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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated There Will Come Soft Rains in Books
Mar 15, 2018
This is pretty cool, considering it was written in 1950. This is a story about an automated house doing all its programmed chores on a house not affected by the nuclear apocalypse that's left the entire world empty. With things like Amazon's Alexa and other AI things appearing on the market, you can imagine this is the way people will live their lives in the future, with fully automated houses.
This is quite a sad tale really. No matter how advanced our technologies become doesn't mean we're able to escape death and destruction.
<i>I'm sorry I'm bombarding you with short story reviews, I've just really got into them these past couple of days and you can find so many free online, via https://archive.org/ !! </i>
This is quite a sad tale really. No matter how advanced our technologies become doesn't mean we're able to escape death and destruction.
<i>I'm sorry I'm bombarding you with short story reviews, I've just really got into them these past couple of days and you can find so many free online, via https://archive.org/ !! </i>
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Tangerine: A Novel in Books
Apr 1, 2018
Plain cruel
Call me a wimp, but I don't tend to enjoy books where terrible things happen to the protagonist without any proper resolution.
Alice Shipley, a rather meek woman, lives with her cocky husband in Tangiers, when one day a face from the past comes back to haunt her. Lucy Mason, her former roommate turns up at her doorstep with hidden motives.
This book has been described as similar to The Talented Mr Ripley, and in some ways, we can see how they converge. It is a psychological thriller including aspects of whether Alice can trust her mind, and if Lucy is just a bunny boiler - bringing together all the usual plots. I personally didn't relish this, because the conclusion fizzled out.
Alice Shipley, a rather meek woman, lives with her cocky husband in Tangiers, when one day a face from the past comes back to haunt her. Lucy Mason, her former roommate turns up at her doorstep with hidden motives.
This book has been described as similar to The Talented Mr Ripley, and in some ways, we can see how they converge. It is a psychological thriller including aspects of whether Alice can trust her mind, and if Lucy is just a bunny boiler - bringing together all the usual plots. I personally didn't relish this, because the conclusion fizzled out.
Milleen (47 KP) rated All the Light We Cannot See in Books
Nov 14, 2018
This is another novel from 2015 that just keeps gaining popularity. During World War II a blind, french girl, Marie-Laure is forced to flee Paris for Saint-Malo hiding a jewel from her father’s museum. At the same time we learn about a german orphan Werner Pfennig, naturally adept at fixing radios and enlisted to use his skills to fight and find the French Resistance. Doerr interweaves the two characters lives with skill and attention to detail. His prose is beautifully crafted, drawing you into the past with flair and aplomb. This book took ten years to write and every page shows that not a word was wasted, Doerr rightfully received the Pulitzer Prize for this tome. A beautiful novel that deserves your full attention.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Safe House (2012) in Movies
Jun 22, 2020
No Church In The Wild
Safe House- is a decent action thriller with a great supporting cast. Denzel charcter's always have cool names.
The plot: For the past year, rookie CIA agent Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds) has been eager to prove himself while cooling his heels at an inactive South African post. He gets the chance when Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington), a turncoat operative, is brought to Weston's safe house for debriefing. But soon after Frost's arrival, mercenaries attack, and Weston and Frost barely escape with their lives. The two men must join forces and try to stay alive long enough to figure out who wants them dead.
Like i said before its a decent to good action thriller with a great supporting cast.
The plot: For the past year, rookie CIA agent Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds) has been eager to prove himself while cooling his heels at an inactive South African post. He gets the chance when Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington), a turncoat operative, is brought to Weston's safe house for debriefing. But soon after Frost's arrival, mercenaries attack, and Weston and Frost barely escape with their lives. The two men must join forces and try to stay alive long enough to figure out who wants them dead.
