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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Stir of Shadows in Books

Jun 17, 2018  
Stir of Shadows
Stir of Shadows
Jaime Lee Mann | 2018 | Children, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
5
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Here it is, book six in the never-ending Legend of Rhyme series by Jaime Lee Mann. Stir of Shadows takes readers back to the magical land of Coraira, reuniting everyone with the twins Asher and Ariana, the mermaid Teagan and all of their friends. Once again, the magical land is in trouble and all the characters are impacted in some way.

As with every book in this series, there are new characters introduced into the story – perhaps too many. And, of course, each individual has their own story to be told. The narrative is constantly switching between locations, often leaving the reader hanging with unresolved issues. Thankfully, the author separates these sections with short poems that sum up the general gist of the book as it progresses.

The Legend of Rhyme series feels overdone and the storyline in Stir of Shadows seemed to be snatching at straws, trying to piece something together. There are so many characters to keep track of, some who disappear for a while only to be reintroduced as if they had never been away.

There was no sense of danger or action in this instalment. Problems arose, only to be solved moments later. Unlike previous books where readers were overwhelmed with foreboding, the scenes were over and done within no time at all. The book, however, to give it its due, is fast-paced; I read it in less than two hours.

Perhaps it is not the storyline or authorship that is the problem, it could be my age. I am 26, whereas, Legend of Rhyme is targeted at people half that. There is little for an adult reader to latch onto and enjoy before it is snatched away by an easy solution.

Nonetheless, Jaime Lee Mann is great at ending her books on a cliffhanger. Stir of Shadows may not be anything to rave over, but I certainly want to know what happens next!
  
MI
Move It, Miss Macintosh!
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Move It, Miss Macintosh! by Peggy Robbins Janousky is the story how Miss Macintosh, the kindergarten teacher, does NOT want to go to school on the first day; she's just too nervous. But the principal and other teachers show up to give her the encouragement she needs...and when she finally makes it to school, she finds maybe her class will be fun after all.

The principal and other teachers from the school show up at Miss Macintosh's house anticipating that she will be reluctant to go to school on her first day of teaching kindergarten. They all try to help her in various ways. I loved the names of the teachers from Mrs. Burger the lunchlady to Miss Melody the music teacher and Miss Patience the guidance counselor. The other silly thing as that they all rode to school on the bus, even the principal. When Miss Macintosh arrives in her classroom she sees that all the kids are nervous and she starts to sing, making up silly words about her morning. The kids love it, start giggling and they all have a great day. The illustrations are very silly, but bright and colourful so that kids will love them. I recommend this book to kindergarten or pre-kindergarten classes to read while trying to make them little ones feel comfortable. Families could also read this to their young ones before they actually start school so that they can see everyone, even the teacher is nervous at the beginning of a new school year.

This book was great! It's such a fun twist on the first-day-of-school-jitters to have the teacher be the nervous one. Kids will relate to how Miss Macintosh feels--but also get a kick out of the fact that it's the adult who is so worried. Really cute illustrations, engaging text, and fantastic concept for a book.

I received this advanced readers copy from Annick Press Ltd. and Annick Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
GU
Gold Unicorn
Tanith Lee | 1996
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is going to be lengthy and a little roundabout up here I go...
When I first read this book I was in middle school ~12or so. I loved it and tried as hard as I could to find the prequel. The pet peeve was my favorite character (I -for some quark of the universe- find all of Thanith Lee’s series the second books before the first ones). It scared me and made me think. This was not my normal image of what a unicorn was and a female lead was quite new to me, especially one that saves herself. When I was 15 I read it again as I had found the third book. It had changed. I found Tanaquil self-centered and for all her travels short sighted. The relationship between the sisters was weird and not yet having read the first book I found Tanaquil being unfair toward her mom. I also found the interaction between her and the men interesting. I finally found the first book in my twenties so I reread the series. It had changed again. I realized how badly things could have turned out how lucky she was and yes still scared of some of the parts but was for different reasons. The interaction between the men and women were annoying anyone who wasn’t a main character was frivolous and silly. And having read the first book seeing Tanaquil not as self centered. I was also amazed that it was labeled a kids book. Now in my thirties, it has changed again. Mostly because of what is going on in the world. The best intentions of Tanaquil’s half sister which always unnerved me, I understand better. I as an adult realized this was the first (or one of the first) books I had ever read in which there is no clear cut villain. It is well written and worthy of being read over and over and I will lend it to my friends, nephews, and cousins to read.
  
