Search
Search results
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Call Me by Your Name (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Of lazy Italian summer nights.
It took me two sittings on different transatlantic flights to get through Luca Guadagnino’s much vaunted coming of age film. And I accept that this piecemeal approach might not have enhanced my opinion of the movie. Because I’m going to upset some of you who claimed it to be your “film of the year” last year. While I enjoyed it, it certainly didn’t grab me like that.
What I will admit is that the film is gloriously sun-drenched and atmospheric, set as it is in the countryside around Crema in northern Italy. Shut your eyes and you can almost smell the olive trees and the bolognese simmering on the stove.
You have to hand it to them: the film just reeks of Italian class.
The story, set in 1983, concerns the 17 year-old musical prodigy Elio (Timothée Chalamet, “Lady Bird“, “Interstellar“) who, with his good looks, has the opportunity to seduce his fair share of Italian babes, specifically the gorgeous Marzia (Esther Garrel) who has the hots for him. Although not one to look a gift vagina in the mouth, Elio is sexually conflicted and finds himself increasingly drawn, romantically, to the dashing and cock-sure 24-year old American visitor Oliver (Armie Hammer, “Free Fire“, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.“): a feeling that is, initially, reluctantly returned.
Love unrequited. Lady in red Marzia (Esther Garrel) – will she be eventually told to get on her bike?
The Oscar-winning screenplay by James Ivory (he of Merchant and Ivory production fame) is rich and deep with lines that roll off the actors’ tongues like syrup. The action also includes the most inappropriate use of foodstuffs since “American Pie” (and presumably that went in the bin afterwards!).
Family times around the dinner table can get exceptionally loud.
The drama is slow and drawn-out, so action-film fans will be asleep within the first 30 minutes. That wasn’t a problem for me…. it is a film in which you can really soak up the atmosphere. And it exquisitely explores the genuine pain of first love.
The pain of first love.
But what I’m afraid I really couldn’t relate to was Elio’s action about half-way through the film. In the main, he acts as a typically introspective and sensitive teenager, slightly awkward and bashful in approaching sexual matters. But then in a pivotal scene he makes a daring move which – to me – seemed completely out of character. This rather threw me, and I never really got my equilibrium back with the movie after that.
Elio and Oliver…. with Elio about to do something out of character.
It’s no doubt a finely crafted film. The sex scenes are beautifully shot and could never be accused of veering towards the pornographic. But I’m honestly not sure it’s a film that gripped me enough to seek it out to watch again in the future. (Sorry CMBYN lovers!)
What I will admit is that the film is gloriously sun-drenched and atmospheric, set as it is in the countryside around Crema in northern Italy. Shut your eyes and you can almost smell the olive trees and the bolognese simmering on the stove.
You have to hand it to them: the film just reeks of Italian class.
The story, set in 1983, concerns the 17 year-old musical prodigy Elio (Timothée Chalamet, “Lady Bird“, “Interstellar“) who, with his good looks, has the opportunity to seduce his fair share of Italian babes, specifically the gorgeous Marzia (Esther Garrel) who has the hots for him. Although not one to look a gift vagina in the mouth, Elio is sexually conflicted and finds himself increasingly drawn, romantically, to the dashing and cock-sure 24-year old American visitor Oliver (Armie Hammer, “Free Fire“, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.“): a feeling that is, initially, reluctantly returned.
Love unrequited. Lady in red Marzia (Esther Garrel) – will she be eventually told to get on her bike?
The Oscar-winning screenplay by James Ivory (he of Merchant and Ivory production fame) is rich and deep with lines that roll off the actors’ tongues like syrup. The action also includes the most inappropriate use of foodstuffs since “American Pie” (and presumably that went in the bin afterwards!).
Family times around the dinner table can get exceptionally loud.
The drama is slow and drawn-out, so action-film fans will be asleep within the first 30 minutes. That wasn’t a problem for me…. it is a film in which you can really soak up the atmosphere. And it exquisitely explores the genuine pain of first love.
The pain of first love.
But what I’m afraid I really couldn’t relate to was Elio’s action about half-way through the film. In the main, he acts as a typically introspective and sensitive teenager, slightly awkward and bashful in approaching sexual matters. But then in a pivotal scene he makes a daring move which – to me – seemed completely out of character. This rather threw me, and I never really got my equilibrium back with the movie after that.
Elio and Oliver…. with Elio about to do something out of character.
