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Lindsay (1706 KP) rated Night of Nonsense (The Magic Magnifying Glass #3) in Books
Aug 23, 2021 (Updated Aug 24, 2021)
The third book in this series of Magic Magnifying Glass is called "Night of Nonsense." It seems like we will meet two more creatures of the night. We meet that Fin has got a new baby sister. Between this and now, his cousins come to visit. He shows off a unique present to these cousins. All because he got a new baby sister.
What adventures will Fin find himself in? He seems to need a few of these new forest friends; We seem to meet a Horned Owl and a Bat named Bella. We seem to run into Perry. What is Perry doing near the lake?
Does Fin seem to be pulled into a mystery of finding his cousin's diary? Will his cousin Dennis get blamed for the missing journal. While they are on the beach enjoying themselves. There seem to be mix-ups as Fin's mom is looking for his baby sister's diaper bag for either diapers or wet wipes. What happens to Jusinina's diary?
Dennis comes to Fin, and he gets pulled into solving the mystery of a missing diary and clearing this cousin Dennis's name. Will Fin be able to solve the mystery? This adventure started when Fin gets trapped in his sister's playpen and finds a pink ribbon. Does Fin seem to have to help his friend Elliott when they get into a bit of ruffle play with a fox? Will the fox be friendly or not. Fin and Elliott seem to meet a Horn Owl, and who is this horned owl, and will he be nice or not?
Children will learn about bats and owls, and foxes in this book. We met up with a few other forest friends. I love how these adventures are clean and educational for children to learn about nature and animal facts. This book takes you on an adventure with Fin during the night. You will meet a few night creatures and learn about them.
Parents can talk with the children and help them learn more about these lovely animals that come out at night. Maybe you can spend an evening outdoors with your child or children, and they can try and spot these night creatures or name them if they see them.
I can't wait to see the next adventure Fin and his friend Elliott get up to and what other friends Fin meets along the way.
What adventures will Fin find himself in? He seems to need a few of these new forest friends; We seem to meet a Horned Owl and a Bat named Bella. We seem to run into Perry. What is Perry doing near the lake?
Does Fin seem to be pulled into a mystery of finding his cousin's diary? Will his cousin Dennis get blamed for the missing journal. While they are on the beach enjoying themselves. There seem to be mix-ups as Fin's mom is looking for his baby sister's diaper bag for either diapers or wet wipes. What happens to Jusinina's diary?
Dennis comes to Fin, and he gets pulled into solving the mystery of a missing diary and clearing this cousin Dennis's name. Will Fin be able to solve the mystery? This adventure started when Fin gets trapped in his sister's playpen and finds a pink ribbon. Does Fin seem to have to help his friend Elliott when they get into a bit of ruffle play with a fox? Will the fox be friendly or not. Fin and Elliott seem to meet a Horn Owl, and who is this horned owl, and will he be nice or not?
Children will learn about bats and owls, and foxes in this book. We met up with a few other forest friends. I love how these adventures are clean and educational for children to learn about nature and animal facts. This book takes you on an adventure with Fin during the night. You will meet a few night creatures and learn about them.
Parents can talk with the children and help them learn more about these lovely animals that come out at night. Maybe you can spend an evening outdoors with your child or children, and they can try and spot these night creatures or name them if they see them.
I can't wait to see the next adventure Fin and his friend Elliott get up to and what other friends Fin meets along the way.
ClareR (5608 KP) rated Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich, 1945-1955 in Books
Feb 1, 2022
This is such an informative, interesting book about a period in German history that I know little about: 1945-1955. It shows that German cities were pretty much decimated by the end of the war, that ex-Nazi party members were forced to clean up the rubble and that most importantly, many Germans thought that they were hard done by, by the end of the war - their country in ruins, no industry and no food. But what’s most startling, is how quickly the German recovery was. Jähner states that this was in large part due to the return of the Germans who had been living in occupied countries.
The black market was also a huge earner for many German citizens: one teenager is described as having thousands of Marks worth of cigarettes in his house. Money was there to be made for the improvising, bold, German!
What probably resonated with me most, was the lot of the German woman. They had been expected to be the perfect German Female during National Socialism, then experienced a kind of social and sexual liberation after the end of the war. However, when their husbands and men returned from captivity (or just made their ways home), they found themselves being expected to revert to the stereotypical role of the housewife. But they wanted more. They wanted to continue in careers, they wanted equality, and they didn’t necessarily want to deal with broken, defeated husbands (as cruel as this may seem).
