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Abducted in Iraq: A Priest in Baghdad
Saad Sirop Hanna and Edward S. Aris
Book
How do we respond in the face of evil, especially to those who inflict grave evil upon us? Abducted...
Alice (117 KP) rated The Enchanted in Books
Mar 3, 2021
<b>4.5 stars</b> (I may change this in the future but for now let's leave it at this)
My rating for this book is slightly confused because I went through a vast majority of the book feeling. "hey this book is really good I'm so glad it was recommended to me" but <i>only</i> feeling that. It didn't get me excited but it was still very, very good. However, the last couple of pages had such a huge impact and it really made the whole story come alive which meant I gave it the extra 0.5 for the pure sense of awe I felt after finishing.
When you read the title "The Enchanted" you expect it to be about fairies or some other sort of magical creature, the last thing that you expect is a book about a prisoner on death row but let me just say that this book is a gem. The language (especially as a debut novel) is exquisite. The use of metaphors and flowery almost pretty language juxtaposed perfectly to describe the scenes which should be gruesome and dark emphasising with the magic-realism style of the novel. Having the entire story told from the inmate's point of view made for an interesting read too because he was narrating the others' thoughts, so the only parts we know to be true are the things that he himself thought. As I mentioned above, the whole story is development, even as I was nearing the end no part truly felt like the climax.
All in all, I highly recommend this book even if you only read it for how beautiful the language is ( that's pretty much what inspired me to read it), it deals with harsh subject matters in a really raw way and makes you think and you will likely leave with more questions than with which you entered.
My rating for this book is slightly confused because I went through a vast majority of the book feeling. "hey this book is really good I'm so glad it was recommended to me" but <i>only</i> feeling that. It didn't get me excited but it was still very, very good. However, the last couple of pages had such a huge impact and it really made the whole story come alive which meant I gave it the extra 0.5 for the pure sense of awe I felt after finishing.
When you read the title "The Enchanted" you expect it to be about fairies or some other sort of magical creature, the last thing that you expect is a book about a prisoner on death row but let me just say that this book is a gem. The language (especially as a debut novel) is exquisite. The use of metaphors and flowery almost pretty language juxtaposed perfectly to describe the scenes which should be gruesome and dark emphasising with the magic-realism style of the novel. Having the entire story told from the inmate's point of view made for an interesting read too because he was narrating the others' thoughts, so the only parts we know to be true are the things that he himself thought. As I mentioned above, the whole story is development, even as I was nearing the end no part truly felt like the climax.
All in all, I highly recommend this book even if you only read it for how beautiful the language is ( that's pretty much what inspired me to read it), it deals with harsh subject matters in a really raw way and makes you think and you will likely leave with more questions than with which you entered.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Richard Jewell (2019) in Movies
Nov 7, 2020
An interesting watch
Richard Jewell follows the story of a security guard at the 1996 Olympics who saves many lives after discovering a bomb, yet later finds himself as the main suspect in the ensuing FBI investigation.
This is yet another true story I know nothing about, so for me I found this to be quite an interesting watch to discover what happened. To be honest I was almost in disbelief at times to see how Richard was treated by law enforcement and whilst I know some artistic license is always used, it’s still crazy what they did to him! The story is fascinating, although I do think the film drags this out a bit at a run time of well over 2 hours.
That said, there are some good performances in this namely from Paul Walter Hauser (who was great in I, Tonya too), Sam Rockwell and Kathy Bates. The relationship between Richard and Rockwell’s character Watson is particularly heartwarming and provides a lot of the funnier aspects of the film and actually proves to be the best thing about this. Sadly there are some who have fared less well - Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde’s seem like your typical cliched FBI and reported characters respectively, and while they both put in good performances, the characters let them down.
What confused me the most about this film was the tone. It felt like it should be a rather tense suspense filled drama (similar to say Patriots Day) but instead it felt too happy or lighthearted to be serious, which considering the subject matter is rather odd. And I think this impacted on how much I liked this. It also didn’t help that they completely gloss over who the real bomber actually was right at the end, and this felt rather abrupt and frustrating considering the length of time the film spends showing them investigating Richard! Overall this is an enjoyable interesting film but falls short of being anything spectacular.
This is yet another true story I know nothing about, so for me I found this to be quite an interesting watch to discover what happened. To be honest I was almost in disbelief at times to see how Richard was treated by law enforcement and whilst I know some artistic license is always used, it’s still crazy what they did to him! The story is fascinating, although I do think the film drags this out a bit at a run time of well over 2 hours.
