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Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Reference and Education
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Winner, Innovation in Learner Resources, British Council ELTon Awards 2015 Awarded “BEST OF 2016...
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Productivity and Business
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Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Orange is the New Black - Season 1 in TV
Aug 3, 2017
The range of different characters (2 more)
The cast are all great
The writing is sharp and witty
Life on the inside is different
My girlfriend was actually the one to talk me into trying this show and I am so glad she did. This first season is great. The storyline is engaging, the characters are instantly memorable and the writing is fast and razor sharp. This is another high quality show produced by Netflix and at this point their track record shows more hits than misses. The strange thing though, and the only thing that stops me from scoring this show a 10, is the main character, Piper Chapman.
She is obnoxious, self absorbed and consistently dislikeable and I don't get why. The show is based on a book written by real life prison inmate Piper Kerman. Why would she show herself to be an insensitive, irritating idiot? This isn't the actors fault though, Taylor Schilling does a good job with what she is given, but Piper as a character is genuinely the worst thing about the show.
She is obnoxious, self absorbed and consistently dislikeable and I don't get why. The show is based on a book written by real life prison inmate Piper Kerman. Why would she show herself to be an insensitive, irritating idiot? This isn't the actors fault though, Taylor Schilling does a good job with what she is given, but Piper as a character is genuinely the worst thing about the show.
Hannah (22 KP) rated The Witches: Salem, 1692 in Books
Sep 12, 2017
No map of the village (1 more)
The footnotes, so many footnotes
Some interesting points made, but...
Narrative history that sometimes misses deeper analysis of why it happened. It seems well researched, using the accounts of the period. I don't generally have an issue with footnotes, but I think the author overuses them sometimes, and many of the footnotes could be incorporated into the text or dropped entirely as they sometimes go off at a tanget. Not always a fan of her writing, it's quite wandering and tries to mix an accesible history style with more of an academic writing style. It doesn't really give the reader a great sense of the period atmosphere and concentrates very heavily on what happened at the trials. She was apparently deliberately avoiding explainations, however she attempts to explain the instigators' "hysteria" that originally prompted the accusations of witchcraft; that the symptoms occured in the parsonage, the most repressive environment. The accusations gained the "victims" attention and a respite from chores. I was surprised that there was no map of the village.
Leah Green (6 KP) rated The Great Alone in Books
Apr 26, 2018
Extremely well written. (1 more)
It's Kristin Hannah
Phenomenal
As always Kristin Hannah does it again. I swear I can not read one of her books without becoming a blubbering baby. Ugh Why??????
Anyway. I love The Great Alone. The story of a family moving to rugged Alaska. The father, Ernt, a flakey, unpredictable, POW. The Mother Cora timid, loving, and clueless. Then Lenora. The teenage girl who throughout the story is tried and tested. She has to navigate not only the rugged world of Alaska. Also the tumultuous home and family life. You will love all the character's. Reading this book will have you googling Alaska. Dreaming of trips to the Kenai Peninsula.
You really can't go wrong with anything Kristin Hannah. I can't seem to get enough. The worst part is waiting for the next one. Please not so long this time Ms. Hannah. I know you are busy. But writing like yours doesn't come along very often. Your books transcend time and place. They transport us into the world you create. Please just never stop writing.
Anyway. I love The Great Alone. The story of a family moving to rugged Alaska. The father, Ernt, a flakey, unpredictable, POW. The Mother Cora timid, loving, and clueless. Then Lenora. The teenage girl who throughout the story is tried and tested. She has to navigate not only the rugged world of Alaska. Also the tumultuous home and family life. You will love all the character's. Reading this book will have you googling Alaska. Dreaming of trips to the Kenai Peninsula.
You really can't go wrong with anything Kristin Hannah. I can't seem to get enough. The worst part is waiting for the next one. Please not so long this time Ms. Hannah. I know you are busy. But writing like yours doesn't come along very often. Your books transcend time and place. They transport us into the world you create. Please just never stop writing.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Young Bess (Elizabeth Trilogy, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
While I was reading this book I had my moments where I was thinking “this is nice…this is cute…” the writing was very eloquent and good. However the plot was just… nonexistent. By page 85 not much had happened. I had no urge to continue reading and even though I enjoyed it while I was reading it, I had to force myself to sit down and read it. And you should never have to force yourself to read a book (except for school). I felt the same way about The Midnight Charter. Both of these were similar in that they both had a bit of politics in them.
I did like the characters (Loved Tom Seymour!) and the writing, again, was great. But nothing made me want to keep reading.
I didn’t get far enough into the book to be able to say what content was in it.
Young Bess was re-published by Sourcebooks March 1st. Please know that I am in the minority for those who didn’t like/finish it. See other reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.