What really surprised me, was how was how former Nazi party members still worked in positions of influence, both politically and in industry - and this was the case in both East and West Germany. Even though the Allies made a point of ‘educating’ German citizens about the holocaust, National Socialists seemed to largely escape punishment and carried on with their lives. Their children may have had their doubts as to their parents innocence, and the real movement to ‘out’ the national guilt didn’t really get going until the 1960’s, but there was dissent in the 1950’s already.
I could go on. This is such an interesting book, and written so accessibly. It didn’t read at all like a dry history book, and the photos and posters from the time are well chosen and really add to the book as a whole. This isn’t just a history book for history buffs.
The black market was also a huge earner for many German citizens: one teenager is described as having thousands of Marks worth of cigarettes in his house. Money was there to be made for the improvising, bold, German!
What probably resonated with me most, was the lot of the German woman. They had been expected to be the perfect German Female during National Socialism, then experienced a kind of social and sexual liberation after the end of the war. However, when their husbands and men returned from captivity (or just made their ways home), they found themselves being expected to revert to the stereotypical role of the housewife. But they wanted more. They wanted to continue in careers, they wanted equality, and they didn’t necessarily want to deal with broken, defeated husbands (as cruel as this may seem).
What really surprised me, was how was how former Nazi party members still worked in positions of influence, both politically and in industry - and this was the case in both East and West Germany. Even though the Allies made a point of ‘educating’ German citizens about the holocaust, National Socialists seemed to largely escape punishment and carried on with their lives. Their children may have had their doubts as to their parents innocence, and the real movement to ‘out’ the national guilt didn’t really get going until the 1960’s, but there was dissent in the 1950’s already.
I could go on. This is such an interesting book, and written so accessibly. It didn’t read at all like a dry history book, and the photos and posters from the time are well chosen and really add to the book as a whole. This isn’t just a history book for history buffs.
Debbiereadsbook (1110 KP) rated The Druid's Gift (The Nameless Gods #1) in Books
Jan 7, 2018
very well written high fantasy
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
She was supposed to on a pilgrimage, being kidnapped for sacrifice was not in the plan!
I gotta be honest here, and you'll know when I gotta talk about my feelings about books, I'm nothing if not honest! When asked did I want to read this book, it came with a link, and of course I looked at it, and my first reaction was nope. That cover did nothing for me, but the blurb grabbed, so I said yes. NOW, I've read this book, and feel I should say this. That cover is right and proper for this book!! It fits Nune and Ty's story so perfectly! And it is a rather good book!
Nune is a day elf, a Druid, and Ty a night elf. They usually never cross paths. Nune is on a pilgrimage and Ty is on an initiation to move up the warrior ranks, I forget what the name he used is, sorry! Nune was supposed to be his sacrifice for this initiation, but after befriending each other, they question why Ty suddenly has to do this, when it's never been required of warriors before.
It is, quite simply, brilliantly written high fantasy. I really find myself engrossed in Nune and Ty, and their path towards finding out just what is going on in Ty's village, and why things are changing so rapidly, to the detriment of the day elves. It's told from both Nune and Ty's point of view. It does carry some difficult subjects, kidnap, elf sacrifice but these are dealt with very well.
Its not overly explicit, indeed, I thought it might actually come out clean, but Nune and Ty do get naughty on. Again, well written. Not overly graphic either, what's here is right for this book.
And there is a MUCH bigger picture that I'm still not seeing. Ty's brother is missing. There's the reason why the Nameless Gods are being summoned. And Ty still has to face his superiors about his failed quest when he gets home.
A step out of my comfort zone, but a very nice step. I hope I get to foloow Nune and Ty on their quest.
And an apology to the author for not spelling Nune with accent on the e, I don't know how to put that on!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
She was supposed to on a pilgrimage, being kidnapped for sacrifice was not in the plan!
I gotta be honest here, and you'll know when I gotta talk about my feelings about books, I'm nothing if not honest! When asked did I want to read this book, it came with a link, and of course I looked at it, and my first reaction was nope. That cover did nothing for me, but the blurb grabbed, so I said yes. NOW, I've read this book, and feel I should say this. That cover is right and proper for this book!! It fits Nune and Ty's story so perfectly! And it is a rather good book!
