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Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated The Graces in Books
Jan 31, 2018
Not much of a plot, it was a good ending though
There wasn’t a substantial plot with this one. You had an idea on why River was trying to be friends with The Graces and there were hints here and there throughout the story on what River was really wanting to do all this time. You’re pretty much following River as she makes friends and tries to be part of the in crowd with The Graces.
I didn’t really like River that much in the beginning. You knew why she was wanting to befriend them however at the same time she had a great friendship with Summer and you were hoping nothing would spoil it.
The Graces did have a certain charm to them but at the same time there was also something strange. They’re close knit, secretive, and not your average family. They already had their secrets to start with, and of all the three I’d have to like Summer the most. She was the outspoken one and the rule breaker with at least some semblance of sense and logic that her two siblings didn’t have (those that have read the book would know what I’m talking about).
Back to River. Oh darling. You know this could have gone well if you HAD JUST TOLD THEM. Sometimes I hate reading books where the protagonist has this huge secret because they tend to keep it to themselves until they finally realize it wouldn’t help anymore but by that time, it would mess up a lot of things now would it? And all throughout the book you’re screaming JUST. TELL. THEM. Sheesh.
Although I know I said I didn’t really like her in the beginning, she redeemed herself in the last third of the book. I was expecting her to be sniveling, crying and pleading but she suddenly became this beacon of rage and I suddenly pulled a 180 and loved her instantly. She finally realized who she was and what she was capable of. She didn’t need the Graces at all - well maybe she needed them to put her in the right direction but it was nice to see her pick herself up and be strong about it.
Loved the ending! Such a cliffhanger and I want to know what’s going to happen next now that River has found herself. Sequel is coming out this year! So I’ll be looking forward to it!
I didn’t really like River that much in the beginning. You knew why she was wanting to befriend them however at the same time she had a great friendship with Summer and you were hoping nothing would spoil it.
The Graces did have a certain charm to them but at the same time there was also something strange. They’re close knit, secretive, and not your average family. They already had their secrets to start with, and of all the three I’d have to like Summer the most. She was the outspoken one and the rule breaker with at least some semblance of sense and logic that her two siblings didn’t have (those that have read the book would know what I’m talking about).
Back to River. Oh darling. You know this could have gone well if you HAD JUST TOLD THEM. Sometimes I hate reading books where the protagonist has this huge secret because they tend to keep it to themselves until they finally realize it wouldn’t help anymore but by that time, it would mess up a lot of things now would it? And all throughout the book you’re screaming JUST. TELL. THEM. Sheesh.
Although I know I said I didn’t really like her in the beginning, she redeemed herself in the last third of the book. I was expecting her to be sniveling, crying and pleading but she suddenly became this beacon of rage and I suddenly pulled a 180 and loved her instantly. She finally realized who she was and what she was capable of. She didn’t need the Graces at all - well maybe she needed them to put her in the right direction but it was nice to see her pick herself up and be strong about it.
Loved the ending! Such a cliffhanger and I want to know what’s going to happen next now that River has found herself. Sequel is coming out this year! So I’ll be looking forward to it!
Dana (24 KP) rated Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #3) in Books
Mar 23, 2018
I really enjoyed this series when I started it back when it first came out. Unfortunately for me, being the weird person I am, I decided to wait TWO YEARS after this book came out to actually read it, even though I had bought it when it came out. (Seriously, we are talking not very smart right here.) Because of that, it was kinda hard to get back in the series. I didn't remember a lot of stuff until it was remembered by the characters themselves. When a couple of new characters were introduced, I thought I was already supposed to know them. It was a mess.
Speaking of the characters, I love the little commentaries they have when it is in their point of view. Zuzana and Karou are so sassy all of the time and I just love it. I was also happy that all of my ships were still afloat by the end of the book and I even got some new ones!! (Liziri, am I right?) I am just happy that the characters got to be happy.
For me, maybe because it had been so long since I had read the other books, the story line got very confusing at points. A lot was going on at once and was sometimes hard to follow. I didn't know what was going on at all for the first few chapters, but it started to get cleared up a bit as I went along.
