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Inspirational (1 more)
Well written
An eye opening story about what it's like to be a girl fighting for education in the Middle East
Malala is a true inspirational role model, not simply because she stood up for girls education, in a time and place where it is incredibly dangerous, she got shot at point blank and survived, or for the fact that she is the youngest to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize - it is for the fact that she did all of this, while remaining true to herself, she never pretend to be someone she was not or hide her flaws. I am Malala is well worth the read, even if you don't like the story or the writing, you will learn a new perspective from it, and I think that in itself makes it worth while.
  
Home Fire
Home Fire
Kamila Shamsie | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not quite Antigone, interesting take on modern Islamophobia
There are two very distinctive opinions on this book about how British Muslims are treated in a western society, split between being seen as subservient and loyal as well as dangerous and dogmatic. It is absolutely relevant to the current political climate hence it is an intriguing read. At times it borders on satirical because some of the elements appear very far fetched. From a Romeo and Juliet style love story played out in the media, to the extreme Islamophobic views of a Muslim politician. While there are definite elements of truths planted in this book, the extreme nature of the funeral scene just bordered on slightly ridiculous especially when there are real examples in the public eye. It is a gripping and engaging read with something lacking.
  
AW
A Wanted Woman
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
How many female assassin's have you come across in your lifetime. Probably not too many. And that is exactly what the Barbarians are expecting when they send MX-401 out in the field. The woman with a thousand faces. Beautiful enough to entice any man, but dangerous enough to handle herself. When MX-401 aka. Goldilocks Reaper is sent to Trinidad on a mission, she is forced to improvise, due to false intel. Unfortunately, this makes her targets and her bosses very upset. Sent to the island of Barbados to escape Trinidad, she is trapped on this island with no way out. Her company isn't paying her and the LKs from Trinidad are hunting her down. Will she make it out of Barbados? A gripping novel, that will leave you wanting to be a female assassin.
  
NL
New Lands (The Chronicles of Egg, #2)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Egg and Guts are headed to the New Lands to try to find the treasure map they've found. But their journey will be dangerous with hostile Natives and a settlement that has an edict against foreigners. Will they survive long enough to explore the wilderness?

A great middle grade novel, this one picks up where the first one ended (so read it first). The characters are fun, charming, and feel real. The plot takes some great twists and I was shocked a time or two by what Egg learns along the way. Can not wait for the third and final book to come out.

NOTE: I won an ARC of this book in a contest.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/01/book-review-new-lands-by-geoff-rodkey.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
BO
Book of the Dead (TombQuest, #1)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Alex Sennefer has never been healthy, but recently he’s taken a turn for the worse. Just when things look their darkest, he makes a miraculous recovery. However, the world he wakes up to includes some dangerous long dead mummies come to life as well. Can Alex help stop them?

The book started a little slowly thanks to the set up taking some time, but once the story got going, I was turning pages as quickly as I could. A couple scenes in the second half especially left me with sweaty palms. The characters and good, and this book ends with a set up for the next book. The target middle grade audience will be thrilled.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-book-of-dead-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
CO
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
When a case Daniel is working on turns dangerous, Molly and Liam leave New York to join Sid and Gus in Paris. But when her reception is not what she expected, is Molly in more danger now than she was before?

More than any other book in the series, I felt this one had a large number of real people popping up in Molly's fictional world. The plot was good with some twists I didn't expect and the characters are so real by this point I just love visiting them. All told, it was a great trip back to 1905.

NOTE: I was sent an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/03/book-review-city-of-darkness-and-light.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
How Green This Land, How Blue This Sea
How Green This Land, How Blue This Sea
Mira Grant | 2013 | Dystopia, Humor & Comedy, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hilarious (0 more)
Description from Mira Grant's website: Post-Rising Australia can be a dangerous place, especially if you’re a member of the government-sponsored Australia Conservation Corps, a group of people dedicated to preserving their continent’s natural wealth until a cure can be found. Between the zombie kangaroos at the fences and the zombie elephant seals turning the penguin rookery at Prince Phillip Island into a slaughterhouse, the work of an animal conservationist is truly never done–and is often done at the end of a sniper rifle.

This novella is part of the newsflesh trilogy and explores how Australia would deal with a zombie outbreak. The answer is they would not bat an eyelid. This book is hilarious, well written and we get more of an insight into Mahir as he investigate's a story in Australia.
  
The Cable Guy (1996)
The Cable Guy (1996)
1996 | Comedy
That one person everyone avoids
In This dark comedy about an unstable cable installer with a unhealthy addiction to stalking customers is one movie everyone can relate to wether it be a Fan, an Ex, jealous friend or secret admirer, this movie puts a great twist on a strangers friendship.

oddball cable installer Chip Douglas (Jim Carrey) decides to forcefully befriend new customer Steven Kovacs (Matthew Broderick) by offering him free premium cable. When Steven denies Chip his frequent need for companionship, Chip goes from oddball acquaintance to a obsessed psycho stalker. Though it's crystal clear to Steven, that cable guy chip is dangerous, it's convincing everyone close to him before its too late, that isn't going to be easy.

A perfectly dark tone quickly gets you glued in and works great for the movies characters and enhances the edginess for the plot.
  
Men in Black (1997)
Men in Black (1997)
1997 | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
"Protecting the earth from the scum of the universe"

The second of the mid-to-late 90s of Will Smit's one-two rapid ascension to movie super stardom (following Independence Day), which sees him recruited by Tommy Lee Jones to join the Men in Black: a top-secret government organisation set up to monitor alien presence on earth.

While we're now up to four entries in the series as a whole following this summer's (2019) by-all-account-disappointing Men in Black: International, it's easy to forget just how well this movie still holds together, alongside some classic exchanges such as:

"Why the big secret? People are smart"
"A person is smart. People are dumb panicky dangerous animals and you know it"

"You do know Elvis is dead, right?"
"No, Elvis is not dead. He just went home"
  
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
Ridin' Solo
Solo: A Star Wars Story- is better than Rogue Story by a lot. Its more fun, entertaining, action, adventure, thrilling, and more.

The plot: Young Han Solo finds adventure when he joins forces with a gang of galactic smugglers and a 190-year-old Wookie named Chewbacca. Indebted to the gangster Dryden Vos, the crew devises a daring plan to travel to the mining planet Kessel to steal a batch of valuable coaxium. In need of a fast ship, Solo meets Lando Calrissian, the suave owner of the perfect vessel for the dangerous mission -- the Millennium Falcon.

I like Aldren Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Woody Harrelson was good, Paul Bettany was excellent as the villian and Donald Glover was good as Lando.

Like i said this is 10x better than rogue one. Its a good movie.