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Kristin (149 KP) rated The Boon: Thoughts of a Schizophrenic in Remission in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I was given an e-copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I'll start by saying I hold a Master's Degree in Forensic Psychology, so when I was approached to read and review this book, I jumped at it. Schizophrenia was one of the many different topics throughout my coursework, and I'm always eager to learn more about anything Psychology-related. I thought back on my different classes, and while we discussed all sorts of things about Schizophrenia (symptoms, effects on the individual and family/friends, therapeutic treatment, drug treatment, etc.), I don't recall having ever read an anecdotal account from someone with the illness, and I think it's just a fantastic idea.
While this book is very long, it's well worth the read if you're either like me and are interested in Psychology, or if you either have or know someone who has Schizophrenia (Sz for short). Reading this book gave me all sorts of personal insight into the illness that you just can't find in a textbook, and I'm sure it would greatly benefit anyone who is affected in their life by Sz in some way. I found the opening philosophies on God to be very interesting, as it was a new way of looking at the topic for me, and it really drew me in to see what all Eugene believed, had been through, is going through, etc. The various quotes from song lyrics, psychologists, other Sz memoirs, and numerous other sources really worked to convey just what Eugene was thinking and feeling, especially the ones pulled from his earlier writings.
As I said, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has Sz in some form of their life: either themselves, a family member or friend, therapists, social workers, etc, as well as those who are studying or just interested in Psychology. First-hand accounts are few and far between, and I feel I learned more about Sz, its effects on the mind as well as the idea of "remission," from this book than I did throughout my coursework.
5 stars for its ability to suck you in and keep you reading and learning, no matter how long it is =)
I'll start by saying I hold a Master's Degree in Forensic Psychology, so when I was approached to read and review this book, I jumped at it. Schizophrenia was one of the many different topics throughout my coursework, and I'm always eager to learn more about anything Psychology-related. I thought back on my different classes, and while we discussed all sorts of things about Schizophrenia (symptoms, effects on the individual and family/friends, therapeutic treatment, drug treatment, etc.), I don't recall having ever read an anecdotal account from someone with the illness, and I think it's just a fantastic idea.
While this book is very long, it's well worth the read if you're either like me and are interested in Psychology, or if you either have or know someone who has Schizophrenia (Sz for short). Reading this book gave me all sorts of personal insight into the illness that you just can't find in a textbook, and I'm sure it would greatly benefit anyone who is affected in their life by Sz in some way. I found the opening philosophies on God to be very interesting, as it was a new way of looking at the topic for me, and it really drew me in to see what all Eugene believed, had been through, is going through, etc. The various quotes from song lyrics, psychologists, other Sz memoirs, and numerous other sources really worked to convey just what Eugene was thinking and feeling, especially the ones pulled from his earlier writings.
As I said, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has Sz in some form of their life: either themselves, a family member or friend, therapists, social workers, etc, as well as those who are studying or just interested in Psychology. First-hand accounts are few and far between, and I feel I learned more about Sz, its effects on the mind as well as the idea of "remission," from this book than I did throughout my coursework.
5 stars for its ability to suck you in and keep you reading and learning, no matter how long it is =)
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Truth or Dare (2018) in Movies
Jun 17, 2020 (Updated Jun 18, 2020)
Contains spoilers, click to show
The movie starts with a young woman buying cigarettes. She appears distressed and ends up setting light to a woman in the store and the question we're all wondering is why? Keep watching though and soon enough you find out.
Moving on to the main part of the movie we see a group of friends enjoying their spring break at Mexico where Olivia meets a guy called Carter who invites her and her friends to a hideout to play a game of truth or dare. It starts off as just fun and games such as guys giving lapdances, streaking and girls kissing, until its carter's turn to do a truth. That's when he tells the group that he was dared to bring them to the hideout and that they have to play or they did, he then leaves leaving Olivia wondering what has just happened. I expected them to be trapped there but next thing we know they're back at school and everything is seemingly back to normal. However it isn't long until the cursed game starts as Olivia starts seing the words truth or dare everywhere and eventually her and her friends start seing it too along with these very creepy distorted faces (reminds me of momo if anyone can remember that) asking truth or dare over and over like something out of nightmares. They soon discover that if you refuse to tell the truth or don't do the dare you will die. Along with having to play the game the friends have to try and figure out why the game is cursed and how to stop it.
