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Dope (2015)
Dope (2015)
2015 | Comedy, Drama
8
6.8 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Dope

A drug taken illegally for recreational purposes, especially marijuana or heroin.
A stupid person
A slang term meaning very good or awesome.
 

That is exactly what this movie is about. All three of those definitions apply equally to this brilliant film. It tells you right up front with definitions very similar to these right on the screen. Though, the application of each definition may surprise you.

Dope centers around Malcom (Shameik Moore) who, along with his friends Jib (Tony Revolori) and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons), found himself in a difficult situation after attending the birthday party for a local drug dealer. You see the trio are your typical geeks, into computers, math, science, games, have their own band (not as glamorous as you would think)… oh, and obsessed with the nineties hip-hop culture. But they live in a not so friendly neighborhood in Inglewood known as “The Bottoms”. Forced to take an alternate route home from school one afternoon, he unwittingly gets invited to a birthday party for Dom (Rakim Mayers, aka A$ap Rocky), but he is really going because of a girl, Nakia (Zoe Kravitz). While at the party, things start to go south, and Dom hides all of the “Molly” he was in the middle of selling in Malcom’s bag, unbeknownst to him. Once he finds it, Dom tells him to deliver it to a man named AJ, and that’s where all the hijinks begin.

I really don’t want to give away any more than this. The trailer only really tells half the story, and I believe that it will have more impact if you discover it yourself. Needless to say, though, it was really a fantastic movie. With Pharrell in charge of music, and Forest Whitaker and Sean Combs on board as well, the film does a great job at keeping things very original. There were many times where I could not hear the next few lines of dialogue, I was laughing so hard. And the soundtrack was incredible.

If I had to give you a frame of reference, though, think of it like this: Friday meets The Girl Next Door, with a little bit of Superbad mixed in. But the film delivers in so many great ways, and was very excellently cast. Moore did a great job of portraying that awkward geek who just got caught up in some very interesting situations. I should know, because I was there once, too. But the film has a powerful message. Showing off his love of nineties hip-hop, the film begins with Malcolm trying to get his Harvard admittance essay past his guidance counselor, but the essay is about the research to find that good day that Ice Cube talks about in his song. He was asked to write something more personal, and boy did he deliver after everything he went through following that birthday party.

I can’t truthfully say that you absolutely need to see this on the big screen. There’s nothing to really promote seeing it in theaters over at home. But, if you are looking for a good date night movie, this might be the one to see this weekend. While there were a few slow parts, the movie did keep up a good pace and was lighthearted enough to be enjoyable by all. Definitely worth checking out, but when is up to you. Know that I would definitely recommend it though, and will absolutely be picking it up for my home collection when it releases in stores.
  
A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas | 2015 | Young Adult (YA)
10
8.7 (108 Ratings)
Book Rating
My first 10 star rating in nearly 7 years!
Lets be honest, im not a die hard fantasy reader. I didnt like lord of the rings, i didnt like harry potter, i dont like game of thrones.. i could go on. I have pretty much decided that if a huge majority of people are raving about something i will most likely hate it.
Why i picked up this book then? Well, i recently joined a few bookclubs and this author was what everyone talked about, everyone had these inside jokes that i had no idea what they were talking about... i guess that ticked me off enough times to buckle and give this book a try... AND OH AM I HAPPY THAT I DID.
Im not going to go into details about the book and potentially spoil it.. however i will say a few things.
Firstly, after a few chapters in brace yourself.. there is no "down time" to this book, no filler. I literally had to.. HAD TO, put the book down to process because it was so good.
I can not speak for this authors writing in any other novel because this series is my first of hers.. but the writing is beautiful and intricate. Do not expect to speed read this..it wont happen.
everytime i thought i knew what was going to happen next.. I WAS SOOO WRONG. (And im actually pretty good a guessing.)
The characters are so well thoughtout and i love each one of them as i should for what they are. The main characters of a book are usually the only ones you get to know, but we see into the past, future and present of each one of these beautiful souls.
So i guess what im saying is.. i went into this book ticked off lol and very much expecting to DNF ing it. And i came out the other side in love.. ...
  
Half Blood: The Complete Collection: Books 1-5
Half Blood: The Complete Collection: Books 1-5
Lauren Dawes | 2020 | Paranormal, Romance
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Thank you, Ms Dawes, for writing these books, I've thoroughly enjoyed delving into this world.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted all these books.