In my opinion, too much happened too late in this book. A whole new conflict started/was revealed with about seventy pages left and was never really resolved which I thought was odd. It was a really cool plot line that could have gone onto another book, but the series is over, so I honestly don't know what to think about that.
Overall, despite my complaining, I really did enjoy this book and the series as a whole. It had a very interesting concept throughout and the characters and their stories were very compelling, which is something I absolutely love about the series. I just think I would have enjoyed it more if I had either reread the previous two books or read this one when it came out.
I would definitely recommend this series to people who want to read something different, because this is certainly that!!
Speaking of the characters, I love the little commentaries they have when it is in their point of view. Zuzana and Karou are so sassy all of the time and I just love it. I was also happy that all of my ships were still afloat by the end of the book and I even got some new ones!! (Liziri, am I right?) I am just happy that the characters got to be happy.
For me, maybe because it had been so long since I had read the other books, the story line got very confusing at points. A lot was going on at once and was sometimes hard to follow. I didn't know what was going on at all for the first few chapters, but it started to get cleared up a bit as I went along.
In my opinion, too much happened too late in this book. A whole new conflict started/was revealed with about seventy pages left and was never really resolved which I thought was odd. It was a really cool plot line that could have gone onto another book, but the series is over, so I honestly don't know what to think about that.
Overall, despite my complaining, I really did enjoy this book and the series as a whole. It had a very interesting concept throughout and the characters and their stories were very compelling, which is something I absolutely love about the series. I just think I would have enjoyed it more if I had either reread the previous two books or read this one when it came out.
I would definitely recommend this series to people who want to read something different, because this is certainly that!!
Louise (64 KP) rated The Square Root of Summer in Books
Jul 2, 2018
One word really describes this book…. confusing! for the majority of the book I didn’t really know what was going on. I think the state of confusion was on my behalf as I am not a massive fan of physics and unable to get my head around it.
The Square Root of Summer is Harriet Reuter Hapgood’s debut novel, the story is told from the perspective of Gottie. A year ago her life was pretty good, she had an amazing family, a boyfriend and decent friends and then it shattered all around her. It’s been a year since Gottie’s grandfather died, the family are devastated and have slowly drifted apart as they come to terms with their loss. To make things worse her so-called ‘boyfriend’ left for University/College and the great friends she had are continuing on with their lives without Gottie.
When she receives news that her next door neighbour/best friend Thomas is coming back to England to live after moving to Canada things start happening to Gottie that she just can’t explain.
Gottie is a science geek and loves physics, so when she starts having flashbacks of everything that happened the previous year before Grey’s(Grandfather) death, she tries to understand what is happening to her. Gottie believes that she is traveling back in time through wormholes and vortexes (all that physicy stuff) and soon the summer becomes a mission to find out if you can really time travel.
This book is a coming of age story that includes grief, families,friends, and love. The book shows how much heartbreak a death in the family can cause and that something stressful (major life event) will tip you over the edge. Wormholes and Vortexes were Gottie’s coping mechanism, she enjoyed physics and that’s what helped her. With these flashback’s/time travelling (you decide) it enabled her to start talking to her family and friends again, also finding herself and become the person she wanted to be.
This is a great debut novel set in Norfolk, England. Hapgood managed to include aspects of her German heritage into the book, the family dynamics and characters are complex and three-dimensional, there is bookstores and baking and also to top it off there is a cute romance.What more could you ask for?
I rated this 3 of 5 stars
*I received a copyofthis book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
The Square Root of Summer is Harriet Reuter Hapgood’s debut novel, the story is told from the perspective of Gottie. A year ago her life was pretty good, she had an amazing family, a boyfriend and decent friends and then it shattered all around her. It’s been a year since Gottie’s grandfather died, the family are devastated and have slowly drifted apart as they come to terms with their loss. To make things worse her so-called ‘boyfriend’ left for University/College and the great friends she had are continuing on with their lives without Gottie.
When she receives news that her next door neighbour/best friend Thomas is coming back to England to live after moving to Canada things start happening to Gottie that she just can’t explain.