Nune is a day elf, a Druid, and Ty a night elf. They usually never cross paths. Nune is on a pilgrimage and Ty is on an initiation to move up the warrior ranks, I forget what the name he used is, sorry! Nune was supposed to be his sacrifice for this initiation, but after befriending each other, they question why Ty suddenly has to do this, when it's never been required of warriors before.
It is, quite simply, brilliantly written high fantasy. I really find myself engrossed in Nune and Ty, and their path towards finding out just what is going on in Ty's village, and why things are changing so rapidly, to the detriment of the day elves. It's told from both Nune and Ty's point of view. It does carry some difficult subjects, kidnap, elf sacrifice but these are dealt with very well.
Its not overly explicit, indeed, I thought it might actually come out clean, but Nune and Ty do get naughty on. Again, well written. Not overly graphic either, what's here is right for this book.
And there is a MUCH bigger picture that I'm still not seeing. Ty's brother is missing. There's the reason why the Nameless Gods are being summoned. And Ty still has to face his superiors about his failed quest when he gets home.
A step out of my comfort zone, but a very nice step. I hope I get to foloow Nune and Ty on their quest.
And an apology to the author for not spelling Nune with accent on the e, I don't know how to put that on!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Jamie (131 KP) rated Shimmer and Burn in Books
Jul 30, 2017
Unique magic concept (2 more)
Fast paced and engaging story
Dreamy male lead
Bland main character (1 more)
Details about the world and magic is mildly confusing
Threading blood magic in a dying world
Shimmer and Burn was much much darker than I expected and I LOVED it. A locked away kingdom ruled by a ruthless king, forbidden blood magic that is both beautiful and deadly, a power hungry princess, a dying world infested with diseased cannibals–this book had it all. That is, except for the main character, Faris.
This book was almost perfect for me, but I just wish that Faris wasn’t so bland. The book is carried by an extremely strong plot and well developed side characters but.. well the story just sort of happens to Faris. She is constantly made out to be a fighter but she ends up running or needing to be saved almost every time. She has one central motivation, her sister, and some heartbreak over Thaelan, but that’s really all her character really has going for her.
Thankfully the other characters help drive the plot forward. I’ve never been one to fawn over book boyfriends but that changed with North. I really like North and Faris together, even though their romance sort of shows up out of thin air in a mild case of instalove. I would expect characters to talk and have more interaction before they go falling “in love.” It’s not the worst thing in the world, I still liked the characters and their romance so I was willing to look past that.
My favorite part of the book is the absolutely incredible magic system which is unlike any other I’ve ever read. Magic is described as being beautiful like threads that can just as easily fray and destroy the magic wielder if not handled with care. It is treated as something alien, even for the humans with a natural born ability to wield it. I can’t overstate enough how much I love this concept. The intricate political relationships in this novel is also extremely well done and I’m so excited to read the next book.
A fair warning though, this book is definitely not for the faint of heart. While the romance may be clean, the violence definitely isn’t. This book isn’t the goriest I’ve ever read but it does not shy away from the gruesome details. If you can stomach the gritty content then I highly recommend this book, it’s one of the best YA books I’ve read in a while.
This book was almost perfect for me, but I just wish that Faris wasn’t so bland. The book is carried by an extremely strong plot and well developed side characters but.. well the story just sort of happens to Faris. She is constantly made out to be a fighter but she ends up running or needing to be saved almost every time. She has one central motivation, her sister, and some heartbreak over Thaelan, but that’s really all her character really has going for her.
Thankfully the other characters help drive the plot forward. I’ve never been one to fawn over book boyfriends but that changed with North. I really like North and Faris together, even though their romance sort of shows up out of thin air in a mild case of instalove. I would expect characters to talk and have more interaction before they go falling “in love.” It’s not the worst thing in the world, I still liked the characters and their romance so I was willing to look past that.
My favorite part of the book is the absolutely incredible magic system which is unlike any other I’ve ever read. Magic is described as being beautiful like threads that can just as easily fray and destroy the magic wielder if not handled with care. It is treated as something alien, even for the humans with a natural born ability to wield it. I can’t overstate enough how much I love this concept. The intricate political relationships in this novel is also extremely well done and I’m so excited to read the next book.
