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Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Look both ways (2022) in Movies
Oct 30, 2022
Contains spoilers, click to show
2 young college students are discussing upcoming plans for their future, and end up sleeping together. Fast forward to graduation and the girl has a pregnancy scare........and at the same time finds out she is pregnant! She celebrates not being pregnant and also tells the guy she slept with that she's pregnant.......confused yet?? Anyway, the guy is supportive and she decides to keep the baby and ditch her future plans of moving to LA, she also moves to LA...... and then asks her parents if she can move in with them until the baby arrives.......
You know what, I'm not even going to try explaining the movie in as much detail as I usually do, because it's pretty much all over the place. Basically it shows 2 different scenarios of a what if situation and it is hard to follow, so it's not a half watch kinda movie. Basically pretend it's the 90s, put down your phone and pay attention, once you do that it's a good movie, and can be an eye opener for anyone struggling to decide between a baby or a career.
You know what, I'm not even going to try explaining the movie in as much detail as I usually do, because it's pretty much all over the place. Basically it shows 2 different scenarios of a what if situation and it is hard to follow, so it's not a half watch kinda movie. Basically pretend it's the 90s, put down your phone and pay attention, once you do that it's a good movie, and can be an eye opener for anyone struggling to decide between a baby or a career.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Rooster Bar in Books
Jan 1, 2018
Slow-moving (1 more)
Not interesting
Not one of Grisham's best
Mark, Todd, and Zola all had big aspirations when they signed up for Foggy Bottom law school. They also dreamed of the big paychecks that would follow after graduation. Those paychecks would help pay off the student loans required to attend Foggy Bottom--a less than well-respected for-profit law school that has left each of the trio with an average of $200K in debt. Even worse, Foggy Bottom is such a terrible school that they are receiving a mediocre education from sub-par professors; they may not even pass the bar exam. And if they do, they have little chance of gaining one of the coveted, well-paying law positions that can pay off those loans. So when one of their close friends, Gordy, alerts them that their school is owned by a shady financial operative who also has ties to a bank that profits off their loans, they are outraged. When tragedy besets the group, Mark, Todd, and Zola decide to take matters into their own hands, no matter what it takes. Even if that means quitting school a few months shy of graduation...
Oh man, I wanted to like this one, but it just didn't work for me. It took me eleven days to read--unheard of for basically any book, let alone a Grisham, and I practically had to force myself to finish it. It seemed like a really good premise: the novel combines the timely issues of student loan debt and immigration, but nothing meshes together well.
I never warmed to the protagonists. It's really hard to like or empathize with Mark, Todd, or even Zola, who is dealing with her family being deported. What's being done to the three law students is certainly not great, but their response just never seemed fully justified to me. I could not root for them like I could a Darby Shaw, a Gray Grantham, a Reggie Love. It's a shame, because the bad guy is fairly despicable, but we don't get enough development on either side to feel fully invested. As for our trio, for instance, they basically blow a huge case for someone and never do anything to make amends--nor ever really seem to show any real remorse. How is that any better than the people they are going up against?
Without anyone to really root for or a plot to quickly move forward, this one just dragged on. For me, it was slow-moving and not-interesting. Definitely a letdown. 2.5 stars.
Oh man, I wanted to like this one, but it just didn't work for me. It took me eleven days to read--unheard of for basically any book, let alone a Grisham, and I practically had to force myself to finish it. It seemed like a really good premise: the novel combines the timely issues of student loan debt and immigration, but nothing meshes together well.
I never warmed to the protagonists. It's really hard to like or empathize with Mark, Todd, or even Zola, who is dealing with her family being deported. What's being done to the three law students is certainly not great, but their response just never seemed fully justified to me. I could not root for them like I could a Darby Shaw, a Gray Grantham, a Reggie Love. It's a shame, because the bad guy is fairly despicable, but we don't get enough development on either side to feel fully invested. As for our trio, for instance, they basically blow a huge case for someone and never do anything to make amends--nor ever really seem to show any real remorse. How is that any better than the people they are going up against?
