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The Jason Stapleton Program
Podcast
Try as we might, we could never describe the show better than those who choose to make it a part of...
Lindsay (1760 KP) rated When Twilight Breaks in Books
Mar 3, 2021
Are you looking for a book about German society before America entered World War Two? This book shows that through the eyes of an American reporter and an American student-professor studying languages. We are brought together with these two with Germany and its antisemitic laws.
Hitler is doing something that I genuinely hope the US will not allow happening in today's world. We see what is happening with the Jews in Germany. The book starts to get more interesting when Evelyn finds a false passport and needs to escape Germany.
This book takes the two of them on an adventure through Germany and into France. Will they get home and safe? Who wants Peter and Evelyn dead? Why? We see what happens to the citizens of Germany and how the laws are denoting restricted under Hitler?
Will Peter and Evelyn's friends help them out by hiding them. Why is Evelyn so afraid to be with Peter and possibly be with him. There a surprise how this ends. The story plot is excellent and enjoyable.
Hitler is doing something that I genuinely hope the US will not allow happening in today's world. We see what is happening with the Jews in Germany. The book starts to get more interesting when Evelyn finds a false passport and needs to escape Germany.
This book takes the two of them on an adventure through Germany and into France. Will they get home and safe? Who wants Peter and Evelyn dead? Why? We see what happens to the citizens of Germany and how the laws are denoting restricted under Hitler?
Will Peter and Evelyn's friends help them out by hiding them. Why is Evelyn so afraid to be with Peter and possibly be with him. There a surprise how this ends. The story plot is excellent and enjoyable.
My Darling Mr Asquith: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Venetia Stanley
Book
This is the true story of one woman's life set against the backcloth of the great events of the...
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated The Mending Of Lillian Cathleen (The Women of Rock Creek #2) in Books
Mar 5, 2019
It’s 1914. American women are demanding the vote. And the first flames of the Great War are
igniting Europe. But a battle of a different sort rages in Oklahoma. The thermometer registers one hundred six degrees, an out-of-the-ordinary occurrence even for the twenty-eighth day of July. But this is no ordinary day. The jury has reached a verdict. Lily fidgets in the old church pew. Her name has clotted into a by-word. Her blood is tainted. Can she right the wrongs? Or will her past forever define her? She eyes the judge. And the courtroom holds its breath.
My thoughts : This is an interesting story of a young woman struggling with her past. Her.
father beat her and now she is afraid for her brother. Lilly heads to Texas where a job awaits her, but God has other plans.
This is a good story. I like the mystery of the sea chest and reading the ancient journal Lilly`s mother left her.
What I saw in this story was a young woman find I ng her way in the world, and finding God. A story of love, and letting go of the past.
igniting Europe. But a battle of a different sort rages in Oklahoma. The thermometer registers one hundred six degrees, an out-of-the-ordinary occurrence even for the twenty-eighth day of July. But this is no ordinary day. The jury has reached a verdict. Lily fidgets in the old church pew. Her name has clotted into a by-word. Her blood is tainted. Can she right the wrongs? Or will her past forever define her? She eyes the judge. And the courtroom holds its breath.
My thoughts : This is an interesting story of a young woman struggling with her past. Her.
father beat her and now she is afraid for her brother. Lilly heads to Texas where a job awaits her, but God has other plans.
This is a good story. I like the mystery of the sea chest and reading the ancient journal Lilly`s mother left her.
What I saw in this story was a young woman find I ng her way in the world, and finding God. A story of love, and letting go of the past.
LF
Letters from the Greatest Generation: Writing Home in WWII
Howard H. Peckham, Shirley A. Snyder and James H. Madison
Book
Victory and defeat, love and loss are the prevalent realities of Letters from the Greatest...
David McK (3562 KP) rated The Last Samurai (2003) in Movies
Feb 6, 2021
Who is The Last Samurai?
In the early noughties, following the success of Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator', there was a rash of historical epic films - 'Alexander', 'Troy', 'Kingdom of Heaven'.
And this.
Which is a strong contender for one of the best of those films.
The film stars Tom Cruise (who, for once, is not playing Tom Cruise) and Ken Wattanabe, with the former a world weary US Civil War veteran (suffering from PTSD?) who is hired to train the modernising Japanese army, and the latter a Samurai leader who thinks Japan is losing its identity; moving too fast into the future.
Captured by that Samurai leader following an early battle, Algren (Cruise's character) soon finds himself beginning to wonder is he fighting in the right side...