A fair warning though, this book is definitely not for the faint of heart. While the romance may be clean, the violence definitely isn’t. This book isn’t the goriest I’ve ever read but it does not shy away from the gruesome details. If you can stomach the gritty content then I highly recommend this book, it’s one of the best YA books I’ve read in a while.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated A Jolly Good Fellow in Books
Apr 27, 2018
A Jolly Good Fellow by Stephen V. Masse
Genre: Fiction, Comedy, sort of Crime Fiction but not really
Rating: 3.75/5
Summary: Duncan is driving to the kids house. He has a plan—he’s going to kidnap him. But then he sees the kid hitchhiking in the snow. What better way to kidnap someone that to pick him up off the road and offer him a ride? Duncan dresses up as Santa Clause and sits on the street ringing a bell all day. The funds go to the needy—needy as in him. Duncan wants revenge, and he wants the ransom money. But Duncan isn’t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer… he has no idea how to do a proper kidnapping.
Thoughts: A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW was really cute. It made me laugh, it made me smile, it had its nerve-wracking moments. It’s right in between a 3/5 and a 4 on the scale for me. The reason why is this—the plot was awesome, very unique, original, and very cute, the characters were hilarious and enchanting, but it was a little slow through the first three quarters of the book. Not that it dragged, just that it felt like the last section was fast paced, and the rest was slower and more relaxed, and those two things didn’t go well together and didn’t transition well.
I laughed a lot while I read A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW. If I had to pick a category, I’d choose comedy. It was cute and funny and a little silly, but silly in a good fun-to-read way.
The characters’ dialogue was written so that you could hear their voices in your head when they spoke. I loved hearing their accents while I read, it gave a lot of life to them. Duncan and Gabriel were very animated. Gabriel (the kid) was so full of life and energy. He was also very real. He acted the way a normal kid his age would act, he wasn’t a “perfect” child, an unrealistic character.
Content: There were a few bad words scattered throughout the book, but not much. Duncan went to the triple-X rated movie one night, but nothing was described. All in all, this was a very clean book.
Recommendation: Ages 14+ to anyone who wants a good holiday laugh. I stayed up pretty late reading this one because I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for more from Stephen Masse.
*This book won the INDEPENDEND PUBLISHING BOOK AWARD*
**Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for my review copy!**
Genre: Fiction, Comedy, sort of Crime Fiction but not really
Rating: 3.75/5
Summary: Duncan is driving to the kids house. He has a plan—he’s going to kidnap him. But then he sees the kid hitchhiking in the snow. What better way to kidnap someone that to pick him up off the road and offer him a ride? Duncan dresses up as Santa Clause and sits on the street ringing a bell all day. The funds go to the needy—needy as in him. Duncan wants revenge, and he wants the ransom money. But Duncan isn’t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer… he has no idea how to do a proper kidnapping.
Thoughts: A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW was really cute. It made me laugh, it made me smile, it had its nerve-wracking moments. It’s right in between a 3/5 and a 4 on the scale for me. The reason why is this—the plot was awesome, very unique, original, and very cute, the characters were hilarious and enchanting, but it was a little slow through the first three quarters of the book. Not that it dragged, just that it felt like the last section was fast paced, and the rest was slower and more relaxed, and those two things didn’t go well together and didn’t transition well.
I laughed a lot while I read A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW. If I had to pick a category, I’d choose comedy. It was cute and funny and a little silly, but silly in a good fun-to-read way.
The characters’ dialogue was written so that you could hear their voices in your head when they spoke. I loved hearing their accents while I read, it gave a lot of life to them. Duncan and Gabriel were very animated. Gabriel (the kid) was so full of life and energy. He was also very real. He acted the way a normal kid his age would act, he wasn’t a “perfect” child, an unrealistic character.
Content: There were a few bad words scattered throughout the book, but not much. Duncan went to the triple-X rated movie one night, but nothing was described. All in all, this was a very clean book.
Recommendation: Ages 14+ to anyone who wants a good holiday laugh. I stayed up pretty late reading this one because I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for more from Stephen Masse.
