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The Sun is Also a Star
The Sun is Also a Star
Nicola Yoon | 2016 | Children
8
8.5 (16 Ratings)
Book Rating
What a difference a day makes...
Though not quite a the norm for me when choosing books, I read the blurb for this book and knew I had to read it, and I was not at all disappointed. The cover is also quite beautiful and eye-catching.

The Sun is Also a Star is a heart-warming and emotional journey of two very different individuals, a chance meeting and a series of events. It took me on a mini rollercoaster ride, stunning me with the amount of things that can happen in a period of 24 hours. Its the age old story of love Vs. science and how all our actions have consequences, no matter how insignificant we believe them to be. Not to forget how one's interactions and words can change the course of action for someone else's life and in some ways save them from their own fates.

I enjoyed the back and forth style story telling, focusing on the POVs of Daniel and Natasha whilst also weaving in some additional characters we meet in passing. I found it to be a refreshing and delightful way of novel writing.

In a time of such global sadness, this book allowed me a ray of light.
  
Stories That Bind Us
Stories That Bind Us
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This was my first time reading a book by Susie Finkbeiner, and I had no idea what I was walking into when I opened up her book. It with so much bittersweetness, and about finding joy in the everyday moments. Susie Finkbeiner took the bad things that happen and made them into a blessing in disguise. This book came out at the perfect time for the world today, it deals with loss, racism, and mental health. It takes those themes and shows God’s love through them in such a good way. A very heart-warming story filled with great life lessons and a great example of faith lived out. The synopsis does not do this book justice. Readers of historical fiction will enjoy this journey down memory lane.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for the compelling story, the great characters, and the themes discussed within this book. The only thing that could have made it better was something that happened at the beginning of the book (I am NOT going to give a spoiler) but you will understand when you read it.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
  
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
1991 | Animation, Family, Musical
Beauty and the Beast is an example of animated Disney at the top of their game, and stands proudly amongst the string of high quality outputs from Disney during the tail end of the 80s and through the 90s.

The aesthetic is quintessential Disney fairytale material, alternating between the bright and colourful un-named village that Belle lives in, to the dark and gothic castle where The Beast resides. The animation is wonderful, especially when it comes to characters. Characters such as Cogsworth, Lumiere, and Mrs. Potts are bought to life in such a vibrant manner, it's another argument for why the live action adaptions will never quite capture the same magic, and the likes of Belle, The Beast, and Gaston are memorable and visually iconic Disney inhabitants.

The story is straight down the middle for this kind of thing, but it's crowd pleasing, heart warming, with a perfect helping of melancholy, a formula that has always been Disney's bread and butter along with catchy songs. I struggle to get on board with musicals for the most part but some of the music demonstrated here is superbly written and occasionally beautiful.

Beauty & The Beast is classic Disney through and through. It's truly timeless and will be enjoyed for generations to come.
  
40x40

LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) in Movies

Sep 17, 2020 (Updated Sep 17, 2020)  
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
2019 | Adventure
The Peanut Butter Falcon is truly wonderful in every sense of the word, and quite possibly the most heart warming movie ever made!?

This story of Zak, a man with Down Syndrome, who runs away from his care home to pursue his dream of becoming a wrestler is shot beautifully - this film looks stunning from start to finish.
The cinematography and music cues give the movie a Cohens-esque vibe at times.
Zak finds an unlikely companion in Tyler (Shia LaBeouf), and outlaw who is on the run from some people that he owes to. The two of them journey together towards Florida in a simple story that at its core is a commentary on what it is to be human.

Shia LaBeouf and Zack Gottsagen are fantastic as the films leads. The companionship between the two of them feels truly special at all times, is frequently hilarious, and is the source of pretty much all the charm that radiates from TPBF.
Dakota Johnson, Thomas Jaden Church, and Bruce Dern are also great as well.

I wasn't expecting to love The Peanut Butter Falcon as much as I did, but honestly, it's a damn good film that will get to the coldest person.
  
    Broken

    Broken

    Jenny Lawson

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    Book

    'A new book from Jenny Lawson is always cause for celebration, and Broken is the party of the year ....

In the Eye of the Storm (Full Circle #1)
In the Eye of the Storm (Full Circle #1)
H.M. Wolfe | 2021 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
IN THE EYE OF THE STORM is the first book in the Full Circle series BUT it is a follow-on series from The Base, which I haven't read. I'm afraid this DID affect my enjoyment of the book as there were plenty of characters and situations referred to that I had absolutely no idea about.

This is a dark, fast-paced story that delves into the world of child sex trafficking, trying to rescue said children, and helping them live their best lives after dealing with the trauma involved.

The characters were mostly heart-warming. I wasn't able to feel the full effect of the big bad as I feel he probably made more of an impact in the original series. It is told from multiple perspectives so sometimes it seemed to flit across the surface, rather than give any depth to the feelings and emotions.

It has an ending that leaves it wide open for further stories. The writing itself was good, I just had trouble connecting with the story or the characters.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Something Shattered
Something Shattered
Bailey Bradford | 2015 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the story of how a man moves to a small town to escape a horrifying event, that has affected him physically, mentally and emotionally. Caleb was attacked outside his home and the police never caught his attackers. So he moves to a small town, El Jardin, in New Mexico in the hope of it helping to heal him. However, his agoraphobia gets worse until just getting his mail is a massive achievement. With the help and friendship of Jesse, he starts to put himself back together and they can both move on.

This is a heart-warming and poignant story, that details brilliants the effects of an attack on a person and how debilitating they can be. It is a story of hope, of love, and yes, of hot and steamy sex too. Being well-written and with a steady pace, you are drawn into the story and the lives of these two men, who seem to face incredible odds and yet still are there for each other. Definitely recommended for all fans of MM Romance.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 4, 2016