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Jenni Olson recommended Days of Heaven (1978) in Movies (curated)
Rachel King (13 KP) rated The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride, #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
Right from the beginning, this book was like one high-intensity climax after another. After less than 100 pages in, all I wanted the characters to do is sit around and stare at each other for awhile, let me breathe. The basic premise of the plot was hide from the bad guys, run when they found you, escape and retaliate when they caught you... and repeat. Things did not seem to get really interesting until after page 200, when the group of winged kids started discovering new abilities.
There are lots of things that don't get explained - which I understand some lack of explanation is necessary to draw out a series - but these kids don't know anything about themselves or even why they exist. The oldest one, Max, is 14, and she can't even deduce that the chip in her arm is how to Erasers keep finding them. I probably would have enjoyed this book much more if the reader could have been privy to the mind of Jeb Batchelder, who was once-acting father of this group of kids and keeps claiming throughout the book that he is one of the good guys. By the end of the book, the kids have cross the U.S. in flying distance, but have yet to really solve any of their problems or get any significant question answered, unless you count parentage.
Another thing that really annoyed me was the length of the chapters, which were no more than 4 pages in length. I get that this is a YA novel, but a 400 page book with 134 chapters is kind of absurd. Mostly, the chapter breaks were used to switch viewpoints between the various characters, and lengthening the chapters in favor of cutting the quantity of chapters would not have harmed this.
There were some touching moments in the book that I wish could have been drawn out, such as Max being with the Rodriguez family, Fang and Nudge interacting with the birds, or the kids being in the New York City toy store, but these moments seemed to be grossly overshadowed by the action and suspense.
Normally, I am a big fan of YA literature, but I think this one is a bit too young even for me.
There are lots of things that don't get explained - which I understand some lack of explanation is necessary to draw out a series - but these kids don't know anything about themselves or even why they exist. The oldest one, Max, is 14, and she can't even deduce that the chip in her arm is how to Erasers keep finding them. I probably would have enjoyed this book much more if the reader could have been privy to the mind of Jeb Batchelder, who was once-acting father of this group of kids and keeps claiming throughout the book that he is one of the good guys. By the end of the book, the kids have cross the U.S. in flying distance, but have yet to really solve any of their problems or get any significant question answered, unless you count parentage.
Another thing that really annoyed me was the length of the chapters, which were no more than 4 pages in length. I get that this is a YA novel, but a 400 page book with 134 chapters is kind of absurd. Mostly, the chapter breaks were used to switch viewpoints between the various characters, and lengthening the chapters in favor of cutting the quantity of chapters would not have harmed this.
There were some touching moments in the book that I wish could have been drawn out, such as Max being with the Rodriguez family, Fang and Nudge interacting with the birds, or the kids being in the New York City toy store, but these moments seemed to be grossly overshadowed by the action and suspense.
Normally, I am a big fan of YA literature, but I think this one is a bit too young even for me.
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Seasons by American Authors in Music
Jun 17, 2019
American Authors is a four-piece alternative outfit based in Brooklyn, New York. Not too long ago, they released a heartfelt music video for their “Before I Go” single.
“I hope I find peace of mind in all of my woes. I hope the rain, it brings a light To my broken soul. And I hope I lose myself in the city but find my home. I hope I live my life before I go.” – lyrics
‘Before I Go’ tells an interesting tale of a young guy who doesn’t know where his life is going.
Apparently, he’s afraid of what’s to come, and even though he keeps on keeping on, he wonders if he has done all that he can.
Later, he admits that he wants to live life to the fullest before he goes to the Great Beyond.
‘Before I Go’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and cinematic instrumentation flavored with sentimental elements.
Also, the stunning audiovisual was filmed last October during Matt Sanchez’s wedding.
“The biggest thing is the change American Authors went through to get here. We had to go through all of these experiences and moments of experimentation to reach this body of work, which is the most genuine and pure thing we’ve ever done. It encompasses every season of our music: the ups, the downs, the highs, the lows, and everything in between. We let go of where we started, fell into the place of writing from the heart, and captured what came out naturally.” – Zac Barnett
American Authors consists of Zac Barnett (vocals), James Adam Shelley (guitar, banjo), Dave Rublin (bass), and Matt Sanchez (drums).
So far, they have impressively generated over 1 billion global streams on a string of alternately striking and soaring smashes.
Their ‘Before I Go’ single is featured on their latest album, entitled, “Seasons”, which has amassed close to 30M streams online via Spotify.
“I want people to see a different side of American Authors. I hope they realize there’s a message of hope. But it’s transmitted in a new and more exciting way for our band. Growing up, listening to my favorite artists helped me through so many hard times. It was the best therapy. I’ve seen fans take that away from our music in the past, and I hope they continue to do so. That’s the ultimate goal for us.” – Zac Barnett
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/american-authors-before-i-go/
“I hope I find peace of mind in all of my woes. I hope the rain, it brings a light To my broken soul. And I hope I lose myself in the city but find my home. I hope I live my life before I go.” – lyrics
‘Before I Go’ tells an interesting tale of a young guy who doesn’t know where his life is going.
