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Deborah (162 KP) rated Richard III: The King in the Car Park in Books
Dec 21, 2018
I quote from the final page of this publication: "The writer of this book will face similar virulent criticism. It will be savaged in the book reviews on Amazon, mainly by non-readers, to take its ratings and thus popularity down." In fact, this is the last, but by no means the only rant by the author who appears to have a definite chip on his shoulder for some reason. Since he subjects Thomas Penn's work, 'The Winter King' to such virulent criticism, one can only suspect that he was turned down by Penn's publisher. One can hardly be surprised. I have read this book, despite wanting on a number of occasions to give up in disgust. It is full of errors of spelling (e.g. youngest for younger, now instead of not), so has evidently not had either a proof reader or an editor. There are also many factual errors with names and titles becoming hopelessly confused. On one page we're told that Sir James Tyrell was hanged and a couple of pages later we're told that Henry Tudor was so kind as to merely condescend to cut his head off!
I will admit that with pro-Ricardian sympathies I was probably never going to like this book, but it is a bit of a mess and feels like another case of jumping on the bandwagon. There is no index, no footnotes/endnotes and only a partial list of sources, which is enough to raise questions about academic rigour. If you are going to publish opinions, particular in The Great Debate, these really should be backed up by factual evidence. I think I am most irked by the hypocrisy of Mr Breverton telling us at one point that he is going to take a fresh impartial look at the subject and then immediately showing us exactly which colour he prefers his roses.
His list, near the back of the volume, of all the 'crimes' he thinks Richard III was guilty of really does teeter on the brink of blindness and absurdity. Apparently he is guilty in the case of the Earl of Warwick, son of Richard's older brother, George of Clarence, but whose claim to the throne was barred by his father's attainder (always reversible, but Warwick was then only a child of about 8 years). I'm pretty sure this Warwick was sent to Sheriff Hutton Castle to be brought up with other young persons, as befitted his status by Richard. Of course, as soon as Henry Tudor usurped the throne, this boy was locked up in the Tower only to be executed later on a trumped up charge. I think I know who the guilty party is in that case.
That is my frank opinion on this volume; I will now expect said author to savage me as he has everyone else on Amazon who has pointed out the self-evident shortcomings in this work.
I will admit that with pro-Ricardian sympathies I was probably never going to like this book, but it is a bit of a mess and feels like another case of jumping on the bandwagon. There is no index, no footnotes/endnotes and only a partial list of sources, which is enough to raise questions about academic rigour. If you are going to publish opinions, particular in The Great Debate, these really should be backed up by factual evidence. I think I am most irked by the hypocrisy of Mr Breverton telling us at one point that he is going to take a fresh impartial look at the subject and then immediately showing us exactly which colour he prefers his roses.
His list, near the back of the volume, of all the 'crimes' he thinks Richard III was guilty of really does teeter on the brink of blindness and absurdity. Apparently he is guilty in the case of the Earl of Warwick, son of Richard's older brother, George of Clarence, but whose claim to the throne was barred by his father's attainder (always reversible, but Warwick was then only a child of about 8 years). I'm pretty sure this Warwick was sent to Sheriff Hutton Castle to be brought up with other young persons, as befitted his status by Richard. Of course, as soon as Henry Tudor usurped the throne, this boy was locked up in the Tower only to be executed later on a trumped up charge. I think I know who the guilty party is in that case.
That is my frank opinion on this volume; I will now expect said author to savage me as he has everyone else on Amazon who has pointed out the self-evident shortcomings in this work.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated White Stag (Permafrost, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Wowowow the synopsis on top of the pretty cover for <em>White Stag</em> called for my name and beckoned me to come and dig myself into a hole for winter break big time.
<h2><strong><em>White</em> <em>Stag</em> has an amazing first chapter.</strong></h2>
Barbieri grabbed my attention with her debut from the very beginning, introducing us to a world where humans and goblins know of each others' existence. The first chapter is action-packed and fast-paced, quickly grabbing my attention and making me want <em>more</em> from the novel.
<h2><strong>"More monster than human."</strong></h2>
Janneke is a human girl who has spent over a century with goblins after her family and village is slaughtered, working as a thrall for one of the goblins. Through observation and her father's teachings, she's one of the few people who survived longer than most. With those years of survival and living, though, she's also slowly lost touch with the human world. Despite wanting to return to the human world and start her life over, she knows it is no longer the same, and it is a struggle for her throughout the book.
