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Chelsea (449 KP) rated House Of Leaves in Books
Sep 7, 2017
Unique (1 more)
Creepy
Confusing (1 more)
Some people will simply give up on it
Not for everyone, but if you like weird try it!
This book is definitely unique and of course it was its uniqueness that first interested me.
This is a book put together by a guy named Johnny who finds an incomplete mass of manuscript and notes in a chest in a room of a blind man who just recently died, named Zampano. He supposedly died of old age, but even that was questionable. The scatter of pages are written about a serious of videos about a house. This house is by no means your average house. The chilling oddity begins with the discovery that the house is actually bigger on the inside than it is on the outside... I cant say any more on this without possible spoilers... The whole story is presented as true, and the videos referenced were shot by the family living in the house.
The manuscript gets into incredible detail with a million footnotes and at first glance some pages could be out of a text book. Johnny, who has compiled the mass into book form, has decided that 95% of the references don't actually exist. Johnny makes his own notes and includes his own story in amongst the footnotes.
At first, I was not at all interested in Johnny's story or his many sexcapades, but the further in you go, the more the book ends up intruding into his own life. Also, the first many pages of Zampano's writings are difficult to get into. The flip flop between Johnny and Zampano's radically different writing styles takes a bit to get used to.
However, once you've gotten into the book, you're in completely and tangled in its labyrinth. This is not your average story, book, anything.
This is a book put together by a guy named Johnny who finds an incomplete mass of manuscript and notes in a chest in a room of a blind man who just recently died, named Zampano. He supposedly died of old age, but even that was questionable. The scatter of pages are written about a serious of videos about a house. This house is by no means your average house. The chilling oddity begins with the discovery that the house is actually bigger on the inside than it is on the outside... I cant say any more on this without possible spoilers... The whole story is presented as true, and the videos referenced were shot by the family living in the house.
The manuscript gets into incredible detail with a million footnotes and at first glance some pages could be out of a text book. Johnny, who has compiled the mass into book form, has decided that 95% of the references don't actually exist. Johnny makes his own notes and includes his own story in amongst the footnotes.
At first, I was not at all interested in Johnny's story or his many sexcapades, but the further in you go, the more the book ends up intruding into his own life. Also, the first many pages of Zampano's writings are difficult to get into. The flip flop between Johnny and Zampano's radically different writing styles takes a bit to get used to.
However, once you've gotten into the book, you're in completely and tangled in its labyrinth. This is not your average story, book, anything.
I find I don't even really want to critique this book, so much as praise everything about it. The trauma that Alex endured in his accident was unbelievable, yet God decided he should live as a testament to God's miraculous power - and that is exactly what this book serves as. Furthermore, I also drew wisdom from the attitude of Alex's grandpa - that someone else is always in worse circumstances than I am, as well as the many excerpts from Kevin's pastor Robin Ricks, who provided a unique perspective filled with Biblical references.
The pictures in the middle of the book helped to give me a visual reference for what the Malarkey family endured, and the many quotes from others that were present as each event described in the book also helped to give a well-rounded view of all that was occurring.
What I loved most of all was how concerned Alex was that everyone realized that this was not about him, but about God. I find that I completely agree with one of the women in the book when she explained that she just could not feel sorry for this blessed boy. I also found it interesting that at one point Alex explained that he saw Don Piper in heaven, too, who wrote the book 90 Minutes in Heaven. Kevin showed the man's photo to Alex, to which Alex responded that he only saw him there for hour and half - so I will be reading that book next!
This book really was amazing to read. From everything I have learned about heaven from the Bible, I can't help but believe that the story this boy and his father tells is true. Reading about how each detail of their lives is watched over and taken care of with miraculous results can only give me hope in my own life and circumstances.
The pictures in the middle of the book helped to give me a visual reference for what the Malarkey family endured, and the many quotes from others that were present as each event described in the book also helped to give a well-rounded view of all that was occurring.
What I loved most of all was how concerned Alex was that everyone realized that this was not about him, but about God. I find that I completely agree with one of the women in the book when she explained that she just could not feel sorry for this blessed boy. I also found it interesting that at one point Alex explained that he saw Don Piper in heaven, too, who wrote the book 90 Minutes in Heaven. Kevin showed the man's photo to Alex, to which Alex responded that he only saw him there for hour and half - so I will be reading that book next!
