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Andy K (10826 KP) rated Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) in Movies
Mar 3, 2019
Dated but still a fun ride
The Jules Verne classic novel of adventure and mayhem comes to life on the big screen in glorious CinemaScope!
Follow a scientist, his assistant, a beautiful widow and others as they decent into the depths of the Earth itself to see what lies beneath. They encounter all sorts of pitfalls including treacherous caves, salt mines and giant lizards along the way.
Will they make it out alive?
Unfortunately, there is the 1950s version of the views of the female race on display which I was not a fan of. If you can get past that, the acting and story are interesting enough as you watch the posse go along their way.
The sets, music and art direction are well done considering this film's age, and if you can look past some of the cheesy elements it really is quite the adventure ride of a film.
Follow a scientist, his assistant, a beautiful widow and others as they decent into the depths of the Earth itself to see what lies beneath. They encounter all sorts of pitfalls including treacherous caves, salt mines and giant lizards along the way.
Will they make it out alive?
Unfortunately, there is the 1950s version of the views of the female race on display which I was not a fan of. If you can get past that, the acting and story are interesting enough as you watch the posse go along their way.
The sets, music and art direction are well done considering this film's age, and if you can look past some of the cheesy elements it really is quite the adventure ride of a film.
Cori June (3033 KP) rated Terminal Uprising (Book Two of the Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse) in Books
May 9, 2019
Wit (3 more)
Descriptions of Earth
the escapes
Doc
slow at times (1 more)
ends too soon
Mops & Co. are at it again. Four months of avoiding the Krakau, Mops and her team embark on a mission to the most feared place in the galaxy: Earth. What her team learns will change them and the Alliance forever.
There are not as many alien life forms as it focuses mostly on the Krakau and humans however there are still some fun life forms that you get to meet, as well as, getting to know the Prodryans better. These space janitors are great at sweeping away lies to get to the truth. Cleaning up other people's messes is just all in a day's work. Just as witty and humorous as the first book. Unlike the first book this one is also a little more serious. There is more times the pace is slow although that doesn't mean there isn't some great action.
There are not as many alien life forms as it focuses mostly on the Krakau and humans however there are still some fun life forms that you get to meet, as well as, getting to know the Prodryans better. These space janitors are great at sweeping away lies to get to the truth. Cleaning up other people's messes is just all in a day's work. Just as witty and humorous as the first book. Unlike the first book this one is also a little more serious. There is more times the pace is slow although that doesn't mean there isn't some great action.
BTPBookclub (18 KP) rated Caraval in Books
May 14, 2019
Outstanding. Brilliant.
Wow. One, why haven’t I read this book sooner? Two, I cannot believe this is her debut novel at all, I could not tell it was that brilliant. Very impressed. I love the cover of this story too, magical. I also loved how the story was told through short chapters, including letters and clues. Made it an easy, fast paced read I didn’t want to finish.
I cannot wait to see what lies ahead in the sequel (Legendary). I can honestly say I have not read anything similar to this story before and I absolutely loved it! I awarded a well deserved five stars and already know it is going to be in my top 20 of 2018. A must buy and read from me. I would love to see this book turned into a film. It will mess with the readers head in parts but remember… It’s only a game
I cannot wait to see what lies ahead in the sequel (Legendary). I can honestly say I have not read anything similar to this story before and I absolutely loved it! I awarded a well deserved five stars and already know it is going to be in my top 20 of 2018. A must buy and read from me. I would love to see this book turned into a film. It will mess with the readers head in parts but remember… It’s only a game
Prieblanda (25 KP) rated The Tattooist of Auschwitz in Books
May 17, 2019
Could be darker
The novel takes us back to the WW2 times, the times when concentration camps were running full capacity. And it lets us to get in a life of one of the prisoners at the biggest camps - the Auschwitz. Starting to read, you know beforehand what lies in path of the main character - Lale. Though the story itself happens in dark times (times I consider to be closest to dystopia humanity ever got to), Lale doesn't lose his optimism and it makes the whole story a bit more lighthearted. We don't really get much insight on some more gruesome things.
Summing up, there were some parts that I liked and there were a few that I didn't. But knowing it is based on a true story makes it a forgivable. I just wish the author put a bit more of work in her prose, to paint the images more vividly
Summing up, there were some parts that I liked and there were a few that I didn't. But knowing it is based on a true story makes it a forgivable. I just wish the author put a bit more of work in her prose, to paint the images more vividly
April Rose Mossow (93 KP) rated Sadie in Books
May 20, 2019
When Sadie’s sister Maddie is found dead, it sets off a series of events: A road trip, uncovering secrets, but also, asking more questions than it answers. I really enjoyed this book, slowly the adrenaline just kicks you into gear and you’re rushing through the book to finish. It’s a murder-mystery, tangled with lies, family dysfunction, and vengeance. Told between podcasts and the perspective of its main character, it’s a different style of writing, written especially for this generation’s teens. You feel so deeply for Sadie, and the people she meets along the way. The story is fast-paced and keeps you thoroughly engaged. (I didn’t want to put it down!) Sadie is a well written, real character you root for through the entirety of the book. It’s such a sad chain of events, you don’t really know what to expect, but you hope against all hope that Sadie makes it out alive.