Like i said before its a decent to good action thriller with a great supporting cast.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Accidental Ashes (Xoe Meyers #2) in Books
Aug 20, 2020
151 of 200
Kindle
Accidental Ashes ( Xoe Meyers book 2)
Last year Xoe's life was turned upside-down. Things haven't improved much. With the lives of her friends at risk, Xoe forgets to worry about another life...her own. With the reappearance of a face from her very distant past, and a random string of abductions to deal with, Xoe has to fight to keep things together. Even if 'together' is a far cry, ahem...howl, from the norm.
A very good follow up to the first book I really enjoyed it. Loved how easy it was to reconnect with the characters pretty much immediately. Loving the additions too! Can’t wait to see what Xoe is capable now daddy is here to teach her. Recommended!!
Kindle
Accidental Ashes ( Xoe Meyers book 2)
Last year Xoe's life was turned upside-down. Things haven't improved much. With the lives of her friends at risk, Xoe forgets to worry about another life...her own. With the reappearance of a face from her very distant past, and a random string of abductions to deal with, Xoe has to fight to keep things together. Even if 'together' is a far cry, ahem...howl, from the norm.
A very good follow up to the first book I really enjoyed it. Loved how easy it was to reconnect with the characters pretty much immediately. Loving the additions too! Can’t wait to see what Xoe is capable now daddy is here to teach her. Recommended!!
Charlotte (184 KP) rated The Garden Gnome (Theory of Magic #1) in Books
Mar 23, 2023
A magical story.
The Garden Gnome is a beautifully story. I love the way that the lives of so many are interwoven and work well together. The blend of past and present, magic and science is perfect. There's enough of everything to keep everyone intrigued and reading but without being bombarded with too much if the things you wouldn't normally be into. The descriptive balance is also good, enough to build a picture but still plenty of room for your imagination to play with the carefully chosen words of Jeff McIntyre.
I'm pretty sure Jeff has some magical powers which he's used to created a cleverly refreshing story.
You'll definitely needs snacks for this one as you won't be wanting to put this down!
The Garden Gnome is a beautifully story. I love the way that the lives of so many are interwoven and work well together. The blend of past and present, magic and science is perfect. There's enough of everything to keep everyone intrigued and reading but without being bombarded with too much if the things you wouldn't normally be into. The descriptive balance is also good, enough to build a picture but still plenty of room for your imagination to play with the carefully chosen words of Jeff McIntyre.
I'm pretty sure Jeff has some magical powers which he's used to created a cleverly refreshing story.
You'll definitely needs snacks for this one as you won't be wanting to put this down!
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Where We Begin, (The Berkshires, #1) in Books
Feb 23, 2021
This was my first time reading a book by Janey King, it is the first book in her series titled The Berkshire Series, and it is her debut novel; so a Trifecta of firsts! The main characters, Hannah, and Collin are an interesting mix match of characteristics and so much heart packed into them both. I enjoyed Janey King's portrayal of their lives and the struggles they faced in the past and together in the present. It was a very realistic and blunt (I do mean blunt) portrayal of the struggles we all go through. I did enjoy the overall plot of overcoming your past and finding happiness with where you are at. One thing I did struggle with was the continual emphasis on sex, it was a constant mention in both mental and verbal conversations. Just not my usual cuppa tea as I like to focus on the story. But it is still a good storyline and I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Deception of Harriet Fleet in Books
Nov 26, 2023
176 of 235
Book
The Deception of Harriet Fleet
By Helen Scarlett
⭐️⭐️
1871. An age of discovery and progress. But for the Wainwright family, residents of the gloomy Teesbank Hall in County Durham the secrets of the past continue to overshadow their lives.
Harriet would not have taken the job of governess in such a remote place unless she wanted to hide from something or someone. Her charge is Eleanor, the daughter of the house, a fiercely bright eighteen-year-old, tortured by demons and feared by relations and staff alike. But it soon becomes apparent that Harriet is not there to teach Eleanor, but rather to monitor her erratic and dangerous behaviour - to spy on her.