Siren's Fury
Siren's Fury
Mary Weber | 2017 | Children
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
**Please note that this is the second book in The Storm Siren Series. While I always strive to keep my reviews spoiler-FREE, if you have not read the first book, you MAY encounter unknown information in this review**

Mary Weber's unique world is completely incredible. Rich with colorful descriptions and details, I feel like this is a real place I would read about in my history books. Granted...the magical elements kind of give it away as being fiction.

One thing that I have come to appreciate in Young Adult Fiction is the use of symbolism. Reminds me a lot of Ted Dekker's circle trilogy. The evil and darkness vs. The good and pure. The struggle that can occur when we open ourselves to the darkness...And the power that it can have over us IF WE LET IT! Ahh! SO GOOD!!!! And this story just keeps getting more and more intense. This book has a much more steam punk feel to it vs the first book. Different country, different culture, different feel. I LOVE IT!

I do enjoy a book series that continues the story line because it gives the author a chance to develop the characters and thicken the plot. And also makes me glad that I usually wait till these books are all released before I dive into them...So I can, you know...BINGE READ!!!

As Nym continues on her journey of harnessing her powers and stopping a war before it starts...We meet a few new characters and a few old ones tag along. Forget everything you think you know.......And be prepared to be enchanted by this tale of good vs. evil. Make sure you have book 3 ready to go before you start this one...TRUST ME...You are going to want to keep reading.

I found Siren's Fury at my local library. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
  
TL
The Last Leaves Falling
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The Last Leaves Falling is an emotional read by the author Sarah Benwell. Set in modern day Japan, Abe Sora, a 17 year old boy is trying to come to terms with his diagnosis: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ASL). Although Sora is aware that he will die soon he is ashamed of his deteriorating muscles and his inability to walk and function like other boys his age. In order to attempt to have a "normal" life he signs up to KyoToTeenz forum where he hides behind the username SamuraiMan. He never lets on to his new friends about his disability but they soon find out when they meet in person.

Despite his initial predictions, Mai and Kaito want to stick by Sora and remain his friends. The three of them spend as much time together as possible making Sora's life more bearable while his body rapidly deteriorates.

It is very sad to read about Sora's life knowing that he will never grow up to be the person he always wanted to be. Even though there will never be a happy ending to his predicament, Sora encourages his friends, particularly Mai, to fight for who they want to be rather than giving into the the pressures of parents and school.

Knowing that Sora is going to die makes the ending slightly predictable however it is still heartbreaking. It makes the reader wonder what happens to the other characters: Mai, Kaito and Sora's mother; after the final pages.

This is a brilliant book for young adult readers. As well as dealing with difficult themes such as death, Benwell emphasises the importance of wishes and dreams. Due to certain aspects of the story (death and suicide) this book is unsuitable for the more vulnerable reader. Overall The Last Leaves Falling is an excellent work of fiction.
  
The Elite (The Selection, #2)
The Elite (The Selection, #2)
Kiera Cass | 2013 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
7.9 (31 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>

In <i>The Selection</i> Kiera Cass introduced young adult readers to a dystopian society where people are sorted into different castes which dictate how rich or poor they are. America Singer (a five) was selected amongst many other girls to live at the palace where eventually one will be chosen to marry Prince Maxon. With only six girls remaining, the story continues in <i>The Elite</i>.

