Search

Search only in certain items:

<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #993300;"><strong>My Thoughts</strong></span>
<span style="color: #993300;"><strong>I loved this book and everything about it. It was wonderfully written, with characters that are real-to-life, a setting that will sweep you away to the Mount Ranier National Park and a plot that will leave you dying for more of this talented authors work. It was such a fabulous feeling reading this book. </strong></span>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #993300;"><strong>This novel is a mix of historical and beautiful scenes. I felt as though I was right there with Margie and the Rangers, looking at the parks in front of them. I loved feeling as though the author was writing the story just for me, and gripped me wholly with her wonderful characters, words and messages. These characters, both good and bad, quickly steal your heart and don't let go until the end! Each page turn brings you further to the heart of Mt. Ranier taking you along for the ride of protecting the park. </strong></span>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #993300;"><strong>This is the first book in Ms. Barnett's new series and I definitely recommend it with high flying 5 stars! Ms. Barnett is a wonderful author and this book just became one of my top 10 reads for 2017! If you are looking for a book that is chiseled fantabulously, filled with hope and twists, and characters that you want to make your friends, then look no further than this start of The Vintage National Parks novels. I absolutely can not wait to get my book loving hands on book 2! Well done, Ms. Barnett! </strong></span><a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/blogging-for-book-review-the-road-to-paradise-by-karen-barnett/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
  
40x40

Sam (74 KP) rated Matilda in Books

Mar 27, 2019  
Matilda
Matilda
Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl | 2016 | Children
10
9.2 (31 Ratings)
Book Rating
Because I had always loved the film, I knew that the book would definitely be for me – and I wasn’t disappointed. With Matilda, I had always loved that there was a bookish character. And while I was reading this, I realised that there aren’t nearly enough bookish characters in books. Books should be full of book-loving characters as they are instantly relatable to anyone reading the books. This is why I have always related to Matilda as a character.

Matilda never tries to hide her intelligence, and I love that. It’s something that a lot of adults can’t do. I was even saying to one of my friends at work that I act more ditsy than I actually am when I’m there. I’ve always hidden parts of myself because I want to fit in. Matilda doesn’t even try to fit in with everyone else, even though she excels everyone around her. I think everyone could learn a lesson about personalities from Matilda.

I love that she goes against the crowd. When everyone around her is trying to tell her that she can’t possibly be as smart as she is and that she is worthless, she defies them every time. She doesn’t dumb herself down and try to become like everyone else just to avoid people making fun of her.

The best thing about Matilda is that the book stays funny and entertaining all the way through. Even at the worse parts it never drops it’s humour, which makes it perfect for kids.

The happy ending is like the icing on the cake for me. I’m a sucker for happy endings, but I feel like this one was perfect. It felt like a fairytale.

If you enjoyed the film, you need to buy the book. It’s ten times better than the film and has so many important messages to both adults and children.
  
Pandemonium (Delirium, #2)
Pandemonium (Delirium, #2)
Lauren Oliver | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
8
7.2 (13 Ratings)
Book Rating
My reaction at the end of the book: I just can't.

I didn't think that it was possible to end the second book with a bigger reveal/cliffhanger than Delirium - but Lauren Oliver shocked me. She slipped a little comment in that immediately made you wonder, "could it be?" I spent the next few pages fearfully reading, unsure if I wanted to know. Which ending would I prefer? All I could do was repeat no, no, no, over and over. This book is the definition of a book hangover. I immediately had to begin reading the third novel in the series.

The world building is just as immersive and well-done as the first. The author vividly describes the landscape and the new hierarchy in which Lena finds herself. This book no longer takes place in Portland, Maine but switches perspectives between the Wilds and New York City. We are also introduced to a new set of characters that help transition Lena into her new Wilds life.