<h2><strong>Something about the relationship bothers me a little.</strong></h2>
I can't place my finger on what it is, exactly, but something about Janneke's relationship with Sorren bothers me a little. I guess I didn't care about their relationship? Maybe being in a relationship with someone who technically owns me isn't my thing at all even though Sorren treats her better than any of the other goblins? I honestly don't know.
<h2><strong>So much about rape and flashbacks.</strong></h2>
I'm pretty sure there are at least twenty different ways Barbieri tells us Janneke was brutally raped before she gets placed under Sorren's care. It's implied, it's told, it's shoved in my face and it's used as one of her struggles to accept her transition into becoming a goblin, etc.
And honestly? Without her rape being involved, Janneke is essentially a very special human bean who assimilated into goblin culture with her fierceness and no bullshittery. There's nothing else about her as a character, but maybe we'll see more in the second book?
<h2><strong>Slow, but interesting.</strong></h2>
I think I got caught at a good time while reading this. <em>White Stag</em> is slow, but it was interesting. And if I started reading this a few days later, I would likely say differently because I'm a big mood reader. No book likes to be caught in one of my bad reading days when I go all stabby (aka extremely critical) with books.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/white-stag-by-kara-barbieri/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Wowowow the synopsis on top of the pretty cover for <em>White Stag</em> called for my name and beckoned me to come and dig myself into a hole for winter break big time.
<h2><strong><em>White</em> <em>Stag</em> has an amazing first chapter.</strong></h2>
Barbieri grabbed my attention with her debut from the very beginning, introducing us to a world where humans and goblins know of each others' existence. The first chapter is action-packed and fast-paced, quickly grabbing my attention and making me want <em>more</em> from the novel.
<h2><strong>"More monster than human."</strong></h2>
Janneke is a human girl who has spent over a century with goblins after her family and village is slaughtered, working as a thrall for one of the goblins. Through observation and her father's teachings, she's one of the few people who survived longer than most. With those years of survival and living, though, she's also slowly lost touch with the human world. Despite wanting to return to the human world and start her life over, she knows it is no longer the same, and it is a struggle for her throughout the book.
<h2><strong>Something about the relationship bothers me a little.</strong></h2>
I can't place my finger on what it is, exactly, but something about Janneke's relationship with Sorren bothers me a little. I guess I didn't care about their relationship? Maybe being in a relationship with someone who technically owns me isn't my thing at all even though Sorren treats her better than any of the other goblins? I honestly don't know.
<h2><strong>So much about rape and flashbacks.</strong></h2>
I'm pretty sure there are at least twenty different ways Barbieri tells us Janneke was brutally raped before she gets placed under Sorren's care. It's implied, it's told, it's shoved in my face and it's used as one of her struggles to accept her transition into becoming a goblin, etc.
And honestly? Without her rape being involved, Janneke is essentially a very special human bean who assimilated into goblin culture with her fierceness and no bullshittery. There's nothing else about her as a character, but maybe we'll see more in the second book?
<h2><strong>Slow, but interesting.</strong></h2>
I think I got caught at a good time while reading this. <em>White Stag</em> is slow, but it was interesting. And if I started reading this a few days later, I would likely say differently because I'm a big mood reader. No book likes to be caught in one of my bad reading days when I go all stabby (aka extremely critical) with books.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/white-stag-by-kara-barbieri/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
World War 2 History: WW2 Lite
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A very comprehensive App on World War II made specifically for the iPad. Brings World War 2 alive on...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Woman in the Window (2021) in Movies
May 24, 2021
It is NOT Rear Window
A piece of advice for you when you start to watch the “Alfred Hitchcock-esque” thriller, THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW. If you are at all a Hitchcock fan, you will be spending the first part of this film comparing it to the 1954 classic REAR WINDOW and this would be a disservice to this film.
For…THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is no Rear Window, nor is it intended to be. It has many, many elements that are the same as Rear Window (most notably, the setup: a housebound person thinks they have witnessed a murder in a neighboring apartment), and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is just like Rear Window…until it isn’t.
And that’s when I started to like this film, when I stopped comparing it (in my head) to Rear Window.