After reading other reviews for this movie I half expected to hate it, but for me it was completely different. It started off slow but once it started properly I really enjoyed it, it isn't like any movie I'd seen before. I found myself eagerly awaiting someone's turn to arrive as I loved hearing what everyone would have to do. I've seen people compare it to the ring or final destination but I don't see it myself. The ending was a big shock and didn't expect it at all, it definitely had you guessing all the way through to the end.
Moving on to the main part of the movie we see a group of friends enjoying their spring break at Mexico where Olivia meets a guy called Carter who invites her and her friends to a hideout to play a game of truth or dare. It starts off as just fun and games such as guys giving lapdances, streaking and girls kissing, until its carter's turn to do a truth. That's when he tells the group that he was dared to bring them to the hideout and that they have to play or they did, he then leaves leaving Olivia wondering what has just happened. I expected them to be trapped there but next thing we know they're back at school and everything is seemingly back to normal. However it isn't long until the cursed game starts as Olivia starts seing the words truth or dare everywhere and eventually her and her friends start seing it too along with these very creepy distorted faces (reminds me of momo if anyone can remember that) asking truth or dare over and over like something out of nightmares. They soon discover that if you refuse to tell the truth or don't do the dare you will die. Along with having to play the game the friends have to try and figure out why the game is cursed and how to stop it.
After reading other reviews for this movie I half expected to hate it, but for me it was completely different. It started off slow but once it started properly I really enjoyed it, it isn't like any movie I'd seen before. I found myself eagerly awaiting someone's turn to arrive as I loved hearing what everyone would have to do. I've seen people compare it to the ring or final destination but I don't see it myself. The ending was a big shock and didn't expect it at all, it definitely had you guessing all the way through to the end.
Illeana Douglas recommended Rosemary's Baby (1968) in Movies (curated)
BookInspector (124 KP) rated If I Die Before I Wake in Books
Sep 24, 2020
It has a very interesting blurb, and I was expecting a really suspenseful thriller, but it didn’t really impress me.
The main character of this book is Alex, climbing enthusiast who gets paralyzed after climbing accident (or maybe an attempted murder…) He doesn’t remember how the incident happened, and he hears snippets of it and other information with every new visitor. What left me shook and baffled was the situation he was in. His brain was fully functioning but the body didn’t whatsoever. All his inconveniences, cramps, feelings were very painful to read about and really scary, to be honest. You can’t even scratch your itching nose, it is a mental torture! :S
The characters used in this book were not very interesting to me. I did like reading Alex’s story, but I was missing personality and character in other participants of this journey. The whole book was told from Alex’s perspective, and I would have liked to read other people’s perspectives as well. I don’t think other characters were fully utilized in this novel.
I liked that Koch used little snippets of new information in every chapter to kindle the interest to continue, but I didn’t feel tension while reading, and I think it needed some better twists. The dilemma of “To live or to die?”, raised in this book was really difficult and got me thinking, what I would like in such case.
The writing style of this novel was really creative, pleasant and easy to read. The chapters were pretty short and filled with some interesting details of not only Alex’s present but also with memories of his past and his dead mother. All this combination made this book quite an amusing book. After all the suffering and pain, the ending didn’t leave me satisfied as well…:( So to conclude, this novel was really an emotionally difficult journey for me, filled with pain, suffering and helplessness, where you have to choose between death and living. There were some interesting parts which I enjoyed, but it didn’t really work for me. I do hope you will give this book a chance and see for yourself, whether you like it or not. Enjoy 🙂
The main character of this book is Alex, climbing enthusiast who gets paralyzed after climbing accident (or maybe an attempted murder…) He doesn’t remember how the incident happened, and he hears snippets of it and other information with every new visitor. What left me shook and baffled was the situation he was in. His brain was fully functioning but the body didn’t whatsoever. All his inconveniences, cramps, feelings were very painful to read about and really scary, to be honest. You can’t even scratch your itching nose, it is a mental torture! :S
The characters used in this book were not very interesting to me. I did like reading Alex’s story, but I was missing personality and character in other participants of this journey. The whole book was told from Alex’s perspective, and I would have liked to read other people’s perspectives as well. I don’t think other characters were fully utilized in this novel.