This book really was amazing to read. From everything I have learned about heaven from the Bible, I can't help but believe that the story this boy and his father tells is true. Reading about how each detail of their lives is watched over and taken care of with miraculous results can only give me hope in my own life and circumstances.
Janeeny (200 KP) rated The Illumination Of Ursula Flight in Books
May 8, 2019
Even though this book has a nice looking cover I can’t say that it is a book I would have picked up myself
The Goodreads blurb reads
“Born on the night of an ill-auguring comet just before Charles II's Restoration, Ursula Flight has a difficult future written in the stars.
Against the custom of the age she begins an education with her father, who fosters in her a love of reading, writing and astrology.
Following a surprise meeting with an actress, Ursula yearns for the theatre and thus begins her quest to become a playwright despite scoundrels, bounders, bad luck and heartbreak.”
On the face of it it sounds like a ‘coming of age’ historical drama, which it essentially was, and not in an era I really have much an interest in. So it was nice to read something a little out of my comfort zone.
As the blurb says, Ursula is a young girl with aspirations of the stage. Unfortunately for Ursula her parents have a life planned for her and being a lowly actress is not one of them. The story follows Ursula's struggles to follow her parents wishes whilst trying to stay true to herself.
I loved the way this was written, its told from Ursula's point of view and interspersed with little snippets of play writing by Ursula. Ursula is a very strong character that is way ahead of the era she lives in. What I loved most about this book was near the end, i won't spoil it, but suffice to say I think the author was very clever with the ending she chose.
To summarise, it’s a well written well reserached coming of aged historical drama with a strong female lead and an admirable feminist message.
The Goodreads blurb reads
“Born on the night of an ill-auguring comet just before Charles II's Restoration, Ursula Flight has a difficult future written in the stars.
Against the custom of the age she begins an education with her father, who fosters in her a love of reading, writing and astrology.
Following a surprise meeting with an actress, Ursula yearns for the theatre and thus begins her quest to become a playwright despite scoundrels, bounders, bad luck and heartbreak.”
On the face of it it sounds like a ‘coming of age’ historical drama, which it essentially was, and not in an era I really have much an interest in. So it was nice to read something a little out of my comfort zone.
As the blurb says, Ursula is a young girl with aspirations of the stage. Unfortunately for Ursula her parents have a life planned for her and being a lowly actress is not one of them. The story follows Ursula's struggles to follow her parents wishes whilst trying to stay true to herself.
I loved the way this was written, its told from Ursula's point of view and interspersed with little snippets of play writing by Ursula. Ursula is a very strong character that is way ahead of the era she lives in. What I loved most about this book was near the end, i won't spoil it, but suffice to say I think the author was very clever with the ending she chose.
To summarise, it’s a well written well reserached coming of aged historical drama with a strong female lead and an admirable feminist message.
Hannah May (3 KP) rated Playlist for a Broken Heart in Books
Mar 8, 2018
What I really liked about this novel was the realism and wit of the characters. It presents the real danger of living and working in a recession, and how one mistake can change your whole life. It was also nice to read a story set in England - too many are set in America nowadays! The mystery of which boy made the Cd was well thought out and had me guessing right to the end. By the end, I was happy that it was who it was. The other candidates were appalling or strange in comparison. What fascinated me most about Paige Lord was how much she'd changed. In the beginning, I thought she was snotty and high maintenance. It was both satisfying and sad to see her brought down a few levels, but the end effect was a positive one and she's definitely a better character for it. I like the portrayal of Paiges relationships with cousin Tasmin and Allegra. Knowing how difficult it is to talk to cousins - or extended family in general - I knew things would be difficult between Paige and Tasmin. It made me smile how they came together and had fun. Clover was a nice and refreshing character to read Too. What really got me about Allegra and Paige was their endurance. Despite the distance, they were determined to Skype, visit and talk as much as they Could. I know some friendships don't survive long distance, so it was nice to read different. As you can probably tell, I really liked this novel. It ran true on so many levels - socially and emotionally - and it was different to other teen novels I have read. I would definitely recommend it.
