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Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Midnight Special (2016) in Movies
Jul 21, 2017
A Modern Sci-Fi Classic
This movie really impressed me. Michael Shannon is, as always, fantastic in his performance and he showed a side of character here that we don’t normally get to see from him. He plays a compassionate and loving father on a mission and he will stop at nothing to succeed. Joel Edgerton is also typically brilliant in the film. He plays an old fried of Shannon’s character helping him on his quest and again is different here to any other role we have seen him in so far. Frankly I think these two actors are two of the best working in Hollywood today and this movie showcases their diversity, talent and ability to totally vanish into a role and sell their performance effortlessly. However, the real star of the show is the young actor Jaeden Lieberher, who plays Alton Meyer, the extraordinary boy that the plot revolves around. When I first saw his performance I thought he was extremely good for a child actor, but reflecting on it again, it is just a fantastic performance regardless of his age. His chemistry with the other actors was spot on and he carried this movie flawlessly, which left me very impressed. Kirsten Dunst also makes an appearance as Alton’s mother and again gives a stellar performance, she is tired of having to constantly be on the run and although she sometimes doubts her husband’s plan, she sticks by him until their mission is complete. Adam Driver is the scientist working for the government who are after Alton and he puts in a decent performance as the pseudo antagonist of the movie. I should really stop here though as you are better going into this movie with as little previous knowledge as possible. In summary, this is the movie that Super 8 wishes it was, essentially it’s ET for grown ups and it is definitely worth your time and money.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Switch in Books
Aug 16, 2017
What's going on?
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
“Harmony welcomes it model citizens.” The Switch by Justina Robson takes place on a … planet? … space station? … named Harmony. Only perfect people are allowed to be part of society, which is bad news for orphans Nico and Twostar. No defects are allowed, including homosexuality, which puts the main characters in a dangerous situation. So, when they are offered a chance to escape, they leap at the chance without stopping to think about the consequences.
In order to be truly free, Nico has to have some form of artificial intelligence inserted into him. What he does not realise is that this will make him more trapped than he was before. Someone wishes to control him in order to find out information. Only when that task is fulfilled will he and his friend Two be free. Until then, Nico has to survive being sentenced to death for a murder he has no recollection of committing.
The Switch is a very complicated and confusing story. To be completely honest, I have no idea what happened in it. I got the vague gist of the story, which I have just summarised, but the rest of it went straight over my head. It all seems to be about artificial intelligence versus some weird religion … I think. Genetic engineering appears to be some kind of theme, too, although I may be wrong. One thing that definitely features in the story is violence; too much violence.
Hand in hand with the violence is filthy language. There is far too much swearing that it becomes meaningless and comes across as a lack of vocabulary on the author’s part.
It is hard to review a book that you do not understand. Either it is written really badly or my brain is not wired in the right way to understand all the sci-fi language and ideas.
“Harmony welcomes it model citizens.” The Switch by Justina Robson takes place on a … planet? … space station? … named Harmony. Only perfect people are allowed to be part of society, which is bad news for orphans Nico and Twostar. No defects are allowed, including homosexuality, which puts the main characters in a dangerous situation. So, when they are offered a chance to escape, they leap at the chance without stopping to think about the consequences.
In order to be truly free, Nico has to have some form of artificial intelligence inserted into him. What he does not realise is that this will make him more trapped than he was before. Someone wishes to control him in order to find out information. Only when that task is fulfilled will he and his friend Two be free. Until then, Nico has to survive being sentenced to death for a murder he has no recollection of committing.
The Switch is a very complicated and confusing story. To be completely honest, I have no idea what happened in it. I got the vague gist of the story, which I have just summarised, but the rest of it went straight over my head. It all seems to be about artificial intelligence versus some weird religion … I think. Genetic engineering appears to be some kind of theme, too, although I may be wrong. One thing that definitely features in the story is violence; too much violence.
Hand in hand with the violence is filthy language. There is far too much swearing that it becomes meaningless and comes across as a lack of vocabulary on the author’s part.
