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Rear Window (1954)
Rear Window (1954)
1954 | Classics, Drama, Mystery
Great Mystery
A photojournalist is wheelchair-ridden, watching people in his apartment complex from his window for hours. He’s thrown for a loop when he witnesses what he thinks is a murder. He wants to get to the bottom of it or die trying.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 10

Characters: 10
I’ll start with Stella (Thelma Ritter) who is easily my favorite character in the entire movie. She is an in-home nurse who is taking care of main character L.B. Jeffries (James Stewart). Out of all the characters in the story, she has the brightest sense of humor. I also loved that she takes zero guff from L.B., sometimes even making it seem like he works for her. She was stern and went beyond the parameters of her job doing everything from offering love advice to helping L.B. dive into the murder.

Of course I appreciated a number of the other characters as well, including the creepy Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr). He is the object of L.B.’s accusation. Lars does a great job of making you think L.B. could be right. At other times, Lars seems like just a normal guy going about his daily routine. He takes strange to new heights. Each of the characters, the important ones anyway, help to frame the story and keep you intrigued.

Cinematography/Visuals: 10

Conflict: 8

Genre: 5

Memorability: 10

Pace: 9

Plot: 10
Rear Window succeeds with a script that’s extremely crisp and engaging. Mystery and tension abound as you try and figure out what’s going to happen next. The story is simple, yet is peeled back in layers. Very well done.

Resolution: 10
I won’t dive in too much here but I will say that the ending is perfect to the point that it answers all the right questions. It doesn’t overdo things and try and unnecessarily put a bow on things. We find out what we need to know and that’s that.

Overall: 92
Alfred Hitchcock puts together stories like a boxer puts together a fight. He hits you with little jabs that wake you up. Eventually he goes in for the kill with harder punches that you’re not ready for. He is definitely one of the greats and Rear Window is yet another one of his classics to show for it.
  
The Book of Essie
The Book of Essie
Meghan McLean Weir | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Gender Studies, Religion
10
8.1 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
It's so hard to decide where to start with this book. First: it's amazing. Second: Content Warning. For a number of reasons. Rape. Incest. Gay Conversion Therapy. Suicide. Nothing extremely graphic; the most graphic concerns the conversion therapy, which is where the suicide occurs. That section was hard to read. A lot of sections were hard to read. But the book was SO GOOD. It's about Essie and Roarke's escape from all that, so ultimately it focuses on the future, and it's a hopeful, light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel kind of book. But daaaaang these topics.

I loved so many of the characters here. Essie and Roarke, Roarke's best friend Blake, Liberty, the reporter, her boyfriend and her camerawoman. They're all amazing. Essie's determination, Roarke's courage, Blake's understanding - every character has something to offer in this book. The way Liberty's history entwines with Essie's, so she knows where she's coming from and can offer advice from experience, and how Liberty flashes back to her childhood so the reader understands her conflicts - it's all just so amazing.

I identify pretty closely with a lot of this book myself; I was raised very conservative Christian, though at least not in a crazy cult like Liberty was. But the way Liberty talks about her boyfriend challenging her beliefs and waking her up from them hit very close to home. It was weird to see it on the page.

"I had been home as well, a painful few months during which I began to see my parents, our family, and our church as Mike might see them, as anyone who was not us would see them. I still loved my parents, very much, but I was also deeply ashamed. I began to wonder what would have happened if I'd seen it earlier....I decided that I would not go home again."

I was cheering for Essie as she broke free of her bigoted family. Every step of the way. And Roarke - oh, Roarke, who my heart broke for, who stepped up to the plate and loved Essie in his own way, and gave Essie what she needed. It helped that Essie offered him precisely what he needed, too, but I didn't expect how their relationship evolved.

I loved this book, start to finish. This is definitely one of my favorites of 2018.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
  
