Search
Search results
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated The Wife Who Got A Life in Books
Jul 1, 2021
A hilarious look at the trials of life from a woman who is worrying about looming menopause. From two teenagers who seem to create chaos when in the same room together to an absent husband who just doesn’t listen, Cathy has her work set out with her home life.
We follow Cathy on her journey through one year after her sister gifts her a motivational diary, which Cathy decides to use for her own small targets like deciding who is going to clean her mum and dad’s loo to the far reaching targets like dancing with Hugh Jackman.
Every month she has a book club meeting, where more often than not, only a couple of the members have actually read the book. But they use it as more of a night where they can catch up and chat about their lives.
As a trained accountant, Cathy gave up working when she had her two children but did a little bit for some small local businesses, but that changes when she sees Tony one day (who she regularly meets on her dog walks) and he tells her he is in need for an accountant, she then ends up going to work in a hip, cool building which does her confidence wonders.
The book really did have some funny parts which made me giggle, and some that made me cry. The only reason for the 3 star rating was that I don’t think that I was the intended audience (a bit on the younger side and nowhere near menopause, I hope!) but I could still find the funny side in a lot of her worries and the situations that arise throughout.
We follow Cathy on her journey through one year after her sister gifts her a motivational diary, which Cathy decides to use for her own small targets like deciding who is going to clean her mum and dad’s loo to the far reaching targets like dancing with Hugh Jackman.
Every month she has a book club meeting, where more often than not, only a couple of the members have actually read the book. But they use it as more of a night where they can catch up and chat about their lives.
As a trained accountant, Cathy gave up working when she had her two children but did a little bit for some small local businesses, but that changes when she sees Tony one day (who she regularly meets on her dog walks) and he tells her he is in need for an accountant, she then ends up going to work in a hip, cool building which does her confidence wonders.
The book really did have some funny parts which made me giggle, and some that made me cry. The only reason for the 3 star rating was that I don’t think that I was the intended audience (a bit on the younger side and nowhere near menopause, I hope!) but I could still find the funny side in a lot of her worries and the situations that arise throughout.
Club Penguin Island
Entertainment and Games
App
Hi Penguins! Are you READY FOR ADVENTURES? There’s a whole, amazing community of penguins...
City of Friends
6.0
Rate It
Book
City of Friends is the twentieth novel from the highly acclaimed number one bestselling author,...
Fiction
Logic Puzzles Daily
Games, Entertainment and Stickers
App
Logic Puzzle fans, meet your nemesis! Created by a team of puzzlers who have been completing these...
Ross (3284 KP) rated Fitbit Flex 2 Fitness Wristband in Tech
Oct 2, 2018
No direct interface (1 more)
Struggled to see the LEDs in direct sunlight
A decent fitness tracker to get you up and about more
First things first, this is not a smart watch - there is no interactive screen, it won't tell you the time and you cannot get an accurate measure of your steps at any point in time.
With that out of the way, and the context set, lets have a look at how well it does what it means to do.
Straight out of the box, it was very easy to set up the flex 2 - syncing to my phone and assembling it was easy - the fitbit itself is a tiny little nugget that clicks into a charging cradle and slots back into the strap quite snugly. Bluetooth pairing and setting up an account was easy.
The item is very light and not clunky at all. While the clasp on the strap is quite hard to close and open again, I am sure this would ease over time, and is actually quite reassuring - it is not going to fall off your wrist in the supermarket!
A simple double-tap on the front of the fitbit is enough to get a measure of your progress - there are 5 LED's on the unit and you get one full light for each 25% of your step target plus the next light flashes more the further through the next 25% you get. For some people this would be enough, and I dare say you would get in the habit of how far through you should be each day. However, I have a vitality account where points (and therefore prizes!) are rewards for more activity. While I could change the target to my needed 12,500 steps I would need to know how close I am to guarantee I get there (and don't have to do the 10pm jogging on the spot routine before bed). Having had smart watches in the past, this would be a deal-breaker for me.
The device gives alerts for alarms, messages and calls with a different coloured light assigned to each. For me this was largely pointless as with no idea who the message/call was from, and with my phone always in my pocket or hand I didn't need this alert.
The fitbit app delivers quite a bit more functionality than the device itself - taking your activity and turning it into calories and exercise minutes based on your stats. Together with the app, the device delivers quite a good all-round fitness tracking capability. The only question is whether you need more of a display on the strap itself, or are happy to use the app for this.
My only other gripe is that in direct sunlight (even Scottish sunlight!) it was quite hard to see the LED's light up to track progress.
I won't really go into the accuracy of the device - all trackers use different technology and give credit for different movements so it seems silly to test the "accuracy" of one against the other. I will say it wasn't far off from another device I used so was not totally "wrong".
If you are looking for a light fitness tracker that you can largely just ignore and are happy to check the app for more detailed progress, then this is a great little device. If you are expecting something to rival a Garmin/Apple Watch or more complex fitbits then this is not really for you.
With that out of the way, and the context set, lets have a look at how well it does what it means to do.
