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Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Sunlight Pilgrims in Books
May 25, 2017
So boring
This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Note: I did not finish reading this book.
It is winter 2020 and the world is facing the most extreme winter for over 200 years. Jenni Fagan’s The Sunlight Pilgrims explores the potential disastrous effects of climate change beginning with a new ice age set in the very near future, only four years away. With the North Atlantic drift slowing and temperatures around the world dropping to -40 degrees, the Earth’s inhabitants fear a pending apocalypse.
The story is largely set in Clachan Fells, a Scottish caravan park situated at the base of a group of mountains. Tin houses are not the most practical form of abodes for cold weather, let alone the worst snowstorms the world has ever seen. This is the situation the main characters of The Sunlight Pilgrims find themselves. Dylan MacRae has moved into a mobile home he did not know he owned until the recent death of his mother and soon makes friends with his neighbour Constance and her daughter Stella. Although only twelve years old Stella is more concerned about her identity than she is the fatal weather condition outside. Born a boy, Stella is uncomfortable in her body and struggles to get other people to accept that she is really a girl.
Surprisingly, the dystopian snow scene seems to be more of a backdrop to a different storyline featuring identity, family and romance. Dylan is a lonely man falling in love with the woman next door, however she is tied up with relationship problems of her own. Stella, whilst seemingly carefree, is desperate to be accepted for who she is and live a happy and secure life.
Jenni Fagan does an exceptional job of portraying the confusion, thoughts and emotions of a transgender child experiencing stigma amongst her peers. Yet Fagan also emphasises the potential acceptance of people in this situation through the reception received from Dylan who did not bat an eyelid on discovering the truth about Stella’s identity.
The Sunlight Pilgrims combines popular current affairs that are likely to attract a wide audience. Sadly as a story it falls short of mediocrity. Without a clear storyline it is a struggle to remain interested. The readers’ lack of enthusiasm for the characters and their individual worries makes it a challenge to reach the end. As I never made it to the final chapter I cannot say whether the conclusion is worth sticking around for. Mixed reviews on Goodreads suggest that enjoyment depends on the individual reader rather than the novel itself. I, however, cannot recommend this book.
Note: I did not finish reading this book.
It is winter 2020 and the world is facing the most extreme winter for over 200 years. Jenni Fagan’s The Sunlight Pilgrims explores the potential disastrous effects of climate change beginning with a new ice age set in the very near future, only four years away. With the North Atlantic drift slowing and temperatures around the world dropping to -40 degrees, the Earth’s inhabitants fear a pending apocalypse.
The story is largely set in Clachan Fells, a Scottish caravan park situated at the base of a group of mountains. Tin houses are not the most practical form of abodes for cold weather, let alone the worst snowstorms the world has ever seen. This is the situation the main characters of The Sunlight Pilgrims find themselves. Dylan MacRae has moved into a mobile home he did not know he owned until the recent death of his mother and soon makes friends with his neighbour Constance and her daughter Stella. Although only twelve years old Stella is more concerned about her identity than she is the fatal weather condition outside. Born a boy, Stella is uncomfortable in her body and struggles to get other people to accept that she is really a girl.
Surprisingly, the dystopian snow scene seems to be more of a backdrop to a different storyline featuring identity, family and romance. Dylan is a lonely man falling in love with the woman next door, however she is tied up with relationship problems of her own. Stella, whilst seemingly carefree, is desperate to be accepted for who she is and live a happy and secure life.
Jenni Fagan does an exceptional job of portraying the confusion, thoughts and emotions of a transgender child experiencing stigma amongst her peers. Yet Fagan also emphasises the potential acceptance of people in this situation through the reception received from Dylan who did not bat an eyelid on discovering the truth about Stella’s identity.
