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Christmas With the Kranks (2004)
Christmas With the Kranks (2004)
2004 | Comedy, Family
9
7.2 (12 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Funny (0 more)
Over the top (0 more)
Funy Family Christmas Film
If you re looking for a funny Christmas film, then this is it. If you go into this with the expectation of a funny, family Christmas film, where you can all laugh together, even if it is at the ridiculousness, you won't be dissapointed. This is not Shakespeare. Don't expect that.
The acting is good, it's Jamie Lee Curtis and TIm Allen, with Dan Akroyd supporting, so of course it is. They all have a great rapport with each other which makes the film not so ridiculous.
The storyline is typical and stupid, but that's what the best Christmas films have. You know, the ones we watch over and over every Christmas (like National Lampons Christmas Vacation).
If you go in with your eyes open, not expecting Romeo and Juliet to declare their love and kill themselves (you do get some neighbourhood feuding so that won't dissapoint those Shakespeare fans), then you will enjoy a pleasent Christmas evening and feel good at the end of it.
  
Hippie
Hippie
Paulo Coelho | 2018 | Biography, Travel
6
5.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Full review on www.diaryofdifference.com

Hippie is the autobiography by Paulo Coelho, told in third person. This is a story about people that travel the world, wear funny clothes and flowers in their hairs, and believe in peace, love and freedom.

I have read many of Coelho’s books, even since I was a teenage girl. And all of them share something in common – the path of finding yourself. After reading Hippie, I believe that this is the the best one that covers this subject quite perfectly.

‘’He was a human being, with all the fragility that entails, he didn’t understand everything that happened in his life, but he truly wished to believe he was travelling in search of the light.’’

The book is a story of two people, Paulo and Karla. Paulo, a Brazilian guy, searching for freedom and travels. Karla, a lady born and living in Amsterdam, wanting to find herself so badly in the world. When she hears that a hippie bus is going all the way to Nepal, she is willing to go if she meets her ideal companion.

‘’She wished they could see her for her beauty, but all anyone ever saw was the hurricane, and they never sought shelter from it. They preferred to flee to safer ground.’’

Their adventure begins in such an adorable way, only hippies can relate to. Their search for what they want and need feeds with every stop and every destination. A beautiful story about friendship, love and travel.

I actually wished that they had spoken more about the travels and less about some individual stories that didn’t quite correlate to the plot. I also wished that they actually reached out the final destination the way they are supposed to (this was not a spoiler).

‘’Our travels teach us everything we need to know for the rest of our lives, as long as there’s no need to explain this to our parents.’’

Even though a sad end, it is a realistic story about a way of life before, where people loved to be free, and were free to find love, in a world of peace, love, marijuana and travels. A place where no one cares what you look like.

Right now, hippies are a normal thing, people that we all secretly enjoy reading about, and listening to their stories, but in the past, these people fought so hard to change the system of how people’s minds worked, the system people were stuck in, to make people realise that they have the freedom to believe in anything they think is right, to do anything that makes them happy, to be happy, and share this with the world. To live in a world full of happiness, love, peace, to travel and see places, discover places and people, see new cultures, explore people’s minds and customs.

‘’The sun had come out, as though to say that finally the Renaissance was making a return, to change everyone’s habits and customs – and one day very soon, people would no longer depend on the opinions of others but rather on their own ways of seeing life.’’

The one thing that I couldn’t enjoy was the constant religion mentioning in this book. All religions were mentioned, and with such intensity, that peace and love and freedom and the hippie meaning started to be in relation to religion, which is something I personally don’t want to put together. I am aware that lots of hippies believe in God in their own way, but I also think that love and peace should gather them together as a group, not religion. And this point was clearly states a lot of times throughout the book. Not enjoyable, at least for me.

For all of you out there, the hippies, the ordinary people that love travelling, love, life, happiness, music – this is a book for you. Another amazing Paulo Coelho novel, full of wisdom and quotes to underline.
  
    Phonics Genius

    Phonics Genius

    Education and Games

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    "WOW... over 6,000 words grouped by phonics sounds. This app is awesome to teach phonic awareness!"...

It was a little over a year ago that I first read a Melanie Dickerson book. I fell instantly in love with her gift for stories! This year I have resolved to read more of the books that have piled up on my To-Be-Read pile (island...OK, it's a planet!) and I am making good progress so far. The Healer's Apprentice is a retelling of The Sleeping Beauty, which is my ALL TIME favorite fairy tale.

Rose is a kind and gentle young woman with a gift for storytelling, and a passion for life and Lord Hamlin, however, he is already betrothed. She struggles find her destiny. She thinks she knows what she wants in life, but it isn't until she lets go and hands her future path over to God that she begins to feel peace. Wilhelm, Lord Hamlin, has never had a problem fulfilling his duty as the future Duke. But when he meets Rose his life is turned upside down and he is conflicted by the pull of his heart and his responsibility as his father's heir.

A sweet romance and a life lesson, that when we follow God's calling and do the right thing, He will bless our path. Although it may be in a way we least expect.

I am so glad I finally read this story and look forward on catching up on the rest of the Hagenheim series in the near future. Don't miss A Noble Servant, book 3 of the THornbeck series, releasing in May!
  
    Elanic - Simply Sell

    Elanic - Simply Sell

    Shopping and Lifestyle

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    Elanic is the easiest way to buy and sell almost anything. Become a part of the biggest pre-owned...

Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf, #1)
Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf, #1)
Ryan Graudin | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>

What if the Nazis won the war? That is the setting for this captivating alternative historical novel by Ryan Graudin. In the newly named land of Germania it is 1956, more than a decade has passed since the Nazis won. The world is still not safe, especially for those who do not fit the Aryan race description. Seventeen-year-old Yael is about to set out on her first ever mission on behalf of the secret resistance group, but it will not be easy to fulfill her duty: to kill Hitler.

Yael was a Jewish prisoner in the death camps during the war. To most Nazi officials she was known as Experiment 85, and was undergoing melanin manipulation. What the doctors did not bargain on was that these experimentations would result in the ability to change physical appearance at will. Yael discovered she could change her skin tone, facial features, hair colour, height or even impersonate someone else, purely by concentrating really hard. It is this strange power that is going to help Yael on her quest to defeat Hitler.

In order to succeed, Yael needs to get as close as possible to the Fuhrer and the only way the resistance believe she will be able to do this is be impersonating Adele Wolfe, a motorbike racer, in the Axis tour: an epic long race from Berlin to Tokyo. However it is not as simple as changing skins and winning the race. Yael needs to convince the contestants that she is Adele and avoid all the dangerous tactics of the other racers so that she can get to the finish line.

<i>Wolf by Wolf</i> is an action-packed, exciting novel aimed at young adult readers interested in history and science fiction. Since it is taught in schools, most people are aware of the Holocaust and have an idea of the horrors Jews faced. But what if that did not stop at the end of the war? This is the idea explored within this novel amongst the exhilaration of the motorcycle race. No one would be completely happy under Hitler’s rule, and we can be thankful that this is only a ‘what if?’ scenario rather than our reality.

The science-fiction element was an interesting twist to the storyline. It does, however, detract from the seriousness of the Nazi rule. Without reminders of the time period, it could almost be a dystopian novel set in the future where a tyrant controls the world.

What I personally liked about <i>Wolf by Wolf</i> is that whilst the main storyline is playing out, we learn more about Yael’s life. She may have lost her true identity but there are several people who have impacted on who Yael is inside. These people are represent by five wolves tattooed onto her arm, and with the memories of each individual fresh in her mind, Yael has the courage and strength to do what she needs to do.

Although not one of the easiest topics to read about – a lot of unnecessary death – I highly recommend <i>Wolf by Wolf </i>to all young adult readers regardless of gender or reading preferences. This book covers such a wide range of genres that it is bound to cater to all tastes. If you love this book you will be pleased to know that it is the first in a series meaning that the story does not end here!
  
Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody
Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody
Barbara Ross | 2019 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Jane Will Charm You in This New Series Debut
A year ago, Jane Darrowfield took an early retirement, and she’s already beginning to look for things to do. She’s started helping her friends with problems, but she is surprised when she is approached by Paul Peavy, and manager of Walden Spring, a nearby 55-and-over community. It seems their community has devolved into high school, and the popular clique and the biker clique are at open war with each other through a series of nasty, escalating pranks. But before Jane’s suggestions can be put into practice, a dead body is found out on the community’s golf course. Have the pranks escalated to murder? Can Jane figure out what happened, or is she in over her head?

I love Barbara Ross’s books, so I was looking forward to starting this new series. I wasn’t disappointed. While the book does need a little time to set up these new characters, it does so without slowing down the mystery. Things only pick up when the murder takes place, and we follow Jane on some twists and turns that lead to the climax. We get glimpses of Jane’s past, but there is plenty more to explore in future installments; likewise, I suspect we’ll get to know the supporting players better as the series progresses. The suspects are a diverse and complex group, growing deeper as the book progresses. There are some funny scenes, especially at the beginning of the book. It does grow more serious as the book progresses, but we do still get some great moments that lighten the story. I’m definitely looking forward to getting to know Jane better as the series progresses.
  
Does Grandma Remember Me?
Does Grandma Remember Me?
Evita Sherman | 2021 | Children
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What sweet loving story about a grandchild and her grandma; This shows how love can be given unconventionally and shows what happens to such elderly grandparents with Dementia. Grandparents may forget things or their loved ones.

This book explains it in a way to children so they can understand. Children may not understand or feel confused as to why their grandma or grandpa is looking for things or being forgetful. Dementia is something hard to tell your child or children. This book seems to help because it attacks the brain and will not let their grandparents remember their loved ones or things though they want to.

We see this through the eyes of a little girl in this book. Children can change it for them if they need to think through this. Parents, this book is a beautiful addition to your child's bookshelf or your family collection of books, especially if you have a family member that deals with this.

My grandma on my dad's side either has Dementia or Alzheimer's; I do not know. She had a hard time remembering my name growing up or when I was calling her. I do not know if she ever told my grandfather the message I told her to say to her. I think she has this disease called "Dementia," but not one hundred percent sure. I know she remembers me when I was little, but that about all. She calls most of my family members "You" when she is referring to you. I have no idea for sure. The only name she ever used when she was talking or referring to someone was John. That name is shared and used by my Uncle and my grandfather and cousin.

This book remains done well; I enjoyed the idea and concept of the book. I rate it 4.5 stars (Moons). It was not that deep for me. Though then, It could be me, and that is all. It does teach children about a mental health illness that continues not talked about much. I have to say that sometimes it's hard to do.