It’s no doubt a finely crafted film. The sex scenes are beautifully shot and could never be accused of veering towards the pornographic. But I’m honestly not sure it’s a film that gripped me enough to seek it out to watch again in the future. (Sorry CMBYN lovers!)
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Leah on the Offbeat in Books
Jan 30, 2019
**** SPOILER ALERT ****
Actual rating: 1.5 -- I have the unpopular opinion.
I was super excited to read this book when it came out especially after I read and loved Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda. A lot of people read this and were sharing their love of it on Bookstagram and Booktube. With all the hype I decided to put off reading it a bit so that it would be fresh and new for me and I could form my own opinion and not be swayed by the masses. I'm glad I did but at the same time kind of wish I hadn't waited.
Honestly, I didn't like this book. I loved Simon vs. the Homosapien's Agenda, and I gave that book 5 stars. I loved Leah in that book and I really related with her (the little bit we had of her), and I was super pumped when I found out she was getting her own book. To be honest, I didn't like Leah in this book. I thought she was bitchy and bratty. I didn't like the way she treated people and I especially didn't like the fact that this book was just sooooooo predictable.
Lets first start with her love interest Garrett. I thought he was great! He obviously liked Leah and I thought their interactions were wonderful. I know Leah was trying to figure out her feelings and where she stood with her sexuality, but honestly, I would have been happier if she'd ended up with Garrett, the relationship seemed more real to me and less forced.
Her second love interest and ultimately who Leah chose to be with... Abby Suso. Don't like her... at all. Disliked her completely in Simon's book and couldn't stand her in this book. If we're keeping score I called this relationship back when initially reading Simon vs. I thought about how Abby and Leah interacted and about how "straight" Abby was and I just knew these two would be forced together. I don't like Abby. She doesn't seem genuine her interactions seemed forced and she just doesn't fit with the other characters. Most importantly I feel like this was an insta-love relationship. It was like one minute Abby was straight and in love with Nick and then when she realized that her and Nick would have to do the long distance thing or break up due to going to different colleges; Leah was suddenly an option and she was suddenly good enough. This whole relationship just infuriated me.
All in all, I am extremely disappointed in this book. I love Becky Albertalli and her writing, but this book was a big miss for me. It seemed rushed and almost like she threw it together because she needed a sequel to Simon. I will read her future books but I just can't side with the masses on this one.
Actual rating: 1.5 -- I have the unpopular opinion.
I was super excited to read this book when it came out especially after I read and loved Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda. A lot of people read this and were sharing their love of it on Bookstagram and Booktube. With all the hype I decided to put off reading it a bit so that it would be fresh and new for me and I could form my own opinion and not be swayed by the masses. I'm glad I did but at the same time kind of wish I hadn't waited.
Honestly, I didn't like this book. I loved Simon vs. the Homosapien's Agenda, and I gave that book 5 stars. I loved Leah in that book and I really related with her (the little bit we had of her), and I was super pumped when I found out she was getting her own book. To be honest, I didn't like Leah in this book. I thought she was bitchy and bratty. I didn't like the way she treated people and I especially didn't like the fact that this book was just sooooooo predictable.
Lets first start with her love interest Garrett. I thought he was great! He obviously liked Leah and I thought their interactions were wonderful. I know Leah was trying to figure out her feelings and where she stood with her sexuality, but honestly, I would have been happier if she'd ended up with Garrett, the relationship seemed more real to me and less forced.
Her second love interest and ultimately who Leah chose to be with... Abby Suso. Don't like her... at all. Disliked her completely in Simon's book and couldn't stand her in this book. If we're keeping score I called this relationship back when initially reading Simon vs. I thought about how Abby and Leah interacted and about how "straight" Abby was and I just knew these two would be forced together. I don't like Abby. She doesn't seem genuine her interactions seemed forced and she just doesn't fit with the other characters. Most importantly I feel like this was an insta-love relationship. It was like one minute Abby was straight and in love with Nick and then when she realized that her and Nick would have to do the long distance thing or break up due to going to different colleges; Leah was suddenly an option and she was suddenly good enough. This whole relationship just infuriated me.
All in all, I am extremely disappointed in this book. I love Becky Albertalli and her writing, but this book was a big miss for me. It seemed rushed and almost like she threw it together because she needed a sequel to Simon. I will read her future books but I just can't side with the masses on this one.