Straight out of the box, it was very easy to set up the flex 2 - syncing to my phone and assembling it was easy - the fitbit itself is a tiny little nugget that clicks into a charging cradle and slots back into the strap quite snugly. Bluetooth pairing and setting up an account was easy.
The item is very light and not clunky at all. While the clasp on the strap is quite hard to close and open again, I am sure this would ease over time, and is actually quite reassuring - it is not going to fall off your wrist in the supermarket!
A simple double-tap on the front of the fitbit is enough to get a measure of your progress - there are 5 LED's on the unit and you get one full light for each 25% of your step target plus the next light flashes more the further through the next 25% you get. For some people this would be enough, and I dare say you would get in the habit of how far through you should be each day. However, I have a vitality account where points (and therefore prizes!) are rewards for more activity. While I could change the target to my needed 12,500 steps I would need to know how close I am to guarantee I get there (and don't have to do the 10pm jogging on the spot routine before bed). Having had smart watches in the past, this would be a deal-breaker for me.
The device gives alerts for alarms, messages and calls with a different coloured light assigned to each. For me this was largely pointless as with no idea who the message/call was from, and with my phone always in my pocket or hand I didn't need this alert.
The fitbit app delivers quite a bit more functionality than the device itself - taking your activity and turning it into calories and exercise minutes based on your stats. Together with the app, the device delivers quite a good all-round fitness tracking capability. The only question is whether you need more of a display on the strap itself, or are happy to use the app for this.
My only other gripe is that in direct sunlight (even Scottish sunlight!) it was quite hard to see the LED's light up to track progress.
I won't really go into the accuracy of the device - all trackers use different technology and give credit for different movements so it seems silly to test the "accuracy" of one against the other. I will say it wasn't far off from another device I used so was not totally "wrong".
If you are looking for a light fitness tracker that you can largely just ignore and are happy to check the app for more detailed progress, then this is a great little device. If you are expecting something to rival a Garmin/Apple Watch or more complex fitbits then this is not really for you.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated That Inevitable Victorian Thing in Books
Jan 11, 2018
A fun alternate history romp
Representation, people! This book features a bisexual, intersex young woman. (I say woman, because she is female-presenting and uses female pronouns.) It also features a not-quite-love-triangle that turns into something more like polyamory. (Sorry, that's a bit of a spoiler, but you can see it coming from a mile away, and the cover description heavily implies the same.)
It's not realistic in the least - everything falls together nicely and it's a bit of a "princess saves the day by virtue of being a princess" kind of plot. But the twist on the history is a very pleasant one - and making the British Empire an Empire that values diversity and the melding of cultures and not looking down on anyone because they're different is a really nice change of pace. It's a WONDERFUL bit of escapist fantasy given today's world, I have to say.
I'd actually really like to see the darker side of this same world explored. One of the main plot points in the book is that there is a computer database of genetics. Everyone in the British Empire, when they turn 18, is encouraged to have their DNA sequenced and entered into the computer to find good genetic matches. They then have the opportunity to chat with those matches and eventually meet them. It's accepted custom, and you're definitely viewed as odd if you choose NOT to do it, though Helena's parents were a love match and never had their DNA matched through the computer. Helena's love interest is a boy she grew up with, she really only ran her DNA through the computer for kicks. So it's not mandatory - except for royals. But that this computer and database exists leaves room for a darker side. What about genetic modification? Forced marriages for certain genetic outcomes? That has to be happening somewhere. That Inevitable Victorian Thing really only looked at the fun, light-hearted, good uses of this technology. I'd love to see the other side.
Oh - while the book definitely has a Victorian flavor, it's definitely set in modern day, or perhaps a little past. It's not Victorian era.
Fun little book. A good escape from a racist, homophobic world to a more diverse, accepting one. But a little TOO fluffy bunny for my personal tastes.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
It's not realistic in the least - everything falls together nicely and it's a bit of a "princess saves the day by virtue of being a princess" kind of plot. But the twist on the history is a very pleasant one - and making the British Empire an Empire that values diversity and the melding of cultures and not looking down on anyone because they're different is a really nice change of pace. It's a WONDERFUL bit of escapist fantasy given today's world, I have to say.
I'd actually really like to see the darker side of this same world explored. One of the main plot points in the book is that there is a computer database of genetics. Everyone in the British Empire, when they turn 18, is encouraged to have their DNA sequenced and entered into the computer to find good genetic matches. They then have the opportunity to chat with those matches and eventually meet them. It's accepted custom, and you're definitely viewed as odd if you choose NOT to do it, though Helena's parents were a love match and never had their DNA matched through the computer. Helena's love interest is a boy she grew up with, she really only ran her DNA through the computer for kicks. So it's not mandatory - except for royals. But that this computer and database exists leaves room for a darker side. What about genetic modification? Forced marriages for certain genetic outcomes? That has to be happening somewhere. That Inevitable Victorian Thing really only looked at the fun, light-hearted, good uses of this technology. I'd love to see the other side.
