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Universal Harvester
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Life in a small town takes a dark turn when mysterious footage begins appearing on VHS cassettes at...
All Vegan Recipes
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Looking for the best and most delicious vegan recipes? YOU'VE FOUND IT!! This incredible Vegan...
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated The Light Before Day (Nantucket Legacy #3) in Books
Mar 5, 2019
“Henry, this . . . fortune, this sudden wealth . . . I fear it will change our lives. And I don’t want my life to change.” After three years on a whaling voyage, Henry Macy returns to Nantucket to news that his grandmother has passed, bequeathing her vast fortune to him and his sister, Hitty. And it was truly vast. But Lillian Coffin was no fool. The inheritance comes with a steep cost, including when each should marry and whom—a Quaker in good standing, of course. But if they relinquish the inheritance, it all goes to Tristram Macy, their father’s thieving business partner. As Hitty and Henry seek a way to satisfy the will’s conditions, they’ll be faced with obstacles on every side—and it may be that Lillian Coffin will have the last word after all.
My Thoughts: This is the third book in the series and it doesn't disappoint! Suzanne Woods Fisher has done another incredible job with this series. In this book, it focuses on the twins Hitty and Henry and the inheritance left to them by their grandmother.
Historians will enjoy the fact that the novel is based on true events that occurred during 1837-1846. The author has done extensive history on Nantucket and the sea captains. This novel does deal with the controversy of integration ( the segregated schools).
I've enjoyed this series, especially reading Great Mary's journal and I believe readers will enjoy this book as well. The reader doesn't need to read the first two books to enjoy this novel, but it would help with some of the histories of the family.
My Thoughts: This is the third book in the series and it doesn't disappoint! Suzanne Woods Fisher has done another incredible job with this series. In this book, it focuses on the twins Hitty and Henry and the inheritance left to them by their grandmother.
Historians will enjoy the fact that the novel is based on true events that occurred during 1837-1846. The author has done extensive history on Nantucket and the sea captains. This novel does deal with the controversy of integration ( the segregated schools).
I've enjoyed this series, especially reading Great Mary's journal and I believe readers will enjoy this book as well. The reader doesn't need to read the first two books to enjoy this novel, but it would help with some of the histories of the family.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! (2018) in Movies
Aug 8, 2018
An entirely unnecessary sequel
I can't for the life of me fathom why they decided to make this film. It is one of the most depressing musicals I've ever seen (and yes I have seen Les Mis). Whilst the first film wasn't great, at least it was happy feel good sing along. This however is for the most part plain old depressing and miserable. If it wasn't for Julie Walters and the young & old Harry, this would also be entirely devoid of any form of humour.
The problem with this sequel is that it ruins the ending of the original and also tells a story that we didn't need to know. The whole flashbacks about how Donna met the guys isn't massively interesting and doesn't turn out as exciting as the first film made it sound. There's also an issue with the music. I'm not the biggest Abba fan, but I know quite a lot of their well known music, however I must have known less than half of the songs in this. I had thought they must have to use different songs, but in all honesty I wished they hadn't and just kept the more popular ones again.
This has a great cast but I think they're ruined by such a poor plot and overall film. Cher has a great voice still, but her acting skills are marred by the inability to move her face because of all the work she's had done. The whole thing is just a bit of a mess, lacks any form of spark or heart and is really just a bit pointless.
The problem with this sequel is that it ruins the ending of the original and also tells a story that we didn't need to know. The whole flashbacks about how Donna met the guys isn't massively interesting and doesn't turn out as exciting as the first film made it sound. There's also an issue with the music. I'm not the biggest Abba fan, but I know quite a lot of their well known music, however I must have known less than half of the songs in this. I had thought they must have to use different songs, but in all honesty I wished they hadn't and just kept the more popular ones again.
This has a great cast but I think they're ruined by such a poor plot and overall film. Cher has a great voice still, but her acting skills are marred by the inability to move her face because of all the work she's had done. The whole thing is just a bit of a mess, lacks any form of spark or heart and is really just a bit pointless.
Mike75 (5 KP) rated Zombicide: Invader in Tabletop Games
Jan 19, 2020
Mechanics (1 more)
Component Quality
Best Version of Zombicide
CMON really hits their stride in the Zombicide series with Zombicide: Invader. The original Zombicide was a good start but had some rough rules, as many early offerings on Kickstarter often do. Over the years, CMON has matured the series, refining the rules and making plenty of gameplay improvements with follow on editions, including a medieval/fantasy themed Black Plague editions, and now the sci-fi themed Invader.
Invader shows off the maturity of the Zombicide series with well balanced fights against hordes of aliens (who might be alien zombies, though this seems a little unclear). This game uses the nice plastic boards to track each survivors stats, as was introduced in Black Plague. New rule tweaks in Invader allow a survivor to concentrate fire on larger targets, reducing some of the unwinnable situations that sometimes dogged earlier editions. Overall the scenarios and gameplay mechanics all seem well crafted to create tense and rewarding game sessions.