Worn down by Eleanor's unpredictable hostility, Harriet soon finds herself embroiled in Eleanor's obsession - the Wainwright's dark, tragic history. As family secrets are unearthed, Harriet's own begin to haunt her and she becomes convinced that ghosts from the past are determined to reveal her shameful story.
This started of well but then fell flat for me. I was waiting for something to happen that grabbed me and shook me but it didn’t come. The ending wasn’t what I expected either.
Book
The Deception of Harriet Fleet
By Helen Scarlett
⭐️⭐️
1871. An age of discovery and progress. But for the Wainwright family, residents of the gloomy Teesbank Hall in County Durham the secrets of the past continue to overshadow their lives.
Harriet would not have taken the job of governess in such a remote place unless she wanted to hide from something or someone. Her charge is Eleanor, the daughter of the house, a fiercely bright eighteen-year-old, tortured by demons and feared by relations and staff alike. But it soon becomes apparent that Harriet is not there to teach Eleanor, but rather to monitor her erratic and dangerous behaviour - to spy on her.
Worn down by Eleanor's unpredictable hostility, Harriet soon finds herself embroiled in Eleanor's obsession - the Wainwright's dark, tragic history. As family secrets are unearthed, Harriet's own begin to haunt her and she becomes convinced that ghosts from the past are determined to reveal her shameful story.
This started of well but then fell flat for me. I was waiting for something to happen that grabbed me and shook me but it didn’t come. The ending wasn’t what I expected either.
Darren (1599 KP) rated 100 Streets (2017) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: 100 Streets starts as we meet our characters, troublemaking drug dealing thief Kingsley (Dramah), former rugby player Max (Elba) who is going through a marriage problem after his own affair with his wife Emily (Arterton) who in an act of revenge is dating photographer Jake (Cullen). The final couple we meet are cabbie George (Creed-Miles) and Kathy (Wareing) who are trying to adopt a child, though his past is causing problems in this pursuit.
As the lives cross-paths the people must learn about the mistakes they make to prevent themselves from making any more mistakes.
Thoughts on 100 Streets
Characters – Max is a former England rugby captain, since retiring he started cheating on his wife and getting caught up with the drugs, seeing his future career going up in smoke, he needs to clean up his own actions in any hope of winning his wife back. Emily is the wife of Max who has been going through the struggles of her husbands action, thinking about getting back into acting and trying to move on with her life. Kingsley is the streetwise drug dealing thief that has been caught up against the law, even though he believes he could go onto something bigger, he receives the guidance required to escape this life. We have a cabbie that makes a terrible mistake and must learn to live with the consequences and a photographer that wants to be part of Emily’s life.
Performances – Idris Elba, Gemma Arterton are both great in their roles in the film, we know and expect it from them. Elsewhere we get the less known actors in Franz Drameh and Charlie Creed-Miles that shine in this film.
Story – The story follows the lives of three people, the problems they are facing and the changes that will define them. We get three different worlds, one is the celebrity world and marriage, where the vices can control someone, the middle-class who just want normal lives which can fall apart from past action and the lower-class that must fight for a chance or face the same circles of crime. The way the three lives cross without interaction shows how people can be going through their own struggles meters away from you. Each life will be changed by the events in the film, which is important to see and we can see how theses moments can do the moments that create a future.
Settings – The film is set in London with the idea that we are within 100 streets of each other, in a position where lives can cross paves.
Scene of the Movie – Leaving the gang.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not sure what will happen with Jake next.
Final Thoughts – This is a wonderfully engaging drama that shows the lives people are living without you knowing within metres of your own life. Strong performances throughout do help the film stand out too.
Overall: Drama well worth watching.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/02/02/gemma-arterton-weekend-100-streets-2016/
As the lives cross-paths the people must learn about the mistakes they make to prevent themselves from making any more mistakes.
