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Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
Erik Larson | 2015 | History & Politics
8
8.5 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
I stumbled on this book quite by accident while on one of my hours long "grocery shopping" treks through Target. I have had several Erik Larson books on my To Read list for awhile. It was just one of those, "I'll get to them one day," kind of things. I saw this on the shelf & bought it on a whim. I found it it be a truly engaging narrative, not just about the tragic torpedoing & sinking of the Lusitania, but about the passengers & crew too. The human side of the story is what really grabbed me. I will admit that it started off a bit slow for my taste, but I did get immersed in the day to day lives of those aboard the ship. The tales of survival are amazing along with all the political maneuvering that occurred in the wake of the sinking. This is a fascinating snapshot of world history told from a very personal perspective. Well word the read.
  
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Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Lone Wolf in Books

May 10, 2018  
Lone Wolf
Lone Wolf
Jodi Picoult | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry
10
7.5 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
I love the way Jodi Picoult gets into your heart and mind with her books. Luke Warren the famous wolf man has been in a terrible accident and is currently lying in a bed on life support. He has two children who see differently about what should happen to him. First is his daughter Cara who has lived with him and his wolves for the past six years and was in the accident with her father. Edward who left home when he was eighteen after an argument with his father and this is the first time he will speak to his father after all these years. Should life support be terminated or should they wait to see if Luke will wake up on his own. Journey with two kids who are just trying to do what is best for their father. Will they end up seeing eye to eye, or will something dramatic happen that will tea the family apart forever!!
  
One Summer
One Summer
David Baldacci | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry
6
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Jack has overcome quite an obstacle in his life, a terminal illness. In the wake of that miraculous event, he has lost his best friend and wife, Lizzie in a car accident going to get him meds. As he recovers from his illness, the loss of his wife and having his kids taken away from him by his in-laws, he reflects on all that his life has been up to this point. Reconnecting with his children finding his own way in this world is what Jack is up against now. This is not quite what I expected from Baldacci as my mother recommended this author to me. While this is the first book I have read by Baldacci, it was quite enjoyable, and made me interested to read more of his books. Not sure if I will continue to read them if they all turn up to be this romantic in nature
  
The Hangover (2009)
The Hangover (2009)
2009 | Comedy
Better than expected
Contains spoilers, click to show
Well, first off, this was a lot funnier than I was expecting. It's a simple story of four friends, well sort off, who go to Las Vegas for one of their stag nights, but after being slipped something, they lose their memories of the night, as well as the groom and find a trail of destruction left in their wake! Including a baby, a tiger and stolen police car!

This "Who Done it" scenario is played to comic effect quite well but there's nothing to justify the film's reputation. It's funny in parts and the performances are quite believable as the bazaar situations play out but in the end, the final is pay off doesn't work for me, being somewhat of an any climax. But having said that, it does try to deliver a message or two about relationships and has its moments but overall I wanted more comedy and less moralising whilst trying to be as gross as possible.

Not half bad though…
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated The Commuter (2018) in Movies

Feb 11, 2018 (Updated Feb 11, 2018)  
The Commuter (2018)
The Commuter (2018)
2018 | Crime, Drama, Mystery
One-way Ticket to Barking
Another of those films in which Liam Neeson plays a bus-pass bad-ass, in this case an ageing rugged ex-cop turned insurance salesman who finds himself sucked into a murderous conspiracy on the train home one night.

Well, you kind of know from the start how this is going to play out, but the script is inventive in keeping it going and Neeson is assisted by a good supporting cast. Initially it looks like this is going to be another film about middle-aged rage in the wake of the financial crisis, but this sadly proves to be a red herring - it is just another very daft transport-based thriller.

Not a film that exactly stays with you, obviously, but it's wildly implausible rather than actually stupid, and the direction is not too bad, all things considered. Obviously I'd rather Liam Neeson did more films with a little more substance, but this kind of thing isn't actually hurting anyone.