Gottie is a science geek and loves physics, so when she starts having flashbacks of everything that happened the previous year before Grey’s(Grandfather) death, she tries to understand what is happening to her. Gottie believes that she is traveling back in time through wormholes and vortexes (all that physicy stuff) and soon the summer becomes a mission to find out if you can really time travel.
This book is a coming of age story that includes grief, families,friends, and love. The book shows how much heartbreak a death in the family can cause and that something stressful (major life event) will tip you over the edge. Wormholes and Vortexes were Gottie’s coping mechanism, she enjoyed physics and that’s what helped her. With these flashback’s/time travelling (you decide) it enabled her to start talking to her family and friends again, also finding herself and become the person she wanted to be.
This is a great debut novel set in Norfolk, England. Hapgood managed to include aspects of her German heritage into the book, the family dynamics and characters are complex and three-dimensional, there is bookstores and baking and also to top it off there is a cute romance.What more could you ask for?
I rated this 3 of 5 stars
*I received a copyofthis book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This novel is set in London in a society where Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is on the rise. Ritalin is a drug that is used to calm children/teens with ADHD, however there is a new wonder drug Concentr8 which has the same desired effects but better and cheaper
The concentr8 program has been abandoned! as a result London is in chaos with riots, looting, and fires.
The novel starts off with 5 teenagers Blaze, Troy, Femi, Lee and Karen, on a whim they to decide to kidnap an employee from the Mayors offices and tie him to a radiator, but they don't really know why. It just happens.
I hadn't heard much about this book or the author when I requested it and the synopsis intrigued me or maybe it was the blinding yellow of the book that drew me in (who knows).
I really didn't like the writing style of this book, every chapter was told by a different person and because they were so short, I had to go back to remind myself who the narrator was. I have never seen writing like this before either, the words are mashed together, eg <b>"It's like all your lifeyou knowwhat's fantasyand whats solid..."</b> It is
like this throughout the book and I had to make sure what i was reading as could be confusing at times.There are lack of comma's, full stops and pretty appalling grammar with thick London accents.
So I researched ADHD and some of the symptoms are impulsiveness, little or no sense of danger, excessive talking, unable to concentrate, short attention span and many more. Which does come across in the characters.
This is one of the mental health issues that hasn't really be discussed in books that much and I was looking forward to it being touched upon. There are also excerpts in every chapter that has been taken from real life twitter accounts, magazines and other sources regarding Ritalin.
The book is very thought-provoking about ADHD, medications that are used, their side effects and diagnosis.
If you are interested in Mental Health and diverse books then have a look.
I personally didn't enjoy this book but made myself finish it (DNF is a rarity)
This novel is set in London in a society where Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is on the rise. Ritalin is a drug that is used to calm children/teens with ADHD, however there is a new wonder drug Concentr8 which has the same desired effects but better and cheaper
The concentr8 program has been abandoned! as a result London is in chaos with riots, looting, and fires.
The novel starts off with 5 teenagers Blaze, Troy, Femi, Lee and Karen, on a whim they to decide to kidnap an employee from the Mayors offices and tie him to a radiator, but they don't really know why. It just happens.
I hadn't heard much about this book or the author when I requested it and the synopsis intrigued me or maybe it was the blinding yellow of the book that drew me in (who knows).
I really didn't like the writing style of this book, every chapter was told by a different person and because they were so short, I had to go back to remind myself who the narrator was. I have never seen writing like this before either, the words are mashed together, eg <b>"It's like all your lifeyou knowwhat's fantasyand whats solid..."</b> It is
like this throughout the book and I had to make sure what i was reading as could be confusing at times.There are lack of comma's, full stops and pretty appalling grammar with thick London accents.
So I researched ADHD and some of the symptoms are impulsiveness, little or no sense of danger, excessive talking, unable to concentrate, short attention span and many more. Which does come across in the characters.
This is one of the mental health issues that hasn't really be discussed in books that much and I was looking forward to it being touched upon. There are also excerpts in every chapter that has been taken from real life twitter accounts, magazines and other sources regarding Ritalin.
