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Human Rights: A Very Short Introduction
Book
Today it is usually not long before a problem gets expressed as a human rights issue. Indeed, human...
In Search of the Dark Ages
6.0
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Book
This edition of Michael Wood's groundbreaking first book explores the fascinating and mysterious...
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Stories That Bind Us in Books
Feb 24, 2021
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.
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.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Mar 15, 2021
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Virgin Elizabeth: A Novel in Books
Mar 22, 2021
41 of 250
Book
Virgin
By Robin Maxwell
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
...a riveting portrait of Elizabeth I as a romantic and
vulnerable teenager, dangerously awakening to a perilous
liaison with the wrong man.
England, 1547: King Henry is dead. Elizabeth's half-brother, nine-year-old Edward, is king in name only. Thomas Seymour, brother to the ambitious duke who has seized power in this time of crisis, calculatingly works his way into Elizabeth's home in genteel Chelsea House. He marries Henry's widow, Catherine Parr, and uses his venerable charms and sexual magnetism to indulge his infatuation for young Elizabeth. Caught hopelessly under Thomas Seymour's spell, surrounded by kind friends and hidden enemies, Elizabeth can only follow her heart to ensure survival.
I’m fascinated by the Tudors and our English history and I love historical fiction so this was right up my street! Robin Maxwell certainly knows how to spin a tail! Elizabeth is definitely one of my favourite royals and to have an insight of her young life after already overcoming the embarrassment of her mother’s demise then this scandal truly shows why she remained unmarried and one of the longest strongest rulers!!
Book
Virgin
By Robin Maxwell
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
...a riveting portrait of Elizabeth I as a romantic and
vulnerable teenager, dangerously awakening to a perilous
liaison with the wrong man.
England, 1547: King Henry is dead. Elizabeth's half-brother, nine-year-old Edward, is king in name only. Thomas Seymour, brother to the ambitious duke who has seized power in this time of crisis, calculatingly works his way into Elizabeth's home in genteel Chelsea House. He marries Henry's widow, Catherine Parr, and uses his venerable charms and sexual magnetism to indulge his infatuation for young Elizabeth. Caught hopelessly under Thomas Seymour's spell, surrounded by kind friends and hidden enemies, Elizabeth can only follow her heart to ensure survival.
I’m fascinated by the Tudors and our English history and I love historical fiction so this was right up my street! Robin Maxwell certainly knows how to spin a tail! Elizabeth is definitely one of my favourite royals and to have an insight of her young life after already overcoming the embarrassment of her mother’s demise then this scandal truly shows why she remained unmarried and one of the longest strongest rulers!!
David Baldacci recommended The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz in Books (curated)
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Rainbow in Books
Aug 1, 2021
What a read that was ... so good!
I am not normally a fan of historical fiction but the cover and then the blurb had me interested and I am so pleased I didn't let this pass me by. Although this is a work of fiction, it is inspired by a true story but it feels like a "real" story and I was totally and utterly absorbed and invested in the lives of all the characters.
The story starts off in the present when Isla finds a photograph of her grandad in a German uniform, this raised questions and caused confusion as the story always told was how her grandad fought against the German's in World War II. Unable to find answers from her grandad, who has dementia, she begins a quest to uncover the truth and so begins this brilliantly written story of war, adversity, strength, courage, love, loss and friendship.
I am unable to give this book the review it deserves, I can't find the right words to put across how much I enjoyed it for which I apologise but a massive thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
I am not normally a fan of historical fiction but the cover and then the blurb had me interested and I am so pleased I didn't let this pass me by. Although this is a work of fiction, it is inspired by a true story but it feels like a "real" story and I was totally and utterly absorbed and invested in the lives of all the characters.
The story starts off in the present when Isla finds a photograph of her grandad in a German uniform, this raised questions and caused confusion as the story always told was how her grandad fought against the German's in World War II. Unable to find answers from her grandad, who has dementia, she begins a quest to uncover the truth and so begins this brilliantly written story of war, adversity, strength, courage, love, loss and friendship.
I am unable to give this book the review it deserves, I can't find the right words to put across how much I enjoyed it for which I apologise but a massive thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Aug 3, 2021
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Phantoms (1998) in Movies
Sep 21, 2020
Peter O'Toole was the bomb in 𝘗𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘴, yo. Features elements of a horror movie but fails to actually make a horror movie out of them - spends most of its runtime focusing on the bracing thrills of walking around slowly and looking at stuff, and the heart-clenching horrors of sitting in some lab talking about chemicals and stuff. Dean Koontz is the Dan Brown of horror, ineptly weaving together such laughably idiotic historical appeals (forced to be played straight) for people who don't know they aren't cultured and then doing nothing with them. Also Rose McGowan is either genuinely crap here or she just doesn't care. The sci-fi violence/gore is honestly quite vicious and damn cool for what this is, and there is a noticeable amount of enjoyable stupidity to be had (terrified Affleck pleading for his life to a golden retriever, O'Toole screaming about how some ancient extraterrestrial-demon shapeshifting oil killed the dinosaurs, etc) but it's too slapdash for its own good. Gets right into it then takes multiple breaks to sit on its ass, not awful but also not worth any sort of time, tbh. The Blob for those thirsty for cardboard vapidity. *Please* just watch 𝘝𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 7𝘵𝘩 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵 instead.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Living Daylights (1987) in Movies
Sep 22, 2020
Fifteenth Bond movie is obviously trying to toughen the franchise up a bit after the knockabout fun of the last couple of Roger Moore films: Dalton's 007 is a hardened assassin who is repeatedly despatched on missions to execute people. Nevertheless, the producers hedge their bets by still including a few sight gags and comedy bits here and there. The plot is one of the franchise's knottiest, which isn't necessarily a bonus: possibly as a result of this, it's quite hard to work out who the evil mastermind is - Joe Don Baker gets the big confrontation and death scene, but Jeroen Krabbe has a lot more screen time.
Still, all the globetrotting, fights and chases and so on you would expect from a Bond film in the classic style, and Dalton brings enough of the literary Bond to the screen to make this satisfying for people who like the franchise in slightly grittier mode. Has a certain value as a historical oddity, given it concludes with Bond teaming up with (essentially) the Taliban to attack an airbase in Afghanistan. Dalton arguably never got a proper crack of the whip as Bond; in this film he shows enough promise to make that a real cause for regret.
Still, all the globetrotting, fights and chases and so on you would expect from a Bond film in the classic style, and Dalton brings enough of the literary Bond to the screen to make this satisfying for people who like the franchise in slightly grittier mode. Has a certain value as a historical oddity, given it concludes with Bond teaming up with (essentially) the Taliban to attack an airbase in Afghanistan. Dalton arguably never got a proper crack of the whip as Bond; in this film he shows enough promise to make that a real cause for regret.