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Lowri Catryn (229 KP) rated Everyday Life by Coldplay in Music
May 7, 2020
Violin (5 more)
Adventurist metaphors
Spiritual
Equality
Reality
Vocals
Adventurous album taking on the uplifting but also brutality of reality and it's every day themes.
A new (different) album from Coldplay, which is definitely revealing their experimentation. The band take on heavy themes of love, war, racism, faith, gun control, friendship, climate change, police brutality and other every day themes in life. It is a double album consisting of 'Sunrise' and 'Sunset', which reveals the difference between the every day highs and lows of the above mentioned themes.
The opening of 'Sunrise' is set beautifully with string arrangements, with the lead violinist doing an excellent job of playing uplifting but also emotional tones to set the mood for the themes. Good versus bad, happy versus sad.
Coldplay never venture far from meeting with Eastern and Western sounds to encourage the acceptance of different religions and ethnicities.
'Sunset' is accompanied with loungey rhythm and blues tones which compliment the themes and meaningful lyrics.
However I can't help but note that I feel some depth is missing to convey their messages.
The opening of 'Sunrise' is set beautifully with string arrangements, with the lead violinist doing an excellent job of playing uplifting but also emotional tones to set the mood for the themes. Good versus bad, happy versus sad.
Coldplay never venture far from meeting with Eastern and Western sounds to encourage the acceptance of different religions and ethnicities.
'Sunset' is accompanied with loungey rhythm and blues tones which compliment the themes and meaningful lyrics.
However I can't help but note that I feel some depth is missing to convey their messages.
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Shadow Play (Shadow World Novella #2) in Books
Feb 26, 2024
SHADOW PLAY is the second in the Shadow World Novellas series and we continue with Cam and Ellie. They are called to rescue a young boy who has been taken in Twilight, a changeling in his place.
I am loving Ellie and Cam. They work so well as a team and yet they still have their issues. Let's face it, they've not been together long, and with Ellie's Shadow - it takes the meaning of a love triangle to a whole new level.
There is something new to be learnt about Ellie's Shadow in every novella, as well as Ellie herself. The detail is superb and clearly shows the difference between the 'normal' world and Twilight. Quick-paced and full of action, the ending leaves you wanting the next book immediately. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 26, 2024
I am loving Ellie and Cam. They work so well as a team and yet they still have their issues. Let's face it, they've not been together long, and with Ellie's Shadow - it takes the meaning of a love triangle to a whole new level.
There is something new to be learnt about Ellie's Shadow in every novella, as well as Ellie herself. The detail is superb and clearly shows the difference between the 'normal' world and Twilight. Quick-paced and full of action, the ending leaves you wanting the next book immediately. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 26, 2024
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated 100 Speeches that roused the world in Books
Oct 5, 2020
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<b><i>Boy, oh boy, do I have mixed feelings about 100 Speeches That Roused the World by Colin Salter.</i></b>
The reason I picked up this book is because I have always been in love with speeches and orators. I believe that the ability to speak in front of an audience is a very powerful skill, and I admire it as such. Many great leaders and many successful people use this skill to make people listen and act in a way they want them to. That is where the true art is, and I really admire this aspect. The fact that you can listen to two or more people tell you the same thing, and only one being able to convince you to do something or believe in something they say is a true gift.
Which takes us to the second reason I picked this book up. To find out more about the people who had this ability in history and made a difference in one way or another. And for the most part, I was pleased. There are speeches of many great (and not so great) leaders out there, speeches of people that made breakthroughs in their fields, people who fought for their rights.
<b><i>But there was a pattern I noticed in these 100 speeches.</i></b>
Most of these speeches were either from the UK or USA. And most of them were presidents, prime ministers,royalty or leaders in any other way. And all their speeches were speeches during the wars. Telling their people to fight for their nations.
And I have nothing against those speeches. They were perfect for their time and they did their purpose at the time. What I had a problem with is that there were so many more important times in history when a speech was made and it represented a change.
What about all the speeches that philosophers have given in ancient Rome and Greece? For Rome, where is Julius Caesar’s speech to the senate? For Greece, how about the movement for freedom of speech? What about the speeches during humanism and renaissance? What about some of the groundbreaking speeches that scientists have given over the years?
I was a bit disappointed with the format of the book as well, as the speeches were mostly short paragraphs, followed by a full page of the author’s notes, mostly quoting the same speech again. It was very helpful to know the background of how the speech made a difference in the world, but when most of those speeches didn’t really make any difference, and I was involved in a history lesson of the most important wars in history, it wasn’t much of a fun read.
