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Nikki Massey (8 KP) rated The Time Of Our Lives in Books
Feb 7, 2019
I really enjoyed The Wish List by Jane Costello, so when I picked up this book I was quite keen to get stuck in.
The back of the book states 'even in the most glamorous of locations, things can go wrong.' Well let me just say there are things going wrong and then there are things going WRONG.
It is all well and good having a few unfortunate events happening to the main character but I didn't believe that it was then essential to make her awkward, accident prone and a complete sap.
I don't know if I was meant to love or hate Imogen. I grew to really dislike her. I wanted to shake her and tell her to be stronger. There is no need for women to be portrayed in such a pathetic way.
It wasn't a wholly predictable tale though. There were a couple swings that I hadn't expected that gave a bit more substance to the novel.
I read to escape life, find inspiration and motivation. In my opinion, this book reaffirmed the idea that women are weak. Please create a strong, intelligent, independent woman as a main character! It will give girls a better role model for life!
The back of the book states 'even in the most glamorous of locations, things can go wrong.' Well let me just say there are things going wrong and then there are things going WRONG.
It is all well and good having a few unfortunate events happening to the main character but I didn't believe that it was then essential to make her awkward, accident prone and a complete sap.
I don't know if I was meant to love or hate Imogen. I grew to really dislike her. I wanted to shake her and tell her to be stronger. There is no need for women to be portrayed in such a pathetic way.
It wasn't a wholly predictable tale though. There were a couple swings that I hadn't expected that gave a bit more substance to the novel.
I read to escape life, find inspiration and motivation. In my opinion, this book reaffirmed the idea that women are weak. Please create a strong, intelligent, independent woman as a main character! It will give girls a better role model for life!

Erika (17789 KP) rated War and Peace in Books
Feb 16, 2019
While reading this book, I went from loving it, to hating it, to loving it. This book is widely talked about because of its length, but how many people have actually read the unabridged novel?
The main character I was annoyed with, that made me hate it, was Natasha. Some of her decisions were so stupid, but then I had to remind myself that I was once a dumb 16 year old that made stupid decisions.
At the beginning, it was hard to pick out which characters were actually considered to be the main characters. For sure, Natasha and Pierre, but the others I questioned.
This novel is a very interesting meditation (that's what I'm going to call it), on the differences between war, peace, and the cause and effect that follows.
Something I found very interesting was that Tolstoy would have sections of historical analysis and theory. I really enjoyed these parts, since I have a degree in history. The way it was juxtaposed with the novel kept it interesting for me. Though, I might be in the minority there.
I'm glad I finally read this novel, and can now say, proudly, that I made it through the whole thing.
The main character I was annoyed with, that made me hate it, was Natasha. Some of her decisions were so stupid, but then I had to remind myself that I was once a dumb 16 year old that made stupid decisions.
At the beginning, it was hard to pick out which characters were actually considered to be the main characters. For sure, Natasha and Pierre, but the others I questioned.
This novel is a very interesting meditation (that's what I'm going to call it), on the differences between war, peace, and the cause and effect that follows.
Something I found very interesting was that Tolstoy would have sections of historical analysis and theory. I really enjoyed these parts, since I have a degree in history. The way it was juxtaposed with the novel kept it interesting for me. Though, I might be in the minority there.
I'm glad I finally read this novel, and can now say, proudly, that I made it through the whole thing.