I did like the characters (Loved Tom Seymour!) and the writing, again, was great. But nothing made me want to keep reading.
I didn’t get far enough into the book to be able to say what content was in it.
Young Bess was re-published by Sourcebooks March 1st. Please know that I am in the minority for those who didn’t like/finish it. See other reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.
starwarsluvr (236 KP) rated She Who Hunts in Books
Jan 30, 2018
This was seriously amazing. I love demons and loved how they were a part of Tenna's life even though she never chose it. Tenna is an amazing character.. Her love, her life, her wanting to be an outcast because the other hunters didn't want her. I loved her "uncle and aunt". I felt so bad for them.. and yet not bad for them at the same time. This was a very fast paced story that kept me interested and I loved the writing so much. Tenna was wonderful. She had her own problems and had her own wants and love and wishes. I love that Tenna was a strong, confident hero who still had her own inner demons and inner problems that made her more human and not just superhero. This story and the writing made me very happy and kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to see where it was going and what would happen next. I cannot wait to see the next book and what happens in it.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Double Dose (Research & Desire, #4) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sorely disappointed in this book. I was hoping that maybe, just maybe I could escape the overbearing Alpha male trope. But alas I was sorely mistaken. From the very beginning Ari is a Alpha male through and through, and not in a good way. I am sure he was supposed to be dark and brooding, but I quickly lost patience with him. It was around the third time he picked Daphne up to carry her around that my mood turned sour and never sweetened. While Benjy was better, I found that, after a while, his playful antics seemed more childish than endearing.
I wanted to like this novel, but I just couldnt get behind it. The chemistry seemed forced and though it actually had an in depth plot, it wasnt one I could care about. The author does have a good writing style that flows easily. My problem was with the story itself, not the writing.
Sorely disappointed in this book. I was hoping that maybe, just maybe I could escape the overbearing Alpha male trope. But alas I was sorely mistaken. From the very beginning Ari is a Alpha male through and through, and not in a good way. I am sure he was supposed to be dark and brooding, but I quickly lost patience with him. It was around the third time he picked Daphne up to carry her around that my mood turned sour and never sweetened. While Benjy was better, I found that, after a while, his playful antics seemed more childish than endearing.
I wanted to like this novel, but I just couldnt get behind it. The chemistry seemed forced and though it actually had an in depth plot, it wasnt one I could care about. The author does have a good writing style that flows easily. My problem was with the story itself, not the writing.
Christine Allard (22 KP) rated Queen of Spades in Books
Jan 26, 2018
Small story, small setting, gambling and some mystical realism in a down-to-earth story.
Very few characters. Set in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. It's about gambling and math and cheating, and winning and losing at life and relationships. The writing is simple and stunning. The characters are few and very well-developed, quickly and slowly at the same time, without a lot of fanfare. There's a touch of mystery.
It's a "small" book, as I like to call them. Kind of like Nicholson Baker's writing. Focused.
Read it in two sittings--started one evening and finished over breakfast. Wish I had savored it more. Have already sent copies to at least seven people. Don't bother with the blurb on the back--doesn't do it much justice for what's really between the covers. Also, the paperback is a joy to hold. Even if you're a fan of eReaders, I recommend buying the real deal for this one.
It's a "small" book, as I like to call them. Kind of like Nicholson Baker's writing. Focused.
Read it in two sittings--started one evening and finished over breakfast. Wish I had savored it more. Have already sent copies to at least seven people. Don't bother with the blurb on the back--doesn't do it much justice for what's really between the covers. Also, the paperback is a joy to hold. Even if you're a fan of eReaders, I recommend buying the real deal for this one.
This was a strange book. But sometimes, strange is good. Different draws you in. And that is exactly what this book did. I read this book in one day, something I haven't really done in a while which speaks to it's ability to catch and keep my attention.
This is a book about love and magic, but not in the way you may think. The characters are all dealing with the stress of the disappearance of Roza, a mysterious woman who just showed up one day. They are all dealing with it in their own way, but are still struggling, most of the time separately.
I loved the magic in this book. It was very dark and mysterious and dangerous, but it wasn't overly mystical. It felt real and just so freaking great.
I am excited by Ruby's writing. I want to find more she has written to be able to get a feel for her writing style because it's something I admire!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
This is a book about love and magic, but not in the way you may think. The characters are all dealing with the stress of the disappearance of Roza, a mysterious woman who just showed up one day. They are all dealing with it in their own way, but are still struggling, most of the time separately.
I loved the magic in this book. It was very dark and mysterious and dangerous, but it wasn't overly mystical. It felt real and just so freaking great.
I am excited by Ruby's writing. I want to find more she has written to be able to get a feel for her writing style because it's something I admire!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book.