That said, there are some good performances in this namely from Paul Walter Hauser (who was great in I, Tonya too), Sam Rockwell and Kathy Bates. The relationship between Richard and Rockwell’s character Watson is particularly heartwarming and provides a lot of the funnier aspects of the film and actually proves to be the best thing about this. Sadly there are some who have fared less well - Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde’s seem like your typical cliched FBI and reported characters respectively, and while they both put in good performances, the characters let them down.
What confused me the most about this film was the tone. It felt like it should be a rather tense suspense filled drama (similar to say Patriots Day) but instead it felt too happy or lighthearted to be serious, which considering the subject matter is rather odd. And I think this impacted on how much I liked this. It also didn’t help that they completely gloss over who the real bomber actually was right at the end, and this felt rather abrupt and frustrating considering the length of time the film spends showing them investigating Richard! Overall this is an enjoyable interesting film but falls short of being anything spectacular.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Hiding Place / The Taking of Annie Thorne in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist in this book is Joe Thorne, a teacher, who has very serious gambling problems. He comes back to his little hometown because of several reasons, and that is where history starts to repeat itself. I really enjoyed Joe’s character, he is incredibly witty and sarcastic and made me laugh on multiple occasions. I really liked the way the author portrayed the atmosphere of this little town and the people living there. I loved how the characters in this book were developed, and how interesting and intriguing they were.
When I started this book, I thought it is going to be a crime mystery, and was really pleasantly surprised to find it to be a horror story. The narrative travels between present and past, explaining many events which are influencing the present, and I really liked this way of storytelling. The author used a single perspective in this novel, and I think it worked very beautifully. The topics discussed in this book were bullying, gambling, school life and wish to fit in, etc.
I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style of this book, I think all the twists and turns were in the right places, and it was a true page turner for me. The chapters had very decent length and were just flying by for me. I have to throw in a disclaimer, there are some severe and nasty cases of bullying in this book, which might upset some readers. The ending rounded the story very nicely, and I really liked the way the author wrote it.
So, to conclude, it is an incredibly well-written horror story, that is dark, creepy, and gave chills down my spine. It is filled with a great variety of characters and unexpected plot, which held me on the edge of my seat throughout the book. I strongly recommend to read this book, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
When I started this book, I thought it is going to be a crime mystery, and was really pleasantly surprised to find it to be a horror story. The narrative travels between present and past, explaining many events which are influencing the present, and I really liked this way of storytelling. The author used a single perspective in this novel, and I think it worked very beautifully. The topics discussed in this book were bullying, gambling, school life and wish to fit in, etc.
I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style of this book, I think all the twists and turns were in the right places, and it was a true page turner for me. The chapters had very decent length and were just flying by for me. I have to throw in a disclaimer, there are some severe and nasty cases of bullying in this book, which might upset some readers. The ending rounded the story very nicely, and I really liked the way the author wrote it.
So, to conclude, it is an incredibly well-written horror story, that is dark, creepy, and gave chills down my spine. It is filled with a great variety of characters and unexpected plot, which held me on the edge of my seat throughout the book. I strongly recommend to read this book, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Hercules (1997) in Movies
Sep 5, 2020
Great Combo of Action and Hilarity
Disney’s animated retelling of the classic story of the Greek demi-god. The fun spin that was put on it just happens to make it my favorite. You can’t help but have a good time while watching Disney’s Hercules.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Hercules is beautiful from a visual standpoint. I love the contrast of bright colors against dark backgrounds. My favorite scene is when Hercules is battling the hydra in the rain while flying on his pegasus. It’s so grand in scale as he soars in and out of the dozens of heads. Oh, and I haven’t even touched on the beauty of Hades. It’s gorgeous even in its weird creepiness. So much attention to detail that it’s hard not to appreciate.
Conflict: 9
Entertainment Value: 9
From the opening scene where the awesome divas are singing the setup, I knew I was going to be watching something original and new. With a combo of action-packed sequences and a number of hilarious moments from a great cast, I was invested in the movie from beginning to end. It’s a damn good ride.
Memorability: 8
Pace: 10
Hercules moves extremely efficiently through its story which I find some stories hard to do when singing is involved. There is very little lingering if any as scenes get their point across and you’re off to the next thing. I respect films that can do that as I know a number of movies that overstay their welcome.
