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Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated I'll Give You the Sun in Books
Jun 24, 2019
Read the original review: https://bookmarkedreading.wordpress.com/2015/10/08/book-review-ill-give-you-the-sun/
(Self-portrait: Book Remakes Girl)
Oh my Clark Gable. I'll Give You the Sun is simply amazing. It's a piece or artwork in itself, a definite new favourite of mine.
Alternating between twins Noah and Jude, I'll Give You the Sun is two alternating stories that twist together in ways so unexpected and so perfect that you'll undoubtedly want to read to the end without putting the book down. The Invisible Museum of Noah, aged 13 to 14, and The History of Luck, 16-year-old's Jude's story, are amazing on their own, but then they start to fit together so tremendously, and every little thing makes so much sense... I can't describe how amazing I found this book.
Jude and Noah were close; Noah was always painting, inside his head and out, and Jude was out being a badass daredevil, and building her flying women in the sand. But a horrific accident involving their mother sends them both tumbling, and the relationship between them is ruined.
But although all hope seems lost, the now-boycotting Jude finds the answer in such an unexpected way and suddenly everything falls back into place.
And Noah, after having his heart ripped out by his own actions, has to decide between telling the truth about his mother or keeping her secrets hidden beneath lies.
I love the style and layout of this book. The cover alone is wonderful, but the pages themselves are all so unique and interesting, I loved it at soon as I turned to the first page. It's not too busy or intricate, just simple little doodles and such giving each page a bit of character. And every cover I've seen is nice and minimalistic too. (If you want to look the book up and see the over editions and covers you can look at it on Goodreads.)
A story of family struggles, individual troubles, love and heartbreak, I'll Give You the Sun is simply beautiful. I'm dying to read it again, even after finishing it just ten minutes ago! A full 5 stars for this gorgeous book.
(Self-portrait: Book Remakes Girl)
Oh my Clark Gable. I'll Give You the Sun is simply amazing. It's a piece or artwork in itself, a definite new favourite of mine.
Alternating between twins Noah and Jude, I'll Give You the Sun is two alternating stories that twist together in ways so unexpected and so perfect that you'll undoubtedly want to read to the end without putting the book down. The Invisible Museum of Noah, aged 13 to 14, and The History of Luck, 16-year-old's Jude's story, are amazing on their own, but then they start to fit together so tremendously, and every little thing makes so much sense... I can't describe how amazing I found this book.
Jude and Noah were close; Noah was always painting, inside his head and out, and Jude was out being a badass daredevil, and building her flying women in the sand. But a horrific accident involving their mother sends them both tumbling, and the relationship between them is ruined.
But although all hope seems lost, the now-boycotting Jude finds the answer in such an unexpected way and suddenly everything falls back into place.
And Noah, after having his heart ripped out by his own actions, has to decide between telling the truth about his mother or keeping her secrets hidden beneath lies.
I love the style and layout of this book. The cover alone is wonderful, but the pages themselves are all so unique and interesting, I loved it at soon as I turned to the first page. It's not too busy or intricate, just simple little doodles and such giving each page a bit of character. And every cover I've seen is nice and minimalistic too. (If you want to look the book up and see the over editions and covers you can look at it on Goodreads.)
A story of family struggles, individual troubles, love and heartbreak, I'll Give You the Sun is simply beautiful. I'm dying to read it again, even after finishing it just ten minutes ago! A full 5 stars for this gorgeous book.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated It: Chapter Two (2019) in Movies
Sep 6, 2019 (Updated Sep 6, 2019)
I am the eater of worlds, and of children.
