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-review-eggnog-murder-by-leslie.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.