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated A Free Man of Color (Benjamin January, #1) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
Historical fiction isn't my favorite genre, but I'm much more willing to read it when it's mixed with mystery. I've read some of Hambly's work before and know her to be a fine writer, and I'd read good reviews of this series by people I respect, so I decided to give it a whirl.
I suppose all the descriptions of people's clothing would have mattered much more to someone who cared about such things, but I do realize that they were important in the context of the story. Personally, I was relieved when the main character went on a journey! I would have been happier had his medical skills been utilized more frequently than they were, but I suppose his experiences were fairly true to life for a "colored" man of his time.
I did learn quite a lot—things that I intend to verify in non-fiction sources shortly. The information about the black code, for instance, and the explanation of the distinction between "black" and "colored" people seemed too precise to be fabricated.
I knew, too, that Louisiana is the only U.S. state whose laws are based on French rather than English common law, which seemed silly to me. Why wouldn't they go with the standard everyone else used? After reading this novel, I'm starting to realize that there may have been rights given to citizens under French law that were lost under English law.
I'm not sure as to whether or not I'll go forward in the series, as I'm not sure that I can handle the unhappiness I can see foreshadowed even in some of the titles. However, I will say that this volume is well-written and well-plotted. I certainly didn't guess who the killer was or why the murder was committed before the big reveal, and that was a pleasant change!
I suppose all the descriptions of people's clothing would have mattered much more to someone who cared about such things, but I do realize that they were important in the context of the story. Personally, I was relieved when the main character went on a journey! I would have been happier had his medical skills been utilized more frequently than they were, but I suppose his experiences were fairly true to life for a "colored" man of his time.
I did learn quite a lot—things that I intend to verify in non-fiction sources shortly. The information about the black code, for instance, and the explanation of the distinction between "black" and "colored" people seemed too precise to be fabricated.
I knew, too, that Louisiana is the only U.S. state whose laws are based on French rather than English common law, which seemed silly to me. Why wouldn't they go with the standard everyone else used? After reading this novel, I'm starting to realize that there may have been rights given to citizens under French law that were lost under English law.
I'm not sure as to whether or not I'll go forward in the series, as I'm not sure that I can handle the unhappiness I can see foreshadowed even in some of the titles. However, I will say that this volume is well-written and well-plotted. I certainly didn't guess who the killer was or why the murder was committed before the big reveal, and that was a pleasant change!
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Lost History of Stars in Books
Jun 16, 2018
The Lost History of Stars by Dave Boling is a powerful and shocking story about a family during The Second Anglo-Boer War during the early part of the 20th century in Africa. It's a historical fiction story that is inspired by true events. The Lost History of Stars is a story of desperation and hope.
The main character, Lettie, who is a thirteen year old Dutch-Africkaner girl comes from a poor farming family. She endures the loss of her home with her mother and two younger siblings when the scorched earth policy employed by the British during the Boer War burns their farm and forces them to leave in a wagon. Their African maid, Bina, tries to stay with the family, but is given no choice by the soldiers but to return to her people.
Lettie and her family are sent to a concentration camp where the conditions are awful. Her father, older brother, uncles, and grandfather are sent to fight the British with guerrilla tactics. Lettie worries and wonders about Bina and her family. Often Lettie remembers the songs and wisdom Bina shared during her childhood and the history of stars that Grandpa shared with her at night under the sparkling sky.
The story is told from Lettie's point of view. The reader learns of her experience in the concentration camp. Lettie attempt to find the good in small moments. Her more treasured possession is her English dictionary, which she reads for comfort to pass time.
The story switches between the present and past. This allows the reader to understand life before the war and during the war. It give the reader background information to understand the family dynamics.
The main character, Lettie, who is a thirteen year old Dutch-Africkaner girl comes from a poor farming family. She endures the loss of her home with her mother and two younger siblings when the scorched earth policy employed by the British during the Boer War burns their farm and forces them to leave in a wagon. Their African maid, Bina, tries to stay with the family, but is given no choice by the soldiers but to return to her people.
Lettie and her family are sent to a concentration camp where the conditions are awful. Her father, older brother, uncles, and grandfather are sent to fight the British with guerrilla tactics. Lettie worries and wonders about Bina and her family. Often Lettie remembers the songs and wisdom Bina shared during her childhood and the history of stars that Grandpa shared with her at night under the sparkling sky.