IT Chapter2 feels like a ride you've been sat on all day, immense fun but a tad repetitive & a little tiresome after awhile. Now I can't remember the book much to be honest so im going by the films here alone & I personally think its all one giant metaphor for child suicide with the clown just being one big easy to relate to combined metaphor for fear, grief, guilt, betrayal, depression, negativity, loneliness, abuse, anxiety, torment, worry, instability & stress of growing up in a town thats had a lot of tragic events happen in it & in a world where things such as bullying, paedophilia, murder, arson, death, accidents, incest, mental illness, fear mongering, love and having no friends can also be against you and playing on your mind. Watching it in this way is where the real terror lies & everything had a logical explanation to it too (especially watching both films back to back) making these films that much more powerful, relatable, meaningful & heartwarming. Watching these kids/adults unite together to battle everything life throws at them to conquer & overcome the darkness while still trying to have fun and enjoy youth at the same time is so empowering and uplifting its just a shame this new film retreads to much old ground feeling a tad to repetitious of what we've seen before already. That being said the character drama is great & theres clear love here for the source material/films from the past that have since become cult classic. A genuine nostalgia vibe is present here too with the film feeling very lost boys meets the goonies & theres even elements of evil dead & john carpenters the thing too. Acting is fantastic with a near flawless adult cast & special effects for the most part are creative, creepy, disgusting & good looking with a few seemingly rushed bits here & there. Its a good film dont get me wrong it just feels like it needs a trim as the lulls at times can make your mind float off elsewhere (especially during some side plots). Overall IT 2 has great depth, fun horror elements & well developed characters its just a shame the comedy & repetitive structure spoil it.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Psycho (1960) in Movies
Sep 30, 2019
Most Hollywood scholars and film critics agree Vertigo is the ultimate Hitchcock masterpiece with Psycho, North By Northwest or Rear Window rounding out the top 4. Although I would give each a 10 out of 10, I would say Psycho is probably my all time favorite.
Maybe you could say Vertigo is a better technical film or it uses camera, lighting, sets and scenery better, but Psycho has all of that as well and then some. I remember reading somewhere a list of movies where mid way through the film the plot was hijacked in a completely different direction than it had been going (for movies like From Dusk Till Dawn and True Lies), but Psycho was not listed.
I was extremely surprised in that by 1960, how many filmmakers would dare kill off their only main character and the only one the audience cares about partially through and leave the audience gasping as what was to happen next? I wish I had been sitting in a darkened theatre in 1960 to see just that. Working at movie theatres for years, I have had my share of watching crowd reaction both in laughter and in fear, and I can see how movie makers enjoy doing this themselves for their own films.
Great movies keep you coming back even though you are completely familiar with every detail already, but still come back to rewatch anyways.
I have to assume Anthony Perkins did too good of a job as Norman Bates to have any casting directors use him for different roles. He reprised Norman, several times in the 80s and 90s, and also had roles in other films like The Black Hole and Murder on the Orient Express, but no one really remembers him for anything other than Psycho. He was just that great.
I absolutely love the Bernard Herrmann score, especially over the haunting opening credit sequence. One of the best of all time. Have to mention Janet Leigh also won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. She was memorable and marvelous as well.
And Hitch never won Best Director.
Maybe you could say Vertigo is a better technical film or it uses camera, lighting, sets and scenery better, but Psycho has all of that as well and then some. I remember reading somewhere a list of movies where mid way through the film the plot was hijacked in a completely different direction than it had been going (for movies like From Dusk Till Dawn and True Lies), but Psycho was not listed.
I was extremely surprised in that by 1960, how many filmmakers would dare kill off their only main character and the only one the audience cares about partially through and leave the audience gasping as what was to happen next? I wish I had been sitting in a darkened theatre in 1960 to see just that. Working at movie theatres for years, I have had my share of watching crowd reaction both in laughter and in fear, and I can see how movie makers enjoy doing this themselves for their own films.
Great movies keep you coming back even though you are completely familiar with every detail already, but still come back to rewatch anyways.
I have to assume Anthony Perkins did too good of a job as Norman Bates to have any casting directors use him for different roles. He reprised Norman, several times in the 80s and 90s, and also had roles in other films like The Black Hole and Murder on the Orient Express, but no one really remembers him for anything other than Psycho. He was just that great.
