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Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated The Institute (The Institute, #1) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
[The Institute] by [Kayla Howarth] is an intense thriller with a futuristic lean. The main character Allira and her family have spent their lives hiding that her brother was "defective". "Defectives" go to the Institute where they are said to be kept safe and taken care of, but no one who has gone there is heard from again. Will one mistake trip them all up and find the true nature of the Institute?
The characters were typical for a YA audience but definitely good. The intertwining of the relationships and emotions makes this plot. There were some unexpected surprises as well as issues that are still up in the air. Guess the second book is a must read to clear those questions up.
The characters were typical for a YA audience but definitely good. The intertwining of the relationships and emotions makes this plot. There were some unexpected surprises as well as issues that are still up in the air. Guess the second book is a must read to clear those questions up.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Educated in Books
Apr 5, 2018
Harrowing and inspiring
It seems almost impossible that Tara Westover is an academician from both Harvard and Cambridge given that she had never been to school. Her story is important, revealing how women are treated and subjugated in fundamentalist societies.
Brought up in a survivalist, Mormon family, Westover speaks about a poverty-stricken, difficult childhood where education is seen as secondary and violence is rife. Her relationship with her abusive brother is horrifying, And moreso is her family's acceptance of his behaviour. So gaining scholarships to top universities in the world despite having had no clue about the Holocaust, the civil rights movement, and Napoleon, is no mean feat.
While parts are repetitive, it is engaging and harrowing to hear her inspiring story.
Brought up in a survivalist, Mormon family, Westover speaks about a poverty-stricken, difficult childhood where education is seen as secondary and violence is rife. Her relationship with her abusive brother is horrifying, And moreso is her family's acceptance of his behaviour. So gaining scholarships to top universities in the world despite having had no clue about the Holocaust, the civil rights movement, and Napoleon, is no mean feat.
While parts are repetitive, it is engaging and harrowing to hear her inspiring story.
BobbiesDustyPages (1259 KP) rated Spider-Man (2002) in Movies
Apr 24, 2019
Rating this for what it was when I first saw it in theaters.
I remember all the build up for this right before it came out and actually seeing it I remember walking out with my mom and brother and we couldn't stop talking about it! We had always been Spiderman fans and the movie really lived up to the hype.
Toby Maguire will always be my favorite Peter Parker he pulled off the nerdy kid so perfect and Kristen Dunst was such a great MJ and let's be real the upside kiss was one of my favorite moments and still is to this day.
It really was a great origin story for such an amazing character... Now I really want to rewatch it.
I remember all the build up for this right before it came out and actually seeing it I remember walking out with my mom and brother and we couldn't stop talking about it! We had always been Spiderman fans and the movie really lived up to the hype.
Toby Maguire will always be my favorite Peter Parker he pulled off the nerdy kid so perfect and Kristen Dunst was such a great MJ and let's be real the upside kiss was one of my favorite moments and still is to this day.
It really was a great origin story for such an amazing character... Now I really want to rewatch it.
Emma (519 KP) rated Lincoln in the Bardo in Books
May 28, 2019
This book was sent to me as a Christmas present by my brother. When i first started reading it, it took.me two attempts to read the first chapter to find my flow with the writing style, as it wasn't written like any book I had ever read before. It is written more like a play or a collection of thoughts by various speakers. That being said I thoroughly enjoyed it, and found it is the type of book you keep going back to. The story flows very well and at time it is so descriptive you feel the anguish Mr Lincoln must have been feeling at the time of losing his son.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated The Baker Street Letters (Baker Street Letters #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Reggie Heath has rented the offices that would be Sherlock Holmes address if he'd been, you know, real. Part of his lease involves answering the letters, a job he's assigned to younger brother Nigel. But one letter sends Nigel on a trip to Los Angeles with Reggie close behind. What has Nigel stumbled into?
I'm not a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, but I was intrigued by this book. Turned out to be a fun twisty read with good characters. It took a little bit to feel like I was part of the story, but once I got going, I couldn't put it down.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-baker-street-letters.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I'm not a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, but I was intrigued by this book. Turned out to be a fun twisty read with good characters. It took a little bit to feel like I was part of the story, but once I got going, I couldn't put it down.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-baker-street-letters.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Lindsay (1779 KP) rated Lady of Light (Brides of Culdee Creek, #3) in Books
Feb 15, 2018
This book keep my interest throughout the whole book. I love how it tell that Evan travels to figure out his trouble and learns along the way. I really love it that it took him back to where his family had kin. It really tell me that Evan started to understand and grow up. Though he lost his first love it really was not real love that he was thinking of.
Claire learn to trust and not judge. She raises her little brother Ian. She makes some decision to marry and move with Evan back to his farm. She has lot to learn as well. There are few things that happens that make me want to have her understand. She does something that threaten her marriage.