Based on the Best Seller by A.J. Finn (adapted for the screen by Tracy Letts who also appears in the film), THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW tells the tale of Anna Fox, an agoraphobic who watches life go on outside her window. When she thinks she has witnessed a murder, she (and the audience) must decide is it real? Did she truly witness a murder? If so, who dunnit? If not, is she just hallucinating things? Is Anna crazy?
The answers to these questions were satisfying enough to me that I ended up enjoying the film experience that I had - but I have to be honest and tell you that, for awhile, my enjoyment of this film was hanging by a thread.
Amy Adams (ENCHANTED) is terrific - if unspectacular - in the title role. Her Anna Fox is murkey (that is meant as a compliment) and struggles through most of the film trying to determine what is real and what is an illusion. Adams does a “journeyman’s” job with this role. She acts her way through it in such a workmanlike fashion that I almost forgot that it is Adams on the screen.
Wyatt Russell (Kurt’s son who is also the new Captain America in THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER) fares the best of the Supporting players for he has the most to do. Unfortunately, Director Joe Wright (ATONEMENT) and Screenwriter Letts wastes such strong actors as Gary Oldman (DARKEST HOUR), Julianne Moore (STILL ALICE), Anthony Mackie (The Falcon in the Marvel Movies), Jennifer Jason Leigh (HATEFUL 8), Brian Tyree Henry (GET OUT) and Letts himself in terribly underwritten roles that serve (mostly) as red herrings - and each of their characters are interchangeable and forgettable.
And that, ultimately, is where this film comes apart. While I cared about Anna and the solution to the mystery - I didn’t care very much about the other characters involved.
Which is why, I think, I’ll pull my DVD of Rear Window out and watch that film for the umpteenth time.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
For…THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is no Rear Window, nor is it intended to be. It has many, many elements that are the same as Rear Window (most notably, the setup: a housebound person thinks they have witnessed a murder in a neighboring apartment), and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is just like Rear Window…until it isn’t.
And that’s when I started to like this film, when I stopped comparing it (in my head) to Rear Window.
Based on the Best Seller by A.J. Finn (adapted for the screen by Tracy Letts who also appears in the film), THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW tells the tale of Anna Fox, an agoraphobic who watches life go on outside her window. When she thinks she has witnessed a murder, she (and the audience) must decide is it real? Did she truly witness a murder? If so, who dunnit? If not, is she just hallucinating things? Is Anna crazy?
The answers to these questions were satisfying enough to me that I ended up enjoying the film experience that I had - but I have to be honest and tell you that, for awhile, my enjoyment of this film was hanging by a thread.
Amy Adams (ENCHANTED) is terrific - if unspectacular - in the title role. Her Anna Fox is murkey (that is meant as a compliment) and struggles through most of the film trying to determine what is real and what is an illusion. Adams does a “journeyman’s” job with this role. She acts her way through it in such a workmanlike fashion that I almost forgot that it is Adams on the screen.
Wyatt Russell (Kurt’s son who is also the new Captain America in THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER) fares the best of the Supporting players for he has the most to do. Unfortunately, Director Joe Wright (ATONEMENT) and Screenwriter Letts wastes such strong actors as Gary Oldman (DARKEST HOUR), Julianne Moore (STILL ALICE), Anthony Mackie (The Falcon in the Marvel Movies), Jennifer Jason Leigh (HATEFUL 8), Brian Tyree Henry (GET OUT) and Letts himself in terribly underwritten roles that serve (mostly) as red herrings - and each of their characters are interchangeable and forgettable.
And that, ultimately, is where this film comes apart. While I cared about Anna and the solution to the mystery - I didn’t care very much about the other characters involved.
Which is why, I think, I’ll pull my DVD of Rear Window out and watch that film for the umpteenth time.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
10,000,000 HD Wallpapers
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Over 10,000,000 wallpapers for literally any topic! Designed specifically for the iPhone's Retina...
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~~> The beautiful Ice Princess has chosen her Prince Charming and wedding bells are ringing! ~~>...
Baking Heaven Magazine – 101 Delicious Recipes
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Coloma
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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Tiny Epic Tactics: Maps Expansion in Tabletop Games
Dec 18, 2021
In the expansion review series, we take a look at a game expansion to discuss whether it is a necessary purchase/addition to one’s collection.