America and the girls are faced with more challenges to prove they have what it takes to become a princess and eventually a queen, however is this something America wants? It is clear to America and the reader that she has strong feelings for Maxon but she cannot easily forget her childhood sweetheart, Aspen. Things become more confusing for America as she begins to question Maxon’s intentions. She can love him but can she trust him? America needs to decide whether she still wants a place in this competition as she faces rebel attacks and discovers information about the history of Illéa.

The will they, won’t they aspect of America and Maxon’s relationship keeps us engaged in the story, and the love triangle adds even more tension. Cass writes so well that readers will find themselves so engrossed in the novel that they may even become frustrated when things do not go they way they wished they had.

Although America recaps on the major events of book one, this is for the benefit of refreshing readers’ minds and not to ease new readers into the story. Without prior knowledge things may be confusing so make sure to read <i>The Selection</i> first.

Overall, <i>The Elite</i> is a great sequel and it will be exciting to find out where the story goes next. <i>The Selection</i> in general is a great series for teenage girls who love a bit of romance.
  
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Eamon T.Hennedy (4 KP) rated The Mindy Project - Season 1 in TV

Jun 21, 2019 (Updated Jun 21, 2019)  
The Mindy Project  - Season 1
The Mindy Project - Season 1
2012 | Comedy
The first season of Mindy Kaling's comedy drama, along with its second, is probably one of the best romantic comedies to come from American network television in a while. In fact, the one that is equal to it is New Girl and they were both on Fox at the same time and shared the same night in the UK where they aired on E4.

In a time when adult flavoured romantic comedies are dying at the box office and are finding a home on streaming services such as Netflix, it's good to see that there is a conventional home for themand right from its opening episode, The Mindy Project is all about someone who has watched too many romantic comedies and wants their life to be one.

There are many references throughout to the works of Nora Ephron and Garry Marshall, and with Kaling on writing and lead acting duties, the series work wonders. Even better, it's filled with an ensemble cast that works brilliantly. The series will have a rotating cast throughout its six season on the air, but it says something that at this stage that Ike Barinholtz is a scene stealer from the point he shows up.

The cast does rotate around the place until it settles down in season two, the most notable high profile member of the first season being Anna Camp who disappears halfway through, while Amanda Setton's character Shauna also disappears without a mention.

It would be nothing without Kaling who holds it together brilliantly. The first two seasons are a lighter concoction compared to where the series will go post-season two, not to mention its move to Hulu, but with rom-com successes like Crazy Rich Asians being all too rare nowadays, it's good to know a series with charm, sophistication, and not afraid of the odd fart joke every now and then could find a home on a mainstream network, even if it was for three seasons.
  
Superman: Dawnbreaker (DC Icons #4)
Superman: Dawnbreaker (DC Icons #4)
Matt de la Pena | 2019 | Comics & Graphic Novels, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
9
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the fourth in the DC Icons series, all of which I have now reviewed. It started with Wonder Woman, then moved through Batman and Catwoman before culminating in Superman. All four books have been written by popular young adult authors, from Leigh Bardugo to Marie Lu to Sarah J. Maas. Superman went to Matt De La Peña, who I had not actually heard of before. He apparently wrote a book called Ball Don't Lie that was made into a movie in 2011, and another book titled Mexican Whiteboy. What I'm trying to say is that De La Peña's Hispanic background makes him a perfect choice for this book. Because whatever else can be said about Superman, his is the ultimate immigrant story.

And this book not only tells Superman's immigrant story, but deals heavily with immigrant issues around him as well. Smallville is deliberating a new law that is basically stop-and-frisk; Hispanic people are going missing; undocumented immigrants are getting beaten in the streets. Clark is rightly horrified, and vows to get to the bottom of the disappearances.

The book is very timely, and I love what it says about one of our country's greatest fictional heroes. It reminds me of Justice League: Gods and Monsters, in which Superman is the son of General Zod, and was raised by illegal Mexican immigrants instead of the all-American Kents. (It's a fantastic animated movie, and well worth watching.)