It is hard to review a book that you do not understand. Either it is written really badly or my brain is not wired in the right way to understand all the sci-fi language and ideas.
True story (5 more)
Quick read
Very humorous
Mark Sonna
Heart-warming anecdotes
"Where are they now" section
A true tale of how an American mom made a life in Mexico
Contains spoilers, click to show
A true tale of how an American mom moves from Illinois to Mexico with her two youngest sons in tow.
Lois Sonna (aka Batman) is tired of trying to be the kind of wife her husband expects her to be. She realizes this is not who she is and wishes to be free from the antiquated views of marriage and wifedom that her husband has.
She leaves her 4 children with her mother and heads for Mexico on Easter weekend and ends up securing a job and housing in Irapuato, Mexico.
She returns to the US to get her two youngest children and promptly heads back to Irapuato to move into their new apartment and report to work.
She soon discovers how different things are in Mexico from the battle to maintain more than 5 minutes of hot water, issues with plumbing, and the lack of American food choices to struggling to imbed some semblance of American culture in her childrens upbringing and making everything work out happily ever after in the end.
Due to unforseen (and not very well thought out) circumstances, she learns the Mexican ways of bribery and upcharging as well as taking advantage of the machismo culture of Mexico. This leads Lois to consider entering the world of smuggling goods from the US back into Mexico in order to make ends meet.
The memoir was written by Lois's oldest and only daughter, Linda Sonna, who recieved letters every week from her mother. The original manuscript was presented in letter form, but later changed to flow more like a story, with much of the writing taken verbatim directly from the letters.
This is a heart-warming, laugh out loud, and sometimes ridiculous story that can only be made sense of because it really happened.
Lois Sonna (aka Batman) is tired of trying to be the kind of wife her husband expects her to be. She realizes this is not who she is and wishes to be free from the antiquated views of marriage and wifedom that her husband has.
She leaves her 4 children with her mother and heads for Mexico on Easter weekend and ends up securing a job and housing in Irapuato, Mexico.
She returns to the US to get her two youngest children and promptly heads back to Irapuato to move into their new apartment and report to work.
She soon discovers how different things are in Mexico from the battle to maintain more than 5 minutes of hot water, issues with plumbing, and the lack of American food choices to struggling to imbed some semblance of American culture in her childrens upbringing and making everything work out happily ever after in the end.
Due to unforseen (and not very well thought out) circumstances, she learns the Mexican ways of bribery and upcharging as well as taking advantage of the machismo culture of Mexico. This leads Lois to consider entering the world of smuggling goods from the US back into Mexico in order to make ends meet.
The memoir was written by Lois's oldest and only daughter, Linda Sonna, who recieved letters every week from her mother. The original manuscript was presented in letter form, but later changed to flow more like a story, with much of the writing taken verbatim directly from the letters.
This is a heart-warming, laugh out loud, and sometimes ridiculous story that can only be made sense of because it really happened.
Debbiereadsbook (1257 KP) rated Rule of Thirds in Books
Apr 17, 2018
some darker moments, but brilliant!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I have to admit, when I read the blurb for this book, I had no idea what AI meant, it did not click. Once it's made clear, very early on?? Well, now it made total sense!
Jason is suffering from PTSD and Chase and Shade are his AI companions to help with that. But not only Jason suffers, Shade does too and its left to Chase to keep everyone together.
Very quickly, you lose the fact that Chase and Shade are, for want of a better word, robots. They feel as much as humans do, they want all the same things. The fact that we lose that, is a testament to the skill of the author, it really is.
Just as Jason suffers from his torture, Shade suffers from the modifications made to him against his wishes. Shade may NEVER fully recover, but being around Jason, broken though he is, begins to bring Shade out of his trauma, just as Shade and Chase bring Jason out of his.
I have a soft spot for 3 way relationship, especially if they are hot and heavy. This book is NOT hot and heavy. This book is not about that. this book is EMOTIONALLY heavy, for all three men. You feel for both Shade and Jason every time something sets them off, something triggers for them. And you feel for Chase, trying to keep them all together. And you feel it, right here in your heart when Jason finally begins to let Chase and Shade in.
