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Principles of Systems Science
George E. Mobus and Michael C. Kalton
Book
This pioneering text provides a comprehensive introduction to systems structure, function, and...
Quiz Panic
Games
App
Adopt a Quizzy! These little monsters are addicted to General Knowledge! Send yours flying up to the...
Oceans and Human Health: Implications for Society and Wellbeing
Robert E. Bowen, Michael H. Depledge, Cinnamon P. Carlarne and Lora E. Fleming
Book
Human health and well-being are tied to the vitality of the global ocean and coastal systems on...
UK Citizenship Test 2017 Life in the UK Exam 3rd
Education and Utilities
App
• Top Choice! award by Appcrawlr • Featured by Apple • The latest Life in UK 3rd Edition test...
Merissa (13149 KP) rated Speechless in Books
Oct 11, 2023
SPEECHLESS - that's what I am after reading this story! For any Release, let alone a debut, this was absolutely fantastic. However, do take notice of the TW as there is a part that some readers may not be comfortable with.
Jade has lived through hell, and now her abusive father is dead, she thinks she's finally free. Having been kept on the farm with no one else, not even her mother, and no education to speak of, Jade is both innocent and wise to the world. When her home is found by two Alphas, she tries to hide, unsuccessfully. They take her back to their Pack and proceed to claim her - for her own safety, of course. But Jade doesn't want to be claimed and has no knowledge of what is expected from her in their eyes. She can't fight back physically so she shuts them out instead.
What follows is an intricate layering of expectations and reality. Told from multiple perspectives, you get to see the inner workings of all of them. I loved Jade's strength in adversity and the size of her heart when she forgives. I loved all the Alphas (although it was definitely in question for a time!) and Brody was just a cinnamon roll to give you cavities! This little family won me over with their recognition of doing wrong and their attempts to make amends.
One thing to mention - 'that' non-con scene. It's not gratuitous. It's there for a reason, and it's not shock value. It plays an integral part in the story, showing how the Alphas believe they are doing the right thing, but also showing how terrifying it is for Jade, who has absolutely no knowledge of the human body. No, it's not comfortable reading. There's no way in hell it should be. But it is so extremely well-written. If you can, read it, don't skip it.
The ending was simply superb. I adored the last sentence! I really hope we return to this world. I would love to know how they are all getting along, or maybe have cameos from them as we find a new family to tag along with.
Absolutely brilliant and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me. Just remember the TWs.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 3, 2023
Jade has lived through hell, and now her abusive father is dead, she thinks she's finally free. Having been kept on the farm with no one else, not even her mother, and no education to speak of, Jade is both innocent and wise to the world. When her home is found by two Alphas, she tries to hide, unsuccessfully. They take her back to their Pack and proceed to claim her - for her own safety, of course. But Jade doesn't want to be claimed and has no knowledge of what is expected from her in their eyes. She can't fight back physically so she shuts them out instead.
What follows is an intricate layering of expectations and reality. Told from multiple perspectives, you get to see the inner workings of all of them. I loved Jade's strength in adversity and the size of her heart when she forgives. I loved all the Alphas (although it was definitely in question for a time!) and Brody was just a cinnamon roll to give you cavities! This little family won me over with their recognition of doing wrong and their attempts to make amends.
One thing to mention - 'that' non-con scene. It's not gratuitous. It's there for a reason, and it's not shock value. It plays an integral part in the story, showing how the Alphas believe they are doing the right thing, but also showing how terrifying it is for Jade, who has absolutely no knowledge of the human body. No, it's not comfortable reading. There's no way in hell it should be. But it is so extremely well-written. If you can, read it, don't skip it.
The ending was simply superb. I adored the last sentence! I really hope we return to this world. I would love to know how they are all getting along, or maybe have cameos from them as we find a new family to tag along with.
Absolutely brilliant and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me. Just remember the TWs.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 3, 2023
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Kill (Maeve Kerrigan, #5) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
I received a copy of this book from the Dead Good Crime Book Group on Goodreads and I want to thank them, once again, for introducing me to another new author that I may never have found.
I haven't read any of the preceding books in this series so started reading with no background or information on any of the characters at all. In hindsight, I think it would have been better to have that knowledge as I did find myself wondering where some of the characters were coming from. Having said that though, I thought it was well written with engaging and complex characters. The storyline was great, delivered with good pace and with interesting twists. I like the relationships between the various characters and despite Derwent being a chauvinistic pig, he was the cause of an internal battle I had with myself - one minute I liked him, the next he was a total [insert appropriate swear word]. Derwent was also the one who made me laugh out loud by his ludicrous statements and the situation he found himself in towards the end of the book.
Overall, a good read but one that would probably have been much better had I read previous books in the series.
I haven't read any of the preceding books in this series so started reading with no background or information on any of the characters at all. In hindsight, I think it would have been better to have that knowledge as I did find myself wondering where some of the characters were coming from. Having said that though, I thought it was well written with engaging and complex characters. The storyline was great, delivered with good pace and with interesting twists. I like the relationships between the various characters and despite Derwent being a chauvinistic pig, he was the cause of an internal battle I had with myself - one minute I liked him, the next he was a total [insert appropriate swear word]. Derwent was also the one who made me laugh out loud by his ludicrous statements and the situation he found himself in towards the end of the book.
Overall, a good read but one that would probably have been much better had I read previous books in the series.
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated Red Equinox in Books
Jan 12, 2018
[Red Equinox] by [Douglas Wynne] was about how humans can become pawns of the gods even unwittingly. Also that not all gods are good. Part adventure and part mystery this book has a lot to offer various audiences.