<b><i>To conclude, this book wasn’t what I was looking for, both format and content wise. The 100 Speeches mentioned in this book didn’t do enough justice for me. I believe that title is misleading, but I can also understand that some people can still learn a lot by reading it.</i></b>
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<b><i>Boy, oh boy, do I have mixed feelings about 100 Speeches That Roused the World by Colin Salter.</i></b>
The reason I picked up this book is because I have always been in love with speeches and orators. I believe that the ability to speak in front of an audience is a very powerful skill, and I admire it as such. Many great leaders and many successful people use this skill to make people listen and act in a way they want them to. That is where the true art is, and I really admire this aspect. The fact that you can listen to two or more people tell you the same thing, and only one being able to convince you to do something or believe in something they say is a true gift.
Which takes us to the second reason I picked this book up. To find out more about the people who had this ability in history and made a difference in one way or another. And for the most part, I was pleased. There are speeches of many great (and not so great) leaders out there, speeches of people that made breakthroughs in their fields, people who fought for their rights.
<b><i>But there was a pattern I noticed in these 100 speeches.</i></b>
Most of these speeches were either from the UK or USA. And most of them were presidents, prime ministers,royalty or leaders in any other way. And all their speeches were speeches during the wars. Telling their people to fight for their nations.
And I have nothing against those speeches. They were perfect for their time and they did their purpose at the time. What I had a problem with is that there were so many more important times in history when a speech was made and it represented a change.
What about all the speeches that philosophers have given in ancient Rome and Greece? For Rome, where is Julius Caesar’s speech to the senate? For Greece, how about the movement for freedom of speech? What about the speeches during humanism and renaissance? What about some of the groundbreaking speeches that scientists have given over the years?
I was a bit disappointed with the format of the book as well, as the speeches were mostly short paragraphs, followed by a full page of the author’s notes, mostly quoting the same speech again. It was very helpful to know the background of how the speech made a difference in the world, but when most of those speeches didn’t really make any difference, and I was involved in a history lesson of the most important wars in history, it wasn’t much of a fun read.
<b><i>To conclude, this book wasn’t what I was looking for, both format and content wise. The 100 Speeches mentioned in this book didn’t do enough justice for me. I believe that title is misleading, but I can also understand that some people can still learn a lot by reading it.</i></b>
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Rescued By The Alpha (Alaskan Wolf Alliance #1) in Books
Aug 26, 2018
thoroughly enjoyable read!
*purchased copy 25th Aug 2018*
MM Wilde is a pen name for Morticia Knight, and I LOVE Ms Knight's work. So when I came across this one, I had to buy it and see what the difference was.
There is a HUGE amount of difference it this book and some of Ms Knight's other work and I do not mean that negatively.
Elam manages to whack his head and pass out in a storm. Nic finds him and Nic's wolf is all for the younger man to be in Nic's space. Nic the man, at first, not so much. But Fate has a different idea for Nic and Elam, bringing some of the Old World tales back to life.
I LOVED this! I have a soft spot for m-preg books, and I loved that this one delivered on every level.
Nic, the man, wants no part of a human mate, but Nic, the wolf is all for the idea. Elam is supposed to be off men, but Nic pushes all the buttons he never knew he had. When Nic reveals his true form, and explains just what he is to Nic, Elam is all for it. When they realises just what the mating meant, I loved that they are BOTH totally surprised by it! The Healer for the pack is too. And I love being surprised as much as they were!
It's not overly explicit for a shifter male/male book, but I really enjoyed that it wasn't. Both men have a voice, so we get all of Nic's reluctance to have a human mate, with all of Elam's williness, once they decide to. All of Elam acceptance of Nic and his pack. Of what the mating really meant, and each man's reaction to the news of their impending arrival. And we get all of Nic and Elam's worry when things start to unravel with a rival pack.
I bought this yesterday, went to bed to read a few pages, 2 hours later, I'm done. Sign of a great book, that, to keep me fully engaged and engrossed til you run out of book and didn't realise you were that close to the end.
so....
5 full stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
MM Wilde is a pen name for Morticia Knight, and I LOVE Ms Knight's work. So when I came across this one, I had to buy it and see what the difference was.
There is a HUGE amount of difference it this book and some of Ms Knight's other work and I do not mean that negatively.