Natacha (374 KP) rated The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles #3) in Books
Jul 9, 2019 (Updated Jul 13, 2019)
Contains spoilers, click to show
That was one of the hardest books I had to rate and review. The reason is that the adult part of me had very specific expectations while my young teenager self was reminding me that this is a YA book. More details.
Things that I liked:
-Lia is taking control of her destiny and do everything she can to save her people. As with the previous books is a strong female character, with personality and a big heart.
- We keep seeing how Lia is still attached to Venda and is also willing to help them. Is not just about saving her people but it's also about saving the people of Venda from their tyrant.
-Nice twists regarding Kaden past.
-Nice twists regarding Lia family
-I liked Lia's and her family dynamic.
Things my teenager self liked:
-Everybody gets a happy ending. Every main character survives and every one of them found love. A classic fairy tale ending.
Things I didn't like:
-Everybody gets a happy ending. Every main character survives and every one of them found love. A classic fairy tale ending... As an adult, I really didn't like that. First of all, if you have a love triangle and for two books you are telling us how much both Rafe and Kaden are sooooo deeply in love with Lia you don't get to just make Kaden fall in love with Pauline out of the blue and forget about Lia and just be besties. NO. I want my heart to be broken. I had mentally prepared myself for him to die or at the end to de like "I can be around you if you are not mine" and just leave. The author had an amazing opportunity to break our hearts but not... It's a YA book we can't do that. I sound like a crazy person I know...
-I felt this book was slower than it should have been. I was 40 pages from the end and this big battle between the ferocious army of Venda haven't even started. We had a big build-up from the previous book and I wanted an epic battle with twists and turns but it didn't happen.
-For 3 book we were told that Lia would have to "sacrifice" herself for the greater good. Well, that didn't happen either. Well, she "sacrificed" because she became the queen of Venda and couldn't be with Rafe. Ok, I can deal with that but then at the end, Lia and Rafe are "we love each other so we'll make it work", sooo... where is the sacrifice? Again a great opportunity to break our hearts but no... we went with the happy ending.
As I said this is a YA book so I'm perfectly aware of the author choices and I respect them. As a teenager, this would have probably been a 10/10. But if this final book was written for an adult audience it could have been heartbreaking and amazing.
Things that I liked:
-Lia is taking control of her destiny and do everything she can to save her people. As with the previous books is a strong female character, with personality and a big heart.
- We keep seeing how Lia is still attached to Venda and is also willing to help them. Is not just about saving her people but it's also about saving the people of Venda from their tyrant.
-Nice twists regarding Kaden past.
-Nice twists regarding Lia family
-I liked Lia's and her family dynamic.
Things my teenager self liked:
-Everybody gets a happy ending. Every main character survives and every one of them found love. A classic fairy tale ending.
Things I didn't like:
-Everybody gets a happy ending. Every main character survives and every one of them found love. A classic fairy tale ending... As an adult, I really didn't like that. First of all, if you have a love triangle and for two books you are telling us how much both Rafe and Kaden are sooooo deeply in love with Lia you don't get to just make Kaden fall in love with Pauline out of the blue and forget about Lia and just be besties. NO. I want my heart to be broken. I had mentally prepared myself for him to die or at the end to de like "I can be around you if you are not mine" and just leave. The author had an amazing opportunity to break our hearts but not... It's a YA book we can't do that. I sound like a crazy person I know...
-I felt this book was slower than it should have been. I was 40 pages from the end and this big battle between the ferocious army of Venda haven't even started. We had a big build-up from the previous book and I wanted an epic battle with twists and turns but it didn't happen.
-For 3 book we were told that Lia would have to "sacrifice" herself for the greater good. Well, that didn't happen either. Well, she "sacrificed" because she became the queen of Venda and couldn't be with Rafe. Ok, I can deal with that but then at the end, Lia and Rafe are "we love each other so we'll make it work", sooo... where is the sacrifice? Again a great opportunity to break our hearts but no... we went with the happy ending.
