Search
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Grind in Books
Jun 12, 2019
First of all, can we appreciate how cool this cover is? It’s makes me want to drink so much tea and coffee. When Edward Vukovic offered me a free print copy in exchange for an honest review, I couldn’t pass it up, even though it’s a bit darker than the usual books I read for Lover’s Quarrel.
I knew this book was going to be good and it didn’t disappoint. Ziva’s an excellently complex and well-written character. And this book has the ability to pull you into its world with its excellent descriptions and smooth language.
Unfortunately, this can be a dark and dreary world that will sometimes leave you in unnecessary suspense. Time can also be a little wonky, too, due to the several points of view.
While there are many storylines, Ziva and Isaac are the main characters. Ziva’s an immigrant from Macedonia, trying to make a living working at a clothing factory so she can eventually gain independence from her brother and his wife. Isaac is a bar owner and amateur writer trying to get over the death the death of his own wife.
They by far have the happiest story and they work so well together. I wish the book focused more on them and less on other characters. Every time something important happened with them– Isaac asks Ziva out for coffee, Ziva appears on his doorstep, anything that foreshadows hope and happiness and excitement– storylines were switched. We were suddenly on Simon’s point of view, or Michel’s. And I could have done with less of that.
Especially less focus on Simon.
Simon’s a negative guy with a negative outlook. He’s like an Edgar Allen Poe story in the form of a person. He’ll make you hate life and he hurts everyone around him. Getting through his chapters took forever because he was so dreary.
Michel, a homeless man hiding from dangerous old contacts, had a pretty good storyline. Actually, it was really interesting and complex. If it were its own book, then it would have been a great book to read. But shared with Ziva and Isaac, is was a pain in the butt. And it really hurt both storylines.
Because both storylines were crammed into only 391 pages, they both suffered. I wanted to know more about Michel’s past and Danielle’s home life, and see more of the two of them. I also wanted to know more about Ziva and what happens with her and Isaac, as well as what happens with her work. Ziva’s brother was really well-developed in the beginning and then he just disappears. What’s that about? And what the hell are Ziva and Isaac going to do about the really fast development in their relationship? (I wish I could say, but it’s too much of a spoiler.)
While this is still an excellently written book with an intricate plot, Vukovic’s storytelling skill is not all the way honed yet. I have no doubt that this book will be followed by better books by him.
I knew this book was going to be good and it didn’t disappoint. Ziva’s an excellently complex and well-written character. And this book has the ability to pull you into its world with its excellent descriptions and smooth language.
Unfortunately, this can be a dark and dreary world that will sometimes leave you in unnecessary suspense. Time can also be a little wonky, too, due to the several points of view.
While there are many storylines, Ziva and Isaac are the main characters. Ziva’s an immigrant from Macedonia, trying to make a living working at a clothing factory so she can eventually gain independence from her brother and his wife. Isaac is a bar owner and amateur writer trying to get over the death the death of his own wife.
They by far have the happiest story and they work so well together. I wish the book focused more on them and less on other characters. Every time something important happened with them– Isaac asks Ziva out for coffee, Ziva appears on his doorstep, anything that foreshadows hope and happiness and excitement– storylines were switched. We were suddenly on Simon’s point of view, or Michel’s. And I could have done with less of that.
Especially less focus on Simon.
Simon’s a negative guy with a negative outlook. He’s like an Edgar Allen Poe story in the form of a person. He’ll make you hate life and he hurts everyone around him. Getting through his chapters took forever because he was so dreary.
Michel, a homeless man hiding from dangerous old contacts, had a pretty good storyline. Actually, it was really interesting and complex. If it were its own book, then it would have been a great book to read. But shared with Ziva and Isaac, is was a pain in the butt. And it really hurt both storylines.
Because both storylines were crammed into only 391 pages, they both suffered. I wanted to know more about Michel’s past and Danielle’s home life, and see more of the two of them. I also wanted to know more about Ziva and what happens with her and Isaac, as well as what happens with her work. Ziva’s brother was really well-developed in the beginning and then he just disappears. What’s that about? And what the hell are Ziva and Isaac going to do about the really fast development in their relationship? (I wish I could say, but it’s too much of a spoiler.)
While this is still an excellently written book with an intricate plot, Vukovic’s storytelling skill is not all the way honed yet. I have no doubt that this book will be followed by better books by him.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Other Side of the Looking Glass in Books
Feb 29, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
The Other Side of the Looking Glass by Kathleen Harryman is an amazing and well-written story. It focuses on some very hard topics (that I discuss in the final paragraph) and readers need to be prepared for that. The frequent reader will probably figure out the plot early like I did.
