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BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated An Uncertain Choice (An Uncertain Choice, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
After spending years preparing to become a nun, is there finally a chance that Lady Rosemarie can find true love?
Lady Rosemarie finally has peace about her imminent future at the convent. But one month before her eighteenth birthday The Noblest Knight returns after his long absence and everything she knows is turned upside down. The Ancient Vow of Hannah, that Lady Rosemarie's parents made, has one exception: marriage of true love by midnight on the 18th birthday will end the vow. Three knights are presented to Lady Rosemarie who have a contest to win her heart. But is one month long enough to fall in love? When incidences arise, it appears one of the knights is to blame. Is the convent a better choice for Lady Rosemarie or will she follow her heart to her true love?
Jody Hedlund's first YA novel did not disappoint! The medieval setting, the romance, the intrigue and the faith all met with my expectations. Lady Rosemarie's character is very naive and is swayed easily by other people's opinions. However, as the story moves along, she learns how to stand up for herself and finds what she truly believes. Although the story line was fairly predictable, I was thoroughly entertained. As usual with Jody Hedlund's books, I couldn't put it down (the laundry still isn't done). I am thankful to Jody for providing appropriate YA reading material.
I strongly recommend that you read The Vow, prequel to An Uncertain Choice. Find it for free:
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Lady Rosemarie finally has peace about her imminent future at the convent. But one month before her eighteenth birthday The Noblest Knight returns after his long absence and everything she knows is turned upside down. The Ancient Vow of Hannah, that Lady Rosemarie's parents made, has one exception: marriage of true love by midnight on the 18th birthday will end the vow. Three knights are presented to Lady Rosemarie who have a contest to win her heart. But is one month long enough to fall in love? When incidences arise, it appears one of the knights is to blame. Is the convent a better choice for Lady Rosemarie or will she follow her heart to her true love?
Jody Hedlund's first YA novel did not disappoint! The medieval setting, the romance, the intrigue and the faith all met with my expectations. Lady Rosemarie's character is very naive and is swayed easily by other people's opinions. However, as the story moves along, she learns how to stand up for herself and finds what she truly believes. Although the story line was fairly predictable, I was thoroughly entertained. As usual with Jody Hedlund's books, I couldn't put it down (the laundry still isn't done). I am thankful to Jody for providing appropriate YA reading material.
I strongly recommend that you read The Vow, prequel to An Uncertain Choice. Find it for free:
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Cheryl: My Story
6.0
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Number One Sunday Times Best Seller. For the first time Cheryl tells her full story, her way....
Hate Notes
8.0
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Amazon’s #1 Most Unputdownable Book of the Year. An Amazon Charts bestseller. A Wall Street...
The Princess Bride Adventure Book Game
Tabletop Game
Inconceivable! Climb the Cliffs of Insanity, brave the Fire Swamp, and help Buttercup, Westley,...
Hollywood Story
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App
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a true Hollywood star? Here is your chance to make those dreams...
Kelly (279 KP) rated The Birth of a Nation (2016) in Movies
Jan 9, 2019
Moving and powerful story
Contains spoilers, click to show
The birth of a nation tells the story of slave preacher Nat Turner, who leads an uprising on a plantation in the 1830s. The film itself is based on a true story.
The film tells a story of a personal history, which may otherwise be forgotten and serves as a stark reminder of what happens when we allow profits to prioritise over humanity. The bulk of the film concentrates on the slipping standards and increasing violence on the plantation where Nat was enslaved. Being a preacher, Nat was privy to conditions on nearby plantations, but chose to act after a series of event, which included the brutal attack of his wife and his own lashing for baptising a white man without the permission of his owner.
The acting within the film was good and believable. The plot line includes some pretty horrific scenes that demonstrates the ways in which slaves were punished. These scenes were used to serve a purpose to the story rather than forced to the audience.
Personally, I felt that the film itself focuses too much on the motivation of Nat Turners rebellion, and brushed over the events of the rebellion and Nat’s execution. However I have still scored the film highly, as I believe that it is a story that needs to be told in order to remind us of the horrific way that an entire race of people were perceived and treated during the 17 and 1800s. So many story’s of brave people have been lost, and we need to be aware of stories like that of Nat Turner in order to understand that slaves were not always complacent of their circumstance.
The film tells a story of a personal history, which may otherwise be forgotten and serves as a stark reminder of what happens when we allow profits to prioritise over humanity. The bulk of the film concentrates on the slipping standards and increasing violence on the plantation where Nat was enslaved. Being a preacher, Nat was privy to conditions on nearby plantations, but chose to act after a series of event, which included the brutal attack of his wife and his own lashing for baptising a white man without the permission of his owner.