The story is told from Lettie's point of view. The reader learns of her experience in the concentration camp. Lettie attempt to find the good in small moments. Her more treasured possession is her English dictionary, which she reads for comfort to pass time.
The story switches between the present and past. This allows the reader to understand life before the war and during the war. It give the reader background information to understand the family dynamics.
Gail (4 KP) rated The Fiction of Forever (Stand by Me, #2) in Books
Jun 4, 2018
What’s forever if your bot with the right person? Matchmaking has been around for ages and it’s still present today. In this story Kiley is weeks away from her own forever but is it with the right guy? When she reconnects with a guy she had a major crush on in high school things start to become clear with her fiancé. He wants to dictate her life and make sure she fits his vision of what that role is. The way she dresses and if she works all are decided by him. But that doesn’t last long. My first thought was how do you not see these signs when you're a matchmaker? She should’ve known that he wasn’t the one but to please her father I believe she made herself see him different. Gunner has crushed hard on Kiley since middle school but he believes she’s too different know. When he's thrown a challenge to be on her talk show he can’t resist the time he would get to spend with her. It’s a easy million dollars because the one he wants is the one reluctantly looking for his perfect match. I enjoyed the flow in which the author wrote the characters. The easy banters and how they connected to each other. They say you never forget your first love and it seems to be true for our main characters. I was blown away by this book and how it brought the characters alive. How there lives and emotions where front and center for us all to see. The story went so smoothly that I breezed through it only to want to go back and read more. This is what I look for in a book something that grabs me and doesn’t let go.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated The Lovely Bones (2009) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
Life is just beginning to blossom for Suzie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) who has her first date with the boy she’s been dying to kiss, when she is unexpectedly murdered. Her mother can’t deal, her father becomes obsessed and her chain-smoking grandma becomes the most stable force in the family. But Suzie refuses to cross the border between heaven and earth with her killer still on the loose and distressingly interested in her younger sister.
“The Lovely Bones” is a prime example of a good film based on an acclaimed book that could have been great given thirty more minutes. The characters were engaging but less than ideally developed, case in point would be the mother whose sudden flee from her home only to appear picking oranges on a farm left the audience collectively confused.
Still the use of perspective and sound are undeniably captivating. From the graphically delightful and horrific imagery that is the world between heaven and our own to the use of color to establish the time period.
The heroine and villain are equally engrossing yet most of the film’s seasoned actors have performed better. The least developed characters were Suzie’s parents played by Mark Wahlberg and Rachael Weisz. But Susan Sarandon as Grandma Lynn left Wahlberg and Weisz in the dust creating a delightfully flawed character in her supporting role.
Both a drama and a thriller, there were moments during “The Lovely Bones” which captivated the entire theater making it a film that will provide great images for fans of the book. Yet while it will be a delight for those familiar with the book, the plot holes that “The Lovely Bones” leaves for the non-literary crowd are staggering.
In the end “The Lovely Bones” was a good enough film that attempted to stay true to the book but really could have been lovelier.
“The Lovely Bones” is a prime example of a good film based on an acclaimed book that could have been great given thirty more minutes. The characters were engaging but less than ideally developed, case in point would be the mother whose sudden flee from her home only to appear picking oranges on a farm left the audience collectively confused.
Still the use of perspective and sound are undeniably captivating. From the graphically delightful and horrific imagery that is the world between heaven and our own to the use of color to establish the time period.
The heroine and villain are equally engrossing yet most of the film’s seasoned actors have performed better. The least developed characters were Suzie’s parents played by Mark Wahlberg and Rachael Weisz. But Susan Sarandon as Grandma Lynn left Wahlberg and Weisz in the dust creating a delightfully flawed character in her supporting role.
Both a drama and a thriller, there were moments during “The Lovely Bones” which captivated the entire theater making it a film that will provide great images for fans of the book. Yet while it will be a delight for those familiar with the book, the plot holes that “The Lovely Bones” leaves for the non-literary crowd are staggering.
In the end “The Lovely Bones” was a good enough film that attempted to stay true to the book but really could have been lovelier.