*This book won the INDEPENDEND PUBLISHING BOOK AWARD*
**Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for my review copy!**
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Danny The Dragon "Meets Jimmy" in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The first thing I noticed about the book when I picked it up was the gold sticker on the cover that stated "Best Books AWARD FINALIST- USA Book News," and my first thoughts were, "Wow, this book must be really something." The picture on the cover featured a detailed illustration of a dragon, a boy, and smaller creature that looked vaguely like a frog. The illustration of the dragon is quite unique in that it is covered in multi-colored spots and mismatched stripes and wears a yellow-and-blue backpack and red tennis shoes. One of the opening pages shows two quotes, one from the author and one from the illustrator, discussing briefly how they both came to put together this book. The illustrations for the story itself are large, colorful, and fill the wide two-page spread, providing plenty for my two-year-old daughter to stare at and study. I did find it strange that there was no actual title page, but I suppose that would have been redundant.
The boy's name is Jimmy, and his sister's name is Sally, and both children and the dragon are polite and well-mannered throughout the story, using "Please" and "Thankyou" and helping Mom and Dad clean up both the beach supplies at the beginning of the story and the dishes after supper. The smaller green creature from the cover pops out of the green and white seashell with Danny the Dragon, and we are informed his name is Skipper and that he is Danny's navigator, but not what kind of creature he is. Danny explains that water will make him shrink back to fit inside the shell, and a lack of water causes him to come out of the shell as he grows big, which brings to mind the small toys that expand when placed in water (only opposite). All of the characters in the story are articulate and kind to each other, and there is nothing about the story that would be considered scary or bad, which is quite appropriate for the 4 to 8 year-old age group that the book is intended for. The story even promotes healthy eating, as the family has homemade vegetable soup for supper. The book is quite obviously set up for at least one sequel, as at the ending when Jimmy asks Danny where he came from and where has he been, Danny politely answers, "I will tell you some other time. For now it is bedtime. Goodnight - pleasant dreams."
The boy's name is Jimmy, and his sister's name is Sally, and both children and the dragon are polite and well-mannered throughout the story, using "Please" and "Thankyou" and helping Mom and Dad clean up both the beach supplies at the beginning of the story and the dishes after supper. The smaller green creature from the cover pops out of the green and white seashell with Danny the Dragon, and we are informed his name is Skipper and that he is Danny's navigator, but not what kind of creature he is. Danny explains that water will make him shrink back to fit inside the shell, and a lack of water causes him to come out of the shell as he grows big, which brings to mind the small toys that expand when placed in water (only opposite). All of the characters in the story are articulate and kind to each other, and there is nothing about the story that would be considered scary or bad, which is quite appropriate for the 4 to 8 year-old age group that the book is intended for. The story even promotes healthy eating, as the family has homemade vegetable soup for supper. The book is quite obviously set up for at least one sequel, as at the ending when Jimmy asks Danny where he came from and where has he been, Danny politely answers, "I will tell you some other time. For now it is bedtime. Goodnight - pleasant dreams."
Debbiereadsbook (1110 KP) rated Lander (Oberon Cycle #2) in Books
Feb 15, 2018
A-MAZ-ING follow up!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Oberon Cycle, and you really REALLY must read book one, Skythane, first. These are NOT stand alones!
What they are though, is brilliant!
Reeling from their discoveries that they are not who they thought they were, Xander and Jameson thought they had fulfilled their prophecy, but it seems there is more in store for these two, as joining the worlds of Oberon and Titania has bought them more than they expected!
Told from both Xander and Jameson AND a whole host of other characters who I don't recall having a say in book one, we get the whole picture of what is happening on this little planet that was put back together. There are some things laid out for book three, some things that I'm not sure how will play out, but that's not an issue here, because I loved this book!
What made it, for me, *and please don't fall off your chair when I say this* is how very CLEAN this book is! Xander and Jameson shut you down, right at the good bits and they do it so well, its brilliantly written! Their love, even when faced with the possibility that it might be chemically induced, is evident, even when they take time apart get to the bottom of what they are really feeling, and it comes across in all the right places. Also, Quince and Robyn, while they don't get to their "good bits" yet, I expect they will shut me down just as good.
The general world *and I mean this quite LITERALLY* building is amazing, and you still don't get a massive info dump, its comes in dribs and drabs, but I again stress, you NEED book one first. The world building here is not the same as book one because, you know, they joined this world and everything is different, and not recapped the same way as it comes across in book one.