There has been a huge amount of research into PTSD for this book. You can't get the depth of felling and emotion across without a massive amount of work. Very VERY well done, Aidan Wayne!
I haven't read anything by Wayne before, but the author is on my hit list now!
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I have to admit, when I read the blurb for this book, I had no idea what AI meant, it did not click. Once it's made clear, very early on?? Well, now it made total sense!
Jason is suffering from PTSD and Chase and Shade are his AI companions to help with that. But not only Jason suffers, Shade does too and its left to Chase to keep everyone together.
Very quickly, you lose the fact that Chase and Shade are, for want of a better word, robots. They feel as much as humans do, they want all the same things. The fact that we lose that, is a testament to the skill of the author, it really is.
Just as Jason suffers from his torture, Shade suffers from the modifications made to him against his wishes. Shade may NEVER fully recover, but being around Jason, broken though he is, begins to bring Shade out of his trauma, just as Shade and Chase bring Jason out of his.
I have a soft spot for 3 way relationship, especially if they are hot and heavy. This book is NOT hot and heavy. This book is not about that. this book is EMOTIONALLY heavy, for all three men. You feel for both Shade and Jason every time something sets them off, something triggers for them. And you feel for Chase, trying to keep them all together. And you feel it, right here in your heart when Jason finally begins to let Chase and Shade in.
There has been a huge amount of research into PTSD for this book. You can't get the depth of felling and emotion across without a massive amount of work. Very VERY well done, Aidan Wayne!
I haven't read anything by Wayne before, but the author is on my hit list now!
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Shadows from the Past in Books
Mar 5, 2019
Synopsis: ..."It is the price you pay for choosing to be a cop. Your brother's life..." Those words haunt her dreams and her waking moments. LAPD officer, Aurora Kavvan cannot rest until she finds her brothers killer. Digging into the past always brings back unpleasant things: memories, guilt...the hitman. Now she is in a race against time to find the murderer before he finds her. ͞Kill her. I don͛t care how, and I don͛t care where, but I want her dead now! Someone was trying to kill his dead partner͛s sister. FBI agent, Jordan Reiley will stop at nothing to protect the woman he loves. Even if it means going against her wishes; putting himself between her and the man who murdered her brother. Will God keep them alive long enough for them to find the truth?
My Thoughts: This is an action-packed thriller! This is the story of Aurora, has some issues from her past that keep coming back in her dreams, but she won't stop looking for the man who killed her brother.
This book has a clear message that God is there for you, especially in the hard times. That we can't do everything on our own, that we do need to give our troubles to God. It's a book about forgiveness, and not rushing into judgments of other people.
I enjoyed this novel, it was full of adventure, romance, and mystery. It was easy to follow along and the characters were wonderful. Some people may not notice quickly, but the main character Aurora suffers from PTSD; the nightmares, pushing people away all are part of it, and I believe that the author did a wonderful job bringing this forward. I did enjoy that she began to trust again, both in her friends and in God.
This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading the next books in the series... so look for the upcoming reviews of the shadow series.
My Thoughts: This is an action-packed thriller! This is the story of Aurora, has some issues from her past that keep coming back in her dreams, but she won't stop looking for the man who killed her brother.
This book has a clear message that God is there for you, especially in the hard times. That we can't do everything on our own, that we do need to give our troubles to God. It's a book about forgiveness, and not rushing into judgments of other people.
I enjoyed this novel, it was full of adventure, romance, and mystery. It was easy to follow along and the characters were wonderful. Some people may not notice quickly, but the main character Aurora suffers from PTSD; the nightmares, pushing people away all are part of it, and I believe that the author did a wonderful job bringing this forward. I did enjoy that she began to trust again, both in her friends and in God.
This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading the next books in the series... so look for the upcoming reviews of the shadow series.
ClareR (5753 KP) rated The Parisian in Books
May 30, 2019
Compelling historical fiction
Midhat Kamal arrives in Montpellier in 1914 to study at the University to become a doctor. He falls in love with his University professor landlords daughter, Jeanette, but he becomes disillusioned with the family, and leaves to continue studying in Paris. He lives here during the war, and becomes friends with other Arabic men during a tumultuous time in the Middle East.