Spider (Rough Ink #2)
Spider (Rough Ink #2)
M.V. Ellis | 2019 | Contemporary, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
that epilogue broke me!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Meeting Emi 13 months ago had a profound effect on Spider. Not least because he saved her from her ex. Crossing paths again showed Spider how much he wanted to be with Emi. But Emi has her demons, and her secrets. Can she close the door on her past, and let Spider in?
This is book 2 in the Rough Ink series, but it’s not necessary to read Zed, book one, before this one. Zed and Vivi pop up, but not very much. I enjoyed THAT book, though and it gave me a feel for Ms Ellis’ work.
THIS book?? I LOVED this book!
Spider thinks something is wrong with him, because there are no problems in his life, no skeletons in his closet. Until one day, his world comes crashing down around him and he turns to the newly reacquainted with Emi for support. But Emi is dealing with her world crashing down, and needs Spider for support too. Spider keeps messing up though and I loved the advice Zed gives him, basically throwing his own words back at him. Emi is determined NOT to fall into her previous mistakes, and when Spider messes up, he MESSES up. He does, quite beautifully redeem himself a time a two though!
It’s dark though, be warned and readers with triggers for domestic violence will need to be careful. It’s quite violent in places, with Emi’s ex doing his thing and we do get some of that in detail.
It’s not overly explicit, but the heat level for Emi and Chris (which is Spider’s real name, and I loved that she kept the two names separate!) is hot off the page!
I read this book on one sitting, and I bloody loved it!
The bit that wrenched the most emotion from me, though, was NOT Spider and Emi, but that really was heart breaking. No, the bit that had me SOBBING was the epilogue!
A certain person has his say, in just that one chapter, and Lord does he have a lot to say! So well played there, Ms Ellis, very well played!
5 gut wrenching, emotional, extremely well written stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines, #3)
The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines, #3)
Richelle Mead | 2013 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.4 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
Original Review posted at <a title="The Indigo Spell" href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/10/review-the-indigo-spell-by-richelle-mead.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Owls

<i><b>Note:</b> Formatting is lost due to copy and paste</i>

     I'm developing a "bad" habit with making lists as reviews now... and have no clue why. Maybe it's the fact that it's usually concise and straight on? O_o

      I'll let you guys be the judge. Oh, and this won't be a listyish review.

      Well, I can't take us down memory lane, because unfortunately, despite the fact I recently did a skim-a-refresh-a-thon with both Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series, I still don't remember half the things that happened in the prior books.

      The really unfortunate part is the fact I can't go do another one because I'm pretty much piled high on books. And this isn't the ever so famous TBR.

      But keep the tomatoes to yourself, fandom peeps. Really. I'm probably asking for mercy from my friend on a daily basis already (oh, and if the anonymous friend is reading this... well. Hi. Forgive me? :D?).

      That friend might also murder me for forgetting, which is why I'm asking for a spare of life... O_o

      So basically throughout the entire course of the book, I was practically wondering how in the world I didn't remember the little details for some books... but I do for others. And I was making a lot of ">_<." (I have Booknesia?! :o)

      The thing is, I'm extremely glad Sydney's taken some advice from a fifteen-year-old. And if my tiny fragments of memory will allow me to remember, Sydney's also changed quite a lot from the prior two books throughout the course of The Indigo Spell.

      I may have also been warned of a major cliffhanger. I was bracing myself for the last words.
      Pillow? Check. Music? Check. Book? Check-ity-check. And then I basically tucked myself in and braced for the "worst" that might get thrown at me.

      This might get a nice tomato thrown at me, but...

      It wasn't so major. I am totally eh about it.

      But do I still want to read the fourth book when it comes out?

      Why yes. Yes, I am.

      And I would love to have a callistana. I picture it as cute and adorable...
  
In the Time of the Butterflies
In the Time of the Butterflies
Julia Alvarez | 1994 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Oh my goodness, this book. I am simultaneously at a loss for words and still have so much to say. My first inclination after reading this book is disappointment. Not in the writing or the story itself, but in me, actually. I am Dominican. Though I was born in the United States, I speak Spanglish - definitely more English than Spanish - and I've never been to the DR, I still felt this deep disappointment in myself. For not knowing my own history. I'm a first-generation American. My father was born in Santo Domingo and as a product of my circumstances, I don't know enough about my family's native country. And in a large way, that's on me. It's not like I'm incapable of learning, I'm 20 years old and I live in the digital age, for goodness sake. I don't know if I have any sort of excuse, and even if I did, I'm not sure it's a good one. But regardless, the disappointment is there.

This book gave me a connection. A connection to the history, to the language, to the land - one I didn't have before. As I moved through the novel and became familiar with Dedé, Minerva, Patria, and María Teresa, I found bits of myself in each of them. I found myself talking to them as if I knew them or they were my friends, wanting to provide them comfort, advice, a swift kick in the butt when I thought they needed more of a push. I wish I could truly put into words all the things this novel did for me and made me feel. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to find them.

What I loved most about this story is the truth in it all. Trujillo was a dictator and under his regime, the DR fell apart. I loved that the Mirabal sisters were real and that while their story was one worth telling, the one in this book was fictionalized but still rang true in some aspects. I loved that their story was told from all four of their perspectives, not just Dedé, as the survivor.

