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Lincoln: A Very Short Introduction
Book
Beneath the surface of the apparently untutored and deceptively frank Abraham Lincoln ran private...
Book Divas (227 KP) rated A Bit Witchy in Books
Dec 12, 2017
I received an eARC via Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I made no guarantee of a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are my own.
I felt a bit mislead by the title of this book but in all honesty I have no one to blame but myself as I didn't read the synopsis however, this book about guardian angels was an enjoyable read.
Lena is the school loner and her peers have labeled her a witch which she isn't but she is indeed very special as she can see guardian angels. I love how the author wrote the Lena character; a bit of a foul mouthed teen with just the right amount of spunk. The story line moved quickly and it is humorously written. I look forward to seeing these characters once again.
My two personal favorite quotes:
" I cannot think of anyone I'd rather breathe with."
" You can only see the moral scars when there's a good guardian angel to show you. For whatever reason shmuck here doesn't have one of those."
I felt a bit mislead by the title of this book but in all honesty I have no one to blame but myself as I didn't read the synopsis however, this book about guardian angels was an enjoyable read.
Lena is the school loner and her peers have labeled her a witch which she isn't but she is indeed very special as she can see guardian angels. I love how the author wrote the Lena character; a bit of a foul mouthed teen with just the right amount of spunk. The story line moved quickly and it is humorously written. I look forward to seeing these characters once again.
My two personal favorite quotes:
" I cannot think of anyone I'd rather breathe with."
" You can only see the moral scars when there's a good guardian angel to show you. For whatever reason shmuck here doesn't have one of those."
Ross (3284 KP) rated Ferdinand (2017) in Movies
Dec 27, 2017
This is a pretty typical offering these days - someone in a group is a little different, is mocked by the others who don't realise that his difference is a good thing, he runs away, comes back stronger, wins them round and eventually everyone wins.
This was basically Chicken Run in a Spanish bull farm. The bulls are all vying to become the one chosen to take place in the big bullfight, not realising it meant their death.
Given the subject matter and how controversial bullfighting has become, I thought this was dealt with quite carefully. The death was only hinted at early on and then was quite a shock to the characters so was delivered as a plot point rather than a moral statement. The end does move slightly towards preaching but it doesn't force it home. My daughters both left knowing bullfighting was wrong and not nice but they weren't traumatised by it.
As usual, there is a fair amount of humour for adults mixed in through the film, and the voice actors are all quite adequate.
Overall a decent family film.
This was basically Chicken Run in a Spanish bull farm. The bulls are all vying to become the one chosen to take place in the big bullfight, not realising it meant their death.
Given the subject matter and how controversial bullfighting has become, I thought this was dealt with quite carefully. The death was only hinted at early on and then was quite a shock to the characters so was delivered as a plot point rather than a moral statement. The end does move slightly towards preaching but it doesn't force it home. My daughters both left knowing bullfighting was wrong and not nice but they weren't traumatised by it.
As usual, there is a fair amount of humour for adults mixed in through the film, and the voice actors are all quite adequate.
Overall a decent family film.
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated The Monster That Ate My Socks in Books
Apr 9, 2019
This is good book. It great for children. The pictures are very colorful and funny. It story itself is funny and enjoyable. You do learn something or moral. If you are looking for a laugh. This book will have you a laughing though out the book.
The book is sweet and humor. Does your little one like monsters well this book got a few. Telling your mom and dad is bad. How to to know you would need to read. This is a fast and easy read. The picture are colorful and fun to see. The picture will make you laugh and will keep your eyes on them for a few minutes.
Monsters and more Monsters everywhere. Can anyone feed a family of Monsters? We will not know but maybe you can. They seem to like socks and homework. To find out you will need to read the book. Why do monster like socks and make them disappear. The setting is a cute. Can Ryan and his friend find out this little mystery about missing socks?
The book is sweet and humor. Does your little one like monsters well this book got a few. Telling your mom and dad is bad. How to to know you would need to read. This is a fast and easy read. The picture are colorful and fun to see. The picture will make you laugh and will keep your eyes on them for a few minutes.