Raven is the leader, young but formed under pressure like a diamond by the Wilds. Tack is her right-hand man, reliable but a bit unfriendly. She is surrounded by Hunter and Bram, tiny Blue, Grandma, Lucky, and many others. There are so many "invalids" in the Wilds that they are not all well-developed and unique characters. Those that are more important to the story are given the attention that they deserve. (Raven is also given a novella, which is a wonderful insight and in my opinion the best of the four novellas that accompany the series.) Lena must find her place and pull her weight - collecting water, tending the fire and checking for messages in the trees.

The style of switching perspectives from now to then continuously was a little off-putting at first. Before long, you get used to the style and are fully immersed in the story. Just as engaging as the first and highly recommended. Just a warning that there are more curse words in the novel than in the first.
  
Turtles All The Way Down
Turtles All The Way Down
John Green | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.4 (60 Ratings)
Book Rating
Excellent descriptions of mental illness (1 more)
Unique main character
Same essential plot as all of John Green's books (0 more)
Another excellent book from John Green
So what the cover description of this book doesn't explicitly mention is that Aza, the main character, has a pretty severe anxiety disorder. That's really the core topic of the book - her thought spirals and dealing with life while caught in them. I trust John Green to write about these because he also suffers from severe anxiety. He's talked about it in interviews and on his vlogbrothers Youtube channel. (I'm a big Green brothers fan - what's known as a nerdfighter.) So when John Green writes a character with anxiety, I believe that it's a realistic portrayal. I loved the integration of technology in the story - two characters don't just text each other, the text conversation is on the page, formatted differently, so it's obvious these are text messages. I always love books that do that.

There's not a whole lot I can say about the book without giving things away; a lot of John Green's characters tend to wax eloquently about philosophy and things outside themselves, and Aza doesn't do that because she's so trapped within her own thoughts. She can't think of the future or existential dread because she's too worried about the microbes in her stomach getting out of control and giving her diseases. Definitely a departure from his usual story, though it does fit his standard MO of Main character meets other character who profoundly changes main character's life in some way. (There's a third part that is also consistent with most of John Green's novels but it's a spoiler.)

I think the book is a really good book for anyone who loves someone with anxiety. Or even for those who have anxiety themselves, to see that they're not alone.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
  
Mary Poppins (1964)
Mary Poppins (1964)
1964 | Classics, Comedy, Family
Fun Adventure For the Ages
It's not hard to come to grips with why Mary Poppins is widely considered as a classic. Does the film show you a really good time? Check. Make you laugh? Check. Provide you with important messages that still hold true to this day? Check. All the marks of a film that stands the test of time.

Seriously, how can you not love this woman? She's fair. Kind. The kind of person that would tell you the truth whether you want to hear it or not. Just flat-out someone you would want to hang with. To put it simply: Marry Poppins (Julie Andrews) rocks.

The film is sprinkled with some valuable lessons throughout presented in varying creative scenarios. In one of my favorite scenes, Uncle Albert (Ed Wynn) teaches us the importance of laughter and being happy. Everytime he laughs his infectious laugh, he floats (literally) a little bit higher until he can touch the ceiling.

Poppins shines as an iconic character. And, let's face it, the lady can come out of a chimney like a straight up boss! Though the film got off to a slow start, things quickly gain speed when she comes gliding down so gracefully holding her black umbrella. Andrews deserves all the credit in the world for making this role shine.

Think about the plot on paper: A nanny shows up to whip two jerk kids into shape. I'm already asleep. While this could have very easily been a snooze fest, Disney takes us on a fun adventure into some cool and imaginative places with our great heroine running the helm.

Throughout this magical journey into a brand new world, the beauty of it all is how Poppins is able to maintain a stern attitude while still letting the kids be kids. Plainly put, she runs circles around me as a parent. Quality film for the ages.

I give it an 89. I'm rooting for you, Emily Blount. You have some big shoes to fill.
  