I liked that Koch used little snippets of new information in every chapter to kindle the interest to continue, but I didn’t feel tension while reading, and I think it needed some better twists. The dilemma of “To live or to die?”, raised in this book was really difficult and got me thinking, what I would like in such case.
The writing style of this novel was really creative, pleasant and easy to read. The chapters were pretty short and filled with some interesting details of not only Alex’s present but also with memories of his past and his dead mother. All this combination made this book quite an amusing book. After all the suffering and pain, the ending didn’t leave me satisfied as well…:( So to conclude, this novel was really an emotionally difficult journey for me, filled with pain, suffering and helplessness, where you have to choose between death and living. There were some interesting parts which I enjoyed, but it didn’t really work for me. I do hope you will give this book a chance and see for yourself, whether you like it or not. Enjoy 🙂
ClareR (5879 KP) rated The Other Side of Mrs Wood in Books
Aug 15, 2023
I’ve read a couple of books recently with mediums front and centre, and I really enjoyed The Other Side of Mrs Wood.
Mrs Violet Wood is one of the best known mediums in London, if not the whole country. People come to her for solace and pure entertainment, and the local Mediums meet up regularly to practice their skills on one another. Feeling her age (bearing in mind she’s not 40 yet - and this really got my goat, if I’m completely honest!), Mrs Wood agrees to take on an apprentice who has been standing outside her seances, hoping to be noticed. Emmie Finch is a very keen pupil. Or is she?
We all know that seances are pure showmanship, and highly unlikely to actually make contact with the dead, but these women really believe what they’re doing - even as they set up the room to cheat those who were paying for their services. The seances where the mediums are there on their own would make anyone think that they believed 100% in what they were doing. Clearly they had their own moral codes, and no one appeared to be cheated out of money (but if you have someone paying you regularly for work that isn’t genuine, are you cheating them?!).
I did feel for Mrs Wood as she was pushed out of her position by the upstart Emmie, and could understand how she worried about losing her livelihood and her house. Mrs Wood descends into a bad place and pushes all of her friends away for a time. This seems out of character, but she’s being pushed to her limit. She doesn’t have the backstop of a husband to save her if everything goes wrong. Self-sufficient women of means were probably few and far between at this time, and if you lost everything it was a long fall.
I read this with The Pigeonhole, who again helped me with my NetGalley reads (I do like reading along with everyone else on there, it really adds a different perspective to the books I read). Many thanks to the author, Lucy Barker, Fourth Estate and to The Pigeonhole for serialising this fascinating book.
Mrs Violet Wood is one of the best known mediums in London, if not the whole country. People come to her for solace and pure entertainment, and the local Mediums meet up regularly to practice their skills on one another. Feeling her age (bearing in mind she’s not 40 yet - and this really got my goat, if I’m completely honest!), Mrs Wood agrees to take on an apprentice who has been standing outside her seances, hoping to be noticed. Emmie Finch is a very keen pupil. Or is she?
We all know that seances are pure showmanship, and highly unlikely to actually make contact with the dead, but these women really believe what they’re doing - even as they set up the room to cheat those who were paying for their services. The seances where the mediums are there on their own would make anyone think that they believed 100% in what they were doing. Clearly they had their own moral codes, and no one appeared to be cheated out of money (but if you have someone paying you regularly for work that isn’t genuine, are you cheating them?!).
I did feel for Mrs Wood as she was pushed out of her position by the upstart Emmie, and could understand how she worried about losing her livelihood and her house. Mrs Wood descends into a bad place and pushes all of her friends away for a time. This seems out of character, but she’s being pushed to her limit. She doesn’t have the backstop of a husband to save her if everything goes wrong. Self-sufficient women of means were probably few and far between at this time, and if you lost everything it was a long fall.