The acting within the film was good and believable. The plot line includes some pretty horrific scenes that demonstrates the ways in which slaves were punished. These scenes were used to serve a purpose to the story rather than forced to the audience.
Personally, I felt that the film itself focuses too much on the motivation of Nat Turners rebellion, and brushed over the events of the rebellion and Nat’s execution. However I have still scored the film highly, as I believe that it is a story that needs to be told in order to remind us of the horrific way that an entire race of people were perceived and treated during the 17 and 1800s. So many story’s of brave people have been lost, and we need to be aware of stories like that of Nat Turner in order to understand that slaves were not always complacent of their circumstance.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Night Visitors in Books
Apr 4, 2019
I just love Carol Goodman's books. She has eerie, creepy, Gothic writing down perfectly, and this book was certainly no exception. I was hooked from the beginning. This novel alternates between Mattie and Alice's perspectives. Mattie is older (fifties), living alone in her decrepit home, damaged by her past.
"When I told Anita that I didn't believe in God she'd pressed the medal into my hand and told me that I should just say a prayer to whatever I did believe in. So I say my prayers to Anita Esteban, who left her drunk, no-good husband, raised three children on her own, went back to school, and earned a law degree. She's what I believe in."
I took to her immediately. You know that there's definitely more to each woman's story than meets the eye, and it's fascinating to watch their stories unfold. Alice shows up with a story about running away from an abusive relationship. Oren, she claims, is all she cares about. Is that true? How much can we trust either of the women? What I loved was that the book had me guessing the entire time. It was incredibly captivating, and both women seemed so real.
As for Oren, he was great, too, and you immediately wanted to protect him. The novel definitely has some creepy and mysterious pieces to it. It's less about suspending disbelief than just engaging with the story--becoming a part of it. I certainly found myself spooked a few times. It's a compelling tale, which will keep you engaged, intrigued by the characters, and culminates is a really great twisty (and twisted) story. This one isn't necessarily for the faint of heart; there are some brutal moments here. But what I really loved is that while this can be a very dark story, it's also weirdly sweet, too. I was very touched in places--a true sign that I'd grown to love these characters.
Overall, another enjoyable book from Goodman. She has a way of sucking you into the landscape of her books--and suddenly you are engrossed by the story and its characters. This one was eerie, captivating, mysterious, and yet oddly heartwarming at times. 4+ stars.
"When I told Anita that I didn't believe in God she'd pressed the medal into my hand and told me that I should just say a prayer to whatever I did believe in. So I say my prayers to Anita Esteban, who left her drunk, no-good husband, raised three children on her own, went back to school, and earned a law degree. She's what I believe in."
I took to her immediately. You know that there's definitely more to each woman's story than meets the eye, and it's fascinating to watch their stories unfold. Alice shows up with a story about running away from an abusive relationship. Oren, she claims, is all she cares about. Is that true? How much can we trust either of the women? What I loved was that the book had me guessing the entire time. It was incredibly captivating, and both women seemed so real.
As for Oren, he was great, too, and you immediately wanted to protect him. The novel definitely has some creepy and mysterious pieces to it. It's less about suspending disbelief than just engaging with the story--becoming a part of it. I certainly found myself spooked a few times. It's a compelling tale, which will keep you engaged, intrigued by the characters, and culminates is a really great twisty (and twisted) story. This one isn't necessarily for the faint of heart; there are some brutal moments here. But what I really loved is that while this can be a very dark story, it's also weirdly sweet, too. I was very touched in places--a true sign that I'd grown to love these characters.
Overall, another enjoyable book from Goodman. She has a way of sucking you into the landscape of her books--and suddenly you are engrossed by the story and its characters. This one was eerie, captivating, mysterious, and yet oddly heartwarming at times. 4+ stars.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Fighter (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
Based on a true story, The Fighter tells the tale of two brother boxers. Retired and addicted to drugs, Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale) lives life as the town hero while dreaming of a comeback career. Meanwhile his talented younger brother Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) is reaching his fighting apex. That is, if he can choose to move past family ties that are holding him from success.
The surprising sibling chemistry of actors Bale and Wahlberg is the successful binding force in the The Fighter. The skill of these two brings relevance to the film for an audience that might otherwise step past a sports story by giving it heart.
Also leading the cast is Amy Adams as Charlene Fleming, a bartender and the love interest of Micky. Charlene threatens to challenge Micky’s already rocky relationship with his family and while this is not Adam’s most impressive role it does display a stretch from her previous body of work.