Yes, the plot is somewhat akin to 'Dances with Wolves' (or even 'Avatar'), and I've heard the charge of the film being a White Saviour story - a charge, I have to say, that I do NOT find any merit in: indeed, I would argue the opposite (that Cruise's character is saved rather than the one doing the saving) is more true.
And this.
Which is a strong contender for one of the best of those films.
The film stars Tom Cruise (who, for once, is not playing Tom Cruise) and Ken Wattanabe, with the former a world weary US Civil War veteran (suffering from PTSD?) who is hired to train the modernising Japanese army, and the latter a Samurai leader who thinks Japan is losing its identity; moving too fast into the future.
Captured by that Samurai leader following an early battle, Algren (Cruise's character) soon finds himself beginning to wonder is he fighting in the right side...
Yes, the plot is somewhat akin to 'Dances with Wolves' (or even 'Avatar'), and I've heard the charge of the film being a White Saviour story - a charge, I have to say, that I do NOT find any merit in: indeed, I would argue the opposite (that Cruise's character is saved rather than the one doing the saving) is more true.
David McK (3562 KP) rated Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) in Movies
Mar 20, 2021
As I write this in the Spring on 2021, the first episode of 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' has just dropped on Disney+.
Originally intended to be the first post-snap TV series to be released (before Covid hit, and the release dates were reordered so that WandaVision came first), both series are set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, which - to date - is the last appearance of Chris Evans Steve Rogers aka Captain America.
This was his first (and the 5th released, albeit earliest set, MCU film)
Essentially a retro sci-fi origin story, this is largely set during World War 2 and sees Captain America taking on Hydra and their leader The Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), aided by the Howling Mad commandos, Agent Peggy Carter (who would get her own TV show) and his best mate Bucky Barnes.
Speaking personally, I also have to say that - character wise - I don't feel that the Captain America movies really got good until The Winter Soldier, where the MCU really started exploring the 'man out of time' context of the character.
Having said that, this is perfectly pleasant.
Originally intended to be the first post-snap TV series to be released (before Covid hit, and the release dates were reordered so that WandaVision came first), both series are set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, which - to date - is the last appearance of Chris Evans Steve Rogers aka Captain America.
This was his first (and the 5th released, albeit earliest set, MCU film)
Essentially a retro sci-fi origin story, this is largely set during World War 2 and sees Captain America taking on Hydra and their leader The Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), aided by the Howling Mad commandos, Agent Peggy Carter (who would get her own TV show) and his best mate Bucky Barnes.
Speaking personally, I also have to say that - character wise - I don't feel that the Captain America movies really got good until The Winter Soldier, where the MCU really started exploring the 'man out of time' context of the character.
Having said that, this is perfectly pleasant.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Some Sunny Day in Books
Nov 27, 2018
Full review on www.diaryofdifference.com
Some Sunny Day was one of those books that go slowly, and tell a story of another times, reviving memories and emotions. A story of a lady that is sent to India to take care for the British Soldiers in the Second World War.
A beautiful memoir, full of lively descriptions that make the scenes more realistic. A powerful story of love, bravery, tragedy, sacrifices and hope.
Madge is a character that all people can relate to. Even though a nurse, and sent to another country, Madge is also a lady just like any other, capable of making decisions, mistakes, fall in love, lose the people she loves and hope for a better future.
A very relatable and non-distant character, too realistic for our own good. I loved her so much, and I was eager to know her story.
The pace, however, for me, was too slow. It took me a while to finish this book, and I stopped reading it two times before I finally finished it. The line between this being a great read and a DNF was very thick. That is why a few of my stars have to go away.
I love memoirs, I love stories behind the scenes of wars. Being born and growing up in the Balkans, this is something that triggers us very close to the heart. Being taught in school to protect each other, and living with our father’s stories of how they went and served in the army is something we can all relate to, and respect all these people that are ready to give their lives for a country.
Those were times when I couldn’t have been easy at all, being away from your family, your loved ones. Hard times not only for the people serving the army, but also the people at home, that miss them and pray for them every single day.
What are we all fighting for? How can war bring peace?
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan, for providing me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
Some Sunny Day was one of those books that go slowly, and tell a story of another times, reviving memories and emotions. A story of a lady that is sent to India to take care for the British Soldiers in the Second World War.
A beautiful memoir, full of lively descriptions that make the scenes more realistic. A powerful story of love, bravery, tragedy, sacrifices and hope.