Lex Luthor makes an appearance, and for a while I thought Clark's best friend, Lana, was a stand-in for Lois, but Lois is mentioned ever-so-briefly late in the book.

This is the fourth and final book in the DC Icons series, and taken as a whole, they're quite good. I wish they were a little more entwined with one another, but I understand that would be difficult with four different authors. But they are a very neat re-work of the four characters' origin stories.

You can find all my reviews and more at http://goddessinthestacks.com
  
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
2009 | War
Should we be allowed to laugh at brutality? Is there room for comedy in a film about the Second World War? These are just some of the questions Quentin Tarantino’s latest film “Inglorious Bastards” is sure to bring to mind.

“Inglorious Bastards” is composed of two intertwined stories broken into chapters combining fictitious and factual historic events. The two stories, the tragic tale of orphaned Jewish girl Shosanna (Mélanie Laurent) and that of an oddly funny group of American soldiers, called “the Bastards”, create introspections into the meaning of glory, destruction, and propaganda.

Familiar faces are scattered throughout the film from creator of “the Office” B.J. Norvak to “Austin Powers“ star Mike Myers. The standout performance of Lieutenant Aldo Raine, played by the always-evolving Brad Pitt, is both comical and clever and the role of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa, Christoph Waltz, is so evil that, within the scope of the film, he some how manages to overshadow Hitler.

While the film is visually graphic, it is the ideas of violence rather than explicit visuals that litter the film. These violent scenes, from scalping to strangulation, are more dramatic than visually accurate.

The film did drag in parts such, as the dark Cinderella-like bar scene, and there was definitely room for further character development for “the Bastards”, yet the sly structure of the film shatters these minor faults but keeping viewers completely invested in the plotline.

“Inglorious Bastards” mixes classic film elements with techniques hauntingly David Lynch in style. From elements of television westerns to the hauntingly familiar sound of David Bowie, Tarintino has created a new way of looking at the past, all while using a time generally perceived as too awful to mention as a background for laughter.

Twisted, tortured, glorious and not “Inglorious Bastards” delivers as a film bound to become classic Tarantino. Fans will be elated and those who oppose the film’s adult themes will not walk away without at least thinking about the meaning of this one-of-kind feature.
  
Missing Link (2019)
Missing Link (2019)
2019 | Adventure, Animation, Comedy
Animation Style (3 more)
Character development
Voice Acting
Hilarity
Predictable Plot (0 more)
An adventurous, family-friendly animation.
After winning the BAFTA for best animated feature, my interest in seeing this film rose. As it is conveniently found on Netflix, we watched it as a family for a ‘movie night’. I was prepared for a mediocre adventure in search of a missing link between man and ape. What you actually get is a heartfelt, quintessentially British, global adventure in search of a home for a lonely Sasquatch. The journey each character goes through is wonderful as they learn about family, friendships and individuality before conquering the villain.

With a high calibre cast, this film is full of seasoned voice actors. So much so that it is actually difficult to identify the owner of each voice until the credits roll. This, for the most part, makes the film even more enjoyable as you aren’t left guessing actors or imagining them in the role.

Beginning with two characters on a quest for the Loch Ness Monster, the story is full of mystery and myth. It then becomes a predictable one, when it gets into its flow. For an adult, this can make the film a little expected. However, for a child this film is filled with hilarity. When watching with my three kids, there was non-stop laughter. From the naming of the Sasquatch to him forgetting swimwear, the room was full of joy.

Animation has always been a passion of mine, since I was young: from hand drawn to computer generated. My favourite had always been stop motion. Missing Link is primarily filmed in stop motion, using new techniques that allow for smoother facial transitions. The film’s adventurous nature encourages for exciting sets and explosive additional CGI that makes the film feel incredibly polished.

Captivating the attention of adults and children, alike, Missing Link provides an animated, family friendly adventure that teaches morals and respect. I can see why it won so many awards and challenges Toy Story 4 for the top place.