Apparently, he’s afraid of what’s to come, and even though he keeps on keeping on, he wonders if he has done all that he can.
Later, he admits that he wants to live life to the fullest before he goes to the Great Beyond.
‘Before I Go’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and cinematic instrumentation flavored with sentimental elements.
Also, the stunning audiovisual was filmed last October during Matt Sanchez’s wedding.
“The biggest thing is the change American Authors went through to get here. We had to go through all of these experiences and moments of experimentation to reach this body of work, which is the most genuine and pure thing we’ve ever done. It encompasses every season of our music: the ups, the downs, the highs, the lows, and everything in between. We let go of where we started, fell into the place of writing from the heart, and captured what came out naturally.” – Zac Barnett
American Authors consists of Zac Barnett (vocals), James Adam Shelley (guitar, banjo), Dave Rublin (bass), and Matt Sanchez (drums).
So far, they have impressively generated over 1 billion global streams on a string of alternately striking and soaring smashes.
Their ‘Before I Go’ single is featured on their latest album, entitled, “Seasons”, which has amassed close to 30M streams online via Spotify.
“I want people to see a different side of American Authors. I hope they realize there’s a message of hope. But it’s transmitted in a new and more exciting way for our band. Growing up, listening to my favorite artists helped me through so many hard times. It was the best therapy. I’ve seen fans take that away from our music in the past, and I hope they continue to do so. That’s the ultimate goal for us.” – Zac Barnett
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/american-authors-before-i-go/
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Adjustment Bureau (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
The Adjustment Bureau is based on (or it may be more accurate to say, inspired by) the Philip K. Dick short story “Adjustment Team”, and stars Matt Damon as David Norris, a New York politician running for the U.S. Senate and Emily Blunt as Elise Sellas, a professional ballerina.
When David and Elise first meet in the men’s restroom and he doesn’t question her gender I knew this wasn’t going to be the typical boy meets girl story. Just to clarify, I’m not saying she turns out to be a he, I’m just saying it’s good to check out the engine under the hood. But what should have been a once in a restroom… er, lifetime encounter, becomes a second, then a third and… you get the point. Shortly after their second encounter where David finally gets Elise’s name and number written on a business card he walks in on a strange group of well dressed individuals who were what can only be described as “probing” his friends in a conference room. So David does what any sane person would do after witnessing a group probing, he runs (like you wouldn’t? ). After running down a few hallways, he’s captured. Let’s be honest, running down hallways isn’t Oscar material, so I was glad it was short-lived. David learns that these well-dressed individuals work for The Adjustment Bureau.
This secret organization works behind the scenes to ensure the course of destiny, as written by “The Chairman”, goes as planned and they tell him that men’s room ballerinas are not part of the plan for him. At this point I wanted to yell “Screw them, go for the ballerina! They’re bendy!” but before I could, Agent Richardson (played by John Slattery) informs David that if he doesn’t follow the plan they have for him then they will… well, let’s just say they will probe him like nobody’s business. Then before they leave they take the business card with Elise’s name and number on it and before you can say “rooster-block” they throw him to the floor like Chevy Chase impersonating President Ford and disappear.
In time David and Elise are reunited by chance and with some information given to him by his disgruntled Adjustment Bureau ex-caseworker Agent Harry (played by Anthony Mackie), David works hard to overcome the obstacles placed before them by the Adjustment Bureau. But when Agent Thompson (played by Terence Stamp) joins the fray, he tells David what will happen to Elise if he doesn’t leave her.
Does love win in the end, does fate win or are they eaten by the alligators in the New York City sewers? I will tell you, that once again, the alligators did not win. The film does an excellent job of balancing its romance and thriller aspects with just enough humor to compliment the first two aspects, making it a very enjoyable movie for an individual, a couple or a group of friends to see. On a side note, when the film was over I left the movie wanting to buy a suit and I really dislike wearing suits.
When David and Elise first meet in the men’s restroom and he doesn’t question her gender I knew this wasn’t going to be the typical boy meets girl story. Just to clarify, I’m not saying she turns out to be a he, I’m just saying it’s good to check out the engine under the hood. But what should have been a once in a restroom… er, lifetime encounter, becomes a second, then a third and… you get the point. Shortly after their second encounter where David finally gets Elise’s name and number written on a business card he walks in on a strange group of well dressed individuals who were what can only be described as “probing” his friends in a conference room. So David does what any sane person would do after witnessing a group probing, he runs (like you wouldn’t? ). After running down a few hallways, he’s captured. Let’s be honest, running down hallways isn’t Oscar material, so I was glad it was short-lived. David learns that these well-dressed individuals work for The Adjustment Bureau.