Book1, Half Blood
I enjoyed this, a lot. I didn't love for a couple of reasons.

CLIFFHANGER! It finishes on a cliffhanger, and if I KNOW is finishes as such, I'm usually ok, but I did NOT see this one coming at and I was somewhat annoyed about that!

I'm still not entirely sure whats going on, what the bigger picture is. It might just be me, but my brain didn't put everything together yet, and I was somewhat annoyed by that, too. I am certain that it will all become clear in the next few books, though! (or at least I hope so!)

There is some scene setting, for multiple characters who are side players. For a long while I wasn't sure why they even had a say, but all does become clear why they are there. Eventually. It took far too long for me though, to love that fact. I like hearing from everyone, I really do, but this reminded me a little of several series that take a long way round to get across the road.

I liked Indigo. She is a force of nature and when she fully becomes aware of what she is and what she can do, she will be invincible. Rhett, too, isn't fully aware of himself, I don't think yet. Some secrets he hasn't told us, and some I don't think have been revealed to him either.

I liked the twists to usual vampire/werewolf lore. Some major twists thrown up there!

I have to wait now, to get ahold of book 2. If you are reading this review, I recommend you wait til you at least have book 2 to hand, so you don't throw the hissy fit I did when I ran out of book!

Because of the cliff hanger and because of the not seeing the bigger picture (yet) . . .


4 stars



Book 2, Half Truths

This is book 2 in the Helheim Wolf Pak=ck series, and you really MUST read book one, HAlf Blood, first. This is a continuous story line and not everything is recapped.

And again, I really ENJOYED this, but I didn't quite love, and it's mostly ME that is the reason, not the book. (I think!)

I still cannot see the bigger picture, I really can't! It's driving me nuts that I can't even make one up, as I am prone to do, and I can't see where this is all going. AT. ALL!

Vaile is the focus of this book, and his new, human, FEMALE poilce partner. Dealing with the murders at the nightclub brings many questions for Larissa, and Vaile is hiding something. Something big. It's pissing her off and she will get to the bottom of it! Rhett and Indi's relationship begins to move at a much faster pace, especially once they sort out her food problem. I'm not sure I like the final solution, and I think Rhett might struggle with it too.

The search for Alpha's mate intensifies, throwing up some major spanners in the works, some twists I really didn't see coming.

It's dark and deadly. Bloody and emotional. Sexy and sweet. The violence is graphic and the sex explicit, and I loved that they were!

Lots of people again have a say, and I was ready for that this time, so I really enjoyed the stage setting in this book.

And another bloody (quite LITERALLY!) cliffhanger! *throws toys out the pram and spits dummy out*

Creeping up to 4.5 stars though!

Book 3, Half Life

This is book 3 in the Helheim Wolf Pack series, and I STRONGLY recommend you read book one, Half Blood and two, Half Truths before you read this one. There is an underlaying story line that isn't fully recapped here.

Sabel, The Butcher of the Helheim pack, needs to find who killed a pack member. A non-pack female wolf wasn't supposed in the woods. When Sabel finds out who Ivy is, and what her visit means to her, he helps. But Ivy's past follows her, and there is something killing not just Helheim wolves, but other packs, and shifters, are suffering too.

So!

Now I have an idea of who/what is causing all this mayhem that the Helheim pack is suffering from, the picture is becoming clearer and so I'm starting to enjoy this series a little bit more!

Everyone gets a say again, Sabel and Ivy mostly, but many others too. This book also sets the scene for book four, so pay attention!

Sabel and Ivy are explosive together. They butt heads, right from the start and it's a great deal of fun watching them fall hard, and fall HARD for each other. Ivy brings some tension to Sabel's life and it is also fun watching him deal with that.

There is the amount of violence that is in the other books, but it really is needed more so here, I think. Sabel has a particular skill set and he puts it to use here. It is graphic, and dark and deadly. It's heartbreaking in places too, as the pack deals with not only the loss from the previous book, but a shocking, more painful one here.

I loved how things are starting to make (some) sense, and the picture is becoming clearer. Where it's going, though?? No bloody idea and I LOVED that!

Hit the top marks with this one, please keep it up!

5 full stars

Book 4, Half Cast

This is book 4 in the Helheim Wolf Pack Tale, and you really SHOULD read all three previous books before this one. There is MUCH that is referenced, but not fully covered here from those books. MUCH. So, don't say I didn't warn you!