Without anyone to really root for or a plot to quickly move forward, this one just dragged on. For me, it was slow-moving and not-interesting. Definitely a letdown. 2.5 stars.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Better Than I Know Myself in Books
May 10, 2018
Did you ever have a friend who was more like family? For Regina Foster, Jewel Prescott, and Carmen Webb this is exactly true. Better Than I Know Myself starts in the late 70's when the girls are seniors in high school and making the decision on where to go to college. Three different girls from three very different backgrounds. Jewel, a former child star. Regina, the daughter of two college educated parents and little sister to older brothers who had all attended and graduated from college. And Carmen whose parents had left her at a young age.
The story progresses through their meeting in New York at Barnard and continues through their graduation. Regina and Jewel were already roommates when they met Carmen at the university library. They all got stuck in an elevator together and as they say, "The rest is history." They lived together through the early 80's as they grew into women and started to become independent.
The book covers twenty years of friendship and sisterhood and all the trials and tribulations that entails.
This book made me laugh out loud and brought a tear or two to my eyes. It also made me want to get together with my closest girlfriends. This is a book that you have to read until the end.
The story progresses through their meeting in New York at Barnard and continues through their graduation. Regina and Jewel were already roommates when they met Carmen at the university library. They all got stuck in an elevator together and as they say, "The rest is history." They lived together through the early 80's as they grew into women and started to become independent.
The book covers twenty years of friendship and sisterhood and all the trials and tribulations that entails.
This book made me laugh out loud and brought a tear or two to my eyes. It also made me want to get together with my closest girlfriends. This is a book that you have to read until the end.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Better Than I Know Myself in Books
Apr 3, 2019
Did you ever have a friend who was more like family? For Regina Foster, Jewel Prescott, and Carmen Webb this is exactly true. Better Than I Know Myself starts in the late 70's when the girls are seniors in high school and making the decision on where to go to college. Three different girls from three very different backgrounds. Jewel, a former child star. Regina, the daughter of two college educated parents and little sister to older brothers who had all attended and graduated from college. And Carmen whose parents had left her at a young age.
The story progresses through their meeting in New York at Barnard and continues through their graduation. Regina and Jewel were already roommates when they met Carmen at the university library. They all got stuck in an elevator together and as they say, "The rest is history." They lived together through the early 80's as they grew into women and started to become independent.
The book covers twenty years of friendship and sisterhood and all the trials and tribulations that entails.
This book made me laugh out loud and brought a tear or two to my eyes. It also made me want to get together with my closest girlfriends. This is a book that you have to read until the end.
I listened to this book through the iPod and Overdrive. The audio was read by Lisa Renee Pitts.
The story progresses through their meeting in New York at Barnard and continues through their graduation. Regina and Jewel were already roommates when they met Carmen at the university library. They all got stuck in an elevator together and as they say, "The rest is history." They lived together through the early 80's as they grew into women and started to become independent.
The book covers twenty years of friendship and sisterhood and all the trials and tribulations that entails.
This book made me laugh out loud and brought a tear or two to my eyes. It also made me want to get together with my closest girlfriends. This is a book that you have to read until the end.
I listened to this book through the iPod and Overdrive. The audio was read by Lisa Renee Pitts.
Lirahlu (37 KP) rated Dread Nation in Books
Mar 1, 2019
Amazing Alternative History Horror
In a post-Civil War America where neither side won because of the Zombie Apocalypse, Jane McKeene studies to become an Attendant – part body guard, part chaperone – as part of the Native and Negro Reeducation Act due to the breakdown of institutionalized slavery. While she excels at the fighting and weaponry, Jane continually fails her etiquette lessons despite being the daughter of a wealthy, white plantation owner. While other girls at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore County, Maryland desire an Attendant’s life with a wealthy family, Jane’s one goal is to return home to Rose Hill Plantation in Kentucky. Just weeks shy of graduation, Jane, her ex-beau Red Jack, and her light-skinned “frenemy” are sent West to a “Survivalist” pioneer town where blacks are still very much treated as slaves and forced to fight “shamblers” on the front lines with rusty, ineffective weapons. Though segregated with the rest of the blacks, Jane refuses to accept the town’s ingrained injustice – even when the price of resistance is death.
