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Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Store in Books
Apr 9, 2019
In this day and age everyone shops online and The Store has everything you want. The Store is so great, it can even predict what you want or need even before you know you need or want it. But who wants that much invasion into their lives? Jacob and Megan Brandeis intend to get to the core of The Store, to find it's inner workings and write a book to tell the whole world about it. But will The Store prove to be too much for this pair?
When reading this book and learning about The Store, the first thing that comes to mind is Amazon. I know Amazon is tracking me when I see what I was searching on my Facebook feed. An online shop that started selling books, but now you can buy anything from them. This is no Amazon, though, with surveillance cameras and microphones in every home and on every street lamp and sign. There is no privacy from The Store. Will Jacob and Megan be able to expose all inner workings of The Store before it's too late?
James Patterson is one of my favorites, but this book was just okay for me. It did make me think though about what would be next in life. Will drones be polluting the sky to bring us our packages and meals? Will there be a need for us to ever leave our homes and interact with people in person? I would hate for a world like that.
When reading this book and learning about The Store, the first thing that comes to mind is Amazon. I know Amazon is tracking me when I see what I was searching on my Facebook feed. An online shop that started selling books, but now you can buy anything from them. This is no Amazon, though, with surveillance cameras and microphones in every home and on every street lamp and sign. There is no privacy from The Store. Will Jacob and Megan be able to expose all inner workings of The Store before it's too late?
James Patterson is one of my favorites, but this book was just okay for me. It did make me think though about what would be next in life. Will drones be polluting the sky to bring us our packages and meals? Will there be a need for us to ever leave our homes and interact with people in person? I would hate for a world like that.
Eloise Stanley (122 KP) rated Google Home in Tech
Nov 1, 2018
Understands most things even my god awful mumbling (3 more)
Tends to be pretty good at searching through websites for specific information
Works brilliantly as a speaker and connects through Spotify
Amazing for essay writing when you need quick and short answers and facts
Has a fair amount of things it’s unable to help with (3 more)
You often need to try different phrasing to get the answer you’re looking for
Absolutely dire at letting you know if your alarms are set or not
Privacy.... and google.... really bad mix........
Personally I have found this device extremely useful just for the element of the speakers and as someone who is not going to notice a difference between speaker qualities I don’t at all mind that it isn’t rated the highest for that in comparison to some other smart speaker devices on the market.
Other than for music I use it for quick facts be it for essays or for weather and cooking and or these it works fantastically. You can quickly get fast responses on fairly niche topics that I would not have expected it to be able to have dragged up from the bowls of the internet.
The other great thing about it is that it can be updated and it will have the ability to be improved as time goes on and given that there is a fairly small collection of products like this one currently out on the market I think you are pretty safe from making an awful choice in choosing this one... I like it anyway!
Other than for music I use it for quick facts be it for essays or for weather and cooking and or these it works fantastically. You can quickly get fast responses on fairly niche topics that I would not have expected it to be able to have dragged up from the bowls of the internet.
The other great thing about it is that it can be updated and it will have the ability to be improved as time goes on and given that there is a fairly small collection of products like this one currently out on the market I think you are pretty safe from making an awful choice in choosing this one... I like it anyway!
ClareR (5596 KP) rated Always Greener in Books
Feb 27, 2020 (Updated Feb 27, 2020)
Always Greener is about a reality TV show in the near future, where everyone is permanently glued to their screens through visual implants or AR glasses (if they haven't got the money). How bad is your life? Because if it's REALLY bad, you're more likely to become a contestant on The Grass is Greener, where you'll be watched 24/7 through your visual implants. There's no off switch, there's no privacy - the public want to see everything.
The first couple of chapters were a little hard-going, but I'm glad I persevered. It's a satire of the reality TV that we have today, and J. R. H. Lawless has taken it to it's furthest point, it's most outrageous end. To be fair, I'm sure it could probably be even more heartless, invasive and damaging, but the contestants are saved, to a certain extent, by a host with a conscience.
I did really enjoy this - but I can't say as it made me feel particularly positive about the future: people used as guinea pigs for drugs and procedures untested on anyone else, with fatal consequences; suicide so commonplace, that it has become a steady job for a group of people who clean up after them - what a way to make a living; the total lack of empathy for people who are less fortunate, reduced merely to a prime-time, all-the-time, streaming slot.