As I said this is a YA book so I'm perfectly aware of the author choices and I respect them. As a teenager, this would have probably been a 10/10. But if this final book was written for an adult audience it could have been heartbreaking and amazing.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated The Secrets of Paper and Ink in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Lindsay Harrel presents a powerful story of healing, forgiveness, and finding the courage to write your own story. A year after the death of her abusive fiancé, domestic violence counselor Sophia Barrett finds returning to work too painful. She escapes to Cornwall, England—a place she’s learned to love through the words of her favorite author—and finds a place to stay with the requirement that she help out in the bookstore underneath the room she’s renting. Given her love of all things literary, it seems like the perfect place to find peace. Ginny Rose is an American living in Cornwall, sure that if she saves the bookstore she co-owns with her husband then she can save her marriage as well. Fighting to keep the first place she feels like she belongs, she brainstorms with her brother-in-law, William, and Sophia to try to keep the charming bookstore afloat. More than 150 years before, governess Emily Fairfax knew two things for certain: she wanted to be a published author, and she was in love with her childhood best friend. But he was a wealthy heir and well out of her league. Sophia discovers Emily’s journals, and she and William embark on a mission to find out more about this mysterious and determined woman, all the while getting closer to each other as they get closer to the truth. The lives of the three women intertwine as each learns the power she has over the story of her life.
My Thoughts: This was a very compelling read for me. This is not just a story about one woman finding her healing from an abusive relationship but of three women finding out who they are and finding their true love.
I love the way the author combines the three lives of these women to form a story that the reader will be unable to put down.
There is a quote in the book that really stuck out to me "All we have in life are the choices we make. We must make choices we can live with - and die with if it comes to that". This is so true, life is made up of our choices, some may be good and others may not be so good. In the end, we have to live with our choices and the consequences of them. This is what Emily's father told her once and it was good advice. Emily is my favorite of the three women. She had a desire and she saw it through, she never gave up on her writing. She held to her convictions and had a love for others. She never let defeat get her down or to stop her from doing what she wanted to do.
I really enjoyed this novel, and I believe that other readers will enjoy it as much as I did; I think each reader will take something away with them from this novel. I hope to read more from this author.
My Thoughts: This was a very compelling read for me. This is not just a story about one woman finding her healing from an abusive relationship but of three women finding out who they are and finding their true love.
I love the way the author combines the three lives of these women to form a story that the reader will be unable to put down.
There is a quote in the book that really stuck out to me "All we have in life are the choices we make. We must make choices we can live with - and die with if it comes to that". This is so true, life is made up of our choices, some may be good and others may not be so good. In the end, we have to live with our choices and the consequences of them. This is what Emily's father told her once and it was good advice. Emily is my favorite of the three women. She had a desire and she saw it through, she never gave up on her writing. She held to her convictions and had a love for others. She never let defeat get her down or to stop her from doing what she wanted to do.
I really enjoyed this novel, and I believe that other readers will enjoy it as much as I did; I think each reader will take something away with them from this novel. I hope to read more from this author.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Eternal Love in Books
Aug 3, 2020
<a href="https://amzn.to/2Wi7amb">Wishlist</a>; | <a
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2720127654">Eternal Soul</a> - ★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3275169496">Eternal Love</a> - ★
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Book-Review-Banner-37.png"/>;
Eternal Love is the second book in the Eternal Soul series by Karimah Colden. We follow the story of Reign, who recently found out she has some magic powers.
The first book, Eternal Soul, focused on Reign finding herself in this new world, with the new powers she has. It was also an adventure of staying out of danger while also protecting her friends.
Eternal Love continues in the same spirit. Reign is living a normal life, until one day, her neighbour is killed and it seems that Reign was the actual target.
<b><i>I cannot say I enjoyed this book!</i></b>
Reign didn't develop or grow as a character throughout the book. Her powers didn't become stronger and she made some questionable decisions. Sometimes, she didn't make any decisions at all. Torn between two men, one-sided friendships and bad life priorities were a few things that bothered me.
<b><i>"You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. You can't let the shortcomings that are guaranteed to happen drag you down too. If you did that, you'd never be able to stand."</i></b>
The writing was very inconsistent. Sometimes, I would encounter beautiful paragraphs. Furthermore, I also noticed so many grammar and spelling errors that really annoyed me. On top of this, I could also see a lot of spacing between sentences, as if someone pressed the space button too many times before they continued writing. Like this. And it annoyed me a lot. I am sorry.
<b><i>"We are not the sins of our parents, we are each of our own mind and soul."</i></b>
The ending of Eternal Love didn't have any conclusion of closure to it, apart from solving the mystery behind Reign's family past. Throughout the whole book, Reign is torn between two potential love interests, and we don't get a conclusion to this either. It seems like the ending was a preparation for yet another book.
Eternal Love felt vert unprepared, not edited properly (or at all) and definitely unfinished. I didn't enjoy it and I cannot recommend it to you. I don't think I will be continuing the series, however I will still keep an eye on future releases from the author.