When Midhat returns home to Nablus, he is expected to conform to his fathers wishes, marry a woman from a good Muslim family, and work for the family business. He is thereafter known as The Parisian to those who don’t really know him, because of his style of dress and his outlook on life.
Politics soon begin to affect every part of his life, as the colonial powers of Britain and France flex their muscles. Their unwillingness to learn histories and the way people actually want to live cause untold problems, which actually we still see the consequences of today.
I can see that some may struggle with the French and Arabic peppered through the dialogue (I don’t speak Arabic), but I do think it was used in such a way that I didn’t lose track of what was happening, and it lent some credibility to the story. Midhat slips in french words to his speech when something surprises him, or he feels strongly about something. His second language has become a part of him. Endearments are usually in Arabic as well (it took a little while for me to realise what they were, and there are other words used that aren’t just endearments, I’m sure!).
This is a beautifully told story. It’s hard to read in places - history isn’t always very pretty. But I think it’s important to learn about the past in order to understand the present and hopefully learn from past mistakes.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book to read and honestly review.
When Midhat returns home to Nablus, he is expected to conform to his fathers wishes, marry a woman from a good Muslim family, and work for the family business. He is thereafter known as The Parisian to those who don’t really know him, because of his style of dress and his outlook on life.
Politics soon begin to affect every part of his life, as the colonial powers of Britain and France flex their muscles. Their unwillingness to learn histories and the way people actually want to live cause untold problems, which actually we still see the consequences of today.
I can see that some may struggle with the French and Arabic peppered through the dialogue (I don’t speak Arabic), but I do think it was used in such a way that I didn’t lose track of what was happening, and it lent some credibility to the story. Midhat slips in french words to his speech when something surprises him, or he feels strongly about something. His second language has become a part of him. Endearments are usually in Arabic as well (it took a little while for me to realise what they were, and there are other words used that aren’t just endearments, I’m sure!).
This is a beautifully told story. It’s hard to read in places - history isn’t always very pretty. But I think it’s important to learn about the past in order to understand the present and hopefully learn from past mistakes.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book to read and honestly review.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Irish Meadows (Courage to Dream, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Romance, drama and faith can be found on every page of Irish Meadows. Delve into the pages of this book and get lost on Long Island, 1911.
In order to save his farm from complete ruin, James O'Leary pressures his family to do what they have to do in order to save their home. His daughters, Brianna and Coleen, have very different plans for their future however. Brianna wishes to further her education by attending college. And Coleen is content to marry, as long as the man in questions meets her standards. Gilbert Whelan, who has practically been adopted by the O'Learys, returns and Brianna begins to question her outlook on her future. While Rylan Montgomery, a distant cousin attending seminary, sends Coleen's heart on a wild ride. Will they live the life that James has dictated for them? Or will they have the courage to dream?
Irish Meadows had me riding an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. This book is packed with dramatic events that left me frustrated, yet I kept turning the page in hopes that everything would work out for the best. I am going to need a couple of days for my emotions to settle down. While reading this book, I was reminded of how crucial it is to keep in mind the effects our actions have on others. Are we acting with other people's best interest in mind? Or are we only concerned with furthering our own ambitions and goals? And most importantly, are we keeping God at the center of our decisions? I really enjoyed Susan's first historical novel. And I am looking forward to the second book A Worthy Heart coming 2016.
I received a free copy of Irish Meadows from Susan Anne Mason and Bethany House Publishers for promotional purposes. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
In order to save his farm from complete ruin, James O'Leary pressures his family to do what they have to do in order to save their home. His daughters, Brianna and Coleen, have very different plans for their future however. Brianna wishes to further her education by attending college. And Coleen is content to marry, as long as the man in questions meets her standards. Gilbert Whelan, who has practically been adopted by the O'Learys, returns and Brianna begins to question her outlook on her future. While Rylan Montgomery, a distant cousin attending seminary, sends Coleen's heart on a wild ride. Will they live the life that James has dictated for them? Or will they have the courage to dream?