I think this novel is one that should be read by many, and I think this story - one of the Mirabal sisters - is one that should be shouted from as many rooftops as possible.

"The function of freedom is to free someone else." - Toni Morrison
  
It&#039;s a Bright World to Feel Lost In
It's a Bright World to Feel Lost In
2
2.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;

<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Book-Review-Banner-2.png"/>;

<b><i>I love cute little books, especially when they contain something emotional or motivating around them.</i></b>

This book was one of those cute little books that you pick up now and then, have a quick read through and then go on with your life. And that is the reason why I chose to review it. 

The book is supposedly written by a bear called Mawson that gives life advice. And it's meant for adults, not children. It doesn’t follow any particular story - in fact - it all seems to be a bit of randomly places throughout the pages, with a lot of adorable pictures of a teddy bear doing things. However, I was having some troubles understanding this book. 

The teddy bear is so cute and the images are indeed adorable, but I found the text depressing, rather than motivating. Yes - it is a bright world to feel lost in, and we do find ourselves lost all the time. But what can we do about it? What is the teddy bear doing about it? I just didn’t get it. I don’t think the messaging was there. I am not sure the author delivered everything that he wanted to say in this book. 

The words had random capital letters, a few spelling errors, and they were also randomly places on the pages, alongside the images, which to some people might be appealing, but to me - it just puts me off. I understand this is the bear typing..... but as I said - definitely annoyed me and I found it ridiculous. 

<b>I know I am supposed to love this book, because it has a teddy bear on the cover - but I just didn’t. </b>

Thank you to the author (bear's guardian) Mark O'Dwyer for sending across this book to me in exchange for an honest review. 

<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
  
The Promise by Bruce Springsteen
The Promise by Bruce Springsteen
2010 | Pop, Rock, Singer-Songwriter
7.8 (4 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"Around this time I started heading out on tour and The Gaslight Anthem really started moving. It was just after The ’59 Sound came out. That was when I started learning about the music industry and how it all works, and how insincere it all is. People pick you up and spit you out. I was taking a drive one day and I heard The Promise by Bruce Springsteen come on the radio. But it wasn’t the album version; it was just him and a piano as it appears on an album called 18 Tracks.” This song opens with the lyrics: ‘Johnny works in a factory / Billy works downtown / Terry works in a rock and roll band / Looking for that million dollar sound.’ Then towards the end of the song he says: ‘The promise was broken, I was far away from home / Sleeping in the back seat of a borrowed car.’ I remember being on tour and sleeping in the back of a car that wasn’t mine, and I heard that line and I was like, ‘I don’t know about this whole thing. I don’t know if this is right. What do I do?’ As Springsteen sings: ‘The promise is broken, you go on living / It steals something from down in your soul.’ That’s when I realised that music wasn’t about the rock star dream. It’s about connecting with people, but that’s not enough for the industry. They see you as a product and they want you to make money, and I understand that, but it’s never enough for them. They’re never satiated and they’re never satisfied. It’s a beast with a belly that will never be filled. “I’d feel a sense of dissatisfaction after every tour and I’d come home and get in my van and just drive. I’d drive around habitually for one hour playing The Promise on repeat, just to clear my head. The song made me feel like I wasn’t alone, like someone understood me. It was a huge, huge song for my development, and it always put me back in a perspective that I wasn’t alone. And even though it’s a depressing song and there’s not a lot of advice in it, it makes sense to me. I still feel good when I listen to that song."

Source
  
...For the Whole World to See by Death
...For the Whole World to See by Death
2009 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"They were a black punk band from America. I love this record because it's kind of… erudite in its expression but it's fucking brutal. It's razor sharp. It's also gloriously anarchic. It's kind of punk but it's got real rock & roll lineage to it. The titles are brilliant: there's one called 'Politicians In My Eyes', another one called 'Rock-N-Roll Victim', 'Let The World Turn', 'You're A Prisoner'. It's just a real lost classic, and it's got real power. I can't remember if they're from Detroit or not - it would make sense, because so much has come out of Detroit - but it's one of those records I've just picked up and been astounded by it. I was always really good at picking up stuff in the margins of punk history, but I'd never heard anything about this band, and I love the idea that there's still stuff out there that's going to get credit after its time; that people who didn't get credit in their lifetime eventually get it if they're good enough. You can tell this band could have gone on to be utterly amazing; there's an articulacy there, a brutality there, a real rock & roll lineage, but a little off-kilter jazz edge to little bits of the playing. And the cover's absolutely lovely, it's almost like art deco Buck Rogers. It's just one of those records that's a little surprise in life; to stay in love with music, you need to have those little surprises, something that's been locked in a vault and it comes at you and it's such a surprise. And if you're ready to take on those surprises, it just shows you're still in love with the romance of music, that something's going to hit you in the middle of the eyes. And that's what this record did to me two years ago. I found it in Spillers in Cardiff, which was good because I really don't engage in the digital world - not through any kind of arch Ludditeness or anything, I just can't be arsed. So I listen to lots of radio and read lots of press and that's how I get my new records. That's why I love going to Spillers; sometimes there'll just be that bit of advice behind the counter. "Why don't you try this?" I just love that moment."