Thoughts on 100 Streets
Characters – Max is a former England rugby captain, since retiring he started cheating on his wife and getting caught up with the drugs, seeing his future career going up in smoke, he needs to clean up his own actions in any hope of winning his wife back. Emily is the wife of Max who has been going through the struggles of her husbands action, thinking about getting back into acting and trying to move on with her life. Kingsley is the streetwise drug dealing thief that has been caught up against the law, even though he believes he could go onto something bigger, he receives the guidance required to escape this life. We have a cabbie that makes a terrible mistake and must learn to live with the consequences and a photographer that wants to be part of Emily’s life.
Performances – Idris Elba, Gemma Arterton are both great in their roles in the film, we know and expect it from them. Elsewhere we get the less known actors in Franz Drameh and Charlie Creed-Miles that shine in this film.
Story – The story follows the lives of three people, the problems they are facing and the changes that will define them. We get three different worlds, one is the celebrity world and marriage, where the vices can control someone, the middle-class who just want normal lives which can fall apart from past action and the lower-class that must fight for a chance or face the same circles of crime. The way the three lives cross without interaction shows how people can be going through their own struggles meters away from you. Each life will be changed by the events in the film, which is important to see and we can see how theses moments can do the moments that create a future.
Settings – The film is set in London with the idea that we are within 100 streets of each other, in a position where lives can cross paves.
Scene of the Movie – Leaving the gang.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not sure what will happen with Jake next.
Final Thoughts – This is a wonderfully engaging drama that shows the lives people are living without you knowing within metres of your own life. Strong performances throughout do help the film stand out too.
Overall: Drama well worth watching.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/02/02/gemma-arterton-weekend-100-streets-2016/
LucyB (47 KP) rated Three Daughters of Eve in Books
Jul 23, 2017
Powerful, thought-provoking story
I was really happy to receive Three Daughters of Eve on Netgalley, as I'd recently read an interview with the author and thought the book sounded fascinating.
It certainly lived up to expectations. The book is set both in the past and the present, focusing on Peri as a student in Oxford, and as a wealthy wife (14 years later) in Istanbul. It starts with something of a red herring, focusing on Peri's attack (and almost rape) by a beggar, then develops into an exploration of her past, as a Turkish Muslim at Oxford University.
She's flanked by Shirin, a non-believer, and Mona, a devout Muslim - making them 'the sinner, the believer and the confused'. They're united by a man called Professor Azur, who has a major influence in their lives, both positive and negative.
The book is an intriguing exploration into religion, belief and culture-clash - and in particular, the scenes detailing Peri's past, with a non-believing father and a devout mother, worked particularly well. A few moments jarred slightly - for example, the sudden revelation about the twin brother towards the end, and the abrupt shift in perspective from Peri to Professor Azur (again, towards the end), but for the most part, this book was masterfully executed and beautifully sustained throughout.
I think Shafak has a strong, resonant style, combined with a philosophical approach - which works really well. I'd definitely like to read more of her books
It certainly lived up to expectations. The book is set both in the past and the present, focusing on Peri as a student in Oxford, and as a wealthy wife (14 years later) in Istanbul. It starts with something of a red herring, focusing on Peri's attack (and almost rape) by a beggar, then develops into an exploration of her past, as a Turkish Muslim at Oxford University.
She's flanked by Shirin, a non-believer, and Mona, a devout Muslim - making them 'the sinner, the believer and the confused'. They're united by a man called Professor Azur, who has a major influence in their lives, both positive and negative.
The book is an intriguing exploration into religion, belief and culture-clash - and in particular, the scenes detailing Peri's past, with a non-believing father and a devout mother, worked particularly well. A few moments jarred slightly - for example, the sudden revelation about the twin brother towards the end, and the abrupt shift in perspective from Peri to Professor Azur (again, towards the end), but for the most part, this book was masterfully executed and beautifully sustained throughout.
I think Shafak has a strong, resonant style, combined with a philosophical approach - which works really well. I'd definitely like to read more of her books