Not a future I would want, but a great book, nonetheless. Its a good read!
Many thanks to NetGalley for my copy of this book to read and review.
The first couple of chapters were a little hard-going, but I'm glad I persevered. It's a satire of the reality TV that we have today, and J. R. H. Lawless has taken it to it's furthest point, it's most outrageous end. To be fair, I'm sure it could probably be even more heartless, invasive and damaging, but the contestants are saved, to a certain extent, by a host with a conscience.
I did really enjoy this - but I can't say as it made me feel particularly positive about the future: people used as guinea pigs for drugs and procedures untested on anyone else, with fatal consequences; suicide so commonplace, that it has become a steady job for a group of people who clean up after them - what a way to make a living; the total lack of empathy for people who are less fortunate, reduced merely to a prime-time, all-the-time, streaming slot.
Not a future I would want, but a great book, nonetheless. Its a good read!
Many thanks to NetGalley for my copy of this book to read and review.
Almost everyone I know uses it. (2 more)
Reconnect with people I thought I'd lost forever.
Stuff I wouldn't generally see elsewhere.
Security/privacy is HORRIBLE! (2 more)
Facebook is biased against minorities.
Facebook enforces the rules when & if they choose.
If Only There Was A Better Alternative
If I could convince all my Facebook friends to move to another site, I'd jump ship in a heartbeat! Yes, there's fun stuff & great info that I wouldn't normally come across any where else. But it comes at a price. With all the info Facebook has gathered on me, sometimes I feel like they know more about me then I do. I've been the victim of (& witnessed others be victims of) bullying numerous times. 99% of the time, Facebook does nothing about it. I report the problem, & the typical response is that "it doesn't violate Facebook's community standards". I've been hacked on their Messenger app. People can be downright cruel in the comment section of any article. There are bugs that keep getting worse instead of better. For example, I'm reading an article or watching a video I've clicked on. When I'm finished, instead of taking me back to where I was in my news feed, I'm sent back to the beginning. Once is frustrating. After that it's painfully irritating! There's so much more! I'll just sum it up by saying "Facebook has become a cesspool of negativity." I would leave the app, but I'd either lose people completely that can't or won't use other apps, or I'd have to use a boatload of apps, because of course people won't agree on the same alternative.
Great for keeping in touch (2 more)
Nice way to share news, photos
Groups are a great way of sharing hobbies, finding like-minded people with similar interests
Updates are hit and miss - often a lot of problems with the app (2 more)
Bullying is poorly controlled
Standards are applied in a very hit and miss way
Has Its Good & Bad Points
Facebook has its uses - it's a good way to keep in touch with people you wouldn't ordinarily hear from very often, it's handy to send photos to people around the world and it can be a lovely way to brighten up your day with funny memes, jokes, and nice messages from people.
The App itself can be quite hit and miss - updates seem to be rolled out before they're properly ready, so you have issues where timelines don't update, comments don't load, etc. Whenever there's an update, while it may resolve one problem, it typically brings a whole host of others.
There are also the problems with Facebook itself, not least the prevalence of cyber-bullying that goes unchecked, the fact that Facebook seems to apply its rules in an incredibly haphazard way - allowing violent images to remain while removing those which, while perhaps "provocative" in the sense of being thought-provoking, are not indecent, obscene, violent or really in any way outrageous, and the rather concerning issues around the security/privacy of user data and increasing number of adverts on the site/app.
While not having yet run its course, Facebook is going to have to come up with newer and newer ideas to remain relevant, and have to improve its security and "policing" structures to keep users happy.
The App itself can be quite hit and miss - updates seem to be rolled out before they're properly ready, so you have issues where timelines don't update, comments don't load, etc. Whenever there's an update, while it may resolve one problem, it typically brings a whole host of others.
There are also the problems with Facebook itself, not least the prevalence of cyber-bullying that goes unchecked, the fact that Facebook seems to apply its rules in an incredibly haphazard way - allowing violent images to remain while removing those which, while perhaps "provocative" in the sense of being thought-provoking, are not indecent, obscene, violent or really in any way outrageous, and the rather concerning issues around the security/privacy of user data and increasing number of adverts on the site/app.