The book is very thought-provoking about ADHD, medications that are used, their side effects and diagnosis.
If you are interested in Mental Health and diverse books then have a look.
I personally didn't enjoy this book but made myself finish it (DNF is a rarity)
Awix (3310 KP) rated Robin Hood (2018) in Movies
Nov 26, 2018 (Updated Nov 28, 2018)
Bog-standard looks-like-a-computer-game action movie populated by a mixture of blandly good-looking non-actors and people who should probably know better; would have been forgettable tosh but for the fact that the Robin Hood name has inexplicably been plastered onto something bearing virtually zero resemblance to the legend.
Corrupt establishment has embarked upon a series of foreign wars for its own shady purposes, ordinary people are being screwed to pay for it all, plus their young men are being sent off to die. Good-hearted young chap gets his draft letter in the post and is sent off to Afghanistan, or so it seems, he gets sent home on the grounds of excess heroism only to find that someone has moved Nottingham sixty miles and it is now on the coast and has its own harbour. Needless to say he resolves to become a superhero with a secret identity and sort everything out.
The thing that will kill this movie for anyone who actually cares about the Robin Hood legend is that it seems to have no appreciation of the fact that Things Were Different In The Past, and is fairly up front about it: 'we're not going to bore you with history,' the script announces in so many words right at the start. Well, if you really think history is boring, possibly you shouldn't have tried to make a film with a historical setting, then, but thank-you for making your low opinion of your audience's intelligence obvious from the start.
All the things the legend is actually about, and most of the things you would automatically associate with it (sword-fights, the band of Merry Men, Sherwood Forest, King Richard's ransom) are chucked out in favour of a glib and opportunistic one-size-fits-all form of anti-capitalist and anti-establishment agitprop. You may argue that we've seen the classic version of the story so many times before, and this is about doing something new, but if you get rid of the Robin Hood element of the Robin Hood story, you're left with something pointless and stupid, which is really what we have here. The Disney version with the talking fox is much more entertaining, not to mention historically accurate.
Corrupt establishment has embarked upon a series of foreign wars for its own shady purposes, ordinary people are being screwed to pay for it all, plus their young men are being sent off to die. Good-hearted young chap gets his draft letter in the post and is sent off to Afghanistan, or so it seems, he gets sent home on the grounds of excess heroism only to find that someone has moved Nottingham sixty miles and it is now on the coast and has its own harbour. Needless to say he resolves to become a superhero with a secret identity and sort everything out.
The thing that will kill this movie for anyone who actually cares about the Robin Hood legend is that it seems to have no appreciation of the fact that Things Were Different In The Past, and is fairly up front about it: 'we're not going to bore you with history,' the script announces in so many words right at the start. Well, if you really think history is boring, possibly you shouldn't have tried to make a film with a historical setting, then, but thank-you for making your low opinion of your audience's intelligence obvious from the start.
All the things the legend is actually about, and most of the things you would automatically associate with it (sword-fights, the band of Merry Men, Sherwood Forest, King Richard's ransom) are chucked out in favour of a glib and opportunistic one-size-fits-all form of anti-capitalist and anti-establishment agitprop. You may argue that we've seen the classic version of the story so many times before, and this is about doing something new, but if you get rid of the Robin Hood element of the Robin Hood story, you're left with something pointless and stupid, which is really what we have here. The Disney version with the talking fox is much more entertaining, not to mention historically accurate.
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Gold In My Veins - Single by Kid Pharaoh in Music
Jun 17, 2019
Kid Pharaoh is a rapper with Egyptian and Australian roots. Not too long ago, he released a music video for his self-produced single, entitled, “Gold In My Veins”.
“Gold on your neck, but I got gold in my brown skin. See yeah with your frontin’ ways. Your stunting chains and big face hundreds man. You hustling, but tell me what you covering? I never needed all that ‘cause I come from kings. So, what I need a Rollie for? It’s my time. I don’t need no gold to show how I shine. You can quit all that talking and lying.” – lyrics
Shot by Shaq Azhar in Wollongong, NSW, the audiovisual features Kid Pharaoh as the lead protagonist.