Source
  
Legend (A Claire Whitcomb Western #3)
Legend (A Claire Whitcomb Western #3)
D.V. Berkom | 2021 | Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
If, like me, you tend to bypass the Western or Historical Fiction genres thinking they might be boring or not what you usually enjoy, can I give you a little advice? Don't ... take a look at the blurb and if it sparks even a little light of interest, give it a go ... you never know, you might enjoy it. I have certainly enjoyed this series and it is way off what I normally read.

This is a very satisfying third and, supposedly the last, book in the series featuring Claire Whitcomb with "Retribution" being the first and "Gunslinger" being the second. Claire is a strong female in a time when strong females were frowned upon and she has to work doubly hard to follow the line of work she wishes and to prove herself amongst a world full of men; she does this with grace, dignity and style in this story filled with action and adventure set in the Wild West.

What I particularly enjoy is the references to real historical figures and places such as Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, Calamity Jane, Tombstone and the OK Corral; these are people and places I have grown up with (my dad and husband being avid Western watchers) and with adding a great character like Claire in amongst it all brought it to life even more for me.

My only gripe, which has continued over the three books, is that they aren't long enough ... you no sooner start when you have finished but maybe that's my fault and I read too quickly!

Having said that, I still highly recommend this series and D.V. Berkom as a whole; you won't be disappointed with anything she writes because, let's face it, what's not to like - great characters, immersive stories that transport you to different times and places, action, adventure, thrills and spills; she writes about it all with the bonus of the lead characters being strong females that aren't afraid to kick some behinds! So, have a look at her back catalogue and get reading.

I am lucky to be a member of D.V. Berkom's ARTeam and was sent a copy of Legend before the official publication date of 12-January-2020 in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review and for which I am, once again, extremely grateful.
  
Ad Astra (2019)
Ad Astra (2019)
2019 | Adventure, Drama, Mystery
Through hardships, to the stars.
Ad Astra is the kind of film they dont make anymore. Visually breathtaking, harrowing and it has such a deep pain and sadness to it that i left the theatre with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face. Ad Astra is the first film this year to leave me speechless and I'm actually finding it hard to put into words what I have just experienced. I will try my hardest not to spoil anything as this movie is best if you go into it blind to appreciate it to full effect. What an experience, I can safely say i had goosebumps, chills up my spine, a lump in my throat and on the brink or tears 90% of the runtime. Atmosphere and visual wise what they have accomplished here is not only teeming with beauty but an incredible feel of movies from the past. A cross between Blade Runner, Dune, apocalypse now and 2001 Ad Astra invoked in me the same heightened emotions I felt watching those films for the first time many years ago. Theres a constant sence of wonder, discovery and lingering dread present the entire film keeping you constantly fearful, on edge and floating in a state of happy sadness. Brad Pitt gives the performance of his career every part of his troubled mind playing out on in his facial expressions and behind his eyes. Theres an over arching theme about mental illness, social awkwardness and anxiety here and its truly depressing watching Brads character battle his inner demons while still putting on a brave face while know one else seems to notice or offer advice, comfort or guidance. Theres also a lot about the need for progression regardless of the sacrifice and emotional toll it takes on people and questions about if humanity deserves a future as we become more selfish, destructive and cold. Its primarily a character story about mental struggles, self destruction, burdens, loneliness, pain, legacy and destiny and at times its tuff to stomach watching this character suffer caught between right and wrong, but its always fascinating, relatable and rewarding. Set pieces are cold/disturbing and harrowing not only shocking you but leaving a lasting impression that most horror films struggle to achieve. I urge anyone into film go see this its a modern day masterpiece.