While not having yet run its course, Facebook is going to have to come up with newer and newer ideas to remain relevant, and have to improve its security and "policing" structures to keep users happy.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Movie Star by Lizzie Pepper in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Lizzie Pepper became a famous actress as a teen -- growing up before America's eyes on her TV show. Eventually Lizzie meets America's most famous movie star, Rob Mars -- and quickly their courtship and marriage becomes tabloid fodder and her life changes forever. At first, Lizzie is head over heels in love with Rob and all that he brings: romance, lavish trips, and instant stardom. But soon, her life is taken over by Rob's wealth and fame -- his constant absences, a complete lack of privacy, and a world overshadowed by Rob's total commitment to One Cell Studio, a form of study and practice that nears cult status. Once they have children, Lizzie begins to doubt everything about their relationship -- and what her husband stands for.
This was a fun book. Written by Hilary Liftin, a celebrity ghostwriter, Lizzie is a really enjoyable and insightful character. The book is clearly supposed to be based on Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. I kept imagining Rob Mars as a creepy twist between Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe, which was a little frightening. The One Cell piece is oddly disconcerting, as it's supposed to be, and made me want to delve more into the weirdness that is Scientology. Lizzie's evolution was fun to read about (I enjoyed, on a personal level, that she had twins) and she remained a realistic and relatable character, despite being elevated to movie star status. It truly makes you think about some of the insanity that movie stars have to go through, especially those that have children. It also gets you thinking about various religious cults and the power they have over people. In the end, probably a 3.5 star book, as it's a quick, fun read, but with a surprising depth behind it in places. After all, in the end, a marriage crumbling is a marriage crumbling, even in Hollywood.
This was a fun book. Written by Hilary Liftin, a celebrity ghostwriter, Lizzie is a really enjoyable and insightful character. The book is clearly supposed to be based on Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. I kept imagining Rob Mars as a creepy twist between Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe, which was a little frightening. The One Cell piece is oddly disconcerting, as it's supposed to be, and made me want to delve more into the weirdness that is Scientology. Lizzie's evolution was fun to read about (I enjoyed, on a personal level, that she had twins) and she remained a realistic and relatable character, despite being elevated to movie star status. It truly makes you think about some of the insanity that movie stars have to go through, especially those that have children. It also gets you thinking about various religious cults and the power they have over people. In the end, probably a 3.5 star book, as it's a quick, fun read, but with a surprising depth behind it in places. After all, in the end, a marriage crumbling is a marriage crumbling, even in Hollywood.
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Manic (Rook and Ronin, #2) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Manic picks up shortly after TRAGIC leaves off. Ronin and Rook are loving their time together, and the TRAGIC campaign has wrapped up, and now we are prepping for the new STURGIS campaign. Rook quickly discovers that she is going to be part of a reality based show based on the STURGIS campaign. When she hastily signed the contract while angry at Ronin she didn't read the contract quite as closely as she thought. This is a three month contract where she ultimately has no privacy. She signed the contract so now she's obligated to do it.
The STURGIS campaign is a body art campaign. Spencer Shrike will be painting Rook's body to match the different motorcycles he is taking to Sturgis. Throughout this book you can see that Rook becomes more and more conflicted. She is constantly under the watchful eye of the reality show, and Ronin is always gone helping Clare (a former model in rehab).
Spencer, Ronin and Ford are a hard trio for Rook to juggle, and trust me, they make the story that much juicer. This book is a great follow up to TRAGIC. You get to see more of the supporting characters. I absolutely loved it.
These two books are a breath of fresh air. There is nothing else out there like them. I love the basis of the stories in these two books, and as I said before, the characters are so easy to love. The books are fast paced, easy to read, and equally as hard to put down. These are great summer reads, and I will be recommending them to everyone I know.
*** I received this book in exchange for an honest review! ***
The STURGIS campaign is a body art campaign. Spencer Shrike will be painting Rook's body to match the different motorcycles he is taking to Sturgis. Throughout this book you can see that Rook becomes more and more conflicted. She is constantly under the watchful eye of the reality show, and Ronin is always gone helping Clare (a former model in rehab).
Spencer, Ronin and Ford are a hard trio for Rook to juggle, and trust me, they make the story that much juicer. This book is a great follow up to TRAGIC. You get to see more of the supporting characters. I absolutely loved it.