The Sunlight Pilgrims combines popular current affairs that are likely to attract a wide audience. Sadly as a story it falls short of mediocrity. Without a clear storyline it is a struggle to remain interested. The readers’ lack of enthusiasm for the characters and their individual worries makes it a challenge to reach the end. As I never made it to the final chapter I cannot say whether the conclusion is worth sticking around for. Mixed reviews on Goodreads suggest that enjoyment depends on the individual reader rather than the novel itself. I, however, cannot recommend this book.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Friday (1995) in Movies
Feb 12, 2019
Comedy That Still Holds Up
Can you believe that 2018 was the first time that I ever watched Friday in its unrated entirety? I had seen bits and pieces on USA, but I always felt like I was missing something in the translation. I get it now. The plot: After Craig (Ice Cube) gets fired on his day off, he suddenly finds himself helping his pothead friend Smokey (Chris Tucker) earn enough money selling weed to pay off Big Worm (Faizon Love).
Acting: 10
Beginning: 8
Characters: 10
The first scene introduces Deebo (Tiny Lister) a viable villain around which the story revolves. The entire neighborhood fears and hates Deebo and it doesn’t take long at all to figure out why. He helps keep the conflict serious, but not too serious.
But we all know who makes this movie: Smokey. There isn’t one scene where I didn’t find myself laughing at something stupid he did or said. He thinks he’s the man, but it’s probably just the weed boosting his confidence. His delivery is flawless. My favorite line: “What the fuck you stealing boxes for? What, you trying to build a clubhouse? Man, I know you ain’t go out like that!” Classic. I almost died laughing when he was crying in the truck. Smokey represents a cast of characters that are all unique and hilarious in their own way.
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
Conflict: 10
Between Smokey trying to get enough money to pay Worm and everyone trying to steer clear of Deebo, there is enough here to keep the story moving. There are shootouts, heists gone wrong, hood fights, a number of things worthy to entertain. For a comedy, I was actually impressed by the amount of action interwoven in the story.
Genre: 8
Friday ranks up there with some of the best comedies I’ve seen, second-tier worthy at the very least. Its job is to make you laugh and entertain and it does that very well. I also love that you don’t have to overthink the comedy, it’s just there in the dialogue and in the events that unfold.
Memorability: 10
Who do you know that can’t quote at least one line from Friday? I still knew lines even when I hadn’t seen it all the way through. The dialogue has a way of sticking to you long after you’ve watched the movie. I give a lot of that credit to Chris Tucker’s ability to deliver with perfect comedic timing.
Pace: 5
Plot: 6
Resolution: 10
Overall: 85
While Friday is a movie that takes awhile to get to the meat of the plot, I appreciate how hilarious it was, but also appreciate the more serious moments. It’s not just good, but surprisingly so. A movie I’ll still be watching for years to come.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 8
Characters: 10
The first scene introduces Deebo (Tiny Lister) a viable villain around which the story revolves. The entire neighborhood fears and hates Deebo and it doesn’t take long at all to figure out why. He helps keep the conflict serious, but not too serious.
But we all know who makes this movie: Smokey. There isn’t one scene where I didn’t find myself laughing at something stupid he did or said. He thinks he’s the man, but it’s probably just the weed boosting his confidence. His delivery is flawless. My favorite line: “What the fuck you stealing boxes for? What, you trying to build a clubhouse? Man, I know you ain’t go out like that!” Classic. I almost died laughing when he was crying in the truck. Smokey represents a cast of characters that are all unique and hilarious in their own way.
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
Conflict: 10
Between Smokey trying to get enough money to pay Worm and everyone trying to steer clear of Deebo, there is enough here to keep the story moving. There are shootouts, heists gone wrong, hood fights, a number of things worthy to entertain. For a comedy, I was actually impressed by the amount of action interwoven in the story.
Genre: 8
Friday ranks up there with some of the best comedies I’ve seen, second-tier worthy at the very least. Its job is to make you laugh and entertain and it does that very well. I also love that you don’t have to overthink the comedy, it’s just there in the dialogue and in the events that unfold.
