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Alison Pink (7 KP) rated The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing Genius in Books
Jan 15, 2018
Oh my goodness! What an amazing book & knowing that it is all true just makes it that much more fascinating. This family is amazing & their story could inspire anyone to want to give it all they've got.
As a teacher who is continually put under more & more pressure to get my students to pass a test, this book was heart warming. It speaks to the true heart of teaching & learning. The theme of the book is to set a high ceiling for anyone & let their passions direct them. If & when this is done, you will marvel at the results. This is sooooo true!! I've been privileged enough to see this within in my own classroom. It just leaves me wondering what kind of "genius" all this emphasis on "high stakes" testing is stifling within our society at this very moment... What a shame!
As a teacher who is continually put under more & more pressure to get my students to pass a test, this book was heart warming. It speaks to the true heart of teaching & learning. The theme of the book is to set a high ceiling for anyone & let their passions direct them. If & when this is done, you will marvel at the results. This is sooooo true!! I've been privileged enough to see this within in my own classroom. It just leaves me wondering what kind of "genius" all this emphasis on "high stakes" testing is stifling within our society at this very moment... What a shame!

Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated Anger Is a Gift in Books
Apr 7, 2018
This book has left me speechless, in awe, and in tears. The timeliness of it with the #MarchFor OurLives can not be understated. It reminds us that minorities have been faced with violence for too long and often at the hands of those who are supposed to serve and protect. The diversity of the characters is truely a quilt of the underrepresented within this country. The care and compassion that Oshiro uses to create such deep characters makes a true impact on the reader. As a middle and elementary school teacher I don't think I could use this book to teach but I can recommend it. I think this book needs to be in every high school library in the country though and possibly used in the curriculum . It is a discussion that needs to be opened.

Aasiyah Sidat (34 KP) rated Counting on You in Books
Oct 2, 2018
Counting on You
“She wasn’t the most boring person in the world, but she wasn’t exactly ready to start booking stand up routines at the comedy club either.”
Counting on You begins with our female lead, Hayleigh who is a successful maths teacher in her late twenties but has had some difficulty dating. Scratch that, she hasn’t dated since her high school boyfriend left her with a sour taste in her mouth. After an awkward first date at a dive bar, Amarillo Sour, she meets our male lead Ian; an app developer at Link digital who is Conveniently working on a dating app that is at the pinnacle of his career. This book follows Ian as he helps Hayleigh navigate the murky waters of the online dating world.
Continue reading my review at: https://www.readsandrecipes.co.uk/2018/08/counting-on-you-by-laura-chapman.html
Counting on You begins with our female lead, Hayleigh who is a successful maths teacher in her late twenties but has had some difficulty dating. Scratch that, she hasn’t dated since her high school boyfriend left her with a sour taste in her mouth. After an awkward first date at a dive bar, Amarillo Sour, she meets our male lead Ian; an app developer at Link digital who is Conveniently working on a dating app that is at the pinnacle of his career. This book follows Ian as he helps Hayleigh navigate the murky waters of the online dating world.
Continue reading my review at: https://www.readsandrecipes.co.uk/2018/08/counting-on-you-by-laura-chapman.html

Andy K (10823 KP) rated Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) in Movies
Oct 5, 2018
Jamie Lee returns!
Coming off the pukefest that was the Curse of Michael Myers, filmmakers had nowhere to go but up.
Seeing Jamie Lee Curtis back as Laurie Strode alongside younger versions of Michelle Williams, Josh Hartnett and Joseph Gordon-Levitt gave me a thrill. Unfortunately, the screenplay is substandard and doesn't really give the characters much to do.
Since she was last seen, Laurie has gone into hiding with her teenage son and is now a teacher at a private school in California still haunted by the events on Halloween 20 years ago.
The last act redeems the film a little with the family reunion and final confrontation being enjoyable and nostalgic; however, when the film ends I still had the feeling like an opportunity to make a truly great horror film was wasted.
Seeing Jamie Lee Curtis back as Laurie Strode alongside younger versions of Michelle Williams, Josh Hartnett and Joseph Gordon-Levitt gave me a thrill. Unfortunately, the screenplay is substandard and doesn't really give the characters much to do.
Since she was last seen, Laurie has gone into hiding with her teenage son and is now a teacher at a private school in California still haunted by the events on Halloween 20 years ago.
The last act redeems the film a little with the family reunion and final confrontation being enjoyable and nostalgic; however, when the film ends I still had the feeling like an opportunity to make a truly great horror film was wasted.

Milleen (47 KP) rated How to Stop Time in Books
Nov 14, 2018
Matt Haig has written a variety of books for children and adults as well as a memoir that topped the bestseller list for almost a year. Now he has delved back into adult fiction and delivered a delightful novel that will leave you pondering. Tom Hazard may look like an ordinary 41-year-old, but owing to a rare condition, he's been aging slowly over centuries. From Elizabethan England to 1920s Paris and further afield, Tom is forced to change his identity to stay alive. He is forced to abide by one rule, to not fall in love. Tom finally gets the ‘ordinary’ life he craves and finds work as a history teacher in a modern London comprehensive but how much longer can he keep this secret? ‘How to Stop Time’ is a bittersweet story about life, loss and change.

BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Drawing Lesson: A Graphic Novel That Teaches You How to Draw in Books
Jan 2, 2019
I was very impressed with this new approach to drawing lessons. Fresh and different there is a lot to learn. There are several "Chapters" touching on subjects such as: Shading, Using Negative Space, Checking Proportions, Simplifying Things, and more. Seeing the examples and poor David's frustration at constantly having to redraw lines, helps me feel a little more normal in my artwork. I love the interaction between teacher and student. David's eagerness to learn and study...And his teacher's guiding hand, bringing him back to earth. I recommend this book for those who have a basic concept of drawing, but would like to learn more. Have fun with it, and remember, art is NOT like math!
I received a free copy of The Drawing Lesson through Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
I received a free copy of The Drawing Lesson through Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Alexandra Shattock (31 KP) rated Woman in the Water (D.S. Imogen Grey, #6) in Books
Dec 21, 2019
Wow!
Contains spoilers, click to show
I have read all Ms Diamond's books and they are all phenomenal. This one as usual has good characters and great villains but what she does brilliantly is take you on a journey that emotionally challenges you on every level.
A woman is found in the water and trying to solve the mystery of why she was there and the intricacies of her life and who tried to he her take our two main detectives on a very awkward and heart wrenching journey. Something happens which is particularly shocking but the author handles it very well indeed with respect but also showing the emotional trauma involved.
I would highly recommend those who like police procedural to read this series. Start at the beginning with The Teacher, really, you'll thank me later!
A woman is found in the water and trying to solve the mystery of why she was there and the intricacies of her life and who tried to he her take our two main detectives on a very awkward and heart wrenching journey. Something happens which is particularly shocking but the author handles it very well indeed with respect but also showing the emotional trauma involved.
I would highly recommend those who like police procedural to read this series. Start at the beginning with The Teacher, really, you'll thank me later!

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