I cannot wait to see how this pans out, I'd love everyone, and I mean each and every member of this massive cast, to get their own happy ever after, I just don't see how that might play out. I have hopes for some people, I really do!
Coatsworth skill continues to grow, and I look forward to reading the final part to this series, even if I do have to wait another year!
5 amazing stars!
*8same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 2 in the Oberon Cycle, and you really REALLY must read book one, Skythane, first. These are NOT stand alones!
What they are though, is brilliant!
Reeling from their discoveries that they are not who they thought they were, Xander and Jameson thought they had fulfilled their prophecy, but it seems there is more in store for these two, as joining the worlds of Oberon and Titania has bought them more than they expected!
Told from both Xander and Jameson AND a whole host of other characters who I don't recall having a say in book one, we get the whole picture of what is happening on this little planet that was put back together. There are some things laid out for book three, some things that I'm not sure how will play out, but that's not an issue here, because I loved this book!
What made it, for me, *and please don't fall off your chair when I say this* is how very CLEAN this book is! Xander and Jameson shut you down, right at the good bits and they do it so well, its brilliantly written! Their love, even when faced with the possibility that it might be chemically induced, is evident, even when they take time apart get to the bottom of what they are really feeling, and it comes across in all the right places. Also, Quince and Robyn, while they don't get to their "good bits" yet, I expect they will shut me down just as good.
The general world *and I mean this quite LITERALLY* building is amazing, and you still don't get a massive info dump, its comes in dribs and drabs, but I again stress, you NEED book one first. The world building here is not the same as book one because, you know, they joined this world and everything is different, and not recapped the same way as it comes across in book one.
I cannot wait to see how this pans out, I'd love everyone, and I mean each and every member of this massive cast, to get their own happy ever after, I just don't see how that might play out. I have hopes for some people, I really do!
Coatsworth skill continues to grow, and I look forward to reading the final part to this series, even if I do have to wait another year!
5 amazing stars!
*8same worded review will appear elsewhere**
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Game Night (2018) in Movies
Feb 28, 2018
Funny film with Intelligent humor
Heading into GAME NIGHT, I was trying to remember the last time I saw a good, funny film that did not rely on Gross-Out Humor or Sex & Fart jokes to mine it's laughs.
No need to try to remember now, for GAME NIGHT is a very funny, mostly clean, good old-fashioned comedy where the comedy comes out of how the characters react and interact with each other as an increasingly complex and out-of-control series of events batter them from every possible angle.
Co-Directed by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein (the duo previously co-Directed the remake of VACATION in 2015), GAME NIGHT tells the story of an ultra-competitive couple, Max & Annie (Jason Bateman & Rachel McAdams) who's weekly GAME NIGHT is upended by Max' much more successful older brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler) who promises to "up the ante" on game night by providing a "murder-mystery" type kidnapping. When real kidnappers show up and kidnap Brooks, the clueless couple - and their friends - try to solve what they think is a make believe mystery.
As Directed by Daley & Goldstein and with the subtle comedic stylings of Bateman & McAdams, this film succeeds very well in a calm, funny manner. The humorous parts of this film are viewed with kind of a sideways glance vs. the usual temptation to bash the audience over the head with it. It's as if the filmmakers and actors are relying on the intelligence of the audience to mine their humor. It was quite refreshing for me, as an audience member, to be treated with this respect. And...it was darned funny.
Joining Bateman and McAdams are Sharon Horgan, Billy Magnussen, Lamorne Morris & Kylie Bunbury as the other 2 couples competing to solve the mystery. All are funny in their own way, but Magnussen rises slightly above the rest for his take on "the dumb blonde." But, surprisingly, the person who steals the film is Jessie Plemons as Max & Annie's strange neighbor. Plemons, heretofore known to me only as a dramatic actor, plays his character with such a deadpan earnestness, that I started chuckling whenever he just showed up on the screen - a very good sign, indeed.
If you are looking for a good, funny, film (one where you would be comfortable sitting through with your spouse), then run, don't walk to GAME NIGHT, it will be well worth your time.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
P.S.: Stay through the end of the credits, it will be worth it.
No need to try to remember now, for GAME NIGHT is a very funny, mostly clean, good old-fashioned comedy where the comedy comes out of how the characters react and interact with each other as an increasingly complex and out-of-control series of events batter them from every possible angle.
