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Ordinary People
Ordinary People
Diana Evans | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This isn't necessarily a book about race, even though it's set just as Obama becomes US President, and the main protagonists of the book are black. It's primarily, in my opinion, a story of relationships, and specifically the relationships of two couples: Melissa and Michael, and Stephanie and Damien. I was really looking forward to a book set in London (my home town) in the relative present day, but i have to admit that i felt very little joy when reading this book. I get that it's not necessarily a happy story; but it made life in a relationship and life with children seem so utterly depressing. No one seemed to be happy, and they all seemed to be completely incapable of speaking to one another. Small things become big things, big things become insurmountable. I felt like shaking them, to try and knock some sense into them - on many occasions!
Don't get me wrong - I liked it (a Goodreads 3 stars, which is a 'like'), but I didn't LOVE it. And I felt it could have been so much more.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book.
  
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ClareR (5784 KP) rated Love Will Tear Us Apart in Books

Jun 8, 2018 (Updated Aug 14, 2018)  
Love Will Tear Us Apart
Love Will Tear Us Apart
Holly Seddon | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
More communication needed!!
This book seems to be based around a couples inability to communicate with one another and the problems that goes on to cause. The couple are Kate and Paul, and they have been best friends since they were seven years old. This continues through their teenaged years and into adulthood. They have a pact at 15, that if they aren't married by 30, they'll marry each other. Kate is brought up pretty much by Paul's parents. Hers are too busy initially, and then Kate's mother dies. Her father is too busy and too detached from her by this point. She seems to live a lonely life and the only relief is Paul and his family. We meet them on holiday with their children in the lead up to their 10th wedding anniversary. They seem very distant from one another.
The story follows their childhood, teens, twenties and present day, all in the form of flashback chapters.
I really enjoyed this book: it's melancholy and just plain sad at times, but a well-written, thoughtful novel.
Many thanks to the author and The Pigeonhole (a social reading platform) for my copy of this book.
  
Love Actually (2003)
Love Actually (2003)
2003 | Comedy, Romance
Heartwarmingly brilliant
Love Actually is one of those films where i never understand how people couldn’t like it. It’s so heartwarming and sweet and romantic, with such a variety of different stories centring around love and relationships. Not only that but it’s also pretty hilarious at times and very witty too, and has a phenomenal cast. The amount of acting talent in this is second to none, and how can you really go wrong with a film that has Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman and many many others in the cast? The only real negative to the cast is sadly Keira Knightley, who I’ve never rated and she isn’t very good in this, although fortunately she isn’t in it that much.

This is a Christmas film that doesn’t go too over the top with the Christmas feels (mainly thanks to Billy Mack) and for me I see it more of a rom-com first rather than a Christmas film. But it’s still a brilliant film, although it does get me hoping that an Andrew Lincoln or Colin Firth lookalike will turn up at my door one day...
  
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Lee (2222 KP) Dec 23, 2018

My wife always says "it's not officially Christmas until I've watched Love Actually'! ?

The Leisure Seeker (2017)
The Leisure Seeker (2017)
2017 | Drama
2
5.0 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call The Leisure Seeker.



Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland in a movie together... I wanted to love this one. I'm sad to say that I really didn't.

Having not seen a trailer I was completely blindsided by the actual subject matter. From the things I've seen, and the IMDb description above along with "Adventure, Comedy, Drama" under it's entry I was expecting something entirely different. Something funny, and more like a teen road movie, but with older people. But the tale of last chance before ill health wins, is bleak to say the least.

It's a strong and important message about life with, and after, illness. The two are essentially on the run from their ill health, Ella is terminal and John is nearly completely lost to his memories. You get the fleeting highs and lows that the couple do throughout, but they don't make up for the slow and "every day" nature of the movie.

This one was another on the "I'd have left but then I wouldn't have been able to bitch about it" list.
  
    Earthquake Finder

    Earthquake Finder

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