Monsters and more Monsters everywhere. Can anyone feed a family of Monsters? We will not know but maybe you can. They seem to like socks and homework. To find out you will need to read the book. Why do monster like socks and make them disappear. The setting is a cute. Can Ryan and his friend find out this little mystery about missing socks?
ClareR (5686 KP) rated The Kompromat Kill (Sean Richardson #2) in Books
May 25, 2019 (Updated May 25, 2019)
In this return to the world of Sean Richardson, we follow him as he tries to turn an Iranian Spy. He gets caught up in a nuclear bomb plot, and learns more about his mother who was also a spy, in the process.
This is all ‘seat of your pants’ stuff - non-stop action from start to finish. I’ve never really been an espionage novel fan, but the first book in this series changed my mind. This book does nothing to dissuade me from my new-found appreciation of the spy novel. The detail is very interesting, the excitement and danger are tangible, and Sean’s moral compass is reassuring. This is quite an emotional novel in places, as he finds out more information about two very important people.
Well worth a read if you like espionage novels, and also worth a read if like me, you’ve never read them and you’re feeling a bit adventurous!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to Michael Jenkins for reading along with us!
This is all ‘seat of your pants’ stuff - non-stop action from start to finish. I’ve never really been an espionage novel fan, but the first book in this series changed my mind. This book does nothing to dissuade me from my new-found appreciation of the spy novel. The detail is very interesting, the excitement and danger are tangible, and Sean’s moral compass is reassuring. This is quite an emotional novel in places, as he finds out more information about two very important people.
Well worth a read if you like espionage novels, and also worth a read if like me, you’ve never read them and you’re feeling a bit adventurous!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to Michael Jenkins for reading along with us!
Awix (3310 KP) rated Hidden Figures (2016) in Movies
Mar 15, 2018
Possibly the most sedentary movie ever to be the subject of a proposed Lego set is one of those which you feel obliged to enjoy on moral grounds. Three African American women do sterling service in the early days of NASA, overcoming racial divisions to do so (well, they're brilliant mathematicians, so division should be easy for them).
Well made and all, but not exactly full of surprises, and if the whole point of the film is that this is a historical true story, why have the facts been stretched and edited and generally tweaked? Does the fact that this is a Serious Issue Movie mean that it gets a pass on what would usually be called historical inaccuracy? One gets the sense this movie is more interested in putting a message across than in telling the story of the real-life events it supposedly depicts. Capably done, with some good performances (a nice turn from Costner as, guess what, a wholly fictitious character), but just a little bit on-the-nose.
Well made and all, but not exactly full of surprises, and if the whole point of the film is that this is a historical true story, why have the facts been stretched and edited and generally tweaked? Does the fact that this is a Serious Issue Movie mean that it gets a pass on what would usually be called historical inaccuracy? One gets the sense this movie is more interested in putting a message across than in telling the story of the real-life events it supposedly depicts. Capably done, with some good performances (a nice turn from Costner as, guess what, a wholly fictitious character), but just a little bit on-the-nose.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Ocean’s 8 (2018) in Movies
Jun 26, 2018 (Updated Jun 26, 2018)
We seem to be at the point where Hollywood is all for giving more and better roles for women in big (ish) genre movies, but no-one seems to have much idea about how to do this beyond clumsily retooling films that would usually star men for a female cast. Hence things like this, which is basically a minimal variation on the formula from the Clooney/Pitt Ocean movies - you know it's about women, though, because they're stealing jewellery and there's a scene where they all swish about glamorously in expensive dresses.
Uninspired and unsurprising plot, distinctly mixed bag of performances, and lack of a moral compass (rather than stealing from a proper bad guy, they're basically just nicking stuff from an innocent jewellery house) mean that this was a rather unengaging experience for me (though a friend who is actually in the target demographic said she quite enjoyed it). Seriously, though, if people keep going to see this sort of thing, it's all going to end up with Sylvester Stallone finally making The Expendabelles, and who really wants that to happen?