<a href="https://amzn.to/2Wi7amb">Wishlist</a>; | <a
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2720127654">Eternal Soul</a> - ★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3275169496">Eternal Love</a> - ★
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Book-Review-Banner-37.png"/>;
Eternal Love is the second book in the Eternal Soul series by Karimah Colden. We follow the story of Reign, who recently found out she has some magic powers.
The first book, Eternal Soul, focused on Reign finding herself in this new world, with the new powers she has. It was also an adventure of staying out of danger while also protecting her friends.
Eternal Love continues in the same spirit. Reign is living a normal life, until one day, her neighbour is killed and it seems that Reign was the actual target.
<b><i>I cannot say I enjoyed this book!</i></b>
Reign didn't develop or grow as a character throughout the book. Her powers didn't become stronger and she made some questionable decisions. Sometimes, she didn't make any decisions at all. Torn between two men, one-sided friendships and bad life priorities were a few things that bothered me.
<b><i>"You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. You can't let the shortcomings that are guaranteed to happen drag you down too. If you did that, you'd never be able to stand."</i></b>
The writing was very inconsistent. Sometimes, I would encounter beautiful paragraphs. Furthermore, I also noticed so many grammar and spelling errors that really annoyed me. On top of this, I could also see a lot of spacing between sentences, as if someone pressed the space button too many times before they continued writing. Like this. And it annoyed me a lot. I am sorry.
<b><i>"We are not the sins of our parents, we are each of our own mind and soul."</i></b>
The ending of Eternal Love didn't have any conclusion of closure to it, apart from solving the mystery behind Reign's family past. Throughout the whole book, Reign is torn between two potential love interests, and we don't get a conclusion to this either. It seems like the ending was a preparation for yet another book.
Eternal Love felt vert unprepared, not edited properly (or at all) and definitely unfinished. I didn't enjoy it and I cannot recommend it to you. I don't think I will be continuing the series, however I will still keep an eye on future releases from the author.
<a href="https://amzn.to/2Wi7amb">Wishlist</a>; | <a
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
Jennerz (8 KP) rated A Court of Thorns and Roses in Books
Mar 24, 2019
My first 10 star rating in nearly 7 years!
Lets be honest, im not a die hard fantasy reader. I didnt like lord of the rings, i didnt like harry potter, i dont like game of thrones.. i could go on. I have pretty much decided that if a huge majority of people are raving about something i will most likely hate it.
Why i picked up this book then? Well, i recently joined a few bookclubs and this author was what everyone talked about, everyone had these inside jokes that i had no idea what they were talking about... i guess that ticked me off enough times to buckle and give this book a try... AND OH AM I HAPPY THAT I DID.
Im not going to go into details about the book and potentially spoil it.. however i will say a few things.
Firstly, after a few chapters in brace yourself.. there is no "down time" to this book, no filler. I literally had to.. HAD TO, put the book down to process because it was so good.
I can not speak for this authors writing in any other novel because this series is my first of hers.. but the writing is beautiful and intricate. Do not expect to speed read this..it wont happen.
everytime i thought i knew what was going to happen next.. I WAS SOOO WRONG. (And im actually pretty good a guessing.)
The characters are so well thoughtout and i love each one of them as i should for what they are. The main characters of a book are usually the only ones you get to know, but we see into the past, future and present of each one of these beautiful souls.
So i guess what im saying is.. i went into this book ticked off lol and very much expecting to DNF ing it. And i came out the other side in love.. ...
Why i picked up this book then? Well, i recently joined a few bookclubs and this author was what everyone talked about, everyone had these inside jokes that i had no idea what they were talking about... i guess that ticked me off enough times to buckle and give this book a try... AND OH AM I HAPPY THAT I DID.
Im not going to go into details about the book and potentially spoil it.. however i will say a few things.
Firstly, after a few chapters in brace yourself.. there is no "down time" to this book, no filler. I literally had to.. HAD TO, put the book down to process because it was so good.
I can not speak for this authors writing in any other novel because this series is my first of hers.. but the writing is beautiful and intricate. Do not expect to speed read this..it wont happen.
everytime i thought i knew what was going to happen next.. I WAS SOOO WRONG. (And im actually pretty good a guessing.)
The characters are so well thoughtout and i love each one of them as i should for what they are. The main characters of a book are usually the only ones you get to know, but we see into the past, future and present of each one of these beautiful souls.