He plays an accountant in the office environment of Pharaoh Financial. The accountant comically analyses the expenses of a lavish rapper’s lifestyle. Also, he questions its worth and dismisses its relevance.
“Celebrating my Egyptian heritage and its rich history has always been at the forefront of what I do. But ‘Gold In My Veins’ allowed me to do so in a way that let me explore a new lane of sounds I was yet to touch. Inspired by the bounce and grooves of early 2000s Pharrell and Neptunes produced music I grew up with.” – Kid Pharaoh
‘Gold In My Veins’ tells an interesting tale from Kid Pharaoh’s point of view which claims his hip-hop kingship based on his royal ancestry.
Apparently, the savvy emcee’s soul is made of gold, and he is from a lineage of pharaohs who sat on thrones in the Valley of the Kings.
Later, Kid Pharaoh reveals that no one is messing with him because he’s the best in his city, state, and country.
‘Gold In My Veins’ contains a relatable storyline, braggadocious raps, and lush instrumentation scented with a hip-hop fragrance.
“You can tell these rappers I don’t need to stunt. You can tell these rappers they don’t need to front. With your false claims and your gold chains, I was born from the kings, one thing. You can tell ‘em keep the gold in your chain ’cause yeah I got gold in my veins.” – lyrics
Kid Pharaoh provides a raw and unique voice for an underrepresented Arabic community in Australia.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/kid-pharaoh-gold-in-my-veins/
“Gold on your neck, but I got gold in my brown skin. See yeah with your frontin’ ways. Your stunting chains and big face hundreds man. You hustling, but tell me what you covering? I never needed all that ‘cause I come from kings. So, what I need a Rollie for? It’s my time. I don’t need no gold to show how I shine. You can quit all that talking and lying.” – lyrics
Shot by Shaq Azhar in Wollongong, NSW, the audiovisual features Kid Pharaoh as the lead protagonist.
He plays an accountant in the office environment of Pharaoh Financial. The accountant comically analyses the expenses of a lavish rapper’s lifestyle. Also, he questions its worth and dismisses its relevance.
“Celebrating my Egyptian heritage and its rich history has always been at the forefront of what I do. But ‘Gold In My Veins’ allowed me to do so in a way that let me explore a new lane of sounds I was yet to touch. Inspired by the bounce and grooves of early 2000s Pharrell and Neptunes produced music I grew up with.” – Kid Pharaoh
‘Gold In My Veins’ tells an interesting tale from Kid Pharaoh’s point of view which claims his hip-hop kingship based on his royal ancestry.
Apparently, the savvy emcee’s soul is made of gold, and he is from a lineage of pharaohs who sat on thrones in the Valley of the Kings.
Later, Kid Pharaoh reveals that no one is messing with him because he’s the best in his city, state, and country.
‘Gold In My Veins’ contains a relatable storyline, braggadocious raps, and lush instrumentation scented with a hip-hop fragrance.
“You can tell these rappers I don’t need to stunt. You can tell these rappers they don’t need to front. With your false claims and your gold chains, I was born from the kings, one thing. You can tell ‘em keep the gold in your chain ’cause yeah I got gold in my veins.” – lyrics
Kid Pharaoh provides a raw and unique voice for an underrepresented Arabic community in Australia.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/kid-pharaoh-gold-in-my-veins/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated A Wrinkle in Time (2018) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
The classic children’s book A Wrinkle In Time has come to the big screen with a big-budget presentation under the direction of noted Director Ava DuVernay.
The story had been adapted prior in a 2003 television movie but this time out the scope is much larger as are the names associated with it.
The story follows a young girl named Meg (Storm Reid), who has withdrawn following the disappearance of her father (Chris Pine), four years earlier. Her brilliant adopted brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe) is very protective of Meg and wants to help ease the suffering she has endured over the loss of their father.