Becca is a photographer and urban explorer. She was raised by her slightly eccentric grandmother who studied the occult. Some of this knowledge was unwittingly passed to Becca as the book starts with her grandmother's funeral.
Brooks is a detective for an unknown government agency that investigates the weird (think X-Files). He and Becca are bound to cross paths as a madman from a cult plans to unleash destruction on Boston, the Hub.
These are the two main driving protagonists in the book. The were developed well but I found I wanted to know more about them. Deeper personalities because they both were hiding things and fighting their own demons.
The plot got a little wordy at times but the descriptions gave me that visual I enjoy in a good book. Any book that makes me "see" what is going on is a good one. I hope the next one will flow just a little better but other than that nothing should change.
Becca is a photographer and urban explorer. She was raised by her slightly eccentric grandmother who studied the occult. Some of this knowledge was unwittingly passed to Becca as the book starts with her grandmother's funeral.
Brooks is a detective for an unknown government agency that investigates the weird (think X-Files). He and Becca are bound to cross paths as a madman from a cult plans to unleash destruction on Boston, the Hub.
These are the two main driving protagonists in the book. The were developed well but I found I wanted to know more about them. Deeper personalities because they both were hiding things and fighting their own demons.
The plot got a little wordy at times but the descriptions gave me that visual I enjoy in a good book. Any book that makes me "see" what is going on is a good one. I hope the next one will flow just a little better but other than that nothing should change.
Niten. NR (75 KP) rated Dunkirk (2017) in Movies
Jul 27, 2017
Cinematography (6 more)
Story line/lines (merge)
An excellent cast.
Hans Zimmer's score
Minimalistic dialogue
Spitfires (aerial combat scenes)
Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance & Tom Hardy (being cool) .
Powerful & Immense
This is one hell of a film. It's an epic, all consuming, continually intensifying beast of a movie. The cinematography blew me away with those great big expansive shots. The 3 storyline amalgamation and the timescale structure of this, was superb in my opinion. Each lead in each storyline gave a powerful performance without the overuse of dialogue. Hans Zimmer's score built and built until, at times I felt like I was about to explode. I did feel that I enjoyed the film all the more because I was aware of the situation historically, there is a brief explanation early on but, I would advise anyone who's not aware, to read up a little on the massive scale of this evacuation, the uniqueness of the situation and the dangerous time it was for all involved. Overall, it's a must see at the cinema and to get the best of the sound and those beautiful aerial Spitfire vs Messerschmitt scenes, in Imax if possible.
A dense, rich plot (1 more)
Tons of interesting cultural glimpses
I loved this book. Translated works can sometimes be clunky, with little nuances lost along the way, but this one was so smooth and evocative that it didn't really feel translated at all. Kudos to Jonathon Lloyd-Davies.
The basic plot involves 2 missing girls: the 1989 kidnap and murder of a 7 year old and the more recent disappearance of Press Director Mikami's teenage daughter. With the anniversary of the original crime coming up, Mikami is charged with organizing a PR visit by the police commissioner to the family of the murdered 7 year old and discovers a previously unseen clue in the case files along the way. The insight into the minutiae of Japanese daily life is fascinating: the sense of failure Mikami feels from having been transferred to criminal investigations to press director, cops stopping to purchase a visiting gift of rice crackers before stopping at the victim's home, Mikami's knowledge from the glimpse of a home shrine that a key witness has passed away.
While this can be a slow read, I suggest sticking with it. Take it in small doses. It's worth it.
The basic plot involves 2 missing girls: the 1989 kidnap and murder of a 7 year old and the more recent disappearance of Press Director Mikami's teenage daughter. With the anniversary of the original crime coming up, Mikami is charged with organizing a PR visit by the police commissioner to the family of the murdered 7 year old and discovers a previously unseen clue in the case files along the way. The insight into the minutiae of Japanese daily life is fascinating: the sense of failure Mikami feels from having been transferred to criminal investigations to press director, cops stopping to purchase a visiting gift of rice crackers before stopping at the victim's home, Mikami's knowledge from the glimpse of a home shrine that a key witness has passed away.
While this can be a slow read, I suggest sticking with it. Take it in small doses. It's worth it.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Coldest Winter Ever in Books
May 10, 2018
Winter Santiaga is a girl whose whole world gets flipped upside down in a matter of moments. Winter thinks she is living the high life. She dresses in the best clothes, dates whoever she wants and gets whatever she asks for.
Her father, who goes by just Santiaga, is a big deal in the neighborhood. Mostly everyone is on his payroll and nothing goes down without his knowledge. When the Santiaga's move out of Brooklyn and to Long Island, things take a turn for the worse. With both of her parents arrested and her sisters wards of the state, Winter does all she can to survive.
Winter is a bitch!! I hate to use that word, but she really is. All of these people who try to help her, but she can't see the help for the all mighty dollar. She wants to follow in her father's footsteps and make that quick money, but it's not going to work for her the way that she is hoping.
Will Winter be able to survive and make it for herself? Will she be able to save her mother from the thing that used to keep her family together? Will she get the man she has always wanted?
Her father, who goes by just Santiaga, is a big deal in the neighborhood. Mostly everyone is on his payroll and nothing goes down without his knowledge. When the Santiaga's move out of Brooklyn and to Long Island, things take a turn for the worse. With both of her parents arrested and her sisters wards of the state, Winter does all she can to survive.
Winter is a bitch!! I hate to use that word, but she really is. All of these people who try to help her, but she can't see the help for the all mighty dollar. She wants to follow in her father's footsteps and make that quick money, but it's not going to work for her the way that she is hoping.
Will Winter be able to survive and make it for herself? Will she be able to save her mother from the thing that used to keep her family together? Will she get the man she has always wanted?