So i guess what im saying is.. i went into this book ticked off lol and very much expecting to DNF ing it. And i came out the other side in love.. ...
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Bright Lines in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Ella is the adopted daughter of Anwar and Hashi Saleem. The Saleem's took her in when her parents were murdered. They also have a daughter of their own named Chauru. They all live together in Brooklyn, New York, where Anwar is the owner of an apothecary(Pharmacy) and Hashi has a salon in their home. This is the only family that Ella has ever known. Although she has never really felt as a part of them, she was never treated as an outcast and never referred to as niece or cousin. The summer after her first year at college, Ella returns home to find things in a bit of disarray. There is a strange girl in her bed, her cousin/sister, Chauru, is sneaking boys into her room, her uncle is distant and her aunt, is constantly busy with customers during the wedding season. When a devastating event takes place, the family travels back to their home country of Bangladesh and they all learn important lessons about themselves and family.
This book took me through a lot of different emotions. First the story started off slowly and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. There were parts that had me confused and parts that had me shocked. Once I made it to the halfway point, it was hard to put it down.
This is a debut novel by Tanwi Nandini Islam. I love books that take me to a place I have never been. This book gave me a look into a world that I may not have ever discovered. Spanning the globe to help the Saleem's to learn to love one another and others. To learn about their history so they aren't doomed to repeat it in their future. Learning about family and loss and how to pull together when you have to. How to survive when you think it's impossible. This is a novel about discovery and family and learning to find yourself through your history.
This book took me through a lot of different emotions. First the story started off slowly and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. There were parts that had me confused and parts that had me shocked. Once I made it to the halfway point, it was hard to put it down.
This is a debut novel by Tanwi Nandini Islam. I love books that take me to a place I have never been. This book gave me a look into a world that I may not have ever discovered. Spanning the globe to help the Saleem's to learn to love one another and others. To learn about their history so they aren't doomed to repeat it in their future. Learning about family and loss and how to pull together when you have to. How to survive when you think it's impossible. This is a novel about discovery and family and learning to find yourself through your history.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated I Flipping Love You in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Rian has not had the easiest life so far. She and her twin sister, Marley are finally getting their lives where they want them. Their real estate business is going well and they will soon have the money they need to do their first flip. Along comes, Pierce, the dashing city boy who seems to be the perfect match. But when Pierce starts showing up everywhere Rian is to show or flip a house, she becomes suspicious of whether he is really interested in her or if he just wants an in on the properties on the beach in the Hamptons. Determined not to let her past ruin her future, Rian keeps forward with her quest despite Pierce's efforts to thwart her. Rian is not interested in men right now, her only objective is to be able to start flipping houses with her sister in an attempt to acquire the Mission Mansion which used to be in their family. Will she fall for this guy or leave him alone to continue with her own dreams?
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
At first I wasn't sure how this book was going to turn out. I'm a big fan of HGTV and house flipping shows, but how would that translate into a romance novel. It's true that Rian has her share of demons in her closet, but her past shouldn't dictate her future, especially when it comes to love. I really enjoyed this book. It had me hooked from the start and I didn't want to put it down. There were times when I found the main character a little whinny, but we, as independent women, can get that way sometimes when things seem to be going our way and then an obstacle comes into play. A very handsome and determined obstacle at that.
This is a great story about family and overcoming your past to make room for love and happiness in your future.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
At first I wasn't sure how this book was going to turn out. I'm a big fan of HGTV and house flipping shows, but how would that translate into a romance novel. It's true that Rian has her share of demons in her closet, but her past shouldn't dictate her future, especially when it comes to love. I really enjoyed this book. It had me hooked from the start and I didn't want to put it down. There were times when I found the main character a little whinny, but we, as independent women, can get that way sometimes when things seem to be going our way and then an obstacle comes into play. A very handsome and determined obstacle at that.
This is a great story about family and overcoming your past to make room for love and happiness in your future.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Beheld (Kendra Chronicles, #4) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Beheld by Alex Flinn is the fifth book in the Kendra Chronicles. Readers were first introduced to the witch in Flinns Beauty and the Beast retelling, Beastly. Since then she has been involved in a number of other famous fairy tales like Cinderella and Rapunzel. In this book, readers follow Kendras life as she finds the love of her life, loses him and repeats the cycle. Each time she encounters him, readers are treated to a short retelling. The first is Little Red Riding Hood, which is set in Salem, Ma during the witch trials. The second is Rumplestiltskin, which is set is Bavaria and features a Prince. The third is East of the Sun and West of the Moon, which is set primarily in Britain during the Second World War. The final tale is the Ugly Duckling, which is in modern day Miami.