Kate is married to a very wealthy man, Liam, who believes appearances are everything. Liam spends thousands on clothing for Kate to keep her looking what he considers to be appropriate. The only time they really spend any time together is at events when Liam wants or feels the need to show Kate off. However, Kate is very unhappy with this arrangement and ends up falling in love with one of her doctors. Kate knows Liam will never let her go, so with the help of her doctor they create an elaborate plan to make Liam believe Kate is going to die of cancer and send her away to a clinic.
Even in severe sickness Liam refuses to give up Kate, but her current state of “illness” is unacceptable to him so he does exactly as she expects and sends her away. What he does after she is gone is even more of a problem. With that being said Liam creates his own plan. He will replace the “sick” Kate with a healthy look-a-like. The only problem is that he must change the look-a-like’s memories and behaviors to match that of the original Kate. Too bad for Liam memories have a way of coming back, that and because he is a perfectionist a look-a-like will not do it for him. No, he needs someone identical to Kate. Now, where can he find an identical match to his wife?
The emotions the book provoked were very strong and very real. The writing was well done to the point that while reading it was possible to feel everything the characters go through. It is impressive when writing can provoke real emotions. What I did not like was that the plot is given away way too early into the book. The book ended up being externally predictive because of it. There really wasn’t much in the lines of surprising twist either, which was disappointing.
An adult book for sure. Some very mature high school students should be able to handle it, but I would not recommend it for anyone under 16. Foul language, abuse both physical and mental, and rape run rampant in this book, not to mention pregnancy death and kidnapping. You have been warned. I rate this book 2 out of 4. I really enjoyed this book but the fact that I had the ending figured out three chapters in was disappointing. It can really ruin a well written, emotional book when the entire plot is exposed way to early.
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews/
https://smashbomb.com/nightreader
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
Kate is married to a very wealthy man, Liam, who believes appearances are everything. Liam spends thousands on clothing for Kate to keep her looking what he considers to be appropriate. The only time they really spend any time together is at events when Liam wants or feels the need to show Kate off. However, Kate is very unhappy with this arrangement and ends up falling in love with one of her doctors. Kate knows Liam will never let her go, so with the help of her doctor they create an elaborate plan to make Liam believe Kate is going to die of cancer and send her away to a clinic.
Even in severe sickness Liam refuses to give up Kate, but her current state of “illness” is unacceptable to him so he does exactly as she expects and sends her away. What he does after she is gone is even more of a problem. With that being said Liam creates his own plan. He will replace the “sick” Kate with a healthy look-a-like. The only problem is that he must change the look-a-like’s memories and behaviors to match that of the original Kate. Too bad for Liam memories have a way of coming back, that and because he is a perfectionist a look-a-like will not do it for him. No, he needs someone identical to Kate. Now, where can he find an identical match to his wife?
The emotions the book provoked were very strong and very real. The writing was well done to the point that while reading it was possible to feel everything the characters go through. It is impressive when writing can provoke real emotions. What I did not like was that the plot is given away way too early into the book. The book ended up being externally predictive because of it. There really wasn’t much in the lines of surprising twist either, which was disappointing.
An adult book for sure. Some very mature high school students should be able to handle it, but I would not recommend it for anyone under 16. Foul language, abuse both physical and mental, and rape run rampant in this book, not to mention pregnancy death and kidnapping. You have been warned. I rate this book 2 out of 4. I really enjoyed this book but the fact that I had the ending figured out three chapters in was disappointing. It can really ruin a well written, emotional book when the entire plot is exposed way to early.
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews/
https://smashbomb.com/nightreader
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
English with Words - Learn English Vocabulary
Education and Travel
App
English with Words - Learn English Vocabulary with Words - More than 2.000.000 users; - Best new...
Dote Shopping
Shopping and Lifestyle
App
Dote has all of your favorite stores for clothes and make-up. Get all the best deals—Dote lets you...
Coco Fashion
Games and Entertainment
2.0
Rate It
App
~~> Welcome to the Coco Fashion Show! The trendiest 3D fashion show game on the app store! ~~> Be...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated GoodFellas (1990) in Movies
Jun 26, 2020
LIKE A FINE WINE - gets better with age
I have to admit, when I first watched GOODFELLAS 30 years ago, I thought it was "good" but not "great".
The years and subsequent viewings of this epic masterpiece has slowly changed my mind.