These two books are a breath of fresh air. There is nothing else out there like them. I love the basis of the stories in these two books, and as I said before, the characters are so easy to love. The books are fast paced, easy to read, and equally as hard to put down. These are great summer reads, and I will be recommending them to everyone I know.
*** I received this book in exchange for an honest review! ***
RavenclawPrincess913 (253 KP) rated The newlyweds window in Books
Jul 30, 2022
Will be writing a review for the couple story's I enjoyed in this book:
Gasping for Air
Author: Ogechukwu Emmanuel Samuel
"Humans! They are the worst thing to have happened to Earth since the beginning" I agree with this 100% humans have ruined the earth with their greed.
I liked this story was very interesting. It was scary but caught my attention. The ending was super confusing.
Border Control
Author: Aldine Jojo Elhassan
This story was sad due to this girl's traumatic delivery and mistreatment from the nurses. Scary to read to being pregnant currently it gave me anxiety and almost had me crying.
The Newlyweds' Window
Author: Husnah Mad-hy
"But her fate was like the rest of the unmarried women; marry young, give the husband and their families some children (at least one boy), and subdue her dreams to the more practical and 'real life' expectations of Swahili women- cooking, cleaning, raising, tending to her husband, attending weddings and funerals, and the likes." This is ok if you want this in life but every girl should not be forced into it.
"She watched and could sometimes hear as they made love every night for six months straight." This is majorly creepy.
This story was creepy and confusing the main character gave off stalker vibes and needs to mind their own business and give the people some privacy.
Black Pawpaw
Author: Obinna Ezeodili
This ones really sad how they have to beg for help and than the abuse the main character receives. Also Binye seeing her as mama instead of his mom is sad. The mom should be around more. The sexual assault is sad and screwed up too and very triggering. And the Aunt died from self defense this girl shouldn't have to be punished for it she was defending herself during sexual assault.
Gasping for Air
Author: Ogechukwu Emmanuel Samuel
"Humans! They are the worst thing to have happened to Earth since the beginning" I agree with this 100% humans have ruined the earth with their greed.
I liked this story was very interesting. It was scary but caught my attention. The ending was super confusing.
Border Control
Author: Aldine Jojo Elhassan
This story was sad due to this girl's traumatic delivery and mistreatment from the nurses. Scary to read to being pregnant currently it gave me anxiety and almost had me crying.
The Newlyweds' Window
Author: Husnah Mad-hy
"But her fate was like the rest of the unmarried women; marry young, give the husband and their families some children (at least one boy), and subdue her dreams to the more practical and 'real life' expectations of Swahili women- cooking, cleaning, raising, tending to her husband, attending weddings and funerals, and the likes." This is ok if you want this in life but every girl should not be forced into it.
"She watched and could sometimes hear as they made love every night for six months straight." This is majorly creepy.
This story was creepy and confusing the main character gave off stalker vibes and needs to mind their own business and give the people some privacy.
Black Pawpaw
Author: Obinna Ezeodili
This ones really sad how they have to beg for help and than the abuse the main character receives. Also Binye seeing her as mama instead of his mom is sad. The mom should be around more. The sexual assault is sad and screwed up too and very triggering. And the Aunt died from self defense this girl shouldn't have to be punished for it she was defending herself during sexual assault.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Hollywood Playboy (Hollywood Royalty, #1) in Books
Jan 11, 2021
Jessica is an entertainment journalist and good at it but one celebrity in particular does not get on with her: Tyler Beckett. She's always ready with a scoop on him only for him to go public with it before she can. When Jessica is asked to be on the press junket for Tyler's latest film they clash a few times before getting into an argument that makes them both realise how wrong they've been about each other and they begin to grow closer. It's starts as a kind of friendship before becoming more.
I did enjoy this. Mainly for the relationship between Jessica and Tyler but it wasn't always smooth sailing for them. First they don't even like each other, then they come to a truce to try and get along and before long they actually become friends that want to be more. It was an emotional ride towards the end and I had a good old cry, I'll admit.
I don't think I'd like to be a celebrity, having no privacy and everything from your past being brought back to haunt you. Luckily Tyler has a fairly clean life, though people are always willing to sell false stories about him and others. Tyler is good at handling the press and treats the ones on the tour like friends, taking them out for meals at amazing but little known places, sending them for spa days, etc. With Jessica, Tyler just wants her to spend time with him and they have some really cute days out all over the tour cities.