Merissa (11953 KP) rated The Princess of Baker Street in Books
Jan 21, 2019
The Princess of Baker Street by Mia Kerick
The Princess of Baker Street is an emotional story about a young girl who was born a boy. She doesn't fit in, gets bullied, and yet she tries to remain true to herself, even when faced with opposition. The whole story is told from the viewpoint of Eric. He was once her best friend - when she could wear dresses and not be judged for it; when she could be a princess without condemnation. However, life has changed for both of them now they are in middle school, and Eric can't be with her now as he would like to be.
This story is simply amazing. You will feel for Joey as he faces the bullies and tries to hang onto his friendship with Eric, no matter the cost. You will also feel for Eric as he copes with things no young child should have to. Something has to break, and it does. Both of these characters reach rock bottom, and yet they both pick themselves up and carry on, head held high.
This is a gritty story, dealing with hard issues for anyone to deal with, let alone 13-year-olds. It isn't a dark book though, the silver lining shines through. There were no editing or grammatical errors in this book, and the pacing was smooth. The story flowed exceedingly well, and lessons are there to be learnt by everyone. I loved this story, and would love to read more - both about these characters, and also anything else by Mia Kerick. Absolutely recommended by me.
* 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!
This story is simply amazing. You will feel for Joey as he faces the bullies and tries to hang onto his friendship with Eric, no matter the cost. You will also feel for Eric as he copes with things no young child should have to. Something has to break, and it does. Both of these characters reach rock bottom, and yet they both pick themselves up and carry on, head held high.
This is a gritty story, dealing with hard issues for anyone to deal with, let alone 13-year-olds. It isn't a dark book though, the silver lining shines through. There were no editing or grammatical errors in this book, and the pacing was smooth. The story flowed exceedingly well, and lessons are there to be learnt by everyone. I loved this story, and would love to read more - both about these characters, and also anything else by Mia Kerick. Absolutely recommended by me.
* 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!
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Draft Day (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Draft Day wants to be the Moneyball of the National Football League. Probem is, Moneyball was based on a true story. Draft Day is pure fiction and it’s not particularly good fiction. Sure, there are realistic elements of what goes on behind the scenes on draft day, but the story that surrounds makes you wonder if this was really the best they could come up with to shine the spotlight on one of the biggest days of the year for football fans and NFL prospects.
Sonny Weaver (Kevin Costner) is a general manager of the Cleveland Browns. Now that’s a real team, although many people would question that fact. Weaver manages to acquire the number one draft pick on draft day and the movie is essentially about him trying to decide who to pick. Focusing on three potential players, Sonny has the heavy responsibility of making the right choice.
In addition to facing this daunting task of making the right decision for his team, Sonny is also wrestling with personal issues, such as a secret girlfriend and living up to his father’s legacy. There are plenty of cameos of stars of the NFL and Roger Goodell weighs in as the NFL commissioner. There were scenes that seemed meaningless in a sense but there’s a twist if you remain interested.
To the casual football fan this might be entertaining. To diehard fans, you probably know most of the goings on behind the scenes on draft day. It’s a backstage view in the day of the life of a GM trying to juggle his way through business and personal decisions on a big stage while facing a ticking clock. The movie does drags here and there but if you need a hit of the NFL drug while waiting for the next season, this might tide you over.
Sonny Weaver (Kevin Costner) is a general manager of the Cleveland Browns. Now that’s a real team, although many people would question that fact. Weaver manages to acquire the number one draft pick on draft day and the movie is essentially about him trying to decide who to pick. Focusing on three potential players, Sonny has the heavy responsibility of making the right choice.
In addition to facing this daunting task of making the right decision for his team, Sonny is also wrestling with personal issues, such as a secret girlfriend and living up to his father’s legacy. There are plenty of cameos of stars of the NFL and Roger Goodell weighs in as the NFL commissioner. There were scenes that seemed meaningless in a sense but there’s a twist if you remain interested.
To the casual football fan this might be entertaining. To diehard fans, you probably know most of the goings on behind the scenes on draft day. It’s a backstage view in the day of the life of a GM trying to juggle his way through business and personal decisions on a big stage while facing a ticking clock. The movie does drags here and there but if you need a hit of the NFL drug while waiting for the next season, this might tide you over.