Directed by one of the finest Directors of all-time, GOODFELLAS is based on the real-life experience of former "Wiseguy" Nicholas Pileggi (from his book) and depicts mob life in New York City in the 1960's and the 1970's.
Scorcese knows this world and it's looks & feels and you can sense that world while watching this movie. Whether it's the clothing, the set decorations, the vocal inflections or the music choices, Scorcese meticulously blends all of the minutiae of these eras and these people extremely effectively to draw a vivid picture of people - and gangsters - of another era.
It helps tremendously that he has an "A" cast to inherit the characters. Robert DeNiro shows his ferocious personae as a "force to be reckoned with" as legendary (their word) mobster Jimmy Conway. He has a danger to him that could erupt at any time, but he also has something else - probably even more dangerous - he's smart and wily and will meticulously plan his crimes out. This makes him stand out in a world where most are acting out of impulse. Joe Pesci, rightfully, won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his take on psychopathic gangster Tommy DeVito. What struck me on this viewing of the film was how small a role in this film that Tommy is. Pesci is not on-screen all that much, but for the scenes that he is in, he is incredibly powerful. You can see that Tommy is dangerous and needs to be handled with "kit gloves".
Scorcese took a chance by centering this film on an unknown actor on who's shoulders that this film will stand or fall - and he chose wisely - for Ray Liotta's performance as Henry Hill is fascinating to watch. He has a charisma and charm to him that draws you in, but there is also an air about him that repels you away at the same time. Scorcese cast another unknown, Lorraine Bracco as Henry's wife, Karen Hill, who is drawn towards the power and danger of Henry (and his world). Bracco was nominated for an Oscar and Liotta never came close to this level of performance for the rest of his career.
Credit, therefore, must be given to the Directorial job that Scorcese put in on this film. This is his masterpiece (despite what the Oscars say). Years from now when scholars look back on his career, this (along with Raging Bull) will be the films that are shown (not THE DEPARTED - the film that he, finally, won his Oscar for).
I find more and more nuance and richness to this film upon subsequent re-watches, and I drank those in on this viewing. GOODFELLAS is like a fine wine, it gets better with age.
Letter Grade: A
9 stars out of 10 (and you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
The years and subsequent viewings of this epic masterpiece has slowly changed my mind.
Directed by one of the finest Directors of all-time, GOODFELLAS is based on the real-life experience of former "Wiseguy" Nicholas Pileggi (from his book) and depicts mob life in New York City in the 1960's and the 1970's.
Scorcese knows this world and it's looks & feels and you can sense that world while watching this movie. Whether it's the clothing, the set decorations, the vocal inflections or the music choices, Scorcese meticulously blends all of the minutiae of these eras and these people extremely effectively to draw a vivid picture of people - and gangsters - of another era.
It helps tremendously that he has an "A" cast to inherit the characters. Robert DeNiro shows his ferocious personae as a "force to be reckoned with" as legendary (their word) mobster Jimmy Conway. He has a danger to him that could erupt at any time, but he also has something else - probably even more dangerous - he's smart and wily and will meticulously plan his crimes out. This makes him stand out in a world where most are acting out of impulse. Joe Pesci, rightfully, won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his take on psychopathic gangster Tommy DeVito. What struck me on this viewing of the film was how small a role in this film that Tommy is. Pesci is not on-screen all that much, but for the scenes that he is in, he is incredibly powerful. You can see that Tommy is dangerous and needs to be handled with "kit gloves".
Scorcese took a chance by centering this film on an unknown actor on who's shoulders that this film will stand or fall - and he chose wisely - for Ray Liotta's performance as Henry Hill is fascinating to watch. He has a charisma and charm to him that draws you in, but there is also an air about him that repels you away at the same time. Scorcese cast another unknown, Lorraine Bracco as Henry's wife, Karen Hill, who is drawn towards the power and danger of Henry (and his world). Bracco was nominated for an Oscar and Liotta never came close to this level of performance for the rest of his career.
Credit, therefore, must be given to the Directorial job that Scorcese put in on this film. This is his masterpiece (despite what the Oscars say). Years from now when scholars look back on his career, this (along with Raging Bull) will be the films that are shown (not THE DEPARTED - the film that he, finally, won his Oscar for).
I find more and more nuance and richness to this film upon subsequent re-watches, and I drank those in on this viewing. GOODFELLAS is like a fine wine, it gets better with age.
Letter Grade: A
9 stars out of 10 (and you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated Rare Beasts (2019) in Movies
Oct 14, 2019
Directorial debuts are tough, and it gives people a chance to establish their personal style. Sadly for me, Billie Piper’s first film had a style that didn’t sit well with me at all. She was heavily involved in the project; directing, writing and starring in it, but her unique first film is perhaps a bit too quirky.