Dread Nation is a fantastic mashup of the alternate history and horror genres. Ireland’s characters are intricate and flawed, and therefore believable. Ireland does not shy away from the horrific history of slavery and racism in the United States and the characters and world she’s built around them are stronger for facing these issues head-on. An absolute must-read for anyone who is not shy about gore and loves a strong female character who can hold her own in a fight.
Dread Nation is a fantastic mashup of the alternate history and horror genres. Ireland’s characters are intricate and flawed, and therefore believable. Ireland does not shy away from the horrific history of slavery and racism in the United States and the characters and world she’s built around them are stronger for facing these issues head-on. An absolute must-read for anyone who is not shy about gore and loves a strong female character who can hold her own in a fight.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Game in Books
Aug 4, 2020
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
The game is known by many names - Assassin, Tag, Human vs. Zombies. The ways to "kill" vary greatly - water gun, dart gun, steal a spoon, steal a rag, etc. The one constant is the concept of the game - people join a game in which someone is ordered to "kill" either a specific target or a different team. The winner is the one left standing.
The Game by Linsey Miller is a YA version of a 1982 movie, Tag: The Assininasion Game. In both, the game becomes deadly, when one of the players decides to "kill" the players in real life.
Miller moves the age group to High School seniors playing the yearly game before graduation. Lia has been following in her brother's shadow and knows Assassin is her opportunity to outshine her brother's record in the game. She has been planning this for years by following and gathering information about her classmates' schedules, hobbies, paths to school, etc. She makes the perfect fall guy for a killer who uses Lia's detailed notes to track down their targets.
Readers in middle school would enjoy the story. While enjoyable, the story felt short and would need "more" to attract older YA readers.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 8/3/20.
The game is known by many names - Assassin, Tag, Human vs. Zombies. The ways to "kill" vary greatly - water gun, dart gun, steal a spoon, steal a rag, etc. The one constant is the concept of the game - people join a game in which someone is ordered to "kill" either a specific target or a different team. The winner is the one left standing.
The Game by Linsey Miller is a YA version of a 1982 movie, Tag: The Assininasion Game. In both, the game becomes deadly, when one of the players decides to "kill" the players in real life.
Miller moves the age group to High School seniors playing the yearly game before graduation. Lia has been following in her brother's shadow and knows Assassin is her opportunity to outshine her brother's record in the game. She has been planning this for years by following and gathering information about her classmates' schedules, hobbies, paths to school, etc. She makes the perfect fall guy for a killer who uses Lia's detailed notes to track down their targets.
Readers in middle school would enjoy the story. While enjoyable, the story felt short and would need "more" to attract older YA readers.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 8/3/20.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Whatever You Do, Be Happy: 400 Things to Think Do for a Happy Life in Books
Sep 29, 2020
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
Julia Dellitt's Whatever You Do, Be Happy: 400 Things to Think & Do for a Happy Life is the perfect book for 2020.
I think everyone can agree that 2020 is an incredibly stressful year chock full of negative thoughts. Scrolling through any social media exasperates one's anxiety. This book will lessen your stress.
It is not a book to read in one sitting. Rather, it includes 400 activities, ideas, tips, and quotes to help calm you and relieve your stress.
Not every item was something I was interested in, but you do not need to do all of the activities. They act as a guide or suggestion and doing some made 2020 start to seem manageable.
My favorite activity was to list three things for which you are thankful. It was similar to an assignment I did for a Positive Psychology class. I forgot how reminding yourself of something good that happened to you or how you are grateful for can drastically improve your state of mind.
Dellitt's other works are Get Your Life Together(ish): A No-Pressure Guide for Real-Life Self-Growth and Self-Care for College Students: From Orientation to Graduation, 150+ Easy Ways to Stay Happy, Healthy, and Stress-Free.
This review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 9/28/20.
