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<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>

This is the first book of the children’s series <i>The Land of Dragor</i> by Julia Suzuki. Dragor is the land inhabited by dragons, hidden from the rest of the world, away from the evil humans, with the smoke produced by the The Fire Which Must Never Go Out. Dragor is where it is safe. The dragons are forbidden to leave. However, it may not be as perfect as it seems.

The story begins with the birth, or hatching, of a dragon named Yoshiko. Unlike all other dragon births, Yoshiko’s egg was a variety of different colours, which led to speculation as to whether this young dragon was cursed. Other than being a late developer, Yoshiko is physically well and attends school like all the other youngsters where, unfortunately, he experiences bullying from one of the other dragon clans – something the reader may be able to relate to through their own school experiences. Each clan is a different colour, but one day Yoshiko realises he has the ability to change the shade of his scales. Horrified by his discovery, he seeks help from an old, but wise, outcast, who, whilst supporting Yoshiko as he learns to control the colours, helps him discover his destiny.

The initial two thirds of the book felt like a really long introduction with the final third being a hastily written climax. Despite this it was an enjoyable read and would be particularly entertaining for children. Some of the language though may be a little too advance for the younger readers. Despite the introduction/climax issue, the story contains enough information to understand the way the dragon’s small world works and ends by setting the theme of the next installment. It will be exciting to find out what happens next!
  
Dazed and Confused (1993)
Dazed and Confused (1993)
1993 | Comedy

"I love this movie and always have! And now I get to love it more on this far-out DVD package. Until watching the accompanying doc, I had never really thought of the film as a 1970s American Graffiti—for me, the fun of it is in the ensemble cast of young people, many of whom became huge stars later—it reminds me more of Fast Times at Ridgemont High. But also on this doc is an extraordinarily frank look at the difficulties of making this film. People in the movie business—indie or otherwise—are rarely this honest in discussing what it took to get the film you see on the screen. I really appreciated the honesty of Jim Jacks and Richard Linklater, who, uh, shall we say, didn’t always agree on the set. Also, the interviews with the young actors, like Marissa Ribisi, talking about the approach Linklater took with them, were completely enlightening. I plan to steal his entire approach from now on. :) And the packaging is an artifact to have for keeps: the cover artwork by Marc English, based on the Led Zeppelin III album cover, is supremely inspired, and the booklet is a high school notebook. It’s great pop culture folk art! I own a collection of Memoryware folk art that people used to make with all their leftover trinkets and little pieces of their lives: earrings, coins, buttons, etc. They’d take these mementos and put them in plaster on top of an old jug or jar and call them “memory jugs” or “memory jars.” And this is what this DVD is for me—a keepsake. A memory jar of seventies pop culture. No, of 1976. No, of specifically 1976 Austin, Texas. And yet . . . it’s a memory jug of anyone’s last high school rite."

Source
  
Heartlands (Detective Jessie Blake #1)
Heartlands (Detective Jessie Blake #1)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Call it mother’s intuition, but I knew she was dead the moment she was late home. As I listened to her phone ring and ring, that’s when I knew for sure. My little girl was gone.
Fifteen-year-old Shannon Ross is missing and her parents are distraught. With her long blonde hair, easy laugh and perfect grades, she’s the girl everyone at school wants to be.
Detective Jessie Blake is called to Inverlochty, the missing girl’s home town in the Scottish Highlands, and finds Shannon was keeping a diary full of friends’ and neighbors’ secrets. She knows the kind, outgoing boy who’s sleeping with his teacher and the quiet woman who’s been having an affair with her best friend’s husband.
Just as Jessie and her team are beginning to understand Shannon’s complicated world, her lifeless body is found on an ice-cold river bank on the outskirts of town. And when Jessie tells Shannon’s family the heart-breaking news, she senses something isn’t right. The loving family is beginning to show cracks. Did Shannon know about her father’s alcohol problems and violent past? Why does Shannon’s mother keep finding excuses to leave the room, when Jessie wants to ask her questions?
As Jessie begins to piece together the final days of Shannon’s life, her own history comes back to haunt her. Putting aside her personal demons, Jessie vows to do whatever it takes to catch Shannon’s killer. But what if the killer is ready to strike first?

 Totally captivating and addictive read. I loved this book! There are two storylines. One routed in the past about a brutally raped and murdered school girl and her young killers as they face trial and juvenile detention. One in the present, a missing school girl, Shannon, baring all the similarities of the case from the past - or so it seems.
There are a lot of characters introduced and it ca be a bit overwhelming but persevere as the novel is one worth reading.
The plot is very well written in my opinion and it does flow well. The main characters are well written and enjoy them.
Very compelling and suspenseful read.
I look forward to more in the series as it develops and hope to get more backstory on the detective.
Highly recommend!

My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC.
  