Rare Beasts follows Mandy, a career-driven single mother (Billie Piper) and her turbulent relationship with Pete (Leo Bill). Possibly the most frustrating thing about this film as it’s unclear why the two of them even ended up together at all.
It’s not uncommon for people to choose poorly when they’re dating, and end up in a relationship that doesn’t work, but Rare Beasts offers no reason for the two to even end up together in the first place. Mandy’s a single mother, she’s wild, she wears bold clothing, and Pete is a traditionalist who is, frankly, a misogynist with anger issues.
Interestingly, the film’s synopsis describes Pete as ‘charming’, and I’m unable to see that quality in him, nor is it ever shown from Mandy’s point of view. She never once looks at Pete lovingly, or seems charmed by him.
The lack of context or any indication as to what drove them to be together is a problem for me. Even if we saw one tiny nice moment between them it would make sense, but throughout the film they’re consistently awful to each other with no redeeming features.
Combined with a narrative that is all over the place and dialogue that feels very unnatural, it comes across as jarring most of the time. I have no issue with unconventional film styles, but I found it very hard to follow what was going on at various points.
It seems Rare Beasts is confused about what tone its actually going for, switching between whimsical musical style scenes (minus the music or singing) and gritty realism in a matter of seconds.
I appreciated the efforts to raise awareness of social issues such as domestic abuse, gender inequalities and the struggles of bringing up a child as a single parent, but these messages are squashed by a visual style that is rather overwhelming.
There is also a sub-plot involving Mandy’s parents (Kerry Fox and David Thewlis), who have separated but appear to have a complicated relationship. This is never fully explained either so it’s hard to connect with them, especially when Mandy’s mother falls ill.
This attempt to tug at our heartstrings falls flat, which is disappointing as it had the potential to bring some real, raw emotion to Rare Beasts. Sadly it’s as disjoined and confusing as Mandy and Pete’s relationship.
It’s clear those involved in the film gave it their all, and I can’t fault the quality of the actors even though some of the lines didn’t work and felt too far removed from natural conversation to be taken seriously. At least they tried.
Billie Piper has talent, there’s no doubt about it, but she hasn’t quite made it work in this very daring debut behind the camera. If Rare Beasts was attempting to be relatable and resonate with audiences, it failed to do that with me.
Rare Beasts follows Mandy, a career-driven single mother (Billie Piper) and her turbulent relationship with Pete (Leo Bill). Possibly the most frustrating thing about this film as it’s unclear why the two of them even ended up together at all.
It’s not uncommon for people to choose poorly when they’re dating, and end up in a relationship that doesn’t work, but Rare Beasts offers no reason for the two to even end up together in the first place. Mandy’s a single mother, she’s wild, she wears bold clothing, and Pete is a traditionalist who is, frankly, a misogynist with anger issues.
Interestingly, the film’s synopsis describes Pete as ‘charming’, and I’m unable to see that quality in him, nor is it ever shown from Mandy’s point of view. She never once looks at Pete lovingly, or seems charmed by him.
The lack of context or any indication as to what drove them to be together is a problem for me. Even if we saw one tiny nice moment between them it would make sense, but throughout the film they’re consistently awful to each other with no redeeming features.
Combined with a narrative that is all over the place and dialogue that feels very unnatural, it comes across as jarring most of the time. I have no issue with unconventional film styles, but I found it very hard to follow what was going on at various points.
It seems Rare Beasts is confused about what tone its actually going for, switching between whimsical musical style scenes (minus the music or singing) and gritty realism in a matter of seconds.
I appreciated the efforts to raise awareness of social issues such as domestic abuse, gender inequalities and the struggles of bringing up a child as a single parent, but these messages are squashed by a visual style that is rather overwhelming.
There is also a sub-plot involving Mandy’s parents (Kerry Fox and David Thewlis), who have separated but appear to have a complicated relationship. This is never fully explained either so it’s hard to connect with them, especially when Mandy’s mother falls ill.
This attempt to tug at our heartstrings falls flat, which is disappointing as it had the potential to bring some real, raw emotion to Rare Beasts. Sadly it’s as disjoined and confusing as Mandy and Pete’s relationship.
It’s clear those involved in the film gave it their all, and I can’t fault the quality of the actors even though some of the lines didn’t work and felt too far removed from natural conversation to be taken seriously. At least they tried.