As with all CMON games, there is a wide variety of expansions and characters. There are the usual cameo/homage characters drawn from pop culture and real life. There are also a number of interesting variant Abominations to increase the challenge and variety, as well as several expansions. I bought into the Kickstarter, and Zombicide: Invader may be the first Kickstarter game I've ever gotten where I've actually played through all the expansions.
Overall, a great game from CMON. Zombicide: Invader is lots of fun, and this latest edition makes me very optimistic about their upcoming Zombicide 2nd Edition and the Night of the Living Dead Editions.
Invader shows off the maturity of the Zombicide series with well balanced fights against hordes of aliens (who might be alien zombies, though this seems a little unclear). This game uses the nice plastic boards to track each survivors stats, as was introduced in Black Plague. New rule tweaks in Invader allow a survivor to concentrate fire on larger targets, reducing some of the unwinnable situations that sometimes dogged earlier editions. Overall the scenarios and gameplay mechanics all seem well crafted to create tense and rewarding game sessions.
As with all CMON games, there is a wide variety of expansions and characters. There are the usual cameo/homage characters drawn from pop culture and real life. There are also a number of interesting variant Abominations to increase the challenge and variety, as well as several expansions. I bought into the Kickstarter, and Zombicide: Invader may be the first Kickstarter game I've ever gotten where I've actually played through all the expansions.
Overall, a great game from CMON. Zombicide: Invader is lots of fun, and this latest edition makes me very optimistic about their upcoming Zombicide 2nd Edition and the Night of the Living Dead Editions.
Peacerunner: The True Story of How an Ex-Congressman Helped End the Centuries of War in Ireland
Penn Rhodeen and President Bill Clinton
Book
Peacerunner is the must-read account of how ex-congressman Bruce Morrison rose from crushing defeat...
Merissa (14120 KP) rated Protector (Kensley Panthers #5) in Books
Dec 10, 2023
PROTECTOR is the final book in the Kensley Panthers series and it is the FIRST that I have read! Although I would like to read the others in this series, I can't say as I felt I missed too much when reading this story.
Adam and Zach are best friends, coming to the end of their school lives, and wondering what the future will hold. Adam wants to stay and work on the farm. It's all he's ever wanted to do and has a love of the land. Zach isn't sure what to do. He has a bad home life but doesn't think about leaving because of his two younger sisters.
I loved how natural these two were, how they wanted to help the other, and would be there no matter what. Their relationship was so smooth, once you got over the initial stumbling step when neither knew what to do. I loved Adam's finding of himself, and Zach's acceptance.
The pacing was smooth, and the world-building was enough-even in the last book of the series-that I felt as though I knew the town and the characters that live there. If there were any errors, I didn't see them as I was too engrossed in the story.
A sweet and spicy tale that I read in one sitting, and have no hesitation in recommending.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 9, 2023
Adam and Zach are best friends, coming to the end of their school lives, and wondering what the future will hold. Adam wants to stay and work on the farm. It's all he's ever wanted to do and has a love of the land. Zach isn't sure what to do. He has a bad home life but doesn't think about leaving because of his two younger sisters.
I loved how natural these two were, how they wanted to help the other, and would be there no matter what. Their relationship was so smooth, once you got over the initial stumbling step when neither knew what to do. I loved Adam's finding of himself, and Zach's acceptance.
The pacing was smooth, and the world-building was enough-even in the last book of the series-that I felt as though I knew the town and the characters that live there. If there were any errors, I didn't see them as I was too engrossed in the story.
A sweet and spicy tale that I read in one sitting, and have no hesitation in recommending.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 9, 2023
ClareR (6256 KP) rated The Heroines in Books
Oct 29, 2023
Greek mythology is pretty much an insta-buy and read for me. I’m drawn to historical fiction anyway, and the Greek myths have always felt like an extension of that for me. That’s probably also why I’m especially attracted to the type of Greek myths that are so popular at the moment. I suppose it could be referred to more as Greek historical fiction rather than myth. The Gods and Goddesses have been taken out of the equation (inasmuch as Christian figures are in other historical fiction novels - they’re spoken of, but they don’t have a leading role), and the mortals are left to make their own life choices - even if they still like to blame it on the Gods.
Laura Shepperson gives voice to the women in the myths, and we see the story of Theseus and Phaedra from Phaedra’s point of view. There’s also a chorus of women who are suffering under the mistreatment of the men in Theseus’ palace. Servants and slave women had to do as they were told. The struggle for the women against this patriarchal system is at times violent, and the women rarely come out of it well.
There were a lot of characters in this, and I wonder if all of them were necessary. I’ll be honest, and it could be down to the good ole peri-meno brain, I did get a little confused at all the characters, but it didn’t spoil the story!
I enjoyed this quick read (ok, I didn’t put it down!). It gave me enjoyment for a couple of days - and that’s what reading is all about really, isn’t it!
Laura Shepperson gives voice to the women in the myths, and we see the story of Theseus and Phaedra from Phaedra’s point of view. There’s also a chorus of women who are suffering under the mistreatment of the men in Theseus’ palace. Servants and slave women had to do as they were told. The struggle for the women against this patriarchal system is at times violent, and the women rarely come out of it well.