Memorability: 10
Who do you know that can’t quote at least one line from Friday? I still knew lines even when I hadn’t seen it all the way through. The dialogue has a way of sticking to you long after you’ve watched the movie. I give a lot of that credit to Chris Tucker’s ability to deliver with perfect comedic timing.
Pace: 5
Plot: 6
Resolution: 10
Overall: 85
While Friday is a movie that takes awhile to get to the meat of the plot, I appreciate how hilarious it was, but also appreciate the more serious moments. It’s not just good, but surprisingly so. A movie I’ll still be watching for years to come.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Other Widow in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Dorrie is embroiled in an affair with her boss, Joe, which ends abruptly one cold and snowy night when Joe picks her up. He tells her the affair is over, that "it isn't safe," and then moments after, their car skids on the ice and crashes into a tree. Joe dies at the scene, but Dorrie's airbag deploys and she makes a split moment decision to walk away from the crash (undetected). But she's haunted by that evening and Joe's death. Further, what did Joe mean that it wasn't safe? Why didn't Joe's airbag deploy like Dorrie's? Did Dorrie really see someone near the car moments after the crash?
Meanwhile, Joe's wife Karen is left reeling from his death as well. Also wrapped up in Joe's passing is insurance investigator Maggie Devlin. A former cop, Maggie is suspicious about the circumstances of Joe's death--and the women involved in his life. But can she put together the pieces of what really happened? And are Karen and Dorrie truly in danger?
This novel was interesting and suspenseful, though it didn't fully grab me. Still, I read it in about two days, so it was certainly a fast read with a captivating plot. For me, I liked Dorrie and Karen well enough, but I wasn't deeply pulled into either of their lives. Neither character was fully drawn enough for me to fully relate to them. In fact, I really liked Maggie the best, but we learn the least about her. I could almost see Maggie getting a sequel--she was a very intriguing and likable character.
Crawford's novel is well-written, but seems to suffer a little bit from "who am I" syndrome... in some ways it's a thriller, but in other ways, it's purely psychological women's fiction. As such, the mystery seems to take a backseat to the women's lives, at times, and becomes convoluted and confusing by the end. There's a backstory with Joe's business that I almost couldn't fully tell you what happened, because it's not given complete attention, even though it's supposed to propel so much of the action. That duality was tough, because the book never really focused on either the thriller aspect, or the women, and you felt like you were left hanging on both plot points by the end.
Overall, this was a quick read, with an original plot, but seemed confusing and pulled in a few directions: 3 stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available for publication on 4/26/16. You can read reviews of this book and many more at my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
Meanwhile, Joe's wife Karen is left reeling from his death as well. Also wrapped up in Joe's passing is insurance investigator Maggie Devlin. A former cop, Maggie is suspicious about the circumstances of Joe's death--and the women involved in his life. But can she put together the pieces of what really happened? And are Karen and Dorrie truly in danger?
This novel was interesting and suspenseful, though it didn't fully grab me. Still, I read it in about two days, so it was certainly a fast read with a captivating plot. For me, I liked Dorrie and Karen well enough, but I wasn't deeply pulled into either of their lives. Neither character was fully drawn enough for me to fully relate to them. In fact, I really liked Maggie the best, but we learn the least about her. I could almost see Maggie getting a sequel--she was a very intriguing and likable character.
Crawford's novel is well-written, but seems to suffer a little bit from "who am I" syndrome... in some ways it's a thriller, but in other ways, it's purely psychological women's fiction. As such, the mystery seems to take a backseat to the women's lives, at times, and becomes convoluted and confusing by the end. There's a backstory with Joe's business that I almost couldn't fully tell you what happened, because it's not given complete attention, even though it's supposed to propel so much of the action. That duality was tough, because the book never really focused on either the thriller aspect, or the women, and you felt like you were left hanging on both plot points by the end.
