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ClareR (6118 KP) rated My Name is Why in Books
Oct 29, 2019
If you can read this book and NOT get angry whilst doing so, then you’re a better person than me. My Name is Why is Lemn Sissay’s true story of his life in the English Care system. His Ethiopian mother handed her son into the care of Social Services whilst she finished her nursing course, only to have him permanently taken away and put in to long term foster care. She wrote letters begging for his return from after his birth, all to no avail. This was the start of a catalogue of failures for Lemn. The way his foster parents treated him after they basically abandoned him at the age of 12, putting him in to the care system and a series of unsuitable group homes, frustrated me to the point of tears. What was most upsetting was the complete lack of emotional support. He wasn’t treated as a child, a child who needed affection and emotional support, but as a problem to be solved. It seemed to me that his childhood was just a countdown until social services could get rid of him from off their books.
I’m so glad that Lemn wrote this book, because I’m sure that it speaks for all those children and adults who experienced life in care. And I hope that the right people read this: those who take care of all of those children. I’m full of admiration for Lemn Sissay and all of the work that he does: his poetry, his broadcasting, and the work that he does for care leavers at his Christmas dinners. I will have been to watch Lemn three times: heard him read his poetry, his one man play, and the third time will be when I see him talk about this book at my local library/ theatre/ cinema (Storyhouse in Chester, UK). And to be quite honest, he always inspires me whenever I see him. This is an inspirational book too - against the odds, Lemn has made something (quite a big something actually) of his life.
This is a wonderful book that I’d recommend all human beings to read.
I’m so glad that Lemn wrote this book, because I’m sure that it speaks for all those children and adults who experienced life in care. And I hope that the right people read this: those who take care of all of those children. I’m full of admiration for Lemn Sissay and all of the work that he does: his poetry, his broadcasting, and the work that he does for care leavers at his Christmas dinners. I will have been to watch Lemn three times: heard him read his poetry, his one man play, and the third time will be when I see him talk about this book at my local library/ theatre/ cinema (Storyhouse in Chester, UK). And to be quite honest, he always inspires me whenever I see him. This is an inspirational book too - against the odds, Lemn has made something (quite a big something actually) of his life.
This is a wonderful book that I’d recommend all human beings to read.
The Midwife's Here: The Enchanting True Story of One of Britain's Longest Serving Midwives
Book
The Sunday Times bestseller 'Delivering my first baby is a memory that will stay with me forever....
Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring
Book
"Hilarious and Heartbreaking. Comedy shouldn't take courage, but it made an exception for Bassem."...
Decision Quality: Value Creation from Better Business Decisions
Carl Spetzler, Hannah Winter and Jennifer Meyer
Book
Add value with every decision using a simple yet powerful framework Few things are as valuable in...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated One to Watch in Books
Nov 12, 2020
With more than half a million Instagram followers and a popular blog, Bea Schumacher has a great life. But she doesn't have love--she's still pining after her best friend, who broke her heart. Bea also loves the reality romance juggernaut, Main Squeeze, where men vie for the affections of a beautiful women. When Bea's critique of Main Squeeze goes viral--why doesn't the show feature any diversity of size in its cast--the show comes to her. They want Bea to be the next star. Bea agrees, but she's adamant: she won't fall in love. This is just for her career. But once on set, Bea realizes this might not be as easy as she thinks.
"Life isn’t often a fairy tale, even on a show that aims to create one.”
I've never seen "The Bachelor" (Main Squeeze's equivalent) before in my life, but I found this book fascinating. (Probably more enjoyable than the actual show, ha.) It's frothy and entertaining but also tackles serious topics like body issues and racism. Once on the show, Bea meets a host of men: some truly awful, some quite lovely. It's quite the ride to watch her have her choice of eligible and handsome men.
I found Bea a little frustrating in her absolute unwillingness to open up, leading her to wallow in self-pity and a complete inability to even consider love. But, she had her reasons. The body positivity in the book was excellent and frequent. Bea is fearful of opening up and revealing herself and her body after being hurt. But she's also a successful and strong businesswoman (and now a celebrity!). The book draws you in to the episodes of Main Squeeze--it's honestly quite addictive. It sprinkles in excepts from Twitter, chats, publications, and more to tell the story--a very effective format. And there's true humor, romance, and heartbreak involved as well.
Overall, this was probably 3.75 stars for me--bumping up due to its strong coverage of serious and important topics. Oh and for Bea's stepdad! I loved him so much. Worth a read, for sure.
"Life isn’t often a fairy tale, even on a show that aims to create one.”