I absolutely love the Bernard Herrmann score, especially over the haunting opening credit sequence. One of the best of all time. Have to mention Janet Leigh also won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. She was memorable and marvelous as well.
And Hitch never won Best Director.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2466 KP) rated Tilling the Truth in Books
Aug 28, 2019
Tilling Through the Lies Until the Truth is Left
It’s August in Goosebush, Massachusetts, but Lilly Jayne and the rest of the Garden Squad just as busy as every trying to make their town beautiful again. But there are some thorns among the blooms. The recent death of a friend has left Lilly, as executor of his estate, dealing with his greedy relatives. Meanwhile, Lilly’s best friend, Tamara, is finding her efforts to sell the dead man’s house meeting with sabotage, something that is only making her stress over the new relator in town worse. But things come to a head when Tamara is found standing over the dead body of Gladys Preston. Gladys didn’t have many friends in town, but she recently had a very public fight with Tamara. As the rumor mill begins to heat up, Lilly knows she needs to figure out what really happened to help her friend clear her name. Can she do it?
I fell in love with these characters with the first book in the series, and it was great to be back to visit them again. I will admit it took me a bit to get completely back in the flow of the characters and Goosebush, but it wasn’t long before I had. Lilly and many of her friends are on the older side, and I enjoy this break from the traditional cozy lead character. They and the new characters came to life for me as the story unfolded. The plot takes on quite a bit, so as a result the book appears to be wandering a little before Gladys dies, but everything is important and comes into play. I’m actually a little in awe of how it all came together, although the ending was a tad rushed. I also appreciated how the theme of old versus new or tradition versus change played out in the book. I suspect we will see that again in future books. For those who have a green thumb, some gardening tips are included at the back of the book. This second book is fun as we get to watch Lilly weed out another killer.
I fell in love with these characters with the first book in the series, and it was great to be back to visit them again. I will admit it took me a bit to get completely back in the flow of the characters and Goosebush, but it wasn’t long before I had. Lilly and many of her friends are on the older side, and I enjoy this break from the traditional cozy lead character. They and the new characters came to life for me as the story unfolded. The plot takes on quite a bit, so as a result the book appears to be wandering a little before Gladys dies, but everything is important and comes into play. I’m actually a little in awe of how it all came together, although the ending was a tad rushed. I also appreciated how the theme of old versus new or tradition versus change played out in the book. I suspect we will see that again in future books. For those who have a green thumb, some gardening tips are included at the back of the book. This second book is fun as we get to watch Lilly weed out another killer.
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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated A Column of Fire in Books
Aug 6, 2020
127 of 200
Book
A column of fire ( Kingsbridge 3)
By Ken Follet
Christmas 1558, and young Ned Willard returns home to Kingsbridge to find his world has changed.
The ancient stones of Kingsbridge Cathedral look down on a city torn by religious hatred. Europe is in turmoil as high principles clash bloodily with friendship, loyalty and love, and Ned soon finds himself on the opposite side from the girl he longs to marry, Margery Fitzgerald.
Then Elizabeth Tudor becomes queen and all of Europe turns against England. The shrewd, determined young monarch sets up the country's first secret service to give her early warning of assassination plots, rebellions and invasion plans.
Elizabeth knows that alluring, headstrong Mary Queen of Scots lies in wait in Paris. Part of a brutally ambitious French family, Mary has been proclaimed the rightful ruler of England, with her own supporters scheming to get rid of the new queen.
Over a turbulent half-century, the love between Ned and Margery seems doomed, as extremism sparks violence from Edinburgh to Geneva. With Elizabeth clinging precariously to her throne and her principles, protected by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies and courageous secret agents, it becomes clear that the real enemies - then as now - are not the rival religions.
The true battle pitches those who believe in tolerance and compromise against the tyrants who would impose their ideas on everyone else - no matter the cost.