Overall, this was a quick read, with an original plot, but seemed confusing and pulled in a few directions: 3 stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available for publication on 4/26/16. You can read reviews of this book and many more at my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
Darren (1599 KP) rated A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Poking fun at the old west is fine, it should work and some of the jokes are acceptable. The endless toilet jokes make it feel like an Adam Sandler film and the poorly written sex jokes get boring quickly. You have the old storyline of trying to impress someone only to fall for the one helping you. It is advertised incorrectly as it makes out from the trailer that he is training to beat Clinch while in actual fact the training is for another dual all together. After watching and enjoying Ted I was expecting a lot better than this lazy comedy for someone with a good comic mind. (3/10)
Actor Reviews
Seth MacFarlane: Albert the cowardly sheep farmer from the Frontier who gets upset when his girlfriend dumps him and puts his life in danger because he is depressed only to discover he is brave deep down. Seth really doesn’t suit being a lead actor at all. (2/10)
seth
Charlize Theron: Anna the beautiful mysterious woman who comes to town and ends up becoming friends with Albert while training him to shot. Good performance from someone not known for comedy. (7/10)
theron
Amanda Seyfried: Louise the girl who dumps Albert and moves on, but looks like she could have changed her mind too late. Standard performance really, never gets given anything to do. (5/10)
Liam Neeson: Clinch the deadly gunslinger who wants revenge after Albert kisses his wife. We see what he is capable of and that he will cheat but we hardly see him considering he is meant to be the villain. (5/10)
neeson
Giovanni Ribisi: Edward Albert’s best friend who is very religious while his girlfriend is being a prostitute. Gets to have fun with the role and would be fair to say get most laughs.(6/10)
Director Review: Seth MacFarlane – With his history for good quality comedy I would expect to see a lot better than this from him. (3/10)
Comedy: Poor jokes throughout that get boring quickly but the few cameos will get most laughs. (4/10)
Settings: Good authentic western town created. (8/10)
Suggestion: Don’t bother, I think even the most diehard Seth MacFarlane fans will be disappointed. (Avoid)
Best Part: Cameos
Worst Part: The Jokes
Funniest Scene: Doc Brown
Kill Of The Film: The Ice Block
Believability: No just a spoof (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: Yes
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $35 Million (So Far)
Budget: N/A
Runtime: 1 Hour 50 Minutes
Tagline: Bring Protection
Overall: Lazy Comedy
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/06/07/a-million-ways-to-die-in-the-west-2014/
Actor Reviews
Seth MacFarlane: Albert the cowardly sheep farmer from the Frontier who gets upset when his girlfriend dumps him and puts his life in danger because he is depressed only to discover he is brave deep down. Seth really doesn’t suit being a lead actor at all. (2/10)
seth
Charlize Theron: Anna the beautiful mysterious woman who comes to town and ends up becoming friends with Albert while training him to shot. Good performance from someone not known for comedy. (7/10)
theron
Amanda Seyfried: Louise the girl who dumps Albert and moves on, but looks like she could have changed her mind too late. Standard performance really, never gets given anything to do. (5/10)
Liam Neeson: Clinch the deadly gunslinger who wants revenge after Albert kisses his wife. We see what he is capable of and that he will cheat but we hardly see him considering he is meant to be the villain. (5/10)
neeson
Giovanni Ribisi: Edward Albert’s best friend who is very religious while his girlfriend is being a prostitute. Gets to have fun with the role and would be fair to say get most laughs.(6/10)
Director Review: Seth MacFarlane – With his history for good quality comedy I would expect to see a lot better than this from him. (3/10)
Comedy: Poor jokes throughout that get boring quickly but the few cameos will get most laughs. (4/10)
Settings: Good authentic western town created. (8/10)
Suggestion: Don’t bother, I think even the most diehard Seth MacFarlane fans will be disappointed. (Avoid)
Best Part: Cameos
Worst Part: The Jokes
Funniest Scene: Doc Brown
Kill Of The Film: The Ice Block
Believability: No just a spoof (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: Yes
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $35 Million (So Far)
Budget: N/A
Runtime: 1 Hour 50 Minutes
Tagline: Bring Protection
Overall: Lazy Comedy
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/06/07/a-million-ways-to-die-in-the-west-2014/
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Shadow and Light (Arizona Raptors #3) in Books
Mar 30, 2020
best of the three!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book three in the Arizona Raptors series. It says that it is not a stand alone and you should read books one and two first, however, I don't think its entirely NECESSARY, but it certainly would help. I have read those two books, and they were both solid 4 star reads.