Searching (2018)
Searching (2018)
2018 | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
The screen life genre is new and different (3 more)
Great story
Felt very realistic
1 of my favourite movies of the year
I wasn't a fan of the zooming in (0 more)
A great intense movie with good twists
This was a fantastic movie. By far 1 of my favourites if the year. The screen life genre is so small right now. There are not many movies like this apart from the unfriended movies but this surpasses those in every aspect.

I like the idea of the whole movie being set on a computer screen. The whole thing felt very realistic from the processes performed to the way the typing us done. What I mean by this is the way the user types out a messages, thinks about it then deletes and changes it. It's something so small yet something we all do.

The only thing that took me out of it was when it zooms into a notification or message which didn't need to happen. I like seeing them whole screen because that's what we see in real life but at this point in just trying to find a flaw but it is the only reason it gets a 9 and not a 10.

The story was fantastic and the twists great too. It got to a point I'll admit I had a year in my eye. For a movie set only on a screen the acting and the actors were great. They gave so much emotion which felt necessary since it's a movie about a father trying to find his missing daughter. And this goes back to what I said about the realistic processes. The way he goes about getting into emails and social media were impressive but realistic and believable.

I don't want to say anymore now except this is a must watch and I can't wait to see what they do with this genre in the future because my first experiences with it were with unfriended which is a horror but this worked so much better.
  
Illuminae: The Illuminae Files: Book 1
Illuminae: The Illuminae Files: Book 1
Jay Kristoff, Amie Kaufman | 2015 | Children
10
9.2 (19 Ratings)
Book Rating
Illuminae is the first book I’ve read of it’s kind. I’ve never really read any sci-fi books before, and I think Illuminae was a great jumping off point. The action and adventure in this book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole adventure. I loved the mixed media aspect of this book, and the dual writers made this story phenomenal. An added bonus was the touch of romance without allowing it to dominate the whole story.
Let me start off by acknowledging the way in which the story is presented. This book is written completely in mixed media, and is set to resemble a dossier of an event. The story unfolds as you read emails, text messages, surveillance footage, and memorandums. When I read Illuminae I started by just reading the first 25-40 pages by myself. Then I decided to get the audiobook from the library and I listened to that while I read along and my reading experience grew exponentially. There are different narrators for different parts, sound effects, the whole nine. It brought the story to life and made me fall in love with it and the characters.
Kady Grand and Ezra Mason are the main characters of this adventure. Kady is the tough as nails hacker that is separated from the boy she hates to love and loves to hate. She is everything I look for in a badass heroine. She has a superpower (hacking), she has her sarcastic wit, she cares deeply about the people around her and humanity, she finally realizes how great she is when she needs the confidence boost the most, and she carries herself with integrity and aplomb. Ezra Mason is tough, but also unsure of himself. He loves Kady, but doesn’t quite want to admit it out loud. He is pretty badass and is always putting others ahead of himself.
If you at all enjoy sci-fi, and especially Battlestar Gallactica I encourage you to give Illuminae a chance.
  
40x40

Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated the Xbox 360 version of Batman: Arkham Asylum in Video Games

Nov 4, 2019 (Updated Nov 4, 2019)  
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Action/Adventure
Welcome to the Madness
Arkham Asylum- is one, if not the best batman video game or all time. It is a excellent game, that gamers shouls play. If you want to feel the experience of being batman, this game does that.

Lets talk about it:

In the game's main storyline, Batman battles his archenemy, the Joker, who instigates an elaborate plot to seize control of Arkham Asylum, trap Batman inside with many of his incarcerated foes, and threaten the fictional Gotham City with hidden bombs.

 Most of the game's leading characters are voiced by actors who have appeared in other media based on the DC Animated Universe; Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Arleen Sorkin reprised their roles as Batman, the Joker, and his sidekick Harley Quinn respectively.

The game is presented from the third-person perspective with a primary focus on Batman's combat and stealth abilities, detective skills, and gadgets that can be used in combat and exploration.

Rocksteady began developing ideas for a sequel months before Arkham Asylum's completion, hiding hints to the sequel within the game.