40x40

Debbie (52 KP) rated The Poet X in Books

Sep 8, 2018  
The Poet X
The Poet X
Elizabeth Acevedo | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.8 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Poet X By: Elizabeth Acevedo
Young Adult 357 Pages

This book is written in verse. I wasn't a fan of this book so I only gave it 3 stars. I am getting use to reading books that are written in verse and starting to enjoy them. They are actually quick reads.
The main character is 16 year old girl named Xiomara. She has a twin brother, Xavier and her best friend, Caridad. Mom is from the Dominican Republic and Dad is from America. Mom married Dad to come to the states but she really wanted to become a nun. Mom is extremely religious. Dad doesn't do much. He is a womanizer. X loves to write poetry and her brother gave her notebook one year for their birthday to keep them in. She hates going to church. She isn't allowed to date or have contact with boys except for her brother. She is punished for the smallest things. (SPOILER) For example when she starts her period. Her mom hasn't told her anything about this or allowed her to watch the movie that they show in school so she has to look it up on google to figure out what to do. She gets money from a stash and goes to the store to get tampons but doesn't insert correctly and cries. Her mother is freaking out telling her that 11 is to young to be having a period and that only ho's use tampons. In high school during biology she meets a boy, Aman. They like each other and find ways to see each other. This is were her best friend helps out. They are eventually discovered and mom goes nuts. X wants to join the poetry club at school but mom makes her go to confirmation classes at the church. Again her best friend helps her to be able to eventually go to poetry club. There are a few more things that happen and make the book interesting I just could not stand the mom in this story.
Brother has a secret what is it? Does mom and X get to understanding each other better? You will have to read the book to find out. Just be warned that mom is not a nice person.
  
My All American (2015)
My All American (2015)
2015 | Drama
8
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The new film My All American is directed by Angelo Pizzo and released by
Clarius Entertainment. It stars Finn Wittrock as Freddie Steinmark,
Sarah Bolger as Linda Wheeler, Aaron Eckhart as Darrell Royal, Robin
Tunney as Gloria Steinmark, Michael Reilly Burke as Fred Steinmark, Rett
Terrell as Bobby Mitchell, and Juston Street as James Street.

Based on true events, and coinciding with the release of the recently
published biography, Freddie Steinmark: Faith, Family, Football, this
film is a heartwarming tale of the grit and determination that one boy
has from the time he is small all the way through college.

The determination to push through any obstacle, and any challenge thrown
his way was the hallmark of Freddie Steinmark and forever etched him
into the hearts of his fellow players, his coach Darrell K Royal, and
his family.

At only five feet nine inches tall, and 150 pounds, Freddie had to work
harder, practice longer, run faster and be altogether tougher than any
of his other team mates just to be noticed.

The movie follows Freddie through his career starting with pee-wee
football practice, to being drilled by his dad for extra practice after
his school day was done in high school, to tryouts for University of
Texas Longhorns. His high school sweetheart Linda Wheeler applies to and
is accepted at University of Texas and follows him to college.

I don’t generally like football. It annoys me that it takes so long for
the game to be played (hello…. its supposed to be four QUARTERS…. a
quarter is 25 minutes. So a game should be just over an hour and a
half…. right? Nope, it never ever is only an hour and a half long….)

HOWEVER, I really enjoyed watching this movie!
It was funny, it was inspiring, it was sad. It tugged on my heartstrings
and made me wonder how, exactly, a parent goes about raising a kid with
that much drive and “want to”.

It is completely family friendly and I will be making another trip to
the theatre to watch it with my 7 year old son, and my friends son who
is 8 and her daughter that is 6, as well.

The movie shares a great message and good lessons that all children
should learn.

The ending is sad, and might upset some younger children, but since it
is a true-to-life movie, it had to follow actual events.
  
I Must Betray You
I Must Betray You
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Trigger Warnings: blackmailing, manipulation, revolution, shooting, police brutality, government oppression

Set in late 1989 communist Romania, 17-year-old Cristian is forced to become an informer by the secret police in exchange to help his family. While he deals with the guilt and paranoia of being an informer, Cristian also risks everything to let the world know what is happening in Romania. But what is the cost of the revolution?

As usual, another section of history I didn’t really know anything about until Ruta Sepetys wrote a book about it and now I’ll be doing a ton of research about it this weekend. I was in middle school and high school in the 2000s, so I kind of understand why I probably never really learned much about this if they didn’t unseal files for 15 years… though I do remember learning about Nadia Comăneci leaving the country? But I don’t remember Nicolae Ceaușescu or the horrors of his regime.

Rita Sepetys is one of my favorite authors - if she writes it, I know I’m going to read it, get immersed in a new part of history I probably wasn’t aware of, and learn something new. I know Sepetys does a ton of research on each of her books, and this one is no different. She lets you know it is a work of fiction, but that a ton of research went into the novel and then she lists resources at the end of the book. Knowing how much research was done for this and matching it with a narrator who captivates the readers - I couldn’t put this book down.

The chapters were mostly short and a quick read, but that matched with the franticness of Cristian’s life. You slowly see his eyes opening to the fact that what his country is doing to him and his countrymen is not right and how much they had been lied to to keep them in line. You felt the same suspension he felt as he tried to figure out who he could really trust.

Please read this book (and other titles by Sepetys as well) and learn about an aspect of history that most likely wasn’t taught much in school in a way that’s well written and well researched.
  
Gran Turismo Sport
Gran Turismo Sport
2017 | Racing
A little disappointing
I'm not a massive GT fan, and this is the first GT game I've played in quite a while. To be honest, it's a little disappointing.

Graphically it is a very beautiful game. Both the cars, tracks and scenery are flawless. The problem is with the gameplay. As with most games nowadays, the focus is entirely on online gameplay. Which is a pain for people like me who aren't particularly bothered about playing against random people.
The single player campaign is more of a training school than any sort of career mode, and the two player split screen is atrocious. The screen is split vertically which is painful to watch after a while and there's no option to change the screen. There's also no option to add in computer players and racing against one person gets a little old very quickly.
The number of cars and tracks also appears to be limited in comparison with other games unless you unlock them in single player. And I find the menu screen isn't very user friendly.


Great if you want to play online, but lacking otherwise.