THIS one, though, is a whole different kettle of fish!
I LOVED this book!
You feel for Henry. His life has taken a turn he didn't expect. The man who was using him, almost killed him. His money is all gone, and he is living in someone else's house, mansion, all by himself. His hockey is on the line, because of the accident and his mind is on a downward spiral.
Enter Apollo.
Apollo is the best friend of Adler, the man paying for the house, who is Henry's brother's friend. Apollo is at a loose end since Adler is all loved up, and Apollo needs some sun. So Apollo goes to Arizona to look after Henry while he gets backs on his feet and back onto the ice.
Apollo is just the kind of man Henry wants, but who would want a washed up hockey player who might go blind? Apollo clearly wants Henry, but he is supposed to be going home at the end of the summer. Can he let his heart take the break?
This one is my favourite of the three, it really is.
It had me crying in places, laughing in others. Shouting at the kindle, and cheering away. I wanted to wrap Henry up in cotton wool and I wanted to smack him upside the head. Apollo too!
There are numerous references to The Harrisburg Railers players and pop ups from all the major players and team from this series. I loved that.
The relationship between Apollo and Henry is slow and sweet, and I loved that. They grow into each other, you know, as the book progresses. It's beautifully written, and gave me so many feels!
Ryker Madsen is Henry's team mate, he plays the same line (although, to be honest, I have no idea what that actually means, I just thought someone MIGHT!) and HIS book was in the Owatonna U Hockey series. I did NOT like Ryker in that book. He does redeem himself in that series somewhat, but HERE? As Henry's best friend, that kid done good! So, as a totally irrelevent point, Ryker? I forgive you!
So, my favourite of the three so far, but I know there is one more out later this year.
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book three in the Arizona Raptors series. It says that it is not a stand alone and you should read books one and two first, however, I don't think its entirely NECESSARY, but it certainly would help. I have read those two books, and they were both solid 4 star reads.
THIS one, though, is a whole different kettle of fish!
I LOVED this book!
You feel for Henry. His life has taken a turn he didn't expect. The man who was using him, almost killed him. His money is all gone, and he is living in someone else's house, mansion, all by himself. His hockey is on the line, because of the accident and his mind is on a downward spiral.
Enter Apollo.
Apollo is the best friend of Adler, the man paying for the house, who is Henry's brother's friend. Apollo is at a loose end since Adler is all loved up, and Apollo needs some sun. So Apollo goes to Arizona to look after Henry while he gets backs on his feet and back onto the ice.
Apollo is just the kind of man Henry wants, but who would want a washed up hockey player who might go blind? Apollo clearly wants Henry, but he is supposed to be going home at the end of the summer. Can he let his heart take the break?
This one is my favourite of the three, it really is.
It had me crying in places, laughing in others. Shouting at the kindle, and cheering away. I wanted to wrap Henry up in cotton wool and I wanted to smack him upside the head. Apollo too!
There are numerous references to The Harrisburg Railers players and pop ups from all the major players and team from this series. I loved that.
The relationship between Apollo and Henry is slow and sweet, and I loved that. They grow into each other, you know, as the book progresses. It's beautifully written, and gave me so many feels!
Ryker Madsen is Henry's team mate, he plays the same line (although, to be honest, I have no idea what that actually means, I just thought someone MIGHT!) and HIS book was in the Owatonna U Hockey series. I did NOT like Ryker in that book. He does redeem himself in that series somewhat, but HERE? As Henry's best friend, that kid done good! So, as a totally irrelevent point, Ryker? I forgive you!
So, my favourite of the three so far, but I know there is one more out later this year.
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
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