The supporting cast, consisting of the Micky and Dicky’s sisters and a number of coach and agent figures, adds a much-needed comedic element to a film. Yet it is the small character choices that create emotion in the story, from Micky’s beat-up low budget automobile to the numerous half intelligent one-liners delivered from an increasingly unstable Dicky. This instability combined with gritty shots, constantly moving camera angles, and drab colors provide the audience with a full view of the challenges faced by both brothers in the struggle to survive as boxers.
Unlike the majority of sports stories turned into film The Fighter tackles a much more realistic portrayal of both the sport and the human complexities of the characters involved. The Fighter is more a movie about being a boxer than one about the sport itself, resulting in much of the story occurring outside of the ring. However, there is no denying that The Fighter is a tried and true sports film that overcomes the overplayed story through compelling acting and quality plot.
The surprising sibling chemistry of actors Bale and Wahlberg is the successful binding force in the The Fighter. The skill of these two brings relevance to the film for an audience that might otherwise step past a sports story by giving it heart.
Also leading the cast is Amy Adams as Charlene Fleming, a bartender and the love interest of Micky. Charlene threatens to challenge Micky’s already rocky relationship with his family and while this is not Adam’s most impressive role it does display a stretch from her previous body of work.
The supporting cast, consisting of the Micky and Dicky’s sisters and a number of coach and agent figures, adds a much-needed comedic element to a film. Yet it is the small character choices that create emotion in the story, from Micky’s beat-up low budget automobile to the numerous half intelligent one-liners delivered from an increasingly unstable Dicky. This instability combined with gritty shots, constantly moving camera angles, and drab colors provide the audience with a full view of the challenges faced by both brothers in the struggle to survive as boxers.
Unlike the majority of sports stories turned into film The Fighter tackles a much more realistic portrayal of both the sport and the human complexities of the characters involved. The Fighter is more a movie about being a boxer than one about the sport itself, resulting in much of the story occurring outside of the ring. However, there is no denying that The Fighter is a tried and true sports film that overcomes the overplayed story through compelling acting and quality plot.
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated The Story of Silence in Books
Jun 17, 2021
An Arthurian tale, adapted from a 13th century lost poem, containing dragons and knights but tackling the fluid notion of gender? Sign me up! Literally! Thank you to Eidelweiss+ and HarperVoyager for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Silence is born a girl, but due to the laws of inheritance is raised a boy, with only 3 people knowing their true gender (one of whom, initially, is not Silence). The Story of Silence follows Silence from birth, showing their struggles between Nature and Nurture in the medieval period.
The writing style of this fantasy novel is remarkable, with an almost lyrical, ballad quality to it. The settings of Cornwall, and later Brittany, are described in such a way that captivates the reader, transporting them to the jousting fields, the towering castles and the courts of Earls and Kings.
The writing is at a slower pace, a literary journey rather than a sprint and for that reason I didn’t quite get the feeling of “I can’t put this down”, particularly in the middle of the novel. However, the twists and turns in Silence’s life were always quick to pull me back in.
As a character, the reader loves Silence from the very beginning. None of the struggles of their life are of their own making. Indeed, there are moments within this story where it would have been much simpler to tell the truth but Silence does not, displaying true knightly qualities of courage and loyalty. If I had one criticism of this book it is that, after his first “courses”, Silence doesn’t seem to find disguising his Nature very difficult., Yes, he binds his chest but he also travels on the road with male companions for years with no further mention of the more natural signs of his true nature.
The cast of characters surrounding Silence are also excellent, we have the troubled Earl Cador who, despite his original plan, it seems cannot love his child as he should; Griselle and the seneschal who do love and care for Silence and then there is Merlin.
Now, I know Silence should be my favourite character but Merlin stole the show in my opinion! There is no stoical wizard in Myers’ world, oh no! Merlin is a naked, disgusting old man who has an awful habit of laughing out loud at the unseen futures of those he passes. I also appreciated how Merlin wasn’t a solution to Silence’s problems (in fact the opposite is true!). Despite the magical undercurrent within this story, Merlin doesn’t fix everything with the flick of a magic wand – conversely he forces Silence to look inside and solve their own riddle, emphasising that you do not need to fit into one category or another, you can be both, you can be what you decide to be.
It should also be noted that, up to this point in the novel, Silence is referred to with the male pronoun, as that is how he sees himself. He is a boy. He is a knight! However, on processing Merlin’s world this pronoun notably changes to they and their. A beautiful detail that resonated how Silence had accepted their true identity.
The characterisation of women in The Story of Silence is something that has been picked up on a lot by my fellow reviewers and yes, the women in this book are often sex-crazed, deceitful, disloyal creatures. This is also an issue that is directly discussed within the author’s note, further proving that this was not an intentional slight on women. Alex Myers is an author, they are telling a story and that story takes place in the 13th century when, unfortunately, women were depicted like this. The main despicable action by a woman is essential to stay true to the poem. Was it frustrating as a female reader? Sometimes. But are there an equal number of ugly characteristics shown in the male characters? Absolutely!