Ken Follet and this series has completely stolen my heart I love these books! I’m a huge fan of historical based fiction and I think he just does it so well!! I did find some parts were a little rushed but it was still an amazing book. The characters were as usual full of life, I have loved and hated them he has a way of hooking you into these peoples lives. If I had one issue it was this one spent a lot of time away from kingsbridge I think the characters weren’t as linked to the city as they were in other books! I’m looking forward to to the new kingsbridge book!
Book
A column of fire ( Kingsbridge 3)
By Ken Follet
Christmas 1558, and young Ned Willard returns home to Kingsbridge to find his world has changed.
The ancient stones of Kingsbridge Cathedral look down on a city torn by religious hatred. Europe is in turmoil as high principles clash bloodily with friendship, loyalty and love, and Ned soon finds himself on the opposite side from the girl he longs to marry, Margery Fitzgerald.
Then Elizabeth Tudor becomes queen and all of Europe turns against England. The shrewd, determined young monarch sets up the country's first secret service to give her early warning of assassination plots, rebellions and invasion plans.
Elizabeth knows that alluring, headstrong Mary Queen of Scots lies in wait in Paris. Part of a brutally ambitious French family, Mary has been proclaimed the rightful ruler of England, with her own supporters scheming to get rid of the new queen.
Over a turbulent half-century, the love between Ned and Margery seems doomed, as extremism sparks violence from Edinburgh to Geneva. With Elizabeth clinging precariously to her throne and her principles, protected by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies and courageous secret agents, it becomes clear that the real enemies - then as now - are not the rival religions.
The true battle pitches those who believe in tolerance and compromise against the tyrants who would impose their ideas on everyone else - no matter the cost.
Ken Follet and this series has completely stolen my heart I love these books! I’m a huge fan of historical based fiction and I think he just does it so well!! I did find some parts were a little rushed but it was still an amazing book. The characters were as usual full of life, I have loved and hated them he has a way of hooking you into these peoples lives. If I had one issue it was this one spent a lot of time away from kingsbridge I think the characters weren’t as linked to the city as they were in other books! I’m looking forward to to the new kingsbridge book!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated This Is How I Lied in Books
May 21, 2020
This book was one of those delicious surprises that turns out to be so much better than you expect. I've never read a book by Heather Gudenkauf before, but I certainly will be reading more of her books now! I read this as I was sent a Netgalley widget, and I'm so glad! This is such a dark and twisty tale, and I loved how it kept me guessing the entire time, always wondering and doubting myself about what exactly happened to Eve.
Gudenkauf tells her tale from multiple perspectives and time periods, but unlike so many thrillers these days, she does so deftly. It's heartbreaking to hear from the Eve of twenty-five years ago, knowing her fate, yet fascinating, as she slowly dispenses details and clues about what has happened to her. Eve's younger sister is the "town crazy," a veterinarian with a penchant for extreme creepiness. We also have Maggie's even-keeled husband, Shaun, who runs their orchard (and did I mention Maggie is way pregnant?), her father, the ex-chief, who is suffering from dementia, and her brother, who has been forced to care for him. And lets not forget Eve's ex-boyfriend, Nick, who now runs a store in town.
The small-town dynamics are perfect here. Eve's murder is the biggest thing to happen to this town. Everyone knows everyone else, and they think they all know each other's secrets. But, goodness, the secrets and lies buried deep in this small town are just beginning as Maggie starts investigating Eve's death again. The story unfolds perfectly--new pieces coming at you in just the right amount, constantly changing the perspective and allowing suspects to switch around in your mind. Half the thrillers I read, I feel like I have the "whodunnit" figured out from the beginning, but I was never sure here, always frantically reading, always wondering, and being pulled deeply into Eve and Maggie's lives.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I loved the surprise of it--finding a book I didn't expect to be so good--and I loved being drawn into such a taunt well-written thriller. 4.5 stars.