We met both Alex and Saskia in book 3, and they met too. They fell in love over a single kiss and now Saskia is mated to another, and Alex is now Bitten.

So, in my review for the third book, I said things were beginning to make sense, and I could kinda see where this was all going. You read that, right? I said it?? Well, now? I lost it all again! I still got an inkling, but I've lost something in the couple of months since I read book three, I really did and I didn't pick it back up here, not fully.

To that end, I didn't enjoy this as much as book 3.

However, I don't think that me losing whatever I did is the full reason. There is more, and it revolves around what Alex and Saskia did, to Ezekiel, in their home. They both felt guilty about that, and well they should but it didn't sit well with me! I would like to see Ezekiel happy in a later book, he needs some happiness now.

Saxon (Saskia's brother) meets HIS mate, but this book ends on a cliffhanger about that. Brax is smitten by someone he meets but not sure where thats going.

As usual, everyone important has a say. And you really do need that here, more so than in the other books.

Like I said, I lost something, and didn't quite get it back and whatever it is, I missed it!

Books one and two got 4 and 4.5 stars respectively. Book 3 is by far my favourite of them all so far and got 5 stars. We've slipped a bit here, and so....

4 solid stars


Book 5, Half Bound.

This is book 5 in the Helheim Wolf Pack series, the last book and you do NEED to have read the other books before this one. This one pulls everything together but not everything important is recapped.

I found this one a much darker read than the others. The others are graphic and explicit but I thought this one was so much MORE. The violence Vivian expends to get what she wants is described in great detail, what she does and what she has others do. This is the only reason I gave it. . .oh . . no. . .wait, there is ANOTHER reason. Let me try that again! This is ONE of the reasons I gave it 4 stars. Oh but she does get her comeuppance, she really does!

Saxon is captured and Casey allows herself to be taken, on the condition Saxon is freed. Yeah, right, we did not see that one being double-crossed by Vivian! Vivian breaks Casey, she really does, physically and emotionally. It's painful reading, not just the physical stuff, but when Casey comes to terms with what Vivian does to her, what it means for her future, what it means she can never be. And then. . .not yet. . .I'll say soon.

Across the other side of the story, Brax, who left Rhett a while ago because he was addicted to Indi's bite, has to fetch a new pack member who affects him, and his wolf, deeply. But Andrea is damaged, both inside and out, and she doesn't think anyone will want her now her abusive ex has marked her as he did. Besides, all men are gonna hurt her, so she steers clear. When said ex gets too close, Brax and Drae bond, and when they do? Oh it's so beautiful, their bonding, it really is. Said ex also gets his comeuppance, but not quite how I thought he would!

Back to what Vivian does to break Casey emotionally. This is the other reason I gave it 4 stars. Casey loves Saxon and he loves her. But they never really got to tell each other that. After Casey gets free, I'm not surprised she has the thoughts she does. And then there was that "Besides. . . ." when Vivian was gloating! So now my mind is racing and I want answers! At least I know the questions this time!

A very fitting end, and one that spawns another series about Casey and her brothers. I hope to get my hands on them too.

Thank you, Ms Dawes, for writing these books, I've thoroughly enjoyed delving into this world.

4 stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere, on individual listing**
  
Rosie's Travelling Tea Shop
Rosie's Travelling Tea Shop
Rebecca Raisin | 2019 | Humor & Comedy, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Light & Easy Read
“Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop” by Rebecca Raisin is a lovely, light read. When you have just discovered that you have a husband who is a cheat, what a wonderful way to start life over by going travelling in a camper-van. I thought it was great that Rosie made herself some new friends along the way, as well as earning some money at music and food festivals.

I delighted in this quirky, fun story. There were many laugh-out-loud moments and it was wonderful getting to meet all of the characters, although I did not particularly have a favourite.

I especially loved the idea of owning a pink camper-van like Rosie’s, and a fuchsia pink one at that - so unique and off-the-wall. Also worth a mention are some of the references to delicious culinary delights such as the spotted dick, and the Turkish delight butter-cream cupcakes or some of the more suspect ones like the wheat-grass smoothie or the Dijon tofu.

This fantastic book has left me keen to go touring and travelling and I strongly recommend giving this wonderfully uplifting romantic story a whirl!