This secret organization works behind the scenes to ensure the course of destiny, as written by “The Chairman”, goes as planned and they tell him that men’s room ballerinas are not part of the plan for him. At this point I wanted to yell “Screw them, go for the ballerina! They’re bendy!” but before I could, Agent Richardson (played by John Slattery) informs David that if he doesn’t follow the plan they have for him then they will… well, let’s just say they will probe him like nobody’s business. Then before they leave they take the business card with Elise’s name and number on it and before you can say “rooster-block” they throw him to the floor like Chevy Chase impersonating President Ford and disappear.
In time David and Elise are reunited by chance and with some information given to him by his disgruntled Adjustment Bureau ex-caseworker Agent Harry (played by Anthony Mackie), David works hard to overcome the obstacles placed before them by the Adjustment Bureau. But when Agent Thompson (played by Terence Stamp) joins the fray, he tells David what will happen to Elise if he doesn’t leave her.
Does love win in the end, does fate win or are they eaten by the alligators in the New York City sewers? I will tell you, that once again, the alligators did not win. The film does an excellent job of balancing its romance and thriller aspects with just enough humor to compliment the first two aspects, making it a very enjoyable movie for an individual, a couple or a group of friends to see. On a side note, when the film was over I left the movie wanting to buy a suit and I really dislike wearing suits.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated People We Meet on Vacation in Books
May 27, 2021
So excited to be part of the Blog Tour for this wonderful intense and emotional romance!!
Poppy has her dream job, working at one of the top travel magazines. She has a nice apartment and a good friend in New York. But she's not happy. She knows clearly when she last was: two years ago, on a trip with Alex Nilsen. Poppy and Alex have been best friends since college. This despite the fact that they are very different and spend most of the year apart. She works in New York City. He teaches in their small hometown. But every summer, they reunite for one amazing week-long vacation. Until two years ago, when they ruined everything and stopped speaking. Poppy knows she needs to get back to that happiness she shared with Alex. So she plans one more trip. She has one week to repair her friendship with Alex and to make everything right. No big deal, right?
"On vacation, you can be anyone you want. Like a good book or an incredible outfit, being on vacation transports you into another version of yourself."
Like most people, I adored Emily Henry's book BEACH READ and was quite excited to read PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION. She's back with another unique romance. I'm not sure I enjoyed this one quite as much as BEACH READ, but I still loved it. This book is intense and emotional yet hilarious at times. A section on Poppy helping Alex rework his Tinder profile had me actually laughing out loud.
"I know right away when when I was last truly happy. Two years ago, in Croatia, with Alex Nilsen. But there's no finding my way back to that, because we haven't spoken since."
VACATION has a small cast of characters, which means the spotlight is focused on Alex and Poppy throughout. It's incredibly easy to get swept up in their story. I flew through this book in a day (on vacation, ironically). It goes back and forth in time, with some chapters revolving around "this summer," which tells us about Poppy's trip and her attempt to save her friendship with Alex. Past chapters look at other summers and their other trips. We know something happened on their Croatia vacation, but don't find out until we get to that chapter. That melodrama was a bit much for the actual "big" reveal, but that was my only major issue with the book.
This is a slow burn, with Poppy and Alex's story unfurling in bits and pieces, thanks to the back-in time-format. However, it was incredibly effortless to become lost in the plot and become part of this book. Henry is an amazing storyteller, and I felt like I was a piece of Alex and Poppy's journey and their trips. I was invested in their friendship from the start. Henry's romances are different, but the lust, passion, and intensity just ooze from the pages nonetheless.
Overall, this is a different and intense story. Our main characters are complete opposites, and it's fun being a part of their journey. 4 stars.
"On vacation, you can be anyone you want. Like a good book or an incredible outfit, being on vacation transports you into another version of yourself."
Like most people, I adored Emily Henry's book BEACH READ and was quite excited to read PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION. She's back with another unique romance. I'm not sure I enjoyed this one quite as much as BEACH READ, but I still loved it. This book is intense and emotional yet hilarious at times. A section on Poppy helping Alex rework his Tinder profile had me actually laughing out loud.
"I know right away when when I was last truly happy. Two years ago, in Croatia, with Alex Nilsen. But there's no finding my way back to that, because we haven't spoken since."
VACATION has a small cast of characters, which means the spotlight is focused on Alex and Poppy throughout. It's incredibly easy to get swept up in their story. I flew through this book in a day (on vacation, ironically). It goes back and forth in time, with some chapters revolving around "this summer," which tells us about Poppy's trip and her attempt to save her friendship with Alex. Past chapters look at other summers and their other trips. We know something happened on their Croatia vacation, but don't find out until we get to that chapter. That melodrama was a bit much for the actual "big" reveal, but that was my only major issue with the book.
This is a slow burn, with Poppy and Alex's story unfurling in bits and pieces, thanks to the back-in time-format. However, it was incredibly effortless to become lost in the plot and become part of this book. Henry is an amazing storyteller, and I felt like I was a piece of Alex and Poppy's journey and their trips. I was invested in their friendship from the start. Henry's romances are different, but the lust, passion, and intensity just ooze from the pages nonetheless.
Overall, this is a different and intense story. Our main characters are complete opposites, and it's fun being a part of their journey. 4 stars.