Enter the quirky Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspon), who Charles Wallace has been talking to unbeknownst to his family who in turn seem taken aback by her arrival and strange nature. Charles Wallace soon introduces his sister and schoolmate Calvin (Levi Miller), to Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling), who also shares some unusual quirks as well. With the arrival of the final piece in Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), the children are whisked away to another planet on a search to find the missing father and help restore light to the universe from a dark threat that endangers the universe.
What follows is a series of adventures, quirky characters, and bright visuals as the children and mysterious strangers embark on a grand adventure.
The cast is very appealing but I would love to know if the three stars filmed their scenes at the same time as it did appear at times if they were added in post-production as they did not seem to have much direct interactions with one another. The film does tackle some deep and at times dark subject matter which may be a bit much for younger viewers. One would think that Quantum Entanglements and folding space would be subjects more likely found in Star Trek vs a family film but the film does have some good messages and themes which are essential for younger viewers to note.
The film moves at a deliberate pace and does not erupt into overblown action sequences so viewers expecting a rousing action/adventure will need to temper their expectations.
For those looking for a film with an empowering message aimed at younger viewers, than “A Wrinkle in Time”, may be just the thing for an enjoyable family outing to the local cinema.
http://sknr.net/2018/03/07/a-wrinkle-in-time/
The story had been adapted prior in a 2003 television movie but this time out the scope is much larger as are the names associated with it.
The story follows a young girl named Meg (Storm Reid), who has withdrawn following the disappearance of her father (Chris Pine), four years earlier. Her brilliant adopted brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe) is very protective of Meg and wants to help ease the suffering she has endured over the loss of their father.
Enter the quirky Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspon), who Charles Wallace has been talking to unbeknownst to his family who in turn seem taken aback by her arrival and strange nature. Charles Wallace soon introduces his sister and schoolmate Calvin (Levi Miller), to Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling), who also shares some unusual quirks as well. With the arrival of the final piece in Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), the children are whisked away to another planet on a search to find the missing father and help restore light to the universe from a dark threat that endangers the universe.
What follows is a series of adventures, quirky characters, and bright visuals as the children and mysterious strangers embark on a grand adventure.
The cast is very appealing but I would love to know if the three stars filmed their scenes at the same time as it did appear at times if they were added in post-production as they did not seem to have much direct interactions with one another. The film does tackle some deep and at times dark subject matter which may be a bit much for younger viewers. One would think that Quantum Entanglements and folding space would be subjects more likely found in Star Trek vs a family film but the film does have some good messages and themes which are essential for younger viewers to note.
The film moves at a deliberate pace and does not erupt into overblown action sequences so viewers expecting a rousing action/adventure will need to temper their expectations.
For those looking for a film with an empowering message aimed at younger viewers, than “A Wrinkle in Time”, may be just the thing for an enjoyable family outing to the local cinema.
http://sknr.net/2018/03/07/a-wrinkle-in-time/
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Hearts of Stone in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Simon Scarrow brings to life the horrors of World War II in his latest novel <i>Hearts of Stone</i>. In 2013, Anna Thesskoudiss, a history teacher is contacted by a German research student, Dieter Muller who is interested in talking to her grandmother Eleni. He explains that he is the grandson of Peter Muller who was friends with her grandmother whilst staying on the Greek island of Lefkas until the war made them enemies.
Dieter Muller’s introduction implies that the story is going to be about the relationship between Eleni and Peter, which gets destroyed when Peter returns to the island as an enemy intelligence officer. The blurb for <i>Hearts of Stone</i> also implies this. However, the majority of the book focuses on their friend Andreas’ experience of the Navy and his role in the resistance. Scarrow goes into detail of every dangerous situation Andreas finds himself in, but this is not what the reader was expecting to learn about. Eventually the final chapters turn to Peter’s role in the war and the reason Eleni and he could no longer consider themselves friends.
Despite being full of action and war horrors, it gets a little boring reading about Andreas’ life. Although this narrative leads to what happens with Peter, it occasionally felt unnecessary, as it was the final stages that appeared to be the most important.