Billie Piper has talent, there’s no doubt about it, but she hasn’t quite made it work in this very daring debut behind the camera. If Rare Beasts was attempting to be relatable and resonate with audiences, it failed to do that with me.
My Talking Tom
Games and Entertainment
App
Discover the #1 games app in 135 countries! Adopt your very own baby kitten and help him grow into a...
Mike V: Skateboard Party Lite
Games and Sports
App
Play with your friends using the multiplayer mode, complete achievements, gain experience and...
Taryn K (444 KP) rated Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma in Books
Oct 18, 2017
The characters, which are well-developed, for the most part. (1 more)
The dishes, which I was surprised to learn have actually been tested before being put into the books.
Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma (the series)
I have been reading Food Wars since volume 1 came out and now that book 20 has recently been released in the United States, I still enjoy this rather unique food-based manga.
The hero, Yukihira Soma, has been raised as the only child of a single father who runs a diner called Yukihira. One day, his father tells Soma that he has enrolled him in a culinary school and that he will be off helping friends for a while. Soma doesn't think much of this idea, but goes to take the test for Totsuki Teahouse Culinary Academy and settles into Polaris Dormitory, and so the story begins.
Soma has quirks, and lots of them. You know he's getting serious when he whips his headband off his wrist and dons it and his apron (which I've not figured out yet where he keeps that). He has no end of confidence, and often says the first thing that comes to his mind, which gets him in trouble a lot of the time. He's determined to be the top student at the academy so that he can beat his dad eventually in a food competition, of which he's lost several during his childhood. Despite this, he is eager to learn new things and never gives up. He is loyal to his friends and has a strong sense of justice.
Totsuki Teahouse Culinary Academy isn't exactly the most normal school anyway. It is a fact that over 90% or more of the students either get expelled, fail out, or drop out, and the idea behind the academy is that most of the students are there merely to "polish" the students who make it through the final year of high school. It is run not only by Dean Nakiri, but by the Council of Ten, who are the top ten students at the school. Disputes between the students are settled by Shokugeki, which have very strict rules.
I think my favorite story arc is the one with the Fall Classic (books 6-13), where 100 selected first year high school students compete to see who is the best. The winners usually go on to become part of the Council of Ten. Many things happen in this arc, from Soma and Megumi (a girl from Polaris, who learns a lot about cooking and confidence from Soma) learning about curry and spices, to Soma's dad coming for a visit, to a copycat chef who wins other students' favorite cutlery from them in Shokugeki, to the surprise finish of the Classic under the light of the full moon.
I would definitely recommend this manga series if you enjoyed other food series such as Yakitate!! Japan. It's a lot of fun and drama all wrapped up in a tasty bow. The manga series is still on-going, with an anime which has just entered its third season.
The hero, Yukihira Soma, has been raised as the only child of a single father who runs a diner called Yukihira. One day, his father tells Soma that he has enrolled him in a culinary school and that he will be off helping friends for a while. Soma doesn't think much of this idea, but goes to take the test for Totsuki Teahouse Culinary Academy and settles into Polaris Dormitory, and so the story begins.
Soma has quirks, and lots of them. You know he's getting serious when he whips his headband off his wrist and dons it and his apron (which I've not figured out yet where he keeps that). He has no end of confidence, and often says the first thing that comes to his mind, which gets him in trouble a lot of the time. He's determined to be the top student at the academy so that he can beat his dad eventually in a food competition, of which he's lost several during his childhood. Despite this, he is eager to learn new things and never gives up. He is loyal to his friends and has a strong sense of justice.
Totsuki Teahouse Culinary Academy isn't exactly the most normal school anyway. It is a fact that over 90% or more of the students either get expelled, fail out, or drop out, and the idea behind the academy is that most of the students are there merely to "polish" the students who make it through the final year of high school. It is run not only by Dean Nakiri, but by the Council of Ten, who are the top ten students at the school. Disputes between the students are settled by Shokugeki, which have very strict rules.
I think my favorite story arc is the one with the Fall Classic (books 6-13), where 100 selected first year high school students compete to see who is the best. The winners usually go on to become part of the Council of Ten. Many things happen in this arc, from Soma and Megumi (a girl from Polaris, who learns a lot about cooking and confidence from Soma) learning about curry and spices, to Soma's dad coming for a visit, to a copycat chef who wins other students' favorite cutlery from them in Shokugeki, to the surprise finish of the Classic under the light of the full moon.
I would definitely recommend this manga series if you enjoyed other food series such as Yakitate!! Japan. It's a lot of fun and drama all wrapped up in a tasty bow. The manga series is still on-going, with an anime which has just entered its third season.