Madge is a character that all people can relate to. Even though a nurse, and sent to another country, Madge is also a lady just like any other, capable of making decisions, mistakes, fall in love, lose the people she loves and hope for a better future.
A very relatable and non-distant character, too realistic for our own good. I loved her so much, and I was eager to know her story.
The pace, however, for me, was too slow. It took me a while to finish this book, and I stopped reading it two times before I finally finished it. The line between this being a great read and a DNF was very thick. That is why a few of my stars have to go away.
I love memoirs, I love stories behind the scenes of wars. Being born and growing up in the Balkans, this is something that triggers us very close to the heart. Being taught in school to protect each other, and living with our father’s stories of how they went and served in the army is something we can all relate to, and respect all these people that are ready to give their lives for a country.
Those were times when I couldn’t have been easy at all, being away from your family, your loved ones. Hard times not only for the people serving the army, but also the people at home, that miss them and pray for them every single day.
What are we all fighting for? How can war bring peace?
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan, for providing me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
Dana (24 KP) rated Shatter Me in Books
Mar 23, 2018
This is my second time reading this book. I have been wanting to do a re-read of this series for a long while, so when I got the audiobooks, I started reading almost immediately. There will most definitely be spoilers for this book and the rest of the series in this review, so if you have not read (or listened to) it, stop reading this review now and come back after. I promise, it is worth it!!
This book is so much more heartbreaking than I originally remembered. Seeing the depths of Juliette's pain whenever she is about to break apart is just so beautifully written. It makes the character sympathetic, but also gives her a hidden amount of strength that she doesn't even see in herself. Being able to look for beauty in the world is something not all people can do, especially people who have been left and hurt so much in their lives as Juliette has been.
Since Juliette has lived only through stories, that is how she knows how to describe the world. It's all so romantic and new to her in every action and experience. I love seeing how she creates relationships and her desperation to find connections. After being alone for so long (long before her stay in the asylum) she latches onto any kind of love she can get.
It is definitely interesting to see the relationships in their baby forms, especially since I know how the series sends. Knowing this, it's really cool to look at the little hints to the characters' true personalities. Hints at Adam's overbearing entitlement he feels over Juliette, Juliette's hidden strength (as I said before), Kenji's awesomeness (just because I freaking love him).
There are also hints about the white bird with the golden crown that are hidden throughout the series and is not what one would think it would be.
I love seeing Warner in these early parts of the story because he is such an arrogant ass. He hasn't shown anyone his humanity, so there is no way for any of the characters (especially Juliette) to know who and what he really is. Ugh. Why couldn't he be the cool version of his self throughout? Oh and when Warner finds out he can touch Juliette, holy hell! When I first read that, my heart was skyrocketing! I was so scared for her and Adam, but also for Warner because what did that mean for him? When he first touches her, he is writhing on the floor, in a moment of pure terror and pain because he cannot have the one thing he wants more than everything. While that's a very entitled thing to think, to want to have another person, it must have been a terrifying moment for the both of them. By the way, I am in no way condoning his actions throughout the series. He did horrible things that cannot be forgiven so easily, but I do find him a fascinating character.
Kenji is still my favorite side character and will always be. He is an idiotic, crass, sarcastic ass hat, but I wouldn't have him any other way.
I love the writing style in this book. I love how it is written like it is Juliette's journal she keeps throughout this book. I am remembering why I loved this series so much when I first read it.
It did move a bit too quickly for me toward the end, but I understand the necessity to do it that way. Because in war, it is fast paced and difficult to drink in the descriptions of the world around you. It's hard to focus on a singular thing, which is how the last section of this book was written. It is just freaking brilliant.
This book is so much more heartbreaking than I originally remembered. Seeing the depths of Juliette's pain whenever she is about to break apart is just so beautifully written. It makes the character sympathetic, but also gives her a hidden amount of strength that she doesn't even see in herself. Being able to look for beauty in the world is something not all people can do, especially people who have been left and hurt so much in their lives as Juliette has been.
Since Juliette has lived only through stories, that is how she knows how to describe the world. It's all so romantic and new to her in every action and experience. I love seeing how she creates relationships and her desperation to find connections. After being alone for so long (long before her stay in the asylum) she latches onto any kind of love she can get.
It is definitely interesting to see the relationships in their baby forms, especially since I know how the series sends. Knowing this, it's really cool to look at the little hints to the characters' true personalities. Hints at Adam's overbearing entitlement he feels over Juliette, Juliette's hidden strength (as I said before), Kenji's awesomeness (just because I freaking love him).