From an historical point of view it is refreshing to read a war story that is not focused on either Britain or Germany. <i>Hearts of Stone</i> reveals how Greece was affected even though they were not one of the main fighting bodies. It is shocking how many innocent people were killed purely for the Nazi’s to invoke fear in the hopes the natives would submit to their rule.
Hopefully the vast amount of mistakes and grammatical errors would have been corrected before the final – I read an uncorrected proof – publication. Admittedly <i>Hearts of Stone</i> was a bit of a disappointment as it was not exactly what it appeared to be. However it has educational value as well as entertainment for readers who enjoy war stories. Scarrow has also included maps of the Greek island of Lefkas and the Mediterranean during WWII as well as a character list to benefit readers as they take in the story.
Simon Scarrow brings to life the horrors of World War II in his latest novel <i>Hearts of Stone</i>. In 2013, Anna Thesskoudiss, a history teacher is contacted by a German research student, Dieter Muller who is interested in talking to her grandmother Eleni. He explains that he is the grandson of Peter Muller who was friends with her grandmother whilst staying on the Greek island of Lefkas until the war made them enemies.
Dieter Muller’s introduction implies that the story is going to be about the relationship between Eleni and Peter, which gets destroyed when Peter returns to the island as an enemy intelligence officer. The blurb for <i>Hearts of Stone</i> also implies this. However, the majority of the book focuses on their friend Andreas’ experience of the Navy and his role in the resistance. Scarrow goes into detail of every dangerous situation Andreas finds himself in, but this is not what the reader was expecting to learn about. Eventually the final chapters turn to Peter’s role in the war and the reason Eleni and he could no longer consider themselves friends.
Despite being full of action and war horrors, it gets a little boring reading about Andreas’ life. Although this narrative leads to what happens with Peter, it occasionally felt unnecessary, as it was the final stages that appeared to be the most important.
From an historical point of view it is refreshing to read a war story that is not focused on either Britain or Germany. <i>Hearts of Stone</i> reveals how Greece was affected even though they were not one of the main fighting bodies. It is shocking how many innocent people were killed purely for the Nazi’s to invoke fear in the hopes the natives would submit to their rule.
Hopefully the vast amount of mistakes and grammatical errors would have been corrected before the final – I read an uncorrected proof – publication. Admittedly <i>Hearts of Stone</i> was a bit of a disappointment as it was not exactly what it appeared to be. However it has educational value as well as entertainment for readers who enjoy war stories. Scarrow has also included maps of the Greek island of Lefkas and the Mediterranean during WWII as well as a character list to benefit readers as they take in the story.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated UglyDolls (2019) in Movies
Aug 16, 2019
u.g.l.y. You ain't got no alibi.
Ugly Dolls is a garish & heartless mess of stolen ideas & mixed messages. Ugly Dolls at its core is a film about being different, believing in yourself, being proud of who you are & the way you look but I found these positive messages to be all very contradictory & one sided. For instance we are told certain types of people are the evil ones because of how they dress, think & behave etc but the message of the film is to not discriminate or judge people so how is slating, stereotyping, victimising, hating & bullying them morally ok? its basically like saying using racism to combat racism is makes it fine. I know its a kids film & most of this will go over their heads but when my little nephew is turning to me questioning which characters are the villains then it must be that obvious its a problem. Now this would all be fine if the film at least looked nice or had interesting set pieces but it doesnt at all. Animation is ugly with texture work that seems lazy & unfinished in parts making what should be vibrant fluffy creatures feel a blurry texturless mess especially around the eyes & mouth areas. Lacking also in any excitement the film most of the time crawls along at a snails pace with lengthy painful sections just there to flesh out its unnecessarily complex plot. When action does start its drab & void of excitement with big scenes shamelessly stolen from films such as toy story 3 & replicated exactly just with less care & budget. While my nephew enjoyed it I could definitely see him becoming restless at times especially when nothing much was happening & talking to him when we left he knew none of the characters names either (usually he wont shut up about the plot, characters & songs after we see a film hyper & grinning from ear to ear but with this film he wasnt). Song wise theres nothing remotley catchy or memorable here & i get the sense the film was just trying to cash in on the success of the greatest showman. All in all its a film thats had minimum effort put into it designed just to sell the McDonalds happy meals it shamelessly promotes just before it starts.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Game Of Thrones - Season 6 in TV
Jul 19, 2019
Hold the Goddam Door
Contains spoilers, click to show
Season 6 of Game of thrones is another incredible display of television spinning so many plates.