Ross (3284 KP) rated 13 Reasons Why - Season 2 in TV
Mar 29, 2019
More compelling, deep teen drama
The second series follows a similar format to the first - where the first series focused on a different character's tape, and therefore that person's role in Hannah's suicide; this series uses each character's testimony in a trial against the school. Some of the story of the first series is shown to have been one person's side of the story, others are expanded on and shown to be very different.
Each episode is enjoyable and gripping. You start to hate some characters less; others even more, and some you really want something terrible to happen to.
The final episode gives an insight into the upcoming third series, with one character returning to school after some behavioural issues and trying to settle back in.
The series really shows the impact that decisions made by those in charge of a school, and how they react to issues, can have much wider impacts. No longer are we just thinking about how these things affected Hannah and made her decide to kill herself, but how they impact the mental health of those around her, how the authorities' inability to deal with those issues can snowball and how futile their attempts to react to crises are.
Each episode is enjoyable and gripping. You start to hate some characters less; others even more, and some you really want something terrible to happen to.
The final episode gives an insight into the upcoming third series, with one character returning to school after some behavioural issues and trying to settle back in.
The series really shows the impact that decisions made by those in charge of a school, and how they react to issues, can have much wider impacts. No longer are we just thinking about how these things affected Hannah and made her decide to kill herself, but how they impact the mental health of those around her, how the authorities' inability to deal with those issues can snowball and how futile their attempts to react to crises are.

Andy K (10823 KP) rated Peppermint (2018) in Movies
Apr 14, 2019
You've seen it all before
I hate to sound like a broken record here, but these movies are all starting to run together for me.
The premise, innocent woman has her family gunned down in front of her eyes. She goes off the grid for several years and then returns to track down and administer her own form of private justice in her complete transformation into a hardened killer. Along the way she encounters the usual sympathetic cop, dirty cop, innocent bystanders and becomes a social media sensation.
It is all too familiar like the recent Death Wish and Equalizer remakes it feels like this story has been told too many times recently and better than this one. The characters (especially the villains) are so generic and unmemorable they just blend into the background.
These "take the law into your own hands" films really have to go above and beyond to deliver something unique for me to be memorable since they are so formula these days and this one definitely did not.
I did enjoy watching Jennifer Garner kick some bad guy ass, but even that was done better in the recent Atomic Blonde.
Overall, meh.
The premise, innocent woman has her family gunned down in front of her eyes. She goes off the grid for several years and then returns to track down and administer her own form of private justice in her complete transformation into a hardened killer. Along the way she encounters the usual sympathetic cop, dirty cop, innocent bystanders and becomes a social media sensation.
It is all too familiar like the recent Death Wish and Equalizer remakes it feels like this story has been told too many times recently and better than this one. The characters (especially the villains) are so generic and unmemorable they just blend into the background.
These "take the law into your own hands" films really have to go above and beyond to deliver something unique for me to be memorable since they are so formula these days and this one definitely did not.
I did enjoy watching Jennifer Garner kick some bad guy ass, but even that was done better in the recent Atomic Blonde.
Overall, meh.

The Marinated Meeple (1853 KP) rated Breaker 19: The CB Trucker game in Tabletop Games
Apr 12, 2018
Everything else (3 more)
Completely based on luck
The game plays you.....
No Decisions to be made
This IS NOT smokey and the bandit the boardgame.
Do you love dice, and do you hate making decisions? The just maybe this game is for you... This is an activity with rules rather than a game in my eyes. Those kid are not having fun on the box cover, I don't care what you say. In 1976 they really could've done better. But this particular game didn't bother to try. I put this on par with Candyland, but Candyland is much prettier and designed for kids to learn colors and counting. This one has almost nothing to offer. Even if you can get it for 50 cents at a garage sale, throw the board away and keep the dice and money for another game as missing pieces. Or even better, come up with your own rules and redesign the game. that would be a more fun process than playing the game as is for sure. I'm sure it would be more fun to be a trucker for a few hours, even on the boring straightaways of nebraska. So if you can do that instead. Even Monopoly is better than this game.

Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Books
Jul 10, 2018
Okay, I didn't hate this book as much as I thought I would but that doesn't mean much. As anyone that follows my reviews will notice, I do not read mysteries. When I do read a mystery it is for book club and inevitably I find it dull. This book was no different. I would give this book a 2.5 star rating so I rounded up to 3.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency made me reminiscent of Agatha Christie & Mary Higgins Clark. So if you enjoy those authors, I'm sure that you would enjoy this author. There was mystery but no suspense so it seemed to drag on for me. I borrowed this book from the library but after reading 5 pages into the book, I had to switch to the audiobook so that I could force myself to read the rest of the book.
Not going to lie, this reminded me a lot of Winnie the Pooh. If you think about it, Winnie the Pooh was always looking to solve a mystery and each chapter or episode/15 minute segment was a new mystery. This is very similar to this book.
All in all, I will not continue on in this series.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency made me reminiscent of Agatha Christie & Mary Higgins Clark. So if you enjoy those authors, I'm sure that you would enjoy this author. There was mystery but no suspense so it seemed to drag on for me. I borrowed this book from the library but after reading 5 pages into the book, I had to switch to the audiobook so that I could force myself to read the rest of the book.
Not going to lie, this reminded me a lot of Winnie the Pooh. If you think about it, Winnie the Pooh was always looking to solve a mystery and each chapter or episode/15 minute segment was a new mystery. This is very similar to this book.
All in all, I will not continue on in this series.

Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Rape: A Love Story in Books
Jul 12, 2018
First off, I hate the title. This was not a book that I could read out in public without getting some very concerned looks. I picked up this book because a book blog that I follow had a post about the book and it made me curious. Other than the title, I liked this book. I was a volunteer for an anti sexual assault group for 2 years and this hits the nail on the head (how a sexual assault survivor is treated). This book is extremely dark. I had to put it away every few minutes and regroup.
This book shows how one rape can send ripples and waves through a community. When reading this book the reader gets to see what impact a rape has an individual and society. There were a lot of rape myths that were present and it just made me want to scream at the media. I think the most depressing thing about this book is that the experience of the mother and daughter are true for so many victims of sexual assault.
Ultimately, I found this book interesting and fascinating. I'm going to have to have to reread it again because I feel like I could get more out of this novel on a second read.
This book shows how one rape can send ripples and waves through a community. When reading this book the reader gets to see what impact a rape has an individual and society. There were a lot of rape myths that were present and it just made me want to scream at the media. I think the most depressing thing about this book is that the experience of the mother and daughter are true for so many victims of sexual assault.
Ultimately, I found this book interesting and fascinating. I'm going to have to have to reread it again because I feel like I could get more out of this novel on a second read.

FilmIntuition (33 KP) rated How to Walk Away in Books
Jul 26, 2018
The kind of book you're enjoying so much that you can't wait to finish it but at the same time will hate to see it end, author Katherine Center managed to such a feat in How to Walk Away.
While as a disabled individual, I'm often disappointed by the way that popular culture portrays disabled characters as either saintly, pitiable, or evil, I was impressed by the way that Center creates a fully three dimensional heroine who goes through a wide range of emotions after surviving a horrific plane crash.
And although on the surface, the thought of adding a romantic comedy subplot to the novel seemed way out of left field, because Center kept the protagonist so firmly grounded in reality, it wound up working really well.
The second recent upbeat romance involving a disabled lead to be chosen as an official selection by Book of the Month alongside Helen Hoang's sexier title The Kiss Quotient, while some of the contrivances in How to Walk Away's final fifty or so pages move it into cliched romcom territory, it's such a sweet, well-earned finale that it's easy to forgive.
A terrific disabled centric beach read, this one will walk away with your heart.
While as a disabled individual, I'm often disappointed by the way that popular culture portrays disabled characters as either saintly, pitiable, or evil, I was impressed by the way that Center creates a fully three dimensional heroine who goes through a wide range of emotions after surviving a horrific plane crash.
And although on the surface, the thought of adding a romantic comedy subplot to the novel seemed way out of left field, because Center kept the protagonist so firmly grounded in reality, it wound up working really well.
The second recent upbeat romance involving a disabled lead to be chosen as an official selection by Book of the Month alongside Helen Hoang's sexier title The Kiss Quotient, while some of the contrivances in How to Walk Away's final fifty or so pages move it into cliched romcom territory, it's such a sweet, well-earned finale that it's easy to forgive.
A terrific disabled centric beach read, this one will walk away with your heart.