{Thank you to #NetGalley and HQ Digital for the free copy of #RosiesTravellingTeaShop and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
  
The Rise of Magicks (Chronicles of The One #3)
The Rise of Magicks (Chronicles of The One #3)
Nora Roberts | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
5.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A wonderful end to a fantastic trilogy.
The conclusion to this trilogy was everything I wanted it to be and more. A truly beautiful ending. I want to be very mindful of spoilers so as not to ruin the magic (see what I did there?) for other readers.

The evolution of Fallon's relationship with Duncan was exactly right; I love him for her. In fact, I loved all of the relationships in this story.

When they travel to New York, back to where it all began, I could still picture everything the way it was described in the first book, overlaying the current state of things in my mind. This is great storytelling, in my opinion. I could see Arlys at the news desk next to the corpse of her co-worker. I could see Fred and Arlys traversing the tunnels. I could see a frightened Lana discovering her powers.

There are deaths, of course, because, you know, war. One absolutely heartbreaking death in particular - and the characters' reactions to it - literally brought tears to my eyes.

The emotions throughout this story are so powerful. You can FEEL their triumph, their heartbreak, their joy, their rage.

And, while this is classified as fantasy, the entire story certainly feels like a commentary on modern society, no?

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARE!
  
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Alice (117 KP) rated Ghosts in Books

Mar 3, 2021  
Ghosts
Ghosts
Dolly Alderton | 2021 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Romance
6
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release!

I hadn't read anything by Dolly Alderton before but I'd heard great things about 'Everything I Know About Love' so when I heard about her fiction debut I knew I needed to try it! I love Dolly's voice, it's so wonderfully British which as someone who reads so much American based fiction was refreshing. There was quite a lot of heavy swearing so if that's not your thing be wary (but that's what you get for being British I guess). I loved the different aspects of ghosting that were covered from dating, to friendships fading, and to dementia and the ghosting of memories. It was such a poignant read. I enjoyed this book immensely but I just couldn't get invested, it took me quite a while to get through as I only found myself reading a chapter at a time so hence the reason for my lower rating but I think I'm slightly younger than the target audience for this book so that's potentially why but I'd say if you are older and single you'll definitely see a lot of yourself here, I'm young and single and I definitely did. It made me think a lot about the future.
  
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Mothergamer (1655 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Vampyr in Video Games

Nov 16, 2020  
Vampyr
Vampyr
2018 | Action, Role-Playing
The game is not totally terrible. I found the concept interesting and being set in 1918 London during the influenza epidemic and World War I made for an interesting setting. I really wished that there was fast travel in the game because walking back and forth between neighborhoods for quests and gathering information could be really tedious. I also felt that the game was hindered by the lack of a manual save because sometimes conversations would go wrong if you picked the wrong choice with an NPC and you would lose the clue forever and there's no way to redo it unless you want to start the entire game over again. I truly don't understand why that decision was made by the game developers and it could be really frustrating to use a conversation hint and not be able to have a redo. The combat isn't bad, figuring out what vampire abilities worked best for each fight was intriguing, but it wasn't too challenging which I liked. The story is good, but not great because there were some unanswered questions and some plot holes leaving more questions. Overall, I did enjoy the story and I'm glad I played through it at least once. Full Mothergamer review is here: http://lorrie28-mothergamer.blogspot.com/2020/11/mothergamer-plays-vampyr.html
  
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Tom Jones recommended Rock 'n Soul by Solomon Burke in Music (curated)

 
Rock 'n Soul by Solomon Burke
Rock 'n Soul by Solomon Burke
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"The first time I heard him was in London, it was 1964 and he had just come out with that album and I got it. It was in my manager Gordon Mills's Notting Hill Gate flat and he just had it because they used to send him stuff - things that I might like. There was this album, so I thought "Shit! This is tremendous" and recorded a bunch of the songs on there - 'If You Need Me' was one of the ones on the first album. Solomon was always my favourite soul singer, more than Otis Redding, Sam and Dave or Wilson Pickett. Solomon was a step above. He was more of a singer who happened to sing blues and gospel - you could tell that he came from the church, but he sang it better. Otis Redding used to get trouble with this throat - you could hear it in him. He was struggling to get out what he did. Wilson Pickett had great feel and great drive, but there was a roughness to his voice, and Solomon could be rough or sweet when he wanted to be, he could put his voice into different areas. And his range was huge - there's that track on it, 'Goodbye Baby, Baby Goodbye', he sings that in two octaves, which is tremendous. Real, very honest."

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