Elam manages to whack his head and pass out in a storm. Nic finds him and Nic's wolf is all for the younger man to be in Nic's space. Nic the man, at first, not so much. But Fate has a different idea for Nic and Elam, bringing some of the Old World tales back to life.
I LOVED this! I have a soft spot for m-preg books, and I loved that this one delivered on every level.
Nic, the man, wants no part of a human mate, but Nic, the wolf is all for the idea. Elam is supposed to be off men, but Nic pushes all the buttons he never knew he had. When Nic reveals his true form, and explains just what he is to Nic, Elam is all for it. When they realises just what the mating meant, I loved that they are BOTH totally surprised by it! The Healer for the pack is too. And I love being surprised as much as they were!
It's not overly explicit for a shifter male/male book, but I really enjoyed that it wasn't. Both men have a voice, so we get all of Nic's reluctance to have a human mate, with all of Elam's williness, once they decide to. All of Elam acceptance of Nic and his pack. Of what the mating really meant, and each man's reaction to the news of their impending arrival. And we get all of Nic and Elam's worry when things start to unravel with a rival pack.
I bought this yesterday, went to bed to read a few pages, 2 hours later, I'm done. Sign of a great book, that, to keep me fully engaged and engrossed til you run out of book and didn't realise you were that close to the end.
so....
5 full stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Look to the East (The Great War, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Out of the east comes a terror that will attempt to destroy the world.
At the dawn of World War I, the village of Briecourt is nestled in relative safety. That all changes when the German Imperial Army marches in and takes over. Life will never be the same for the villagers, who have had a family dispute for generations. Will having a common enemy finally bring them together? Julitte Toussaint, the adoptive daughter of a seaman, has to withstand the scorn of the de Colvilles for the shadows of her past. When she finds an unexpected "visitor" hiding in the cellar of the church, she feels the pull of love for this man she hardly knows. Charles Lassone is a Belgian entrepreneur caught behind enemy lines. He longs for escape so that he can join the Allies cause and win the respect and love of Julitte. With a dispute running so rampant, who can be trusted? The difference between friends and foes could not become more complicated.
This is both the first book that I have read by Maureen Lang and my first book set during World War I. Unfortunately, The Great War is not always as popular of a topic as its "sequel" is. Labor camps were in full effect during this period and the Germans were just as ruthless. The difference in time period wouldn't seem so drastic, but, I learned that they didn't believe it was safe to drop soldiers from planes during 1916. The tactics and methods were much more advanced come time for World War II. I became very emotionally attached to the characters. Their fight for freedom had me cheering them on with every turn of the page. Something that Julitte learns is that God sometimes uses us in ways that we can't explain, to ourselves or to others. He will work everything out, even if it's not how we had it planned. There is still evil in the world because God gave us a free will. But He will not abandon us. We must keep our eyes on Him and our hope in His promises.
I received a free copy of Look to the East from Tyndale House Publishers through their Tyndale Rewards Program. I was not required write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
At the dawn of World War I, the village of Briecourt is nestled in relative safety. That all changes when the German Imperial Army marches in and takes over. Life will never be the same for the villagers, who have had a family dispute for generations. Will having a common enemy finally bring them together? Julitte Toussaint, the adoptive daughter of a seaman, has to withstand the scorn of the de Colvilles for the shadows of her past. When she finds an unexpected "visitor" hiding in the cellar of the church, she feels the pull of love for this man she hardly knows. Charles Lassone is a Belgian entrepreneur caught behind enemy lines. He longs for escape so that he can join the Allies cause and win the respect and love of Julitte. With a dispute running so rampant, who can be trusted? The difference between friends and foes could not become more complicated.
This is both the first book that I have read by Maureen Lang and my first book set during World War I. Unfortunately, The Great War is not always as popular of a topic as its "sequel" is. Labor camps were in full effect during this period and the Germans were just as ruthless. The difference in time period wouldn't seem so drastic, but, I learned that they didn't believe it was safe to drop soldiers from planes during 1916. The tactics and methods were much more advanced come time for World War II. I became very emotionally attached to the characters. Their fight for freedom had me cheering them on with every turn of the page. Something that Julitte learns is that God sometimes uses us in ways that we can't explain, to ourselves or to others. He will work everything out, even if it's not how we had it planned. There is still evil in the world because God gave us a free will. But He will not abandon us. We must keep our eyes on Him and our hope in His promises.