I read this with The Pigeonhole, who again helped me with my NetGalley reads (I do like reading along with everyone else on there, it really adds a different perspective to the books I read). Many thanks to the author, Lucy Barker, Fourth Estate and to The Pigeonhole for serialising this fascinating book.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Best Family Ever (Baxter Family Children, #1) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
I was so excited for the release of this novel. Karen Kingsbury is one of my absolute favorite authors and her Baxter family has been my favorite for a long time now. This book is the start of books about her Baxter family characters as children. I've always wondered about the Baxter kids and what there life was like growing up, and with this book, we get just that and so much more!
This one focuses on Ashley Baxter. Ashley was one of my favorite characters in the Baxter series and her character as a child......let me tell you, she was full of mischief and I saw myself in her so much! The experiences of having to move and make new friends and adjust to life in a new way, was something that I could relate to, after my dad retired from the military and I had to leave my best friend. The faith, the hope, the love that the Baxter children had as young ones was inspiring, even for this adult!
Whether you have a child or grandchild, niece or nephew, who loves to read, this book is perfect for them! Every child, and adult needs to read this sweet book! I read it in one sitting. Mother and Son did a phenomenal job on this creation! If you're 8, or 98, this is a 5 star read that you will want on your shelf forever! Bravo and magnificently done, Mrs. Kingsbury and Mr. Russell. I can't wait to read the next one!
This one focuses on Ashley Baxter. Ashley was one of my favorite characters in the Baxter series and her character as a child......let me tell you, she was full of mischief and I saw myself in her so much! The experiences of having to move and make new friends and adjust to life in a new way, was something that I could relate to, after my dad retired from the military and I had to leave my best friend. The faith, the hope, the love that the Baxter children had as young ones was inspiring, even for this adult!
Whether you have a child or grandchild, niece or nephew, who loves to read, this book is perfect for them! Every child, and adult needs to read this sweet book! I read it in one sitting. Mother and Son did a phenomenal job on this creation! If you're 8, or 98, this is a 5 star read that you will want on your shelf forever! Bravo and magnificently done, Mrs. Kingsbury and Mr. Russell. I can't wait to read the next one!
Rodney Barnes (472 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) in Movies
Mar 22, 2019 (Updated Mar 22, 2019)
Very Disappointed
Contains spoilers, click to show
I am one of the biggest Star Wars fans you would meet. I have been to theaters to see all movies. As a kid I saw A New Hope in the theater. The Last Jedi however was an abomination. What you have in this movie was a director that did whatever he wanted and hardly addressed anything in The Force Awakens; which now in my opinion is irrelevant.
In the old canon Luke was such an awesome powerful character and leader. Instead of that we get some crazy old guy who has lost connection with the force because his nephew has turned to the dark side (Hmmm A gifted force user turning to the dark side never heard this type of storyline before). The Knights of Ren was not addressed. Luke confining himself to an island and force projecting himself was just plain dumb to me (Hmmm a Jedi Master exiling himself...never heard that storyline before either). The revelation of Rey's parents was anti climatic. The Canto Byte scene was unnecessary. The the thing I was most disappointed in was when Snoke was killed. He was a character I was really interested in. I have heard the people that like this movie say most are mad because this movie was not a "fan service". That is inane reasoning because without fans you have nothing. If this was just another type of Sci fi movie it would have worked. As a Star Wars movie.....just plain bad
In the old canon Luke was such an awesome powerful character and leader. Instead of that we get some crazy old guy who has lost connection with the force because his nephew has turned to the dark side (Hmmm A gifted force user turning to the dark side never heard this type of storyline before). The Knights of Ren was not addressed. Luke confining himself to an island and force projecting himself was just plain dumb to me (Hmmm a Jedi Master exiling himself...never heard that storyline before either). The revelation of Rey's parents was anti climatic. The Canto Byte scene was unnecessary. The the thing I was most disappointed in was when Snoke was killed. He was a character I was really interested in. I have heard the people that like this movie say most are mad because this movie was not a "fan service". That is inane reasoning because without fans you have nothing. If this was just another type of Sci fi movie it would have worked. As a Star Wars movie.....just plain bad
BTPBookclub (18 KP) rated Spare Room in Books
May 11, 2019
Where do I begin? … Bare with me here. Spare Room is a rollercoaster of a read, it totally messed with my mind! This book actually blew me away… Wow.
Everyone has their secrets in this story… But the truth will shock you. Not everything is as it seems… I did not expect anything that got thrown at me during this read. Chilling, dark and creepy.
