Search
Search results
Morgen Frances (21 KP) rated Crowned with Guilt in Books
Jul 9, 2018
Remember the Reaper (book 1)
I could never say enough about this book. Not only was it an amazing read, but it’s the authors debut novel. She takes you on a journey you don’t want to ever end. The characters have such depth, you’re sucked into a world you never knew you needed to be a part of. There’s something I find so sweet and innocent about a child’s unconditional love. Especially when it’s shared with another kid who needs it so much. The bond that forms is her lifeline in so many ways. Tessa’s story is not one of unicorns and rainbows but she finds her escape in books, a prince she doesn’t feel she deserves, and a castle built of dreams. It’s dark, gritty, and doesn’t feel anything but real. She goes through so much in her young life, it changes her. The weight of what she feels as her fault sits heavy on her shoulders. There’s not much that can hurt a person as much as their own guilt slowly eating away at them. When all you see in the mirror is the villain and you lash out at anyone who tries to get close what hope is left.
This is the first book of a series.
This is the first book of a series.
Merissa (11869 KP) rated The Verderer (Pitch & Sickle #2) in Books
Sep 26, 2022
THE VERDERER is the second book in Pitch & Sickle series and follows on from book one, which you will absolutely have to read to understand what's going on here.
As with the first book, this has a slow and meandering pace, giving the reader time to learn about both Silas and Pitch, as they themselves learn about each other and just what is expected from them.
There are still big parts of the story that aren't yet explained, leaving me definitely wanting more. Silas is still standing strong with his loyalty. He still has a lot to learn and is still naïve about the new world he inhabits. Pitch is still cantankerous and full of innuendoes. I really wish he would dial it back a bit!
Towards the end of the book, there is a lot of action that has been building throughout. And when I say action, I mean fight scenes. There is still nothing between Pitch and Silas apart from a near-kiss.
A great follow-up to book one and I can't wait for book 3! 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
As with the first book, this has a slow and meandering pace, giving the reader time to learn about both Silas and Pitch, as they themselves learn about each other and just what is expected from them.
There are still big parts of the story that aren't yet explained, leaving me definitely wanting more. Silas is still standing strong with his loyalty. He still has a lot to learn and is still naïve about the new world he inhabits. Pitch is still cantankerous and full of innuendoes. I really wish he would dial it back a bit!
Towards the end of the book, there is a lot of action that has been building throughout. And when I say action, I mean fight scenes. There is still nothing between Pitch and Silas apart from a near-kiss.
A great follow-up to book one and I can't wait for book 3! 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Taut Lines: Extraordinary True Fishing Stories
Book
Since the earliest writings of civilization, people have been writing about fish and the pursuit of...
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Vivarium (2020) in Movies
Mar 8, 2020
I like the idea of these weird and wonderful takes, when I saw the synopsis I knew it needed to make my LFF shortlist.
Tom and Gemma are looking to take the next step in their relationship, getting their very own home. On a whim they visit an oddly minimal estate agents where they meet Martin. Martin is enthusiastic about the chance to show them the perfect home in the perfect community, Yonder.
When they arrive in the deserted town it's instantly strange. Every house looks like the last, every street looks like the next, and Martin's enthusiasm never waivers. They decide to "dine and dash", politely look around and then leave to laugh about the whole experience on the way home, but as they complete their tour they realise that Martin has gone.
As the couple head home in their car they realise they're somehow lost, the simply designed neighbourhood has become a labyrinth that keeps leading them back to that same house. Maybe this is home after all.
Writing that extended synopsis was an exciting reminder of the idea at the core of Vivarium. Its story would definitely fit well into the recent trends of Black Mirror, Dimension 404 and Twilight Zone, and that was something that slightly hindered my enjoyment. Those formats work well in a compact episode size chunk, the film is only 97 minutes long but the content seems to have been stretched out to fit that runtime.
Towards the end of Vivarium we're introduced to a lot of information that you don't really have enough time to process, so much so that it feels like a rather unsatisfying development. That's where the similarities to the TV show idea ends, could it have benefitted from a sharper end? I'm not sure, perhaps that is all just part of the intrigue.
Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots made quite a good match in the leads, from the off you can see their nature coming through, they're in sync and happy. As the situation deepens and they get more confused and frustrated you see them pulling apart while simultaneously clinging to each other because they're all that they have in the world. It's a lot of ups and downs for the characters to go through and yet the pair manage to make it work, with so much of (basically all of) the film relying on this dynamic I'm pleased that there was such a strong performance from them both.
It's difficult to express the way I feel about this film, I love the idea, the acting was great and the design of the town and the sets were picture perfect in that agonising horror kind of way (it reminded me of the fake 1950s towns they'd set up for atomic bomb testing), where I'm on the fence is the ending. Throwing in the scene that was out of tune with the rest of the film didn't add intrigue for me, but that being said, I'm still thinking about the film months after seeing it so... did it?
While my score might not necessarily seem like a recommendation I honestly think that everyone will take something different away from this about a wide range of things. I swing wildly between remembering the film without that ending to with it, and I don't know which version of the town I prefer seeing in my head...