The Story of Silence is a slow-burning tale which steadily unfurls into a captivating narrative which will stay with the reader long after the final page. The original 13th century poem captures the concept of gender so beautifully but Alex Myers takes this even further, handling Silence’s journey with love and compassion. I feel very lucky to have read this.
Silence is born a girl, but due to the laws of inheritance is raised a boy, with only 3 people knowing their true gender (one of whom, initially, is not Silence). The Story of Silence follows Silence from birth, showing their struggles between Nature and Nurture in the medieval period.
The writing style of this fantasy novel is remarkable, with an almost lyrical, ballad quality to it. The settings of Cornwall, and later Brittany, are described in such a way that captivates the reader, transporting them to the jousting fields, the towering castles and the courts of Earls and Kings.
The writing is at a slower pace, a literary journey rather than a sprint and for that reason I didn’t quite get the feeling of “I can’t put this down”, particularly in the middle of the novel. However, the twists and turns in Silence’s life were always quick to pull me back in.
As a character, the reader loves Silence from the very beginning. None of the struggles of their life are of their own making. Indeed, there are moments within this story where it would have been much simpler to tell the truth but Silence does not, displaying true knightly qualities of courage and loyalty. If I had one criticism of this book it is that, after his first “courses”, Silence doesn’t seem to find disguising his Nature very difficult., Yes, he binds his chest but he also travels on the road with male companions for years with no further mention of the more natural signs of his true nature.
The cast of characters surrounding Silence are also excellent, we have the troubled Earl Cador who, despite his original plan, it seems cannot love his child as he should; Griselle and the seneschal who do love and care for Silence and then there is Merlin.
Now, I know Silence should be my favourite character but Merlin stole the show in my opinion! There is no stoical wizard in Myers’ world, oh no! Merlin is a naked, disgusting old man who has an awful habit of laughing out loud at the unseen futures of those he passes. I also appreciated how Merlin wasn’t a solution to Silence’s problems (in fact the opposite is true!). Despite the magical undercurrent within this story, Merlin doesn’t fix everything with the flick of a magic wand – conversely he forces Silence to look inside and solve their own riddle, emphasising that you do not need to fit into one category or another, you can be both, you can be what you decide to be.
It should also be noted that, up to this point in the novel, Silence is referred to with the male pronoun, as that is how he sees himself. He is a boy. He is a knight! However, on processing Merlin’s world this pronoun notably changes to they and their. A beautiful detail that resonated how Silence had accepted their true identity.
The characterisation of women in The Story of Silence is something that has been picked up on a lot by my fellow reviewers and yes, the women in this book are often sex-crazed, deceitful, disloyal creatures. This is also an issue that is directly discussed within the author’s note, further proving that this was not an intentional slight on women. Alex Myers is an author, they are telling a story and that story takes place in the 13th century when, unfortunately, women were depicted like this. The main despicable action by a woman is essential to stay true to the poem. Was it frustrating as a female reader? Sometimes. But are there an equal number of ugly characteristics shown in the male characters? Absolutely!
The Story of Silence is a slow-burning tale which steadily unfurls into a captivating narrative which will stay with the reader long after the final page. The original 13th century poem captures the concept of gender so beautifully but Alex Myers takes this even further, handling Silence’s journey with love and compassion. I feel very lucky to have read this.
Book Divas (227 KP) rated Jeremy's Story in Books
Dec 12, 2017 (Updated Dec 12, 2017)
Set aside some time because the minute you start to read this you won't want to put it down; I read it in one sitting. Grab yourself a box of tissues because you will need them while reading this poignant and at times heartbreaking story. I cannot remember the last time I read a book that touched on so many real life issues and I commend the outstanding job that the author has done here.
Jeremy's Story reads like a true story as we come to completely understand and applaud the portrayal of a fifteen year old teen boy who through no fault of his own has HIV. It is powerfully written and contains beautiful and heart felt characters. The message of acceptance, tolerance and of love that are contained within the pages of this book will forever stay with me and I loudly recommend this book to one and all.
{I received an eARC when I signed up to host the blog tour. I made no guarantee of a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own.}
Jeremy's Story reads like a true story as we come to completely understand and applaud the portrayal of a fifteen year old teen boy who through no fault of his own has HIV. It is powerfully written and contains beautiful and heart felt characters. The message of acceptance, tolerance and of love that are contained within the pages of this book will forever stay with me and I loudly recommend this book to one and all.
{I received an eARC when I signed up to host the blog tour. I made no guarantee of a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own.}