Irish Meadows had me riding an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. This book is packed with dramatic events that left me frustrated, yet I kept turning the page in hopes that everything would work out for the best. I am going to need a couple of days for my emotions to settle down. While reading this book, I was reminded of how crucial it is to keep in mind the effects our actions have on others. Are we acting with other people's best interest in mind? Or are we only concerned with furthering our own ambitions and goals? And most importantly, are we keeping God at the center of our decisions? I really enjoyed Susan's first historical novel. And I am looking forward to the second book A Worthy Heart coming 2016.
I received a free copy of Irish Meadows from Susan Anne Mason and Bethany House Publishers for promotional purposes. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Last Leaves Falling in Books
Dec 14, 2018
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The Last Leaves Falling is an emotional read by the author Sarah Benwell. Set in modern day Japan, Abe Sora, a 17 year old boy is trying to come to terms with his diagnosis: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ASL). Although Sora is aware that he will die soon he is ashamed of his deteriorating muscles and his inability to walk and function like other boys his age. In order to attempt to have a "normal" life he signs up to KyoToTeenz forum where he hides behind the username SamuraiMan. He never lets on to his new friends about his disability but they soon find out when they meet in person.
Despite his initial predictions, Mai and Kaito want to stick by Sora and remain his friends. The three of them spend as much time together as possible making Sora's life more bearable while his body rapidly deteriorates.
It is very sad to read about Sora's life knowing that he will never grow up to be the person he always wanted to be. Even though there will never be a happy ending to his predicament, Sora encourages his friends, particularly Mai, to fight for who they want to be rather than giving into the the pressures of parents and school.
Knowing that Sora is going to die makes the ending slightly predictable however it is still heartbreaking. It makes the reader wonder what happens to the other characters: Mai, Kaito and Sora's mother; after the final pages.
This is a brilliant book for young adult readers. As well as dealing with difficult themes such as death, Benwell emphasises the importance of wishes and dreams. Due to certain aspects of the story (death and suicide) this book is unsuitable for the more vulnerable reader. Overall The Last Leaves Falling is an excellent work of fiction.
The Last Leaves Falling is an emotional read by the author Sarah Benwell. Set in modern day Japan, Abe Sora, a 17 year old boy is trying to come to terms with his diagnosis: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ASL). Although Sora is aware that he will die soon he is ashamed of his deteriorating muscles and his inability to walk and function like other boys his age. In order to attempt to have a "normal" life he signs up to KyoToTeenz forum where he hides behind the username SamuraiMan. He never lets on to his new friends about his disability but they soon find out when they meet in person.
Despite his initial predictions, Mai and Kaito want to stick by Sora and remain his friends. The three of them spend as much time together as possible making Sora's life more bearable while his body rapidly deteriorates.
It is very sad to read about Sora's life knowing that he will never grow up to be the person he always wanted to be. Even though there will never be a happy ending to his predicament, Sora encourages his friends, particularly Mai, to fight for who they want to be rather than giving into the the pressures of parents and school.
Knowing that Sora is going to die makes the ending slightly predictable however it is still heartbreaking. It makes the reader wonder what happens to the other characters: Mai, Kaito and Sora's mother; after the final pages.
This is a brilliant book for young adult readers. As well as dealing with difficult themes such as death, Benwell emphasises the importance of wishes and dreams. Due to certain aspects of the story (death and suicide) this book is unsuitable for the more vulnerable reader. Overall The Last Leaves Falling is an excellent work of fiction.
Merissa (12180 KP) rated Ghost Moon (The Wolfborne Saga #4) in Books
Jan 20, 2020
Ghost Moon is the fourth book in The Wolfborne Saga and we continue with Zev's story. Isley doesn't feature in this one so I'm guessing she isn't 'the one' for Zev (for now, at least). Instead, we have Zev and the usual crew trying to clear up after the earthquake and also find reason to keep going. Virgo is especially hard hit after the events at the end of the prior book.