There are also hints about the white bird with the golden crown that are hidden throughout the series and is not what one would think it would be.
I love seeing Warner in these early parts of the story because he is such an arrogant ass. He hasn't shown anyone his humanity, so there is no way for any of the characters (especially Juliette) to know who and what he really is. Ugh. Why couldn't he be the cool version of his self throughout? Oh and when Warner finds out he can touch Juliette, holy hell! When I first read that, my heart was skyrocketing! I was so scared for her and Adam, but also for Warner because what did that mean for him? When he first touches her, he is writhing on the floor, in a moment of pure terror and pain because he cannot have the one thing he wants more than everything. While that's a very entitled thing to think, to want to have another person, it must have been a terrifying moment for the both of them. By the way, I am in no way condoning his actions throughout the series. He did horrible things that cannot be forgiven so easily, but I do find him a fascinating character.
Kenji is still my favorite side character and will always be. He is an idiotic, crass, sarcastic ass hat, but I wouldn't have him any other way.
I love the writing style in this book. I love how it is written like it is Juliette's journal she keeps throughout this book. I am remembering why I loved this series so much when I first read it.
It did move a bit too quickly for me toward the end, but I understand the necessity to do it that way. Because in war, it is fast paced and difficult to drink in the descriptions of the world around you. It's hard to focus on a singular thing, which is how the last section of this book was written. It is just freaking brilliant.
Kaysee Hood (83 KP) rated The Novice (Summoner Book 1) in Books
Apr 30, 2018
Fletcher Wulf & Ignatius (2 more)
Dwarfs & Elves
Magic & Demons
War (2 more)
Orcs
Race Issues
A new favorite...
Can I say this book took me by surprise? This has been on my TBR for a bit and was going to be an ebook purchase until I came across the paperback copy at B&N. What became a read out of interest with not much for expectations has become a new favorite for me.
Now, there are some issues I do have. It's well written. The characters are very well fleshed out to where we get to know them (though I kept having to turn to the back to refer to things because I got confused which was a bummer). I love and hate the fact how some parts were detailed and others were. However it is well paced in a way where even when I felt I didn't need anymore info I wasn't bored and put off. I was still able to read about and stay into the world written.
I liked how with Fletcher we have no clue was his past because he has no clue. It leaves it all open for so many possibilities as to how Fletcher is a Battlemage/Summoner without leading us to one idea where we can guess everything before it happens. Which is the best part because little surprise are peppered through as well as bits of what could be. Actually I enjoyed the idea of nobles get the better treatment while those who are lowborn have to struggle because it was referred to where those who have been taught all their life may have an understanding of the basic and seem ahead of those who are only learning now will have better control where they'll succeeded in other ways. I thought there would only be the orcs and humans. I had no clue about the elves and the dwarves so it was a great surprise.
All the conflict, possible looming of other wars, and all chaos possible overall it made for a good book. Fletcher is a brilliant character who has faults and is human as anyone else yet he makes up for it by being a decent human being and his quirky ideas. That's what makes this book great. I recommend to those who like fantasy books with magic heavily involved.
Now, there are some issues I do have. It's well written. The characters are very well fleshed out to where we get to know them (though I kept having to turn to the back to refer to things because I got confused which was a bummer). I love and hate the fact how some parts were detailed and others were. However it is well paced in a way where even when I felt I didn't need anymore info I wasn't bored and put off. I was still able to read about and stay into the world written.
I liked how with Fletcher we have no clue was his past because he has no clue. It leaves it all open for so many possibilities as to how Fletcher is a Battlemage/Summoner without leading us to one idea where we can guess everything before it happens. Which is the best part because little surprise are peppered through as well as bits of what could be. Actually I enjoyed the idea of nobles get the better treatment while those who are lowborn have to struggle because it was referred to where those who have been taught all their life may have an understanding of the basic and seem ahead of those who are only learning now will have better control where they'll succeeded in other ways. I thought there would only be the orcs and humans. I had no clue about the elves and the dwarves so it was a great surprise.
All the conflict, possible looming of other wars, and all chaos possible overall it made for a good book. Fletcher is a brilliant character who has faults and is human as anyone else yet he makes up for it by being a decent human being and his quirky ideas. That's what makes this book great. I recommend to those who like fantasy books with magic heavily involved.