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50 Bars to Blow Your Mind

Lonely Planet and Ben Handicott

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Leah (3 KP) rated Murder on the Orient Express (2017) in Movies

Dec 31, 2017 (Updated Dec 31, 2017)

Humor (2 more)

Very beautiful

Loveably quirky lead character

Very monotonous and slow-moving (0 more)

More like "Murder on the BORE-ient Express" am I right?

I'm about to be THAT girl and tell you that the book is better. I mean, no contest there. But for those of you who don't give a ? about that, the movie does have some redeeming qualities.

Not a total snooze-fest. More like a yawn-fest. While it is beautifully shot, it had a very monotonous, dragging-on sort of cadence to it. Nothing happened, besides all the things that happened... But just nothing to pique your interest throughout the whole thing.

The lead character's personality and charm is to die for in this adaptation, compared to the book. He's just so wonderful and I love the play-up of his quirks. Some of the other characters shine as well. Daisy Ridley is brilliant. Surprisingly, Willem Dafoe does an awesome job and a very convincing German accent, despite his small part. Michelle Pfeiffer on the other hand, her "ok, THIS is why everyone loves her" moment never happened... until the end. Oh, that ending! So much more dramatic and enticing than what the book delivers. The "whodunit" part of the book was so nonchalant and not the climatic ending I had wanted. So be happy the movie pulled through in that department.

Overall, still entertaining, just don't expect a ton of action or fast-paced dialogue to keep your attention. Maybe skip the late-night showing and go to a matinee after getting some coffee ?

Kudos

Rachel King (13 KP) rated Prada & Prejudice in Books

Feb 11, 2019

I really enjoyed this book for how much fun it was to simply get inside the head of such a unique and quirky teenager as she is thrown into circumstances that many fans of Jane Austen could only dream of. Her lack of knowledge of the time period seems a bit over the top at times, but I quickly adjusted to Callie's strong emotions and opinions. I found it strange that all of the people around Callie, once she travels to 1815, seem to take everything she does and says in stride, barely taking notice of how much she clashes with the customs and traditions of the time period. Plus, it's just sheer dumb luck that she got to be a "guest" of a Duke, rather than a servant. But I often found myself laughing out loud at her awkwardness, as well as the effect she has on the people around her, such as teaching the "robot" dance to two young men. Her spontaneity and passionate responses are both her charm and her weakness, but her sincerity in wanting to do the right thing make everything come together in the end. Callie is a girl that I would love to meet and hang out with, just to see what she would do or say next. I was able to predict the ending way ahead of time, even though I was not crazy about it ending the way it did. I would have much prefered Callie to remain in 1815, since I can't do it myself!

Kudos

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated All of Us and Everything in Books

Feb 13, 2018

The Rockwell sisters are returning home. Now grown, Esme, Liv, and Ru grew up with their slightly eccentric mother, Augusta, on the Jersey Shore. As kids, Augusta told the girls their Dad was a spy, and the girls were never quite sure what to believe. Each sister has her own struggles. Esme's marriage is failing and her daughter, Atty, has had a major breakdown at school. Liv is doing great -- when it comes to rehab and divorce. Ru is struggling with her engagement and the contract to write her second book. When they all arrive home, they discover that Hurricane Sandy has unearthed something related to their childhood. Will it finally cause Augusta to tell them the truth about their father?

This was certainly a quirky book. At times, a little too much quirk and angst, to be honest. The whole "your father is a spy" thing seems a bit crazy at times. The girls quibble and bicker, but don't really appear to be real characters you can get behind. Neither does their supporting cast. The exception is Atty, who was quite hilarious, even if her tweeting gets out of hand (that is the point, though). The book grows on you, however, as the girls reunite at home and learn more about their past. It's all a little crazy and over the top, but if you embrace it, it's a fun, quick read, with some real emotion thrown in by the end.

(Note: I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)

Kudos

BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3) in Books

Jan 2, 2019

I am officially submerged into The Lunar Chronicles and I am anxiously waiting to read Winter. Cress, book three of the series, adds another level to the story and I love Crescent. With threads of Rapunzel woven through the book it is so much fun to see the story through another set of eyes. Cinder and Kai are still main characters in Cress. Scarlet and Wolf continue their story as well. Fairy tale retellings are some of my favorite stories and Marissa Meyer has just taken this genre to a whole new level. It is such a unique and intriguing storyline. With so many characters to follow and fall in love with, it is easy to get lost in this world.

Seeing Marissa's style mature throughout this series has been so much fun. The pace has picked up a lot in Cress. Lots of action, chaos, stress, and adventure! We also get our first glimpse at Winter and I think I am really going to like her.

Cress is so young and naive, being taken from her family as a baby and then isolated for the last seven years. She is so smart, quirky, and innocent. Seeing earth, sand, trees...for the first time through her eyes definitely inspires a new view of the world. It encourages us to see the beauty all around us rather than taking it for granted.

This series must be read in order beginning with Cinder. I highly recommend these books. Stay tuned for my review of the grand finale!

Kudos

Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Apr 7, 2020

Today on my blog, I have the pre-order info for Jodi Thomas' new contemporary romance novel BREAKFAST AT THE HONEY CREEK CAFE! Seriously, Jodi Thomas is an amazing writer, so check her new book out!

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2020/04/pre-order-preview-breakfast-at-honey.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
From Jodi Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Mornings on Main and Indigo Lake, comes this heartwarming new novel set in Honey Creek, Texas—a small town where family bonds and legends run deep, and friendship and love are always close at hand . . .

Piper Jane Mackenzie, mayor of Honey Creek, won’t let a major scandal rip her quirky hometown apart or jeopardize her dream of one day running for higher office. So she’s willing to welcome undercover detective Colby McBride, hired to help solve the mystery behind her wannabe fiancé’s disappearance. Colby’s cover? That he is an old boyfriend now begging Piper for a second chance—always when there are plenty of townsfolk around to witness his shenanigans.

Piper hardly knows whether to laugh or cry, especially when she finds herself drawn to the handsome rascal. He's not the only newcomer she has to deal with. There’s a new interim preacher in town, Sam Cassidy. Drifting from one assignment to another since his one love died, Sam isn’t sure he’s the right fit for Honey Creek. But as Piper knows, this is a place chock-full of surprises. And if she can keep her town—and her heart—from going completely off the rails, there may be a sweet, unexpected future in store . . .