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Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated The Meaning of Human Existence in Books
Mar 15, 2018
This book may not be very long, but it does leave you with a lot to think about. The title is somewhat misleading, as of course that answer isn't really provided. I can't say I expected it would be as that is possibly something we can't ever really "know". That being said, the essays within leave you with a lot of pieces of the puzzle to help you piece it together as best as possible for yourself. Much of the book focuses on the scientific reasons for our existence, meaning evolution, but not just of the physical variety, but also the sociological, which provided for many of the book's most fascinating moments. I don't know that I feel all that much closer to understanding the meaning of human existence, but I do feel I learned some interesting things about the very nature of humanity, and that's something.
Gail (4 KP) rated Just the Way You Are in Books
Jun 4, 2018
Just the Way You Are by Allison M. Lewis
Four Stars
At first the story was interesting because hello how many fairy tales do you hear about where the princess is disabled. I was excited for the story to build up young girls spirits who didn’t believe they could. It did do that some what but I feel like it was corny and unrealistic. I liked how Derrick built her up and pushed her to believe in herself. How Misty stood up to her father and demanded he listen. There was no demand on a sexual nature between them and it was refreshing to read about a couple not dominated by sex. The direction the author wanted was somewhat there but the flow of the story was lacking. Conversations didn’t have the believable quality at all. Overall it was a good story so I would read more from this author.
Four Stars
At first the story was interesting because hello how many fairy tales do you hear about where the princess is disabled. I was excited for the story to build up young girls spirits who didn’t believe they could. It did do that some what but I feel like it was corny and unrealistic. I liked how Derrick built her up and pushed her to believe in herself. How Misty stood up to her father and demanded he listen. There was no demand on a sexual nature between them and it was refreshing to read about a couple not dominated by sex. The direction the author wanted was somewhat there but the flow of the story was lacking. Conversations didn’t have the believable quality at all. Overall it was a good story so I would read more from this author.
ClareR (5874 KP) rated The Dark Lake in Books
Sep 5, 2018
One to watch for.
A debut thriller that really kept me on the edge of my seat. Rosalind Ryan, a local Drama and English teacher, is found dead in the lake at a local nature reserve. Gemma Woodstock, a local Detective Sergeant, is put on the case. Except Gemma has a history with Rosalind, and she has a lot of other personal baggage.
I enjoyed this. They're all very human characters with lots of faults, sometimes unpleasant ones: but I liked that. I liked that the murderer wasn't at all obvious (to me, anyway!) and had me guessing right up to the end, and the whole reason for the murder was a shock, and at the same time, understandable.
I will keep an eye out for future novels by this author, particularly in this series. I really do think that she'll be one to watch out for in the future.
I enjoyed this. They're all very human characters with lots of faults, sometimes unpleasant ones: but I liked that. I liked that the murderer wasn't at all obvious (to me, anyway!) and had me guessing right up to the end, and the whole reason for the murder was a shock, and at the same time, understandable.
I will keep an eye out for future novels by this author, particularly in this series. I really do think that she'll be one to watch out for in the future.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Captain Marvel, Volume 1: Higher, Further, Faster, More in Books
Sep 17, 2018
Captain Marvel is not a superhero I am familiar with, but with a free Kindle Unlimited trial and an upcoming movie about her, I thought I should give it a try.
Some really good artwork here, being slightly cartoony in nature but not too twee. Some good interaction with Guardians of the Galaxy.
But in general, just a bit flimsy and dull. A lot of the book falls into Phantom Menace-esque international trade tariff discussions which take up quite a large proportion of the page count.
I don't feel like this really shows off one of the most powerful superheroes in all their glory, rather being a strong independent woman sorting things out through political discussion and diplomacy before eventually resorting to her powers. While this was right for the story being told, I found it a boring one. I may not be the target market for this.
Some really good artwork here, being slightly cartoony in nature but not too twee. Some good interaction with Guardians of the Galaxy.
But in general, just a bit flimsy and dull. A lot of the book falls into Phantom Menace-esque international trade tariff discussions which take up quite a large proportion of the page count.
I don't feel like this really shows off one of the most powerful superheroes in all their glory, rather being a strong independent woman sorting things out through political discussion and diplomacy before eventually resorting to her powers. While this was right for the story being told, I found it a boring one. I may not be the target market for this.
Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated Tin Man in Books
Jun 21, 2019
Beautifully written
This is a beautifully written novel from multiple point of views. There's Ellis, a broody young man and Michael, a fun, quirky, lovable chap. There's the most perfect love affair that lasts a brief moment. Then there's Annie, with a bit of Ellis's nature and a bit of Michael's. She should have come between Ellis and Michael but she just fits, and the two become three. I won't give too much away, but I cried, laughed, and was taken on an epic journey. I loved this book. If I had to pick a little niggling fault, it was the ending. I found the POV a little confusing. I wasn't sure who was taking and had to read it a couple of times. Otherwise, amazing. I'll be buying more books from this author.
Rebecca Billcliff (2409 KP) rated The Twilight Saga (Twilight, #1-4) in Books
Nov 18, 2019
A Guilty Pleasure
Reading these in my (very) late teens, I could not help but be gripped by the romance, the forbidden nature, the utter devotion of the characters, and the tween take on some occult characters.
The way the world is explained is pretty good, and allows the story to realy flow. All the characters are interesting, often flawed and draw you in. The general themes as well as the juxtaposition of totally normal teenage crap, like meeting the boyfriend's family, and the danger faced by the characters is sometimes farcical, but no less compelling because of it.
The story feels complete, the characters develop, and Bella becomes less of an ass.
It was a lovely read, and I am looking forward to diving back in, a decade later, to see if I still feel the same.
The way the world is explained is pretty good, and allows the story to realy flow. All the characters are interesting, often flawed and draw you in. The general themes as well as the juxtaposition of totally normal teenage crap, like meeting the boyfriend's family, and the danger faced by the characters is sometimes farcical, but no less compelling because of it.
The story feels complete, the characters develop, and Bella becomes less of an ass.
It was a lovely read, and I am looking forward to diving back in, a decade later, to see if I still feel the same.
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The Devil in His Blue Eyes
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The Fish Ladder: A Journey Upstream
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SHORTLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2016 LONGLISTED FOR THE GUARDIAN FIRST BOOK AWARD 2015...
Beethoven: The Philosophy of Music
Book
Beethoven is a classic study of the composer's music, written by one of the most important thinkers...