I received a free copy of Look to the East from Tyndale House Publishers through their Tyndale Rewards Program. I was not required write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
K.L. Shandwick (3 KP) created a post
Nov 20, 2017
Dracoria Malfoy (690 KP) created a post
Jan 5, 2018 (Updated Jan 5, 2018)
Mekkin B. (122 KP) rated The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms in Books
Sep 9, 2017
Worldbuilding (1 more)
Thoughtful and Engaging Characters
Tight, compelling story set in an amazing fantasy world
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms has the kind of engaging plot and clear prose that makes it easy to get lost in. Jemisin's debut novel crafts a complex world that fans of traditional fantasy will love, while still being incredibly fresh and thoughtful. The worldbuilding engages in the complexities of colonialism and cultural difference in a way that makes the world feel alive and thrumming with conflict.
Yeine is a compelling protagonist and Nahadoth, her romantic interest, is sexy, dark, and tortured (like all good love interests should be.) It's 410 pages of pure fantasy fun.
The only nitpick I have is that I wish there was more of it. Seriously. The advice to writers is to start as late in the story as possible, but I wish more time had been spent building up Yeine's world and her relationship with her mother (who's death is pivotal to the plot), and with her own Kingdom of Darre. Instead the reader enters the story with Yeine already making her way to the city of Sky. This, for me, lessened the emotional impact of later reveals.
Yeine is a compelling protagonist and Nahadoth, her romantic interest, is sexy, dark, and tortured (like all good love interests should be.) It's 410 pages of pure fantasy fun.
The only nitpick I have is that I wish there was more of it. Seriously. The advice to writers is to start as late in the story as possible, but I wish more time had been spent building up Yeine's world and her relationship with her mother (who's death is pivotal to the plot), and with her own Kingdom of Darre. Instead the reader enters the story with Yeine already making her way to the city of Sky. This, for me, lessened the emotional impact of later reveals.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated The Sense of an Ending in Books
Apr 12, 2019
A little confused and long winded
This book has a writing style that I'm not 100% keen on. Most of it is fine and easy to write, but then it has this awful habit of the main character going off into rambling musings and monologues that are far too long and pointless. This is a short book as it is, but it's be a short story if all of these ramblings had been removed!
That said, this isn't that bad a read. The plot is simple and straight forward about Tony reminiscing on his past and the death of a friend, and his musings on this in the present day. Tony himself is a strange character. He's actions and interactions with others are highly frustrating, but yet he's still a fairly endearing and intriguing character. I just think the ending was a let down. Mainly because it hasn't quite spelt it out properly, and I had to reread the final paragraphs to get what it was hinting at, and I'm still not absolutely convinced that I've got it right. Theres a big difference between an ambiguous ending and a downright confusing frustrating one, and this is definitely the latter.
That said, this isn't that bad a read. The plot is simple and straight forward about Tony reminiscing on his past and the death of a friend, and his musings on this in the present day. Tony himself is a strange character. He's actions and interactions with others are highly frustrating, but yet he's still a fairly endearing and intriguing character. I just think the ending was a let down. Mainly because it hasn't quite spelt it out properly, and I had to reread the final paragraphs to get what it was hinting at, and I'm still not absolutely convinced that I've got it right. Theres a big difference between an ambiguous ending and a downright confusing frustrating one, and this is definitely the latter.
Entertainment Editor (1988 KP) rated Nations in Tabletop Games
Mar 8, 2018
As you can see from my reviews, the older I get, the more I appreciate quick, loud, light games. Nations isn’t any of those – this is a tried-and-true brain-burner on the longish side of things. I’ve tried many of those games and hated them (Agricola, Village, Trajan, ….) The difference here, as well as in hits like Eclipse and Castles of Burgundy, is that the rules are so simple and streamlined that you feel like you are not doing homework. In those other games, wrapping my head around playing the game was too much of a struggle to feel like it was enjoyable. Here, the game really just comes down to buying a bunch of cards from a row and then placing guys on them. The iconography and gameplay is so intuitive (and fitting with the theme) that I could easily begin to think about how to outmaneuver my opponents, even in the first game. Several days after my last play, I’m still eagerly thinking about the game, and that’s high praise.
Orignal Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Derek Thompson
Read the Full review here: http://meepletown.com/2014/02/review-nations/
Orignal Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Derek Thompson
Read the Full review here: http://meepletown.com/2014/02/review-nations/