Julia Dellitt's Whatever You Do, Be Happy: 400 Things to Think & Do for a Happy Life is the perfect book for 2020.
I think everyone can agree that 2020 is an incredibly stressful year chock full of negative thoughts. Scrolling through any social media exasperates one's anxiety. This book will lessen your stress.
It is not a book to read in one sitting. Rather, it includes 400 activities, ideas, tips, and quotes to help calm you and relieve your stress.
Not every item was something I was interested in, but you do not need to do all of the activities. They act as a guide or suggestion and doing some made 2020 start to seem manageable.
My favorite activity was to list three things for which you are thankful. It was similar to an assignment I did for a Positive Psychology class. I forgot how reminding yourself of something good that happened to you or how you are grateful for can drastically improve your state of mind.
Dellitt's other works are Get Your Life Together(ish): A No-Pressure Guide for Real-Life Self-Growth and Self-Care for College Students: From Orientation to Graduation, 150+ Easy Ways to Stay Happy, Healthy, and Stress-Free.
This review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 9/28/20.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The First Shot ( Last Mrs Parish book 0.5) in Books
Feb 10, 2022
25 of 230
Kindle
The First Shot ( Last Mrs Parish 0.5)
By Liv Constantine
In this gripping prequel to the blockbuster best seller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick The Last Mrs. Parrish, listeners will discover exactly how Amber Patterson transformed from small-town girl to master manipulator - after all, practice makes perfect.
Amber Patterson has many secrets. This much is clear when she sneaks out of her home in the dead of night and hitchhikes across state lines to meet up with a man she hasn’t seen or spoken to since high school graduation. So begins her desperate attempt to leave her old life behind, and she’ll use everything and everyone at her disposal, from social media stalking to the kindness of unsuspecting strangers, to get where she needs to go. It’s not long before she’s ready for the main event: armed with a new identity and a new purpose, she heads to Gunnison, Colorado, preparing herself to meet her future husband among the wealthy vacationers.
Even the smallest misstep could derail this carefully-laid plan, and in the end, can you ever truly outrun your past? The First Shot is an absorbing, binge-able thriller that shows just how far some will go to build the lives they want.
This is the prequel to The Last Mrs Parish and I absolutely loved that book. This was very good too getting a bit on how Lana/ Amber started and her first victim! I really love Liv. Constantine’s writing style.
Kindle
The First Shot ( Last Mrs Parish 0.5)
By Liv Constantine
In this gripping prequel to the blockbuster best seller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick The Last Mrs. Parrish, listeners will discover exactly how Amber Patterson transformed from small-town girl to master manipulator - after all, practice makes perfect.
Amber Patterson has many secrets. This much is clear when she sneaks out of her home in the dead of night and hitchhikes across state lines to meet up with a man she hasn’t seen or spoken to since high school graduation. So begins her desperate attempt to leave her old life behind, and she’ll use everything and everyone at her disposal, from social media stalking to the kindness of unsuspecting strangers, to get where she needs to go. It’s not long before she’s ready for the main event: armed with a new identity and a new purpose, she heads to Gunnison, Colorado, preparing herself to meet her future husband among the wealthy vacationers.
Even the smallest misstep could derail this carefully-laid plan, and in the end, can you ever truly outrun your past? The First Shot is an absorbing, binge-able thriller that shows just how far some will go to build the lives they want.
This is the prequel to The Last Mrs Parish and I absolutely loved that book. This was very good too getting a bit on how Lana/ Amber started and her first victim! I really love Liv. Constantine’s writing style.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Chao (Tessa Avery book1) in Books
Oct 27, 2019
For most girls at eighteen, life is just beginning: graduation, college, getting their own place. Unlike them, however, I’ve trained my whole life to be an Ischyra, an immortal soldier of the Olympian gods, and when high school ends, I’m going to Olympus to face my destiny, leaving all that I know behind.
I’m a nervous wreck, of course, but making the transition from mortal to immortal, not to mention finding out what my affinity will be, has me over the moon. Finally, I’ll be tasting what I was born for.