The player can use "Detective Vision"—a visual mode which provides contextual information, tinting the game world blue and highlighting interactive objects like destructible walls and removable grates, the number of enemies in an area and their status—such as their awareness of Batman's presence—and shows civilians and corpses.

The game world has 240 collectable items, such as Riddler trophies, chattering Joker teeth, interview tapes with some of Arkham's inmates, and cryptic messages left in the asylum by its founder Amadeus Arkham that discuss the facility's bleak history.

The player can use predatory tactics through stealth—including silent takedowns, dropping from overhead perches and snatching enemies away, or using the explosive gel to knock foes off their feet—to tilt the odds in their favor.

I love this game, i can go on and on about how i love this game.

If you havent played it yet, i would reccordmend playing it.
  
Parasite (2019)
Parasite (2019)
2019 | Drama
Heavy Is The Head
Parasite is so utterly complex, brilliant and captivating that it brings an entire new meaning to the word perfection. A true revolution in film making with such tightly woven narative, twisted depictions of real life struggles and important intricate messages Parasite is practically bursting at the seems with metaphores, hidden meanings, symbolism and comparisons but whats so great about it is that its never feels forced, in your face or patronising once. Theres certainly a hell of a lot more there if you want to delve deeper thats for sure (just trying to decipher it all now for this review is hurting my head) but theres also plenty there for those that dont want that depth too. This is Korean cinema at its absolute finest mixing so many diffrent genres together flawlessly to create butter smooth tension, spine chilling horror, mind bending philosophy, harsh history, political accuracy, eye watering comedy, touching drama and stomach churning raw emotion. A tale of rich and poor at its core but also a film about entitlement, happiness, human nature, selfishness and ambition Parasite teaches us so cleverly/effectively to have new found appreciation for what we have no matter how little that may be and also to stand together/respect one another and apreciate those close to us before its to late. Being likened to a Tarantino film by many and while I can see the similarities I honestly found Parasite to be genuinely a way smarter, better structured/layered more thrilling and an all round tighter/more interesting movie compared to his work if im honest. I urge anyone that loves and takes cinema seriously to see this without hesitation its unpredictability/intricacy are a true experience to behold (just like the sensation you get when you slip on ice but regain your balance just before you fall) it will leave you cold, breathless, excited and entranced.
  
40x40

Cat Danger Allan (29 KP) rated The Princess Bride in Books

Jan 27, 2020 (Updated Jan 27, 2020)  
The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride
William Goldman | 1973 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
8.6 (53 Ratings)
Book Rating
Top notch story telling (0 more)
Nothing. Nothing in this book could ever be bad! (0 more)
It is still my favourite book in all of the world. And more then ever, I wish I had written it
Contains spoilers, click to show
I watched the movie and loved how closely it related to the fairy tale in the book. We have Wesley and Buttercup who fall in love. However, when Wesley goes to make his fortune his ship is taken by the dreaded pirate Rogers, who never leaves a man alive. So Buttercup in her depression agrees to marry Prince Humperdink. One day Buttercup is kidnapped by a swordsman, a giant and the brains of the group. And so it goes.

This fairy tale has everything you could wish for. True love, a giant, a deadly forest, sword fighting, magic, pirates. You name it, its probably in there.

But what makes this writer so incredible. Is the abridgement section. Goldman writes this as if he's talking about his childhood story, alas this is all a fairytale too. The introduction where he talks about getting a copy of this book for his child's birthday like his father had done for him is one big hoax. He talks about removing all the sections and chapters from the book that never existed. He is just a great writer

The reunion scene he leaves an address to his publishers and promotes people to write in and ask for a copy of the scene. But this writer is so incredible, he replies back to these messages with a new fake story. It is all about how he is getting sued by Florin and cannot release the scene. If you would like to read the response I found a copy on twitter:

https://twitter.com/LettersOfNote/status/1063443712666161154?s=09

I just found that the storytelling was just so perfect, there was nothing you could not enjoy.