Oh - while the book definitely has a Victorian flavor, it's definitely set in modern day, or perhaps a little past. It's not Victorian era.
Fun little book. A good escape from a racist, homophobic world to a more diverse, accepting one. But a little TOO fluffy bunny for my personal tastes.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Small Business Marketing in a Week: Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses in Seven Simple Steps
Book
Marketing your small business just got easier It's been said that the most important area for any...
Marshal Vauban and the Defence of Louis XIV's France
Book
Marshal Vauban was one of the greatest military engineers of all time. His complex, highly...
Abarat 2: Days of Magic, Nights of War
Book
A dazzling fantasy adventure for all ages, the second part of a quartet appearing at two yearly...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Jetsetters in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Charlotte Perkins is 71, and her best friend has just died. Long single, she longs to be touched and loved again, so she writes an essay (a rather racy one at that) to the "Become a Jetsetter" contest to win a trip for her entire family (and to perhaps meet someone). Charlotte is shocked and elated when she actually wins, earning the the chance to take her three children to Athens, Greece and on a nine-day cruise to Barcelona, Spain. Lee, a struggling actress who has just returned home on a "break" from acting (and from her famous ex-boyfriend) figures she has nothing better to do. Cord, her son, a wealthy New Yorker, isn't thrilled about being trapped on a ship while he struggles with his sobriety. And Regan, an exhausted mother of two daughters, can't believe it when her irritating husband Matt joins the group. This will be a particularly fun trip since Lee and Regan haven't spoken in ten years. Trapped on this adventure together, secrets come out and the Perkins family suddenly learns more than they ever wanted to know about each one another.
It took me a while to process this one. I really enjoy Amanda Eyre Ward's writing, and I have such a soft spot for her book, The Same Sky, which is one of my absolute favorite novels. This book is very different from that one, and it took me some time to warm to the pacing and the characters. Charlotte turned me off in the beginning, and I was just slow to get into the book. We learn that the Perkins kids had a rough childhood, but one that also bonded them together. Yet when the book opens, none of them are particularly close to each other--or their mother.
"This day, and the two more excruciating days that followed--days of sand and beer-scented misery--would be the last time Lee went on vacation with her mother and siblings. Until thirty-two years later, when they became jetsetters."
The book presents the story from not only Charlotte's point of view, but that of each of her wayward children. None of the kids are easy to like at first, but Ward's prose makes them come to life before our eyes. They are fallible, for sure, and it's hard not to feel a bit sorry for everyone. I for one am not sure I could handle being trapped on a cruise ship with a group of unhappy family members.
"Oh. Charlotte's children. To her great sadness and bewilderment, Charlotte's three adult children were lost to her, and perhaps to themselves."
The novel does an excellent job at portraying all the difficult relationships in the book, giving us an in-depth portrait of a complicated family. While the story is told solely over the span of their trip, we learn all about Charlotte's life--much of it hidden away from her children--and the lives of her three kids, even bits and pieces of their childhood and backstories. No one has had an easy go of it, for sure. How much do parents, and their actions, affect their kids, the book asks. How do families in general influence the people we become. They have so much power: both to help and to hurt.
It's funny, this wasn't always a story I enjoyed, even though there are humorous and touching moments, but I recognized its powerful parts too. Overall, I would rate this at 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 stars here. It's worth a read.
It took me a while to process this one. I really enjoy Amanda Eyre Ward's writing, and I have such a soft spot for her book, The Same Sky, which is one of my absolute favorite novels. This book is very different from that one, and it took me some time to warm to the pacing and the characters. Charlotte turned me off in the beginning, and I was just slow to get into the book. We learn that the Perkins kids had a rough childhood, but one that also bonded them together. Yet when the book opens, none of them are particularly close to each other--or their mother.
"This day, and the two more excruciating days that followed--days of sand and beer-scented misery--would be the last time Lee went on vacation with her mother and siblings. Until thirty-two years later, when they became jetsetters."
The book presents the story from not only Charlotte's point of view, but that of each of her wayward children. None of the kids are easy to like at first, but Ward's prose makes them come to life before our eyes. They are fallible, for sure, and it's hard not to feel a bit sorry for everyone. I for one am not sure I could handle being trapped on a cruise ship with a group of unhappy family members.
"Oh. Charlotte's children. To her great sadness and bewilderment, Charlotte's three adult children were lost to her, and perhaps to themselves."
The novel does an excellent job at portraying all the difficult relationships in the book, giving us an in-depth portrait of a complicated family. While the story is told solely over the span of their trip, we learn all about Charlotte's life--much of it hidden away from her children--and the lives of her three kids, even bits and pieces of their childhood and backstories. No one has had an easy go of it, for sure. How much do parents, and their actions, affect their kids, the book asks. How do families in general influence the people we become. They have so much power: both to help and to hurt.
It's funny, this wasn't always a story I enjoyed, even though there are humorous and touching moments, but I recognized its powerful parts too. Overall, I would rate this at 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 stars here. It's worth a read.