Plot: 8
Resolution: 8
Overall: 92
Not only does it have action and comedy, but there is also a love story in true Disney fashion within Hercules. And it all works. I do wish that they would have jumped into Hercules’ hero aspect a smidge earlier, but overall I think the movie is fantastic. Great job yet again by Disney.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Hercules is beautiful from a visual standpoint. I love the contrast of bright colors against dark backgrounds. My favorite scene is when Hercules is battling the hydra in the rain while flying on his pegasus. It’s so grand in scale as he soars in and out of the dozens of heads. Oh, and I haven’t even touched on the beauty of Hades. It’s gorgeous even in its weird creepiness. So much attention to detail that it’s hard not to appreciate.
Conflict: 9
Entertainment Value: 9
From the opening scene where the awesome divas are singing the setup, I knew I was going to be watching something original and new. With a combo of action-packed sequences and a number of hilarious moments from a great cast, I was invested in the movie from beginning to end. It’s a damn good ride.
Memorability: 8
Pace: 10
Hercules moves extremely efficiently through its story which I find some stories hard to do when singing is involved. There is very little lingering if any as scenes get their point across and you’re off to the next thing. I respect films that can do that as I know a number of movies that overstay their welcome.
Plot: 8
Resolution: 8
Overall: 92
Not only does it have action and comedy, but there is also a love story in true Disney fashion within Hercules. And it all works. I do wish that they would have jumped into Hercules’ hero aspect a smidge earlier, but overall I think the movie is fantastic. Great job yet again by Disney.
The Fact of A Body
8.0
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Book
A young law student, an unspeakable crime, and a past that refuses to stay buried. Before...
Biography memoir true crime
Small Spaces (Small Spaces #1)
8.5
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Book
Bestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle grade debut with a creepy,...
Childrens Middle School Middle Grades Horror Fantasy Fantasy Horror
Shelle Perry (66 KP) rated The Ghost Camper's Tall Tales (Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic #3) in Books
Aug 12, 2021
I am so excited to go back to Destiny Falls.
Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic tells the story of Hayden, a young woman who has been transported to a magical dimension to find that she has a family she never knew and a destiny she never dreamed of. While ostensibly these are cozy mysteries, the true story is Hayden’s missing mother. She left Hayden with her grandmothers not long after she was born, but as we have learned through the books of this series, that is not entirely accurate.
Here in book 3, The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales, Hayden along with her siblings investigate information that could finally lead her to her mom. Though, it comes with the admonition not to trust anyone.
While Hayden and feline bestie Latifa investigate a new death on the island while trying to find out more about the mysterious letter from Emily, a ghost with a penchant for storytelling brings Hayden to his world. She must decide whether his stories are for fun or more historical in nature, and what do they have to do with her investigations.
As I said, it is so great to be back. The great recurring characters of Hayden’s family, the local townspeople, and of course the wonderful animals of Destiny Falls, which in itself is a magical wonderful place, pick the story up right where the last book left, without a moment’s pause in the action. Romance takes a step up and Latifa and her extended cat family prove why cats will someday rule the world. We finally get to learn secrets, but then there are always more questions than answers, so of course I can’t wait for the next installment.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Here in book 3, The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales, Hayden along with her siblings investigate information that could finally lead her to her mom. Though, it comes with the admonition not to trust anyone.
While Hayden and feline bestie Latifa investigate a new death on the island while trying to find out more about the mysterious letter from Emily, a ghost with a penchant for storytelling brings Hayden to his world. She must decide whether his stories are for fun or more historical in nature, and what do they have to do with her investigations.
As I said, it is so great to be back. The great recurring characters of Hayden’s family, the local townspeople, and of course the wonderful animals of Destiny Falls, which in itself is a magical wonderful place, pick the story up right where the last book left, without a moment’s pause in the action. Romance takes a step up and Latifa and her extended cat family prove why cats will someday rule the world. We finally get to learn secrets, but then there are always more questions than answers, so of course I can’t wait for the next installment.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Merissa (11961 KP) rated Apollo's Raven (Curse of Clansmen and Kings #1) in Books
Jun 3, 2022 (Updated Jun 13, 2023)
APOLLO'S RAVEN is the first book in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series and prepare yourself! You are about to enter a book full of twisted tales and layers of intrigue. I mean, come on! Curses, Romans, and Celts - what more could I ask for?