Co-Directed by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein (the duo previously co-Directed the remake of VACATION in 2015), GAME NIGHT tells the story of an ultra-competitive couple, Max & Annie (Jason Bateman & Rachel McAdams) who's weekly GAME NIGHT is upended by Max' much more successful older brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler) who promises to "up the ante" on game night by providing a "murder-mystery" type kidnapping. When real kidnappers show up and kidnap Brooks, the clueless couple - and their friends - try to solve what they think is a make believe mystery.
As Directed by Daley & Goldstein and with the subtle comedic stylings of Bateman & McAdams, this film succeeds very well in a calm, funny manner. The humorous parts of this film are viewed with kind of a sideways glance vs. the usual temptation to bash the audience over the head with it. It's as if the filmmakers and actors are relying on the intelligence of the audience to mine their humor. It was quite refreshing for me, as an audience member, to be treated with this respect. And...it was darned funny.
Joining Bateman and McAdams are Sharon Horgan, Billy Magnussen, Lamorne Morris & Kylie Bunbury as the other 2 couples competing to solve the mystery. All are funny in their own way, but Magnussen rises slightly above the rest for his take on "the dumb blonde." But, surprisingly, the person who steals the film is Jessie Plemons as Max & Annie's strange neighbor. Plemons, heretofore known to me only as a dramatic actor, plays his character with such a deadpan earnestness, that I started chuckling whenever he just showed up on the screen - a very good sign, indeed.
If you are looking for a good, funny, film (one where you would be comfortable sitting through with your spouse), then run, don't walk to GAME NIGHT, it will be well worth your time.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
P.S.: Stay through the end of the credits, it will be worth it.
Kristin (149 KP) rated Other Side of Forever in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Allie is that awkward girl in school with only a couple friends, trying to keep her head down and her nose clean and make it through each day without causing a scene. However, there's a secret she's been carrying for years, a secret not even her best friend knows, and that's how she wants it to stay. That is, until a new boy strolls into the shop where she works, and throws all her best-laid plans of staying off love's radar out the window.
I rather enjoyed this book right from the start, as I remember being one of those awkward high school kids. Although, it was never to the extent of Allie, as she has to hold her emotions in check due to her secret. Not too easy when you're being harassed by two older bullies just for accidentally pushing one down the stairs. But while the two girls are trashing the store where she works, Allie loses it, and now what does she do? They know there's something up with her, but not exactly what, and then this hot new guy shows up, and her day just keeps getting better. Although many people would love the gorgeous new kid to take a shine to them, Allie's the complete opposite, and it gnaws at her that she feels an electric attraction to him whenever he's around. The main characters really grabbed my attention, as Allie and Ethan are both hiding something, and I couldn't wait to get to the part where they finally opened up about their secrets. Ethan's is a little beyond what Allie could have imagined, but their bond is great, and he helps her cope with everything in her life.
My only issue is I felt the ending was rushed. It was a great story, don't get me wrong, but about 3/4 through, I was under the impression it would continue into a second book because of the issue with Ethan (I don't want to give too much away). However, only a couple of chapters later, it gets resolved in one of those "happened in the background" type ways, and it just didn't seem to flow with the pace of the story. I would love a continuation, to see how the characters cope with what happens in the end, but if that's the case, then I wish the last couple chapters of this one had been stretched into a sequel. Still, a very good read, and I'd recommend it to fans of the paranormal, paranormal romance, and YA.
4 stars
Allie is that awkward girl in school with only a couple friends, trying to keep her head down and her nose clean and make it through each day without causing a scene. However, there's a secret she's been carrying for years, a secret not even her best friend knows, and that's how she wants it to stay. That is, until a new boy strolls into the shop where she works, and throws all her best-laid plans of staying off love's radar out the window.
I rather enjoyed this book right from the start, as I remember being one of those awkward high school kids. Although, it was never to the extent of Allie, as she has to hold her emotions in check due to her secret. Not too easy when you're being harassed by two older bullies just for accidentally pushing one down the stairs. But while the two girls are trashing the store where she works, Allie loses it, and now what does she do? They know there's something up with her, but not exactly what, and then this hot new guy shows up, and her day just keeps getting better. Although many people would love the gorgeous new kid to take a shine to them, Allie's the complete opposite, and it gnaws at her that she feels an electric attraction to him whenever he's around. The main characters really grabbed my attention, as Allie and Ethan are both hiding something, and I couldn't wait to get to the part where they finally opened up about their secrets. Ethan's is a little beyond what Allie could have imagined, but their bond is great, and he helps her cope with everything in her life.