Now, I know I said I thought Dark Coven was the best so far, and it was... until this one. This one has just ticked all of my boxes, making me devour the whole book in one sitting.
There are many emotions in this book, some good, and some bad. I certainly feel for Zev, and for Ceren, but in different ways. I thought my heart would break with Virgo but then he had to act like a tool at the end. I know I will still like him for it in the next book, but I struggled to understand just HOW he could do that to Zev. Zev isn't Virgo's pet, to do as he wishes, and Zev's agreement was never sought. I found this to be very disappointing and so am hopeful Virgo will redeem himself soon.
As for the rest of it, you still have an amazing supporting cast, and now the werewolves aren't as many, you can see the different temperaments coming through. The pacing remains smooth and the story keeps you turning the pages.
This is definitely my favourite of the series so far but I also highly recommend reading them in order as it just won't make any sense if you don't.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Now, I know I said I thought Dark Coven was the best so far, and it was... until this one. This one has just ticked all of my boxes, making me devour the whole book in one sitting.
There are many emotions in this book, some good, and some bad. I certainly feel for Zev, and for Ceren, but in different ways. I thought my heart would break with Virgo but then he had to act like a tool at the end. I know I will still like him for it in the next book, but I struggled to understand just HOW he could do that to Zev. Zev isn't Virgo's pet, to do as he wishes, and Zev's agreement was never sought. I found this to be very disappointing and so am hopeful Virgo will redeem himself soon.
As for the rest of it, you still have an amazing supporting cast, and now the werewolves aren't as many, you can see the different temperaments coming through. The pacing remains smooth and the story keeps you turning the pages.
This is definitely my favourite of the series so far but I also highly recommend reading them in order as it just won't make any sense if you don't.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
ClareR (5753 KP) rated One Year of Ugly in Books
Apr 3, 2020
A different look at refugees.
I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did, and I really didn’t expect to laugh as much. It’s not a particularly funny subject, when you consider that it’s about Venezuelan refugees in Trinidad. Honestly, I didn’t know that there WERE Venezuelan refugees in Trinidad. The whole Palacio family have fled Venezuela and it’s corrupt regime, and have started a new life in Trinidad as refugees. The work they do is under the radar of the authorities. When their matriarch, Aunt Celia, suddenly dies, a rather flamboyant character, Ugly, turns up and demands his money. This is the point where they find out that they’re actually illegal refugees, and that Aunt Celia hadn’t actually secured them any legitimate, legal rights to be there. So they’re now at the mercy of Ugly. He demands that they work off the debts that Celia incurred, by taking in fellow refugees as they pass through to nw lives in Trinidad. He leaves them under no misapprehension that if they don’t comply to his wishes, violence will follow.
There is a real dark humour throughout this book. Parts are genuinely funny, but there are other parts, mainly those involving Ugly, which are really menacing. This isn’t a fluffy ‘everything works out for the best’ type of story, and I think it’s really good that Mackenzie is highlighting something that a lot of us know nothing about. It seems universal that no matter where a refugee comes from, that their lives are constantly in danger and that they are preyed upon by the unscrupulous. I’ve read a couple of books about refugees that broke my heart, and while I did feel sympathy for the characters in this book, I appreciated the humour - after all, some people do deal with trauma with humour.
I was really pleasantly surprised by this book, and yes, I would recommend it. I’m looking forward to seeing what the author will write about next.
There is a real dark humour throughout this book. Parts are genuinely funny, but there are other parts, mainly those involving Ugly, which are really menacing. This isn’t a fluffy ‘everything works out for the best’ type of story, and I think it’s really good that Mackenzie is highlighting something that a lot of us know nothing about. It seems universal that no matter where a refugee comes from, that their lives are constantly in danger and that they are preyed upon by the unscrupulous. I’ve read a couple of books about refugees that broke my heart, and while I did feel sympathy for the characters in this book, I appreciated the humour - after all, some people do deal with trauma with humour.
I was really pleasantly surprised by this book, and yes, I would recommend it. I’m looking forward to seeing what the author will write about next.