Main Character Lisa is facing her own personal issues throughout, but I actually felt scared, sorry and fightened for her. Half way through this book is a major PLOT TWIST that actually had me holding my breathe and screaming WHAT! WOAH! EXPLAIN!!!
Ex boyfriend Alex is the perfect gentleman throughout, he’s friendly, caring and I just loved his character. Jack and Martha, now this had me changing my mind about their characters all the way through. Are they a nasty, evil couple? Or just a normal happy couple who Lisa has misjudged wrongly.
With all that went on in this book I devoured it in two days. This is the first book I have read by Dreda Say Mitchell and it wont be my last, very impressed. With an explosive, in your face ending like that you can cue me having a lie down and book hangover after this…
I think it’s only fair to award a five star rating and a place in my top twenty reads of 2019 ALREADY. I know. Shocking. Highly recommend. You will not regret reading this one.
Everyone has their secrets in this story… But the truth will shock you. Not everything is as it seems… I did not expect anything that got thrown at me during this read. Chilling, dark and creepy.
Main Character Lisa is facing her own personal issues throughout, but I actually felt scared, sorry and fightened for her. Half way through this book is a major PLOT TWIST that actually had me holding my breathe and screaming WHAT! WOAH! EXPLAIN!!!
Ex boyfriend Alex is the perfect gentleman throughout, he’s friendly, caring and I just loved his character. Jack and Martha, now this had me changing my mind about their characters all the way through. Are they a nasty, evil couple? Or just a normal happy couple who Lisa has misjudged wrongly.
With all that went on in this book I devoured it in two days. This is the first book I have read by Dreda Say Mitchell and it wont be my last, very impressed. With an explosive, in your face ending like that you can cue me having a lie down and book hangover after this…
I think it’s only fair to award a five star rating and a place in my top twenty reads of 2019 ALREADY. I know. Shocking. Highly recommend. You will not regret reading this one.
ClareR (5879 KP) rated Machines Like Me in Books
May 25, 2019
Androids and an alternate 1980s Britain
I’ve been vacillating between 6 and 7/10 since I’ve finished this. I really liked parts of it - the robot, Adam, learning his way in the world, how he falls in love. Parts of it I found exceptionally frustrating. Why would you spend £84,000 and then ignore the Android for days? Why would you want nothing to do with it once it’s ‘awake’ and learning? Why bother at all!
I thought the alternate 1980s Britain was quite interesting - how we would potentially have reacted to a defeat during the Falklands war and the repercussions. And what would Alan Turing have been like if he hadn’t committed suicide?
The thing is, I didn’t particularly like either Charlie or Miranda (the lead human protagonists). Neither were likeable and treated Adam with contempt and suspicion, which grated on me. I usually like a book where I don’t like the main character, but there was something about Charlie that made me put the book down on several occasions, swearing to myself that I wouldn’t pick it up,again. Bit I did, and I think Adam, and Miranda’s backstory is to blame.
And as for Miranda. Well. I wasn’t convinced about her suddenly needing to foster/ adopt Mark, a small boy who is abandoned on their doorstep. It was just so unlikely.
I don’t know. I’ve read other Ian McEwan books that I’ve loved, but this one really didn’t do it for me on the whole. You can’t love them all, I suppose.
I thought the alternate 1980s Britain was quite interesting - how we would potentially have reacted to a defeat during the Falklands war and the repercussions. And what would Alan Turing have been like if he hadn’t committed suicide?
The thing is, I didn’t particularly like either Charlie or Miranda (the lead human protagonists). Neither were likeable and treated Adam with contempt and suspicion, which grated on me. I usually like a book where I don’t like the main character, but there was something about Charlie that made me put the book down on several occasions, swearing to myself that I wouldn’t pick it up,again. Bit I did, and I think Adam, and Miranda’s backstory is to blame.
And as for Miranda. Well. I wasn’t convinced about her suddenly needing to foster/ adopt Mark, a small boy who is abandoned on their doorstep. It was just so unlikely.
I don’t know. I’ve read other Ian McEwan books that I’ve loved, but this one really didn’t do it for me on the whole. You can’t love them all, I suppose.