Madbatdan82 (341 KP) rated Rim of the World (2019) in Movies
Jun 1, 2019
Stranger things this aint
Stranger Things is great and its brought a resurgence of the 80s style kids adventure films. Unfortunately for every Stranger Things & Scouts Guide to the apocalypse theres also one of these disasters...starts abruptly in space where the space station is attacked by a massive spaceship. Then it starts to introduce the stereotypical kids who all end up going to the same summer camp just as aliens attack Earth. The script is shoddy and the acting is pretty poor. It feels like a poor after school daytime TV movie - the fate of the Earth lies in these 4 kids hands blah blah. The aliens are pretty generic and unscary and it all leads to a pointless climax and ridiculous credits scenes. I was hoping for some mindless fun - i got half!!!
Kayla (19 KP) rated If I'd Known in Books
Jun 4, 2018 (Updated Jun 4, 2018)
Lackluster
I loved the Breathing Series. I've read them several times each and keep going back to them because I love Rebecca's story weaving and character development. This novella has neither of those.
If your looking for a rain cloud main character you may enjoy it. She's doom and gloom from beginning to end and it's kind of exhausting.
This novella (I keep calling it that because the length of this can't even qualify as a book) takes place during one single day. Just one. That one day is packed with so much drama, crazy happenings, and arguing that it leaves your head spinning.
You know nothing about any of the characters at the end of this, aside from that they're all incredibly flawed. You'd think you'd learn more about the main character at least, but we've been left with only her bitchy attitude and that she never lies.
As much as I love Rebecca's previous books, I just can't recommend this one.
If your looking for a rain cloud main character you may enjoy it. She's doom and gloom from beginning to end and it's kind of exhausting.
This novella (I keep calling it that because the length of this can't even qualify as a book) takes place during one single day. Just one. That one day is packed with so much drama, crazy happenings, and arguing that it leaves your head spinning.
You know nothing about any of the characters at the end of this, aside from that they're all incredibly flawed. You'd think you'd learn more about the main character at least, but we've been left with only her bitchy attitude and that she never lies.
As much as I love Rebecca's previous books, I just can't recommend this one.
Purrsistently (46 KP) rated Hospital Sketches in Books
Jun 21, 2018
It was a good thing to have read but it strongly underscored a painfully ignorant romanticized view of war that Americans are so fond of. She did not see children shot on the road in cold blood, she did not see officers give their men permission to rape any woman who disrespected them. She did not see the pow camps, did not see grandmothers and babies dead of exposure in the snow. She did not see the factory worker women (largely woc) kidnapped, raped over many days, and then abandoned hundreds of miles from home with nothing. There were no “white saviors” here or anywhere. War is not Romantic. Even the “Just Cause” lies on a bed of sending boys with little (if any) stake in the disagreement to maim and kill and torture other boys like themselves because old men can’t be bothered to work out their disputes at a table and instead delight in laying waste to their Nation’s youth.
David McK (3880 KP) rated Flashman (The Flashman Papers, #1) in Books
Jan 28, 2019
First entry in George MacDonald Frase's Flashman series, in which he (re)introduces us to Harry Flashman: a totally reprehensible anti-hero, who (through the entire series) cheats, lies and connives his way through Victorian society and the great events of the era: in this case, the disastrous retreat from Kabul.
By all accounts, the history of the books are actually pretty accurate: most of the people Flashman meets and interacts with were real personages of note, and the novels contain several footnotes providing yet more historical info on the events described. While it is taken to extremes, I think it's also fairly safe to say that the character of Flashman and the way he behaves probably isn't really that far away from the way some members of society did ...
(oh, and trivia note: MacDonald Fraser wrote the screenplays for 1973s "The Three Musketeers" and it's sequel "The Four Musketeers" as well as the James Bond film "Octopussy", amongst others)
By all accounts, the history of the books are actually pretty accurate: most of the people Flashman meets and interacts with were real personages of note, and the novels contain several footnotes providing yet more historical info on the events described. While it is taken to extremes, I think it's also fairly safe to say that the character of Flashman and the way he behaves probably isn't really that far away from the way some members of society did ...
(oh, and trivia note: MacDonald Fraser wrote the screenplays for 1973s "The Three Musketeers" and it's sequel "The Four Musketeers" as well as the James Bond film "Octopussy", amongst others)
ClareR (6256 KP) rated Bitter Orange in Books
Dec 21, 2018
A Fantastic Book!
Frances Jellico lies dying in a hospital bed in the present day. She has flash backs to 1969 when she was asked to go to a large, dilapidated country house to assess the gardens for its new owner. She leaves London just after her mother dies - a mother who she had taken care of on her own for a long time. Already there when she arrives are Cara and Peter. He is an antiques expert, and Cara is his wife.
There is such a lot going on in this book: Cara and Peter have a strained relationship, Cara is clearly unwell; the vicar in the local church is not happy in his work, and Frances seems completely incapable of understanding relationships - her upbringing seems to have been very sheltered.
This is such a good story. I enjoyed uncovering the layers and the last few chapters were stunning and completely unexpected.
There is such a lot going on in this book: Cara and Peter have a strained relationship, Cara is clearly unwell; the vicar in the local church is not happy in his work, and Frances seems completely incapable of understanding relationships - her upbringing seems to have been very sheltered.
This is such a good story. I enjoyed uncovering the layers and the last few chapters were stunning and completely unexpected.