This breakdown is for the Maps expansion for the game Tiny Epic Tactics.
The Maps expansion for Tiny Epic Tactics offers players of the game 2 new locations in which to play: The Winter Highlands and the Savage Wastelands. Although the rules and gameplay are identical to that of the base game, the new locations are set up in different configurations, providing players with a variable setup of sorts with which to play the game.
The components of the Maps expansion are as follows: a new map scroll for each location, as well as a set of 6 box covers depicting the artwork of the location. The map scrolls are cloth, and are the same quality as the map scroll of the base game. The box covers, however, leave much to be desired. Instead of providing new sets of actual boxes, this expansion instead has cardboard covers for the existing base game boxes. They are folded and flattened in the expansion box, and then are popped up and fit over top of the base boxes. My main issue with this is that with many plays, I anticipate that the thin cardboard box covers will start to tear or break. Also, since they are stored flattened, sometimes the covers do not fit snugly over the boxes, causing some of the sides to curve out a little bit. With how high quality all of the Tiny Epic games are, the box covers in the Maps expansion just don’t meet my expectations.
All in all, is the Maps expansion necessary for complete enjoyment of Tiny Epic Tactics? In my opinion, no. These new locations do not change any of the rules or gameplay. The purpose of this expansion really is to just provide players with a couple of alternate locations. Since each of the new locations does set up its boxes differently than the base game, there is a bit of uniqueness in each map. But by not adding any new rules or mechanics, it kind of falls a bit flat for me.
Official recommendation: If you play Tiny Epic Tactics so often that you are bored of the base game map setup, then I would definitely check out the Maps expansion. It just offers a new setting to freshen up the gameplay. If you are like me, though, and don’t get around to Tiny Epic Tactics enough to feel bored by the game layout, then this expansion really is just to satisfy your completionism. If the components were higher quality, I would be more willing to pull this expansion out more often. But the shortcomings of the production, as well as the lack of real changes to gameplay, keep it on the shelf for me.
This breakdown is for the Maps expansion for the game Tiny Epic Tactics.
The Maps expansion for Tiny Epic Tactics offers players of the game 2 new locations in which to play: The Winter Highlands and the Savage Wastelands. Although the rules and gameplay are identical to that of the base game, the new locations are set up in different configurations, providing players with a variable setup of sorts with which to play the game.
The components of the Maps expansion are as follows: a new map scroll for each location, as well as a set of 6 box covers depicting the artwork of the location. The map scrolls are cloth, and are the same quality as the map scroll of the base game. The box covers, however, leave much to be desired. Instead of providing new sets of actual boxes, this expansion instead has cardboard covers for the existing base game boxes. They are folded and flattened in the expansion box, and then are popped up and fit over top of the base boxes. My main issue with this is that with many plays, I anticipate that the thin cardboard box covers will start to tear or break. Also, since they are stored flattened, sometimes the covers do not fit snugly over the boxes, causing some of the sides to curve out a little bit. With how high quality all of the Tiny Epic games are, the box covers in the Maps expansion just don’t meet my expectations.
All in all, is the Maps expansion necessary for complete enjoyment of Tiny Epic Tactics? In my opinion, no. These new locations do not change any of the rules or gameplay. The purpose of this expansion really is to just provide players with a couple of alternate locations. Since each of the new locations does set up its boxes differently than the base game, there is a bit of uniqueness in each map. But by not adding any new rules or mechanics, it kind of falls a bit flat for me.
Official recommendation: If you play Tiny Epic Tactics so often that you are bored of the base game map setup, then I would definitely check out the Maps expansion. It just offers a new setting to freshen up the gameplay. If you are like me, though, and don’t get around to Tiny Epic Tactics enough to feel bored by the game layout, then this expansion really is just to satisfy your completionism. If the components were higher quality, I would be more willing to pull this expansion out more often. But the shortcomings of the production, as well as the lack of real changes to gameplay, keep it on the shelf for me.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated It Happened One Night in Books
Apr 27, 2018
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT by Lisa Dale
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.5/5
Summary (From Goodreads): Lana Biel has always wanted to shake the dust of Vermont off her feet and see the world, one exotic country after another. But when a lighthearted spring fling changes her life forever, she turns to the one man whose strong shoulders can lighten any burden: her best friend, Eli Ward.