My least favourite aspect of the book was actually the interludes linking each story together, or Kendras tale of trying to find her love. Each retelling would have been an interesting (if short) read, even if she were not a character and the magic was introduced in another fashion. Personally, I felt that these tales would have been better served as novellas because the thread linking them felt forced. The stories themselves felt rushed at times, perhaps because all four had to be combined into one cohesive story and if they were more detailed than the novel would be much too long.
The characters were likable and the world was believable, but neither was particularly developed. I wish that the author had taken the time to delve more deeply into the worlds and build an entrancing narrative. Overall, the book was enjoyable but there were times that it was slow and I had to force myself to pick it back up to continue.
I would recommend this novel, and the series as a whole, to young adult/teen readers who enjoy magic and fantasy in their books, as well as fairytale retellings.
My least favourite aspect of the book was actually the interludes linking each story together, or Kendras tale of trying to find her love. Each retelling would have been an interesting (if short) read, even if she were not a character and the magic was introduced in another fashion. Personally, I felt that these tales would have been better served as novellas because the thread linking them felt forced. The stories themselves felt rushed at times, perhaps because all four had to be combined into one cohesive story and if they were more detailed than the novel would be much too long.
The characters were likable and the world was believable, but neither was particularly developed. I wish that the author had taken the time to delve more deeply into the worlds and build an entrancing narrative. Overall, the book was enjoyable but there were times that it was slow and I had to force myself to pick it back up to continue.
I would recommend this novel, and the series as a whole, to young adult/teen readers who enjoy magic and fantasy in their books, as well as fairytale retellings.
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Rivers of London: Body Work in Books
Feb 14, 2018
Great book for urban fantasy lovers
I enjoyed reading this one as it featured a main character who wasn’t your typical anti-hero - which we seem to have a lot lately. I’m glad to see Peter was just your average good guy who’s doing his best to be a policeman until he comes across supernatural things in which his whole life changes.
Peter’s relationship with Nightingale is pretty much a mentor/student one. Nightingale has his own secrets though and a few are revealed but there’s more to him that you think - I hope there’s more information about him in the later books to come. There are other supporting characters; I do like Leslie because she’s got the wit (possible love interest, maybe) and she’s a perfect sidekick to Peter. Molly is another interesting character that I would love to know more about. Again this is the first book in the series so I’m hoping more character development will eventually come forth in later books.
The world building is pretty good and Peter does a good job also explaining how things are in London (I admit I had to google a couple of things as I didn’t know who or what Punch and Judy were) but it gives you information on the city and events that are common there to actually make you feel as if you are following Peter around as he tries to solve the case and becomes an apprentice.
The plot was well done and I liked how the different story arcs come together in the end into one large circle. It may seem confusing at first but once you have everything laid out and you know who is who everything comes to a close and it’s a great closing. It obviously leaves room for more books coming so one can look forward to what is next for Peter.
(The Riot scene though? Holyyyyy sheeeeeee what the……)
It’s a good read, those who are into urban fantasy mysteries will likely like this type of book. Looking forward to book two!
Peter’s relationship with Nightingale is pretty much a mentor/student one. Nightingale has his own secrets though and a few are revealed but there’s more to him that you think - I hope there’s more information about him in the later books to come. There are other supporting characters; I do like Leslie because she’s got the wit (possible love interest, maybe) and she’s a perfect sidekick to Peter. Molly is another interesting character that I would love to know more about. Again this is the first book in the series so I’m hoping more character development will eventually come forth in later books.
The world building is pretty good and Peter does a good job also explaining how things are in London (I admit I had to google a couple of things as I didn’t know who or what Punch and Judy were) but it gives you information on the city and events that are common there to actually make you feel as if you are following Peter around as he tries to solve the case and becomes an apprentice.
The plot was well done and I liked how the different story arcs come together in the end into one large circle. It may seem confusing at first but once you have everything laid out and you know who is who everything comes to a close and it’s a great closing. It obviously leaves room for more books coming so one can look forward to what is next for Peter.
(The Riot scene though? Holyyyyy sheeeeeee what the……)
It’s a good read, those who are into urban fantasy mysteries will likely like this type of book. Looking forward to book two!