But not all is a bed of roses. Meeting the gods and the grueling training is nothing compared to the nightmares I’ve been having. Controlling my newly awakened powers is more of a struggle than I'd anticipated. Add to the mix a hot guy who I can’t make heads or tails of. And if that wasn’t enough, a bunch of the Titans who were defeated thousands of years ago have begun to gather forces, hoping to retake Olympus for their own.
As an Ischyra, my duty is to protect Earth from those who would seek to harm it, but first I have to get through my training year. Yet as my powers start to take on a mind of their own, I begin to realize the gods might have other plans in store.
<strong>So good</strong>
I enjoyed this book so much! Tessa is a brilliant character I love her sass. It was good to read a book that portrayed the gods in this way. It was easy to read and kept you wanting to read more!
Recommended!!

I’m a nervous wreck, of course, but making the transition from mortal to immortal, not to mention finding out what my affinity will be, has me over the moon. Finally, I’ll be tasting what I was born for.
But not all is a bed of roses. Meeting the gods and the grueling training is nothing compared to the nightmares I’ve been having. Controlling my newly awakened powers is more of a struggle than I'd anticipated. Add to the mix a hot guy who I can’t make heads or tails of. And if that wasn’t enough, a bunch of the Titans who were defeated thousands of years ago have begun to gather forces, hoping to retake Olympus for their own.
As an Ischyra, my duty is to protect Earth from those who would seek to harm it, but first I have to get through my training year. Yet as my powers start to take on a mind of their own, I begin to realize the gods might have other plans in store.
<strong>So good</strong>
I enjoyed this book so much! Tessa is a brilliant character I love her sass. It was good to read a book that portrayed the gods in this way. It was easy to read and kept you wanting to read more!
Recommended!!

AJaneClark (3962 KP) rated Hardwired (Hacker, #1) in Books
Apr 19, 2020
From the back of the book: Determined to overcome a difficult past, Erica Hathaway learns early on how to make it on her own. Days after her college graduation she finds herself face to face with a panel of investors who will make or break her fledgling startup. The only thing she didn't prepare for was going weak in the knees over an arrogant and gorgeous investor who's seemingly determined to derail her presentation.
Billionaire and rumored hacker Blake Landon has already made his fortune in software, and he's used to getting what he wants with very little resistance. Captivated by Erica's drive and unassuming beauty, he's wanted nothing more since she stepped into his boardroom. Determined to win her over, he breaks down her defenses and fights for her trust, even if that means sacrificing a level of control he's grown accustomed to.
But when Blake uncovers a dark secret from Erica's past, he threatens not just her trust, but the life she's fought so hard to create.
I’m not familiar with the author and this is the first of her books that I have read. The premise of the story is interesting, although most definitely a little fifty shadesesque.
I found it an enjoyable short read of 260+ pages.
However I do feel that it could be improved through a little better character development and backgrounds. The storyline is via choppy and jumpy, in no way linear. Erica’s hot and cold, yes/no, sub/doe/switch attitude leaves you with a touch of whiplash, and Blake’s controlling nature is slightly worrying. Hopefully the second novel in the story is an improvement.
Billionaire and rumored hacker Blake Landon has already made his fortune in software, and he's used to getting what he wants with very little resistance. Captivated by Erica's drive and unassuming beauty, he's wanted nothing more since she stepped into his boardroom. Determined to win her over, he breaks down her defenses and fights for her trust, even if that means sacrificing a level of control he's grown accustomed to.
But when Blake uncovers a dark secret from Erica's past, he threatens not just her trust, but the life she's fought so hard to create.
I’m not familiar with the author and this is the first of her books that I have read. The premise of the story is interesting, although most definitely a little fifty shadesesque.
I found it an enjoyable short read of 260+ pages.
However I do feel that it could be improved through a little better character development and backgrounds. The storyline is via choppy and jumpy, in no way linear. Erica’s hot and cold, yes/no, sub/doe/switch attitude leaves you with a touch of whiplash, and Blake’s controlling nature is slightly worrying. Hopefully the second novel in the story is an improvement.