The season kick starts with the immediate fallout of Jon Snows death at the end of season 5. As many predicted, it doesn't take long for his death to be reversed, thanks to Melisandre, freeing Jon of his duty to the Nights Watch, as he marches off to free Winterfell from the clutches of Ramsay Bolton.
Talking of Ramsay, he continues to show how much of a wretch he truly is (his worst point would be feeding his own infant brother to rabid dogs.)
In King's Landing, the High Sparrow continues to manipulate the crown, and makes them seem powerless whilst doing so, as fanatic religion takes hold of the capital.
Danaerys is still just being Danaerys. The writers continue to subtly hint at her being similar to her mad father before her, and I usually love the slow burn of Game of Thrones, but her story still continues to sort of plod along.
Another storyline that became a bit tiresome this season was Arya training in Bravos. When I look back on GoT, that storyline seems to stick out as the one I found most trying, even if it did result in the much awaited death of Merryn Trant.
Beyond the wall, Bran is still firmly stuck in a tree, but we see some great glimpses into the past history of Westeros in the process - the Tower of Joy scene being a highlight. This infamously leads to the 'Hold the Door' which pretty much tore everyone's hearts in two :(
It's all just very good, and the season ends on a double whammy of two of the best episodes this show ever produced.
Firstly, the Battle of the Bastards is incredible, and surpasses many Hollywood movies in terms of on screen battles. It's a fantastic hour of television (Justice for Rikkon)
And then the last episode - just wow. The opening 15 minutes holds little dialogue, and an incredible piece of score (Ramin Djawadi take a bow), as Cersei ruthlessly and quickly takes her revenge on many who have wrong her, in one fell swoop, killing off a good handful of characters in seconds - GoT was never a show to do things by halves.
The season ends with Cersei as queen, and Danaerys (finally!) crossing the sea to Westeros.
It's all really thrilling and top tier TV.
The season kick starts with the immediate fallout of Jon Snows death at the end of season 5. As many predicted, it doesn't take long for his death to be reversed, thanks to Melisandre, freeing Jon of his duty to the Nights Watch, as he marches off to free Winterfell from the clutches of Ramsay Bolton.
Talking of Ramsay, he continues to show how much of a wretch he truly is (his worst point would be feeding his own infant brother to rabid dogs.)
In King's Landing, the High Sparrow continues to manipulate the crown, and makes them seem powerless whilst doing so, as fanatic religion takes hold of the capital.
Danaerys is still just being Danaerys. The writers continue to subtly hint at her being similar to her mad father before her, and I usually love the slow burn of Game of Thrones, but her story still continues to sort of plod along.
Another storyline that became a bit tiresome this season was Arya training in Bravos. When I look back on GoT, that storyline seems to stick out as the one I found most trying, even if it did result in the much awaited death of Merryn Trant.
Beyond the wall, Bran is still firmly stuck in a tree, but we see some great glimpses into the past history of Westeros in the process - the Tower of Joy scene being a highlight. This infamously leads to the 'Hold the Door' which pretty much tore everyone's hearts in two :(
It's all just very good, and the season ends on a double whammy of two of the best episodes this show ever produced.
Firstly, the Battle of the Bastards is incredible, and surpasses many Hollywood movies in terms of on screen battles. It's a fantastic hour of television (Justice for Rikkon)
And then the last episode - just wow. The opening 15 minutes holds little dialogue, and an incredible piece of score (Ramin Djawadi take a bow), as Cersei ruthlessly and quickly takes her revenge on many who have wrong her, in one fell swoop, killing off a good handful of characters in seconds - GoT was never a show to do things by halves.
The season ends with Cersei as queen, and Danaerys (finally!) crossing the sea to Westeros.
It's all really thrilling and top tier TV.