Eli has always been there for Lana--after all, that's what best friends do. But Lana isn't the only one hiding something. Eli is keeping secrets of his own that threaten their relationship. Yet as summer turns to fall, new desires awaken between them, even as old fears tear them apart. Then, when another Vermont winter fills the valleys with snow, Eli and Lana are given the chance for an adventure greater than they ever dreamed possible...and a love that will last for all time.
Review:
It was really hard for me to give this book time, I felt like putting it down and giving up after the first few chapters. It wasn’t written particularly well, and I didn’t like the characters a whole lot. I still don’t. However, the story ended up being pretty good.
It was hard for me personally to look beyond the bottom line of the story: Lana had sex, got pregnant with a baby from a man she didn’t love, then she fell in love with her best friend. Her sister desperately wanted her to put her baby up for adoption so she could have it, and her father who never fathered them came back in the middle of it all and caused nothing but problems.
There were a few parts that just seemed out of place—Ron (the baby’s father) coming back and proposing, Gene (sister’s husband) walking out, and the apologies from the father. It just didn’t feel realistic. I’m not quite sure why.
But when I did look beyond that, I saw a very realistic story with good strong characters and the choices and words that they make and speak.
I got into the story about a quarter of the way through, and couldn’t put the book down. The events that happened lined up well, the pacing was good, and it was very original.
I really did like this book, I’m just not particularly sure why I liked it. Maybe it was the fact that the characters acted like real people, they weren't just characters. There were no “happily ever after” moments, although the ending was very good. I think, taking into consideration that in real life or fiction, it’s not really going to get better than it did, it was a very good story.
I’ve read a lot of really good reviews for this book, so don’t let my pessimism discourage you. Again, I liked it, but I’m not sure why. I doubt I’ll ever read it again, but then very few books make it to my “repeat” pile.
Content: For a romance book, this was free of details. There were some scenes, but they weren’t described. There was very very little language (I think there was one bad word total).
Recommendation: Ages 15+
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.5/5
Summary (From Goodreads): Lana Biel has always wanted to shake the dust of Vermont off her feet and see the world, one exotic country after another. But when a lighthearted spring fling changes her life forever, she turns to the one man whose strong shoulders can lighten any burden: her best friend, Eli Ward.
Eli has always been there for Lana--after all, that's what best friends do. But Lana isn't the only one hiding something. Eli is keeping secrets of his own that threaten their relationship. Yet as summer turns to fall, new desires awaken between them, even as old fears tear them apart. Then, when another Vermont winter fills the valleys with snow, Eli and Lana are given the chance for an adventure greater than they ever dreamed possible...and a love that will last for all time.
Review:
It was really hard for me to give this book time, I felt like putting it down and giving up after the first few chapters. It wasn’t written particularly well, and I didn’t like the characters a whole lot. I still don’t. However, the story ended up being pretty good.
It was hard for me personally to look beyond the bottom line of the story: Lana had sex, got pregnant with a baby from a man she didn’t love, then she fell in love with her best friend. Her sister desperately wanted her to put her baby up for adoption so she could have it, and her father who never fathered them came back in the middle of it all and caused nothing but problems.
There were a few parts that just seemed out of place—Ron (the baby’s father) coming back and proposing, Gene (sister’s husband) walking out, and the apologies from the father. It just didn’t feel realistic. I’m not quite sure why.
But when I did look beyond that, I saw a very realistic story with good strong characters and the choices and words that they make and speak.
I got into the story about a quarter of the way through, and couldn’t put the book down. The events that happened lined up well, the pacing was good, and it was very original.
I really did like this book, I’m just not particularly sure why I liked it. Maybe it was the fact that the characters acted like real people, they weren't just characters. There were no “happily ever after” moments, although the ending was very good. I think, taking into consideration that in real life or fiction, it’s not really going to get better than it did, it was a very good story.
I’ve read a lot of really good reviews for this book, so don’t let my pessimism discourage you. Again, I liked it, but I’m not sure why. I doubt I’ll ever read it again, but then very few books make it to my “repeat” pile.
Content: For a romance book, this was free of details. There were some scenes, but they weren’t described. There was very very little language (I think there was one bad word total).
Recommendation: Ages 15+