Some of the secondary characters were cool like Kellie and Tyler's parents. One character I wanted to slap silly and Tyler and Jessica, I just wanted to hug.
I'm intrigued by Kellie's story and her romance with her bodyguard who she has a history with so I'll keep my eyes open for her book.
I did enjoy this. Mainly for the relationship between Jessica and Tyler but it wasn't always smooth sailing for them. First they don't even like each other, then they come to a truce to try and get along and before long they actually become friends that want to be more. It was an emotional ride towards the end and I had a good old cry, I'll admit.
I don't think I'd like to be a celebrity, having no privacy and everything from your past being brought back to haunt you. Luckily Tyler has a fairly clean life, though people are always willing to sell false stories about him and others. Tyler is good at handling the press and treats the ones on the tour like friends, taking them out for meals at amazing but little known places, sending them for spa days, etc. With Jessica, Tyler just wants her to spend time with him and they have some really cute days out all over the tour cities.
Some of the secondary characters were cool like Kellie and Tyler's parents. One character I wanted to slap silly and Tyler and Jessica, I just wanted to hug.
I'm intrigued by Kellie's story and her romance with her bodyguard who she has a history with so I'll keep my eyes open for her book.
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated Before the Crown in Books
Jun 14, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and Flora Harding for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Before the Crown is a beautiful historical novel which delves deep into the romance between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip of Greece, perhaps better known as Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.
However, this is not a traditional romance and Harding does not hold back in laying out all the struggles Elizabeth and Philip faced. From the King and Queen's disapproval of the match for their daughter to the effects of public opinion on the relationship, Flora Harding covers it all.
Nor does this novel present the engagement as all hearts and flowers. Despite Elizabeth being attracted to Philip from a young age, this is initially a one-sided crush and a political arrangement for the couple. However, due to Flora Harding presenting her novel from the perspective of both Elizabeth and Philip, the reader is able to experience first hand the doubts, worries, longing and evolution of this infamous relationship.
I will be honest it is hard not to envision the Netflix series when you read this novel but it is by no means a copy cat situation. Harding provides such interesting insights into Philip's lifestyle and his family that it is hard not to pity the sacrifices that he makes in order to be with Elizabeth.
In 'The Crown' young Philip was a bit of a dirt bag and, although Harding's Prince is no angel, he is clearly fighting an uphill battle against the aristocracy's view of him. It is difficult not to sympathise.
I would have liked an author's note to know how much of the story is fact and how much is fiction or speculation. However, given the privacy of the Royal Family I imagine any factual insights are rare.
In summary, 'Before the Crown' is a captivating read, exploring the sacrifices and struggles where we often blindly see prejudice, all against the backdrop of WWII Europe.
Before the Crown is a beautiful historical novel which delves deep into the romance between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip of Greece, perhaps better known as Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.
However, this is not a traditional romance and Harding does not hold back in laying out all the struggles Elizabeth and Philip faced. From the King and Queen's disapproval of the match for their daughter to the effects of public opinion on the relationship, Flora Harding covers it all.
Nor does this novel present the engagement as all hearts and flowers. Despite Elizabeth being attracted to Philip from a young age, this is initially a one-sided crush and a political arrangement for the couple. However, due to Flora Harding presenting her novel from the perspective of both Elizabeth and Philip, the reader is able to experience first hand the doubts, worries, longing and evolution of this infamous relationship.
I will be honest it is hard not to envision the Netflix series when you read this novel but it is by no means a copy cat situation. Harding provides such interesting insights into Philip's lifestyle and his family that it is hard not to pity the sacrifices that he makes in order to be with Elizabeth.
In 'The Crown' young Philip was a bit of a dirt bag and, although Harding's Prince is no angel, he is clearly fighting an uphill battle against the aristocracy's view of him. It is difficult not to sympathise.
I would have liked an author's note to know how much of the story is fact and how much is fiction or speculation. However, given the privacy of the Royal Family I imagine any factual insights are rare.
In summary, 'Before the Crown' is a captivating read, exploring the sacrifices and struggles where we often blindly see prejudice, all against the backdrop of WWII Europe.