My only issue is I felt the ending was rushed. It was a great story, don't get me wrong, but about 3/4 through, I was under the impression it would continue into a second book because of the issue with Ethan (I don't want to give too much away). However, only a couple of chapters later, it gets resolved in one of those "happened in the background" type ways, and it just didn't seem to flow with the pace of the story. I would love a continuation, to see how the characters cope with what happens in the end, but if that's the case, then I wish the last couple chapters of this one had been stretched into a sequel. Still, a very good read, and I'd recommend it to fans of the paranormal, paranormal romance, and YA.
4 stars
Sarah (126 KP) rated Samsung Galaxy S8 in Tech
Jul 30, 2018
Another Great Samsung Phone
I switched from an iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy several years back, having had a series of iPhones and not believing anything could live up to the high expectations I had. Within days, I was an absolute convert and now couldn't imagine going back to an iPhone, having had a string of Galaxy handsets.
Going from my previous handset (the S6) to the S8, I was disappointed at first with the lack of a physical home button - as it turns out, I don't actually miss it at all. Force of habit means that now and again I will try to press a home button or stare blankly at the screen for a moment to try and figure out what I'm meant to do, but that's more me being a bit dizzy than anything!
As with previous models, apps can be downloaded from the Google Play Store as well as third-party apps without having to "jailbreak" or otherwise void the warranty of the phone, you simply allow third party apps in the settings.
Having had the phone for around six months, there are times when it lags, odd occasions when it freezes or restarts itself, but honestly these are issues that every phone can throw up from time to time and not something that would make me decide there was a problem - usually, anything can be resolved with a restart or running some sort of clean up/diagnostic and deleting junk. One criticism, the actual body of the phone seems a little easier to damage than the S6. I'm notorious for dropping, bashing and knocking my phone and, eventually, ending up with a crack somewhere on the screen. This time, I managed to crack the *back* of the phone when taking it out of a holder. My husband's screen seemingly cracked in the heat of July 2018 in the UK! He's put a super-duper hide-the-cracks screen protector on, which makes it look as good as new, and I've got mine in a case now because i'm clumsy, but neither of these were things I would have expected from the treatment the phone had received!
Compared with previous models, it is a definite upgrade in the real sense of the word - the camera is better, it runs more smoothly (obviously, having been designed to cope better with the demands of the ever-improving operating systems that are rolled out on a fairly regular basis), and is a sleeker, better looking version of its predecessors. But, put it in a case!
Going from my previous handset (the S6) to the S8, I was disappointed at first with the lack of a physical home button - as it turns out, I don't actually miss it at all. Force of habit means that now and again I will try to press a home button or stare blankly at the screen for a moment to try and figure out what I'm meant to do, but that's more me being a bit dizzy than anything!
As with previous models, apps can be downloaded from the Google Play Store as well as third-party apps without having to "jailbreak" or otherwise void the warranty of the phone, you simply allow third party apps in the settings.
Having had the phone for around six months, there are times when it lags, odd occasions when it freezes or restarts itself, but honestly these are issues that every phone can throw up from time to time and not something that would make me decide there was a problem - usually, anything can be resolved with a restart or running some sort of clean up/diagnostic and deleting junk. One criticism, the actual body of the phone seems a little easier to damage than the S6. I'm notorious for dropping, bashing and knocking my phone and, eventually, ending up with a crack somewhere on the screen. This time, I managed to crack the *back* of the phone when taking it out of a holder. My husband's screen seemingly cracked in the heat of July 2018 in the UK! He's put a super-duper hide-the-cracks screen protector on, which makes it look as good as new, and I've got mine in a case now because i'm clumsy, but neither of these were things I would have expected from the treatment the phone had received!
Compared with previous models, it is a definite upgrade in the real sense of the word - the camera is better, it runs more smoothly (obviously, having been designed to cope better with the demands of the ever-improving operating systems that are rolled out on a fairly regular basis), and is a sleeker, better looking version of its predecessors. But, put it in a case!