There were a lot of characters in this, and I wonder if all of them were necessary. I’ll be honest, and it could be down to the good ole peri-meno brain, I did get a little confused at all the characters, but it didn’t spoil the story!
I enjoyed this quick read (ok, I didn’t put it down!). It gave me enjoyment for a couple of days - and that’s what reading is all about really, isn’t it!
Louise (64 KP) rated When We Collided in Books
Jul 2, 2018
* I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review*
Vivi arrives at Verona Cove for the summer holidays with her mum, after a few days of being in this little town she manages to snag herself a cushy little job in a pottery shop. Vivi is an extrovert, she will speak to anyone and everyone wants to be around her, she has this infectious personality and she certainly makes no exceptions when Jonah walks into the shop with his little sister. Jonah is 17 and a permanent resident at Verona Cove, however his life has been tipped upside down in the last 6 months and has become a responsible guardian to his three younger siblings while his mother is suffering from depression. Vivi and Jonah start hanging out together and become more than just friends. Vivi shows Jonah how to live like a teenager again with her wild antics and enthusiasm for life, however Jonah knows that Vivi has suffered, he has seen the scars.
This book was ok, I had problems with it though. I didn’t like Vivi whatsoever she was too flouncy, her personality was too much and the crap she came out with, such as Jonah used to be a pirate in his past life just had me rolling my eyes. There is also a serious case of insta – love in this book, as soon as Vivi sets eyes on Jonah she has to have him! urgh! There was no build up or tension between the two of them and the romance seemed a little forced and too heavy on Vivi’s side.
The mental health issues in this book were depicted really well, you could definitely tell through Vivi’s character that she was suffering and it was told in such an honest and respectful way. Even when Jonah is trying to come to terms that his mother is suffering from Depression or Ellie when she talks about her brothers stay in the psychiatric ward and recovery.
Jonah is one of six children in his household, for the past 6 months him and his two older siblings have been looking after ‘the littles’ (his 3 younger siblings) whilst his mother is battling depression. He is also trying to work his shifts at the restaurant and continue his dad’s legacy. He has no time to be a teenager, like playing baseball or worrying about homework. I love that he is a foodie, I want him to cook for me everyday as the food sounded divine.
When we collided is told in dual POV alternating from Vivi and Jonah, I would have like some other point of views in this like Vivi’s mum and Jonah’s siblings. The writing was good and even poetic in some parts. I think this book was a really good for people wanting to read about mental illness but I feel the romance wasn’t really necessary.
I recommend this book if you are interested in YA with mental health.
Overall I rated this 3 out of 5 stars
Vivi arrives at Verona Cove for the summer holidays with her mum, after a few days of being in this little town she manages to snag herself a cushy little job in a pottery shop. Vivi is an extrovert, she will speak to anyone and everyone wants to be around her, she has this infectious personality and she certainly makes no exceptions when Jonah walks into the shop with his little sister. Jonah is 17 and a permanent resident at Verona Cove, however his life has been tipped upside down in the last 6 months and has become a responsible guardian to his three younger siblings while his mother is suffering from depression. Vivi and Jonah start hanging out together and become more than just friends. Vivi shows Jonah how to live like a teenager again with her wild antics and enthusiasm for life, however Jonah knows that Vivi has suffered, he has seen the scars.
This book was ok, I had problems with it though. I didn’t like Vivi whatsoever she was too flouncy, her personality was too much and the crap she came out with, such as Jonah used to be a pirate in his past life just had me rolling my eyes. There is also a serious case of insta – love in this book, as soon as Vivi sets eyes on Jonah she has to have him! urgh! There was no build up or tension between the two of them and the romance seemed a little forced and too heavy on Vivi’s side.
The mental health issues in this book were depicted really well, you could definitely tell through Vivi’s character that she was suffering and it was told in such an honest and respectful way. Even when Jonah is trying to come to terms that his mother is suffering from Depression or Ellie when she talks about her brothers stay in the psychiatric ward and recovery.
Jonah is one of six children in his household, for the past 6 months him and his two older siblings have been looking after ‘the littles’ (his 3 younger siblings) whilst his mother is battling depression. He is also trying to work his shifts at the restaurant and continue his dad’s legacy. He has no time to be a teenager, like playing baseball or worrying about homework. I love that he is a foodie, I want him to cook for me everyday as the food sounded divine.
When we collided is told in dual POV alternating from Vivi and Jonah, I would have like some other point of views in this like Vivi’s mum and Jonah’s siblings. The writing was good and even poetic in some parts. I think this book was a really good for people wanting to read about mental illness but I feel the romance wasn’t really necessary.
I recommend this book if you are interested in YA with mental health.
Overall I rated this 3 out of 5 stars
The Nantucket Beachfront Inn (Sconset Beach #1)
Book
She's 54, broken-hearted, and starting over.... High-powered New York attorney Ava Flynn finds...
Contemporary Women's Fiction