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Throne of Glass
Throne of Glass
Sarah J. Maas | 2012 | Children, Fiction & Poetry
10
8.7 (91 Ratings)
Book Rating
Characters (1 more)
Storyline
Slow Beginning (0 more)
Unexpected Start, Engaging Content, Epic Story
Contains spoilers, click to show
I am going to be completely honest when I started Throne of Glass, I was a little bored. The beginning of the book had a slow start and I had trouble getting started with the book. Boy am I glad that I stuck with it!! The story revolves around 3 Main Characters to Start Celaena Sardothien, Prince Dorian Havilliard, and Captain Chaol Westfall.

***** SPOILERS BELOW!! ******


Dorian starts by getting Celaena out of Prison, Where she was placed for being an Assassin by Dorian's father. Dorian enlists Celaena to become his assassin in a competition given by his father. She must beat all other contestants and then serve as the King's Assassin for 5 years to gain her freedom. The book has intrigue, action, little bit of love, and it keeps you hooked to the page.


Once the story gets going you will not be able to put the book down. I'll let you know to buy all of the series at once if you can because You will immediately want to pick up the next book in the series once you are done the first.
  
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
J.K. Rowling | 2014 | Children, Fiction & Poetry
10
9.1 (271 Ratings)
Book Rating
Parents and kids can enjoy together (0 more)
You-Know-Who (0 more)
How I learned to Love Reading
I'll be honest I tend to gush over any Harry Potter book because before this series came into my life I refused to read, so it'll always have a special place in my heart.
Though the first book is brilliant. A child can learn he or she is not limited by this world if they are willing to put an effort towards their dreams and do not allow anyone to hold them back. A child can learn how to treat others and how we put ourselves off can alter how people see us. Most of all, a child enters the world where life seems it will amount to nothing and yet Harry enters a magical world he could never dream of (if we forget about Voldemort).
Most of all, parents can enjoy the book and series with their children. This could be reading it together or simply the parent reflecting back on the story as their young child reads it. There are many discussions to be had as well.
Certainly a book you could read over and over again.
  
The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars
John Green | 2012 | Children
10
8.2 (185 Ratings)
Book Rating
Everything (3 more)
Johns writing style
Hazel and Gus
Isaccs friendship
On A Roller Coaster That Only Goes Up My Friend
Although I say books are emotional and heart breaking this is actually the only book ever to make me cry. I cried probably not at the point most people did. I cried at an Issac scene. John is the only person I've come across that can make you want to laugh and cry at the same time he writes the most dramatic scene and then puts in something out of character yet thoughtful and makes you over explode with emotion.

Its hard to explain the book to people without going well the main character has cancer but at the same time its not about cancer its about people. That's what makes John such a great writer is that he always see's people first and what ever problem they have wrong with them second.


This is a beautiful book with love friendship joy and pain its about life and death and everything in between. On Johns youtube channel vlogbrthers he always reminds everyone "Don't forget to be awesome." This book certainly doesn't.
  
Donnie Brasco (1997)
Donnie Brasco (1997)
1997 | Drama, Mystery
Johnny Depp (2 more)
Al Pacino
True Story
Forgettaboutit!
Great film. Great start to a film....Just look at the information passed in the opening credits, we see gangsters, photographs, evidence, this film sets the scene in the first 1 minute, let alone 20. After that, the film plays out brilliantly. Depp plays Don the Jeweller (aka undercover FBI Agent Joe Pistone) infiltrating the New York mob/crime family. Al Pacino plays the flawed gangster Lefty Two Guns. I like a few other supporting roles like Michael Madsen as the rising mob boss Sonny Black, and Paul Giamatti show us great talent in a small role as FBI technician.
This is just a great film where we see Donny torn to pieces by the guilt of not being with his family, the pressure and danger of infiltrating the mob as an undercover agent, and the confused loyalties and love for his connected contact Lefty.
Lefty struggles with his tenuous and fragile position within the mob and looks at Donny as a way up or out.
 The film can only go one way but it's fun getting there.
Ill not divulge too much but, for me, its a must watch. Enjoy.
  
Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
2016 | Sci-Fi
Poor CGI (3 more)
Rubbish script
Uncharismatic performances
Lazy direction
Why did they bother?
You know that way when sequels to 90's movies are released and you think, "if this came out 20 years ago it might have worked, but there is no place for this in today's movie landscape?" Well this movie is the prime example of that sentiment.
Sloppy writing, lazy performances, and cheap call-backs plague this poor attempt at resetting up this franchise. The whole thing feels so dated, how can this be? CGI and filmmaking in general has advanced so much in the last 20 years, yet this piece of trash still feels two decades old.
I didn't love the original and to be honest I don't really feel that the first movie has stood the test of time very well, but next to Resurgence, the original film is a masterpiece.
Don't give this crap your time. Fans of the original will be disgusted at this sorry attempt at a sequel and folk that haven't seen the original will just see an outdated, lazy, sci-fi flopped attempt at a blockbuster.
  