Hazel (2934 KP) rated Ghost Virus in Books
Nov 11, 2018
Strangely entertaining
This book is like Marmite®, you are either going to love it or hate it ... well I can't stand Marmite® but I really quite enjoyed this book ... I found it rather entertaining in a strange sort of way although I must admit that it did get a little OTT which had me giggling to myself and shaking my head at times BUT it did make me tell loads of people about it and isn't that the point?
Well written, good pace, great characters and a very unique story line makes this a pretty good read but it does contain a lot of violence, gore and graphic descriptions of death so be warned ... it is not for the fainthearted so if you don't like that type of thing, I would give this a wide berth if I was you.
Over the years, I have read a lot of Graham Masterton's books and I have never been disappointed and even though this probably isn't one of his best, I will carry on reading his stories and will continue to be entertained that I have no doubt.
Thank you to the publisher, Head of Zeus, via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Well written, good pace, great characters and a very unique story line makes this a pretty good read but it does contain a lot of violence, gore and graphic descriptions of death so be warned ... it is not for the fainthearted so if you don't like that type of thing, I would give this a wide berth if I was you.
Over the years, I have read a lot of Graham Masterton's books and I have never been disappointed and even though this probably isn't one of his best, I will carry on reading his stories and will continue to be entertained that I have no doubt.
Thank you to the publisher, Head of Zeus, via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Hurry - Single by Leena in Music
Jun 17, 2019
Leena is an up-and-coming Miami-raised singer-songwriter from Dallas, Texas. Not too long ago, she released a lovely urban pop tune, entitled, “Hurry”.
“I hate feeling like a stranger. I’m so sick of conversations that just leads to confrontations with you. Hoping that you’ll save me. Take my hand and fly away. You’re the one that I’ve been seeing. I can’t seem to find my way with you hoping that you’ll say. Baby, where you at? Im tryna relax so find me when you can and show me, babe.” – lyrics
‘Hurry’ is the second single from Leena’s upcoming EP.
The likable tune contains a relatable storyline and pleasing vocals. Also, the song possesses melodic instrumentation flavored with urban-pop and contemporary R&B elements.
“’Hurry’ is about finally finding your worth and not waiting for a man to control or contradict your next move. It’s about becoming independent, making your own money and bossing up” – Leena
Leena’s musical influences include Kehlani, Ella Mai, and SZA.
Her music consists of themes describing the hardship and enjoyment of life and love.
“‘Hurry’ is full of emotion that’s expressed with Leena’s lush vocals and beautifully written lyrics that will take listeners into a world of desire.”
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/leena-hurry/
“I hate feeling like a stranger. I’m so sick of conversations that just leads to confrontations with you. Hoping that you’ll save me. Take my hand and fly away. You’re the one that I’ve been seeing. I can’t seem to find my way with you hoping that you’ll say. Baby, where you at? Im tryna relax so find me when you can and show me, babe.” – lyrics
‘Hurry’ is the second single from Leena’s upcoming EP.
The likable tune contains a relatable storyline and pleasing vocals. Also, the song possesses melodic instrumentation flavored with urban-pop and contemporary R&B elements.
“’Hurry’ is about finally finding your worth and not waiting for a man to control or contradict your next move. It’s about becoming independent, making your own money and bossing up” – Leena
Leena’s musical influences include Kehlani, Ella Mai, and SZA.
Her music consists of themes describing the hardship and enjoyment of life and love.
“‘Hurry’ is full of emotion that’s expressed with Leena’s lush vocals and beautifully written lyrics that will take listeners into a world of desire.”
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/leena-hurry/