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/03/vivarium-movie-review.html
Tom and Gemma are looking to take the next step in their relationship, getting their very own home. On a whim they visit an oddly minimal estate agents where they meet Martin. Martin is enthusiastic about the chance to show them the perfect home in the perfect community, Yonder.
When they arrive in the deserted town it's instantly strange. Every house looks like the last, every street looks like the next, and Martin's enthusiasm never waivers. They decide to "dine and dash", politely look around and then leave to laugh about the whole experience on the way home, but as they complete their tour they realise that Martin has gone.
As the couple head home in their car they realise they're somehow lost, the simply designed neighbourhood has become a labyrinth that keeps leading them back to that same house. Maybe this is home after all.
Writing that extended synopsis was an exciting reminder of the idea at the core of Vivarium. Its story would definitely fit well into the recent trends of Black Mirror, Dimension 404 and Twilight Zone, and that was something that slightly hindered my enjoyment. Those formats work well in a compact episode size chunk, the film is only 97 minutes long but the content seems to have been stretched out to fit that runtime.
Towards the end of Vivarium we're introduced to a lot of information that you don't really have enough time to process, so much so that it feels like a rather unsatisfying development. That's where the similarities to the TV show idea ends, could it have benefitted from a sharper end? I'm not sure, perhaps that is all just part of the intrigue.
Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots made quite a good match in the leads, from the off you can see their nature coming through, they're in sync and happy. As the situation deepens and they get more confused and frustrated you see them pulling apart while simultaneously clinging to each other because they're all that they have in the world. It's a lot of ups and downs for the characters to go through and yet the pair manage to make it work, with so much of (basically all of) the film relying on this dynamic I'm pleased that there was such a strong performance from them both.
It's difficult to express the way I feel about this film, I love the idea, the acting was great and the design of the town and the sets were picture perfect in that agonising horror kind of way (it reminded me of the fake 1950s towns they'd set up for atomic bomb testing), where I'm on the fence is the ending. Throwing in the scene that was out of tune with the rest of the film didn't add intrigue for me, but that being said, I'm still thinking about the film months after seeing it so... did it?
While my score might not necessarily seem like a recommendation I honestly think that everyone will take something different away from this about a wide range of things. I swing wildly between remembering the film without that ending to with it, and I don't know which version of the town I prefer seeing in my head...
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/03/vivarium-movie-review.html
Medical Practice Variations: 2016
Ana Johnson and Therese A. Stukel
Book
This title deals with internationally documented variations in medical practice and health service...
Full Moon Calendar (MoonCal)
Weather and Productivity
App
Add moon phases to your Calendar, right where they belong. Full moon, new moon, first and last...
Twisting My Melon
Book
Shaun Ryder has lived a life of glorious highs and desolate lows. As lead singer of the "Happy...
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Fearless (2006) in Movies
Sep 21, 2020
*Director's cut*
If this really is Jet Li's final wushu martial arts epic, it ain't too shabby of a one to end on. Sprawling, a bit messy, classical (often to a fault) - but Li is such a masterful performer that he virtually negates the abundance of flaws this movie does have. He encapsulates both extremes of this character's life with such a mesmerizing grace - he literally actualizes the transition from cocky little shit to anguished, sage older gentleman right before our eyes; when it's revealed that he killed his last adversary, and Li reacts as if he's been socked in the chest with a blunt object. A lot of pretty generic story elements in here (how many times have we seen the 'guy who becomes so obsessed with something that he alienates his family and friends' arc) but it's kind of nice to see an action epic that is more focused on interpersonality and doesn't turn into countless dry battles where the fighters are reduced to indiscernible specs on the screen a la 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯. But the fights are out of this *world* holy hell, the pretty much magic choreography alone makes this worthwhile. Still don't think this leans into the bombast *quite* enough, and the (forgivably) melodramatic middle section cuts from scene to scene far too often - but this whole thing is Jet Li's dancefloor, and we are merely privileged enough to be able to witness it.
If this really is Jet Li's final wushu martial arts epic, it ain't too shabby of a one to end on. Sprawling, a bit messy, classical (often to a fault) - but Li is such a masterful performer that he virtually negates the abundance of flaws this movie does have. He encapsulates both extremes of this character's life with such a mesmerizing grace - he literally actualizes the transition from cocky little shit to anguished, sage older gentleman right before our eyes; when it's revealed that he killed his last adversary, and Li reacts as if he's been socked in the chest with a blunt object. A lot of pretty generic story elements in here (how many times have we seen the 'guy who becomes so obsessed with something that he alienates his family and friends' arc) but it's kind of nice to see an action epic that is more focused on interpersonality and doesn't turn into countless dry battles where the fighters are reduced to indiscernible specs on the screen a la 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯. But the fights are out of this *world* holy hell, the pretty much magic choreography alone makes this worthwhile. Still don't think this leans into the bombast *quite* enough, and the (forgivably) melodramatic middle section cuts from scene to scene far too often - but this whole thing is Jet Li's dancefloor, and we are merely privileged enough to be able to witness it.
Stay Golden
Book
While most kids my age were sitting in English class waiting for the bell to ring, I was thrown into...
Metroburbia: The Anatomy of Greater London
Book
London's suburbs are home to many thousands of people who travel into the centre every day to work,...