This is a long book, giving you ample time to lose yourself in Ancient Britannia, where Catrin sees Romans come to land through her raven's eyes. This event sets off a chain that will see her fall in love and come into her powers and many other things. Marcellus is there at his father's command, basically seeing if the timing for an invasion is good or not.
There is an instant connection between the two that could just be the infatuation between two young teens. However, as the story goes, it is true love and they are bound together forever. This, I found a little hard to believe as they know nothing about each other past their attraction, and constantly doubt each other, believing them to be betraying them, etc. I hope their relationship develops and matures as the books progress as both of them acted childishly at times.
I enjoyed the story but found some parts a bit difficult to digest. For instance, there was a whole lot more to druids than just being sorcerers or priests but none of that is mentioned. I was confused by the term 'druid powers' as that could encompass a whole manner of things.
Bear in mind it is the first book, so there are lots of things left unanswered. I am hopeful for more information in the following books. This was an enjoyable story and I look forward to reading more in this series.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 2, 2022
This is a long book, giving you ample time to lose yourself in Ancient Britannia, where Catrin sees Romans come to land through her raven's eyes. This event sets off a chain that will see her fall in love and come into her powers and many other things. Marcellus is there at his father's command, basically seeing if the timing for an invasion is good or not.
There is an instant connection between the two that could just be the infatuation between two young teens. However, as the story goes, it is true love and they are bound together forever. This, I found a little hard to believe as they know nothing about each other past their attraction, and constantly doubt each other, believing them to be betraying them, etc. I hope their relationship develops and matures as the books progress as both of them acted childishly at times.
I enjoyed the story but found some parts a bit difficult to digest. For instance, there was a whole lot more to druids than just being sorcerers or priests but none of that is mentioned. I was confused by the term 'druid powers' as that could encompass a whole manner of things.
Bear in mind it is the first book, so there are lots of things left unanswered. I am hopeful for more information in the following books. This was an enjoyable story and I look forward to reading more in this series.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 2, 2022
Merissa (11961 KP) rated Unlike Any Other by Ed Londergan in Books
May 18, 2022 (Updated Jun 19, 2023)
UNLIKE ANY OTHER is the story of Bathsheba Spooner, the first woman to be executed in the new United States of America. You find out, through her eyes, what it was like to live a life of privilege, to be passed on in an arranged marriage, to have all her hopes and dreams dashed, to a point where murder is the only way out.
Bathsheba was brought up to speak her mind, to be strong-spirited. She had dreams of marrying a wealthy man from Boston and joining Society. So when she finds out her father has arranged a marriage to a local merchant, she's not happy but eventually agrees to it. Her marriage isn't a happy one, with Joshua frequenting the local taverns more than he does his home. That doesn't stop him from his conjugal rights though. When a young man, half of Bathsheba's age, stays at their home to recover from an illness, she feels the stirrings of desire she hasn't felt for a long time.
This was a well-written piece of history that I thoroughly enjoyed. I found out more about what it was like for the people of America at that time, as well as the Boston Tea Party! Bathsheba's options were so limited at a time when a woman's rights were close to zero. I do wonder why she didn't contact her brother but, at a time when the war was dividing families, I guess I'm not 100% surprised.
I would have liked to have heard a little from Ezra Ross but maybe there isn't enough written from his account to tell his story.
A historical fiction based on a true story that I have no hesitation in recommending.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 12, 2022
Bathsheba was brought up to speak her mind, to be strong-spirited. She had dreams of marrying a wealthy man from Boston and joining Society. So when she finds out her father has arranged a marriage to a local merchant, she's not happy but eventually agrees to it. Her marriage isn't a happy one, with Joshua frequenting the local taverns more than he does his home. That doesn't stop him from his conjugal rights though. When a young man, half of Bathsheba's age, stays at their home to recover from an illness, she feels the stirrings of desire she hasn't felt for a long time.
This was a well-written piece of history that I thoroughly enjoyed. I found out more about what it was like for the people of America at that time, as well as the Boston Tea Party! Bathsheba's options were so limited at a time when a woman's rights were close to zero. I do wonder why she didn't contact her brother but, at a time when the war was dividing families, I guess I'm not 100% surprised.
I would have liked to have heard a little from Ezra Ross but maybe there isn't enough written from his account to tell his story.
A historical fiction based on a true story that I have no hesitation in recommending.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 12, 2022