I've never seen "The Bachelor" (Main Squeeze's equivalent) before in my life, but I found this book fascinating. (Probably more enjoyable than the actual show, ha.) It's frothy and entertaining but also tackles serious topics like body issues and racism. Once on the show, Bea meets a host of men: some truly awful, some quite lovely. It's quite the ride to watch her have her choice of eligible and handsome men.
I found Bea a little frustrating in her absolute unwillingness to open up, leading her to wallow in self-pity and a complete inability to even consider love. But, she had her reasons. The body positivity in the book was excellent and frequent. Bea is fearful of opening up and revealing herself and her body after being hurt. But she's also a successful and strong businesswoman (and now a celebrity!). The book draws you in to the episodes of Main Squeeze--it's honestly quite addictive. It sprinkles in excepts from Twitter, chats, publications, and more to tell the story--a very effective format. And there's true humor, romance, and heartbreak involved as well.
Overall, this was probably 3.75 stars for me--bumping up due to its strong coverage of serious and important topics. Oh and for Bea's stepdad! I loved him so much. Worth a read, for sure.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
6.5
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Book
In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us...
Psychology
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Under the Southern Sky in Books
Aug 12, 2021
A heartfelt romance set in North Carolina
Amelia Saxton, a journalist, has just published a personal story in "Modern Love" discussing her own modern marriage with her husband Thad, talking about how happy they are in their life filled with travel and their decision not to have children. That same day she discovers Thad is cheating on her--with another man. Devastated, Amelia's life is completely upended and she wonders if she can ever trust again. While researching another story, she finds out that some embryos belonging to her childhood friend Parker and his late wife, Greer, have been deemed "abandoned." Parker had a love for the ages with Greer, but Amelia--the literal girl next door--was his first love. He had forgotten about the embryos, but once he hears Amelia's news, he wants to become a single father via surrogate. As Amelia and Parker each return home to Cape Carolina to deal with their own grief, they find comfort in their friendship.
"People always think being loved will change them. But that's not true. It's really, truly loving--with the kind of love you couldn't take away even if you wanted to--that turns you inside out."
This book had an interesting plot idea--the whole embryo idea has the possibility to become icky, but overall Woodson Harvey pulls it off. I have been through IVF and dealt with frozen embryo decisions myself, so the book certainly hit home. The story is told via Parker and Amelia's present-day perspectives and interspersed with excerpts from Greer's journals. The North Carolina setting is atmospheric and takes on a life of its own.
At times, this tale is kind of silly and all over the place, but it's a very easy read. The characters are also easy-to-like, and I grew to care a lot about both Parker and Amelia. It's a fun and romantic tale, with just about everyone tied together in various ways. There are meddling moms, family secrets, and drama with Parker's brother. All of this makes the book quite a page-turner, which is at turns sweet and heartbreaking. 3.75 stars.
"People always think being loved will change them. But that's not true. It's really, truly loving--with the kind of love you couldn't take away even if you wanted to--that turns you inside out."
This book had an interesting plot idea--the whole embryo idea has the possibility to become icky, but overall Woodson Harvey pulls it off. I have been through IVF and dealt with frozen embryo decisions myself, so the book certainly hit home. The story is told via Parker and Amelia's present-day perspectives and interspersed with excerpts from Greer's journals. The North Carolina setting is atmospheric and takes on a life of its own.
At times, this tale is kind of silly and all over the place, but it's a very easy read. The characters are also easy-to-like, and I grew to care a lot about both Parker and Amelia. It's a fun and romantic tale, with just about everyone tied together in various ways. There are meddling moms, family secrets, and drama with Parker's brother. All of this makes the book quite a page-turner, which is at turns sweet and heartbreaking. 3.75 stars.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021) in Movies
Jan 17, 2022
1/2 of a GREAT Movie
It is a fun surprise to be perusing all the streaming services available and tripping across a very entertaining film that, heretofore, was unknown.
Such was the case with THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN - a biography (of sorts) of the eponymous English painter, known for his fanciful portraits of cats.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch (in the title role) and Written and Directed by Will Sharpe (BLACK POND) based on a story by Simon Stephenson (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Sharpe), THE ELECTICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN is 1/2 of a very good (maybe even GREAT) film that falls apart in the 2nd half.
The first half of this film finds the eccentric Wain finding love and discovering his artistic talent. It is this 1/2 of the film that draws you in - and must have been what drew the talents of Sharpe, Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth in the first few seasons of THE CROWN) and Cumberbatch to this film. Cumberbatch, of course, is superb as Wain (especially in this first half) and his chemistry with Foy (who plays his love interest/wife) is tremendous and IS the reason to see this film.