Claire learn to trust and not judge. She raises her little brother Ian. She makes some decision to marry and move with Evan back to his farm. She has lot to learn as well. There are few things that happens that make me want to have her understand. She does something that threaten her marriage.
Kristin (149 KP) rated How to Destroy the New Girl's Killer Robot Army (Slug Pie Story, #3) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is the third installment of this series, and it just keeps getting better and better!
Mick and his little brother Finley have fended off zombie pirates and an evil mermaid. So what's there to do now? Why, defeat a killer robot army, of course!
Savannah, the new girl in town, as really gotten on Mick's nerves, so he hatches a scheme to get rid of her for good. However, it doesn't go as planned (of course), and theeeeeeen life gets weird (well, weirder than he's dealt with in a couple weeks, anyway). How will he make it out of this scrape? Grab your copy to find out!
5 stars =)
This is the third installment of this series, and it just keeps getting better and better!
Mick and his little brother Finley have fended off zombie pirates and an evil mermaid. So what's there to do now? Why, defeat a killer robot army, of course!
Savannah, the new girl in town, as really gotten on Mick's nerves, so he hatches a scheme to get rid of her for good. However, it doesn't go as planned (of course), and theeeeeeen life gets weird (well, weirder than he's dealt with in a couple weeks, anyway). How will he make it out of this scrape? Grab your copy to find out!
5 stars =)
David McK (3623 KP) rated Ben-Hur (2016) in Movies
Nov 20, 2019
Re-make of a re-make, with the first re-make the one that starred Charlton Heston and that - until Titanic came along - I believe held the record for the most number of Oscars for a single movie.
And this is pretty much a straight re-make of that move; pared down somewhat and with Jack Huston's Judah Ben-Hur unable to hold a candle to Heston's take on the same character.
We do, however, still have the same main points from the earlier movie: early 30s AD setting in Jerusalem. Judah forced to become a galley slave after he is wrongly accused of treason by (here) his Roman foster-brother, chariot-racing, his family stricken with Leprosy, miraculous cure following Jesus' crucifixion ...
And this is pretty much a straight re-make of that move; pared down somewhat and with Jack Huston's Judah Ben-Hur unable to hold a candle to Heston's take on the same character.
We do, however, still have the same main points from the earlier movie: early 30s AD setting in Jerusalem. Judah forced to become a galley slave after he is wrongly accused of treason by (here) his Roman foster-brother, chariot-racing, his family stricken with Leprosy, miraculous cure following Jesus' crucifixion ...
AJaneClark (3975 KP) rated Pucked Up (Pucked #2) in Books
Jan 12, 2020
The second in the Pucked series follows Miller (Buck) Butterson attempting and failing to win over his ice hockey team Captain’s (and future brother in law Alex) sister Sunny Waters. Buck and Sunny would be great together if only things and people would stop interfering!
Buck means well, but he certainly isn’t the smartest, and Sunny is young and sheltered, and everyone around her is over protective. But when the world finally gets a glimpse of the real Buck things start to change for the better!
This isn’t as funny as the first book, but still great writing! The character development is great too!
Follows on great from the first book but can also be read as a stand alone.
Buck means well, but he certainly isn’t the smartest, and Sunny is young and sheltered, and everyone around her is over protective. But when the world finally gets a glimpse of the real Buck things start to change for the better!
This isn’t as funny as the first book, but still great writing! The character development is great too!
Follows on great from the first book but can also be read as a stand alone.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, #10) in Books
Jan 14, 2020
It's all about family ...
Sookie Stackhouse is dealing with a whole host of family problems, ranging from her own kin (a non-human fairy and a telepathic second cousin) demanding a place in her life, to her lover Eric's vampire sire, an ancient being who arrives with Eric's 'brother' in tow at a most inopportune moment. And Sookie's tracking down a distant relation of her ailing ...
I think this was the first stackhouse book where sookie doesn't absolutely drive me crazy! It wasn't too bad at all. I find myself sticking with this series because I'm so far into them now! Would I recommend the series possibly as each person is different to what they like to read.
⭐⭐⭐
Sookie Stackhouse is dealing with a whole host of family problems, ranging from her own kin (a non-human fairy and a telepathic second cousin) demanding a place in her life, to her lover Eric's vampire sire, an ancient being who arrives with Eric's 'brother' in tow at a most inopportune moment. And Sookie's tracking down a distant relation of her ailing ...
I think this was the first stackhouse book where sookie doesn't absolutely drive me crazy! It wasn't too bad at all. I find myself sticking with this series because I'm so far into them now! Would I recommend the series possibly as each person is different to what they like to read.
⭐⭐⭐