Uninspired and unsurprising plot, distinctly mixed bag of performances, and lack of a moral compass (rather than stealing from a proper bad guy, they're basically just nicking stuff from an innocent jewellery house) mean that this was a rather unengaging experience for me (though a friend who is actually in the target demographic said she quite enjoyed it). Seriously, though, if people keep going to see this sort of thing, it's all going to end up with Sylvester Stallone finally making The Expendabelles, and who really wants that to happen?
Caitlin Ann Cherniak (85 KP) rated Like Vanessa in Books
Nov 28, 2018
From Goodreads: 13-year-old girl from the '80s sees the first black woman win Miss America, which inspires her middle school to throw a pageant to boost moral. What could possibly go wrong?
Normally, I would say everything.
This book, nothing went wrong. In fact, Tami Charles did everything right.
You get an interesting main character. You have her going through real problems. You have this story take a look at a real problem with young black girls when it comes to what level of black skin is beautiful. You have major plot twists at every turn (And I don't take that sentence lightly.) And I actually don't hate the parental character this time (Because seriously, a lot of them try to make these characters awful for no reason at all). And you have the main character drop their walls to tell their vulnerable story to the audience.
In short, I love this book. One of the best middle grade and young adult novels I have ever read.
Normally, I would say everything.
This book, nothing went wrong. In fact, Tami Charles did everything right.
You get an interesting main character. You have her going through real problems. You have this story take a look at a real problem with young black girls when it comes to what level of black skin is beautiful. You have major plot twists at every turn (And I don't take that sentence lightly.) And I actually don't hate the parental character this time (Because seriously, a lot of them try to make these characters awful for no reason at all). And you have the main character drop their walls to tell their vulnerable story to the audience.
In short, I love this book. One of the best middle grade and young adult novels I have ever read.
This story as a meanful teaching for children. I got the meaning of the story or the moral of the story as you read. This is a great story for children of all ages. Parents should pick this one out and help teach our children what it mean to be different.
The author does a wonderful job of this though pictures and story itself. She show how god created a world that is colorfull. Would you want your child to be colorblind? God made us to see colorfull and world colorfull so we should teach our children that being different skin color like chocolate it okay and that even siblings may look the same but different. This a book teach children and others that colors are beautiful. If everything was the same color our world would be dark or not special.
Look at your world differently and teach our children and child to be kind and say there a reason god made each and everything with colors. He want as to see Colorfull.
The author does a wonderful job of this though pictures and story itself. She show how god created a world that is colorfull. Would you want your child to be colorblind? God made us to see colorfull and world colorfull so we should teach our children that being different skin color like chocolate it okay and that even siblings may look the same but different. This a book teach children and others that colors are beautiful. If everything was the same color our world would be dark or not special.
Look at your world differently and teach our children and child to be kind and say there a reason god made each and everything with colors. He want as to see Colorfull.
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated The Society of Extraordinary Raccoon Society on Boasting in Books
Dec 19, 2019
Did your kids or children try to outdo the other? Well, this book might be a good one for you and children or grandchildren. It is good for your nieces and nephews to read too. They all can learn through this book.
This book is about boasting and learning about it. Morty and Maggie learn about this though the SOERS group they join. Maggie says something that makes Morty upset.
I love the fact that these main characters need to learn about different things. They do it by making mistakes but by helping those in need in their community. This is what SOERS do and still learn lessons. Your children can learn along with with Morty and Maggie though this book.
The author does a wonderful job of teaching a lesson but also making it fun. The book does rhyme while reading the story. It is good for first-time readers as well. Children can learn to rhyme and learn a moral lesson about boasting. Learn the best way to do that through the lord.
This book is about boasting and learning about it. Morty and Maggie learn about this though the SOERS group they join. Maggie says something that makes Morty upset.
I love the fact that these main characters need to learn about different things. They do it by making mistakes but by helping those in need in their community. This is what SOERS do and still learn lessons. Your children can learn along with with Morty and Maggie though this book.
The author does a wonderful job of teaching a lesson but also making it fun. The book does rhyme while reading the story. It is good for first-time readers as well. Children can learn to rhyme and learn a moral lesson about boasting. Learn the best way to do that through the lord.