However, the film shifts focus, by necessity, in the 2nd half to the rising stardom of Wain and his descent into madness. Toby Jones (as his benefactor) and the always under-rated Andrea Riseborough (OBLIVION) take center stage with Cumberbatch in this part of the film and the love, fun, whimsey and depth of the first 1/2 of the film disappears. Riseborough, particularly, suffers from a poorly written role where her character - Wain’s disapproving sister - is (in essence) the “bad guy”, so Sharpe and Stephenson replace love, warmth and support with disapproval, anger and madness. While this is true to the life that Wain lived, it didn’t make for a particularly interesting 2nd half of a film.
Come for Benedict’s and Foy’s chemistry and performances, stay for the rest because…well…it’s still pretty good.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
Such was the case with THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN - a biography (of sorts) of the eponymous English painter, known for his fanciful portraits of cats.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch (in the title role) and Written and Directed by Will Sharpe (BLACK POND) based on a story by Simon Stephenson (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Sharpe), THE ELECTICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN is 1/2 of a very good (maybe even GREAT) film that falls apart in the 2nd half.
The first half of this film finds the eccentric Wain finding love and discovering his artistic talent. It is this 1/2 of the film that draws you in - and must have been what drew the talents of Sharpe, Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth in the first few seasons of THE CROWN) and Cumberbatch to this film. Cumberbatch, of course, is superb as Wain (especially in this first half) and his chemistry with Foy (who plays his love interest/wife) is tremendous and IS the reason to see this film.
However, the film shifts focus, by necessity, in the 2nd half to the rising stardom of Wain and his descent into madness. Toby Jones (as his benefactor) and the always under-rated Andrea Riseborough (OBLIVION) take center stage with Cumberbatch in this part of the film and the love, fun, whimsey and depth of the first 1/2 of the film disappears. Riseborough, particularly, suffers from a poorly written role where her character - Wain’s disapproving sister - is (in essence) the “bad guy”, so Sharpe and Stephenson replace love, warmth and support with disapproval, anger and madness. While this is true to the life that Wain lived, it didn’t make for a particularly interesting 2nd half of a film.
Come for Benedict’s and Foy’s chemistry and performances, stay for the rest because…well…it’s still pretty good.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
The Cockpit (Voyagers #3)
8.0
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Book
Rafe: I’ve given up my modeling career to work on the other side of the lens. And touring the...
Contemporary MM Romance
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated The White City in Books
Mar 1, 2019
The Characters (3 more)
The Plot Line
True Crime Elements
Writing Style
Fantastic Debut!
I am a lover of true crime, historical fiction, suspense and romance. I mean a huge lover of all of them. So, when I saw that this was the best of all of those worlds, I was ecstatic. This is a debut novel from Grace Hitchcock and let me tell you what. The detail she includes in this story, made me feel like I was right there in the center of the World’s Fair, following these awesome characters, and reaching an ending that left me wanting another story just like it.
Winnie and Jude’s characters are wonderful! I loved them so good. The detail with which Hitchcock created the scenes that Winnie saw, and went through, and how Jude fell for her, was awesome. I felt like I became Winnie and fell for Jude instantly. Jude was a sweet soul and Winnie was absolutely full of spunk and sass!
The real life serial killer aspect woven into the story was incredible. I had no idea about that time period having someone like that, and it really made the story that much more captivating. The twists and turns of the roller coaster story, seeing Winnie going “undercover” to prove to her Police Chief father that she was right, was fantastic and had me reading this book and finishing it in a 24 hour period.
If you love historical novels, love the thrills of a great suspense story, and enjoy reading a God-filled romance book, then look no further than this 4 star debut. Ms. Hitchcock has extreme talent and is sure to be on the best sellers list before long! I sing the praises of this story loudly and can’t wait for the next book from this talented author, as well as another incredible installment in this new series from Barbour!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Winnie and Jude’s characters are wonderful! I loved them so good. The detail with which Hitchcock created the scenes that Winnie saw, and went through, and how Jude fell for her, was awesome. I felt like I became Winnie and fell for Jude instantly. Jude was a sweet soul and Winnie was absolutely full of spunk and sass!
The real life serial killer aspect woven into the story was incredible. I had no idea about that time period having someone like that, and it really made the story that much more captivating. The twists and turns of the roller coaster story, seeing Winnie going “undercover” to prove to her Police Chief father that she was right, was fantastic and had me reading this book and finishing it in a 24 hour period.
If you love historical novels, love the thrills of a great suspense story, and enjoy reading a God-filled romance book, then look no further than this 4 star debut. Ms. Hitchcock has extreme talent and is sure to be on the best sellers list before long! I sing the praises of this story loudly and can’t wait for the next book from this talented author, as well as another incredible installment in this new series from Barbour!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*