The Beauty of the Wolf
The Beauty of the Wolf
Wray Delaney | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A refreshingly different retelling
I rather liked this retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It's set in Elizabethan England, and there are some twists to the original story, which were both surprising and refreshing.
I really liked the language used: it was poetic with a good smattering of the more 'earthy' Elizabethan English (it's what we English are good at I think, isn't it!). I also liked the mix of fairytale, folklore and history. It just felt as though the author had done a bit of historical research with regards to life in London and as part of a theatrical group.
It was a good story that illustrated that what's on the inside is what really counts far more than appearances and that, I suppose, there is someone out there for everyone. Someone who will love you for yourself, regardless of what you look like - in fact, probably precisely because of what you look like.*
*This book actually caused me to check in my cynicism at the first page. And that's no bad thing in literature!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
  
It’s 1914. American women are demanding the vote. And the first flames of the Great War are

 igniting Europe. But a battle of a different sort rages in Oklahoma. The thermometer registers one hundred six degrees, an out-of-the-ordinary occurrence even for the twenty-eighth day of July. But this is no ordinary day. The jury has reached a verdict. Lily fidgets in the old church pew. Her name has clotted into a by-word. Her blood is tainted. Can she right the wrongs? Or will her past forever define her? She eyes the judge. And the courtroom holds its breath.


My thoughts : This is an interesting story of a young woman struggling with her past. Her.
 father beat  her and now she is afraid for her brother.  Lilly heads to Texas where a job awaits her, but God has other plans.


This is a good story.  I like the mystery of the sea chest and reading the ancient journal Lilly`s mother left her.

What I saw in this story was a young woman find I ng her way in the world, and finding God.  A story of love, and letting go of the past.
  
The Dangerous Kind
The Dangerous Kind
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
1 in 100 people

We all recognize them. Those who exist just on the fringes of society. Who send prickles up the back of our necks. The charmers. The liars. The manipulators. Those who have the potential to go that one step too far. And then take another step.

WOW... is what I have to say for this thriller. This book grabbed me from the first chapter and never let me go. It tackles some difficult topics and it was quite uncomfortable to read in places but it was written well and not overly explicit.
I had tears while reading this; at times I wanted to scream in frustration at the characters. by the ending I was doing the mouth hanging open in surprise!
This story is told mainly from four different view points the story follows Jessamine, a radio presenter, her adopted daughter Sarah, Jitesh an intern at the BBC radio studios in present day London and Rowena in 2003.
I myself would love to see this turned into a movie.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
  
Snowbound With A Stranger
Snowbound With A Stranger
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I was somewhat interest what was going to happen when I started to read this. I could tell it was about two people trapped in a snowstorm by the name of the book along with cover.

What did not expect was up and down my emotion did with this book. I was going are they going to get together or break up. They both had their attraction to each other but did not seem not to want to have each other or at least Dannie did not want to admit that she could love someone.

Lee had gotten to save Dannie during the storm. Though her first thoughts were it was bear was coming to get her. She soon found out it was Lee. He seem to be prepared with a walkies talkie and she was a little befuddled about that. Before they had up to the cabin, Lee get talks to Stevens. If you really want to know what happens I suggest you read the book. It a great book to read. Just be prepared to have your emotions go for a ride or a roller coaster ride of up and down with them.
  
I'd Climb the Highest Mountain (1951)
I'd Climb the Highest Mountain (1951)
1951 | Biography, Drama, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Good cast. (3 more)
Good acting, even among the children.
Scenery
Not too religious.
Subservient wife role. (2 more)
Some plot holes.
Lack of character development in minor roles.
A sweet, simple feel-good movie.
This is a simple film about a new wife (from the city) who has gone to live with her preacher husband in the country around the turn on the century. It's based on the protagonist's biography. At first, she's unsure that she'll like it or will fit in but she grows into her role as a preacher's wife and grows to love those in the community.

Though the characters are religious, they are not all fire and brimstone about their faith. Instead, the characters are simple, gentle, kind, and moral. The preacher's attitude reminds me of Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird.

Susan Hayward plays the preacher's wife in a very believable way as the character journeys from a new wife to a more well-rounded person. Her character grows through hardship and shows real grit and backbone.

If you like classic movies and long for simpler times, this is a good one to watch.