Gudenkauf tells her tale from multiple perspectives and time periods, but unlike so many thrillers these days, she does so deftly. It's heartbreaking to hear from the Eve of twenty-five years ago, knowing her fate, yet fascinating, as she slowly dispenses details and clues about what has happened to her. Eve's younger sister is the "town crazy," a veterinarian with a penchant for extreme creepiness. We also have Maggie's even-keeled husband, Shaun, who runs their orchard (and did I mention Maggie is way pregnant?), her father, the ex-chief, who is suffering from dementia, and her brother, who has been forced to care for him. And lets not forget Eve's ex-boyfriend, Nick, who now runs a store in town.
The small-town dynamics are perfect here. Eve's murder is the biggest thing to happen to this town. Everyone knows everyone else, and they think they all know each other's secrets. But, goodness, the secrets and lies buried deep in this small town are just beginning as Maggie starts investigating Eve's death again. The story unfolds perfectly--new pieces coming at you in just the right amount, constantly changing the perspective and allowing suspects to switch around in your mind. Half the thrillers I read, I feel like I have the "whodunnit" figured out from the beginning, but I was never sure here, always frantically reading, always wondering, and being pulled deeply into Eve and Maggie's lives.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I loved the surprise of it--finding a book I didn't expect to be so good--and I loved being drawn into such a taunt well-written thriller. 4.5 stars.
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In this compulsively readable debut, set between London and Sicily over one blood-drenched week in...
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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula (2020) in Movies
Aug 11, 2021
Peninsula is by no means a bad movie, but from start to finish, it never manages to step out of the shadow of it's older sibling. It doesn't help that Train to Busan is as near-perfect as the zombie sub-genre gets, and it's imprint is felt all over this follow up, and that's where the main problem lies.
The film starts with an incredibly powerful opening, and initially seems like it's going to deliver the same emotional hellscape that it's predecessor did, but alas, the really out of place English exposition dialogue that accompanies the cold open is a sign of things to come.
Peninsula mainly suffers from pacing issues. All too often, it feels drawn out, slows down to a halt, spends too much time with characters that are hard to care about, and ultimately feels overlong.
The claustrophobic setting of a train is replaced by a wide open Korean cityscape, and with that comes a grander vision and an over reliance on CGI, CGI that is shaky at best. The effcts-heavy scenes are thankfully set at night time but it's hard not to notice, especially in the car chase set pieces (that go on for way too long by the way).
And then, when the final act comes a knocking, the events that unfold diver straight back into imitating Train to Busan again, but it completely misses the mark. The emotional closing moments are undercut but just how absurd and over dramatic everything is. There's just no subtlety.
I feel like I've ragged on this movie way more than I intended too, because I did enjoy it more than I didn't. The main group of leads (especially the child actors) are pretty damn good, the zombies themselves are still pretty intense, even if they are more of a background threat this time around, and once again, it's complimented by a wonderful music score, but I don't know, it just left me a little cold after just how much TtB blew me away.
Not good, not bad, just very middle of the road.
The film starts with an incredibly powerful opening, and initially seems like it's going to deliver the same emotional hellscape that it's predecessor did, but alas, the really out of place English exposition dialogue that accompanies the cold open is a sign of things to come.
Peninsula mainly suffers from pacing issues. All too often, it feels drawn out, slows down to a halt, spends too much time with characters that are hard to care about, and ultimately feels overlong.
The claustrophobic setting of a train is replaced by a wide open Korean cityscape, and with that comes a grander vision and an over reliance on CGI, CGI that is shaky at best. The effcts-heavy scenes are thankfully set at night time but it's hard not to notice, especially in the car chase set pieces (that go on for way too long by the way).
And then, when the final act comes a knocking, the events that unfold diver straight back into imitating Train to Busan again, but it completely misses the mark. The emotional closing moments are undercut but just how absurd and over dramatic everything is. There's just no subtlety.
I feel like I've ragged on this movie way more than I intended too, because I did enjoy it more than I didn't. The main group of leads (especially the child actors) are pretty damn good, the zombies themselves are still pretty intense, even if they are more of a background threat this time around, and once again, it's complimented by a wonderful music score, but I don't know, it just left me a little cold after just how much TtB blew me away.
Not good, not bad, just very middle of the road.
