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Christine Allard (22 KP) rated The Secret History in Books
Jan 26, 2018
Coming of age, why dunnit, college, and flawed characters
Contains spoilers, click to show
This book has been one of my all-time favorites for years, and one of the few I re-read about every year or two.
A clique of "gifted misfits" find one another and form a clique at a liberal arts school (think Middlebury) on the East Coast. One is dead very early on. The rest of the book unfolds with. their incredibly intertwined, co-dependant, and complex relationships as you slowly learn what happened, why it did, and what's going to go down after.
A clique of "gifted misfits" find one another and form a clique at a liberal arts school (think Middlebury) on the East Coast. One is dead very early on. The rest of the book unfolds with. their incredibly intertwined, co-dependant, and complex relationships as you slowly learn what happened, why it did, and what's going to go down after.
Amanda Mahaffey (3 KP) rated Honeysuckle Dreams in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book was a story of Brady a single dad who has to deal with issues in his past and present with his son. And Hope who has some issues of a lost love and fear to love and let someone love her . This story shows love, friendship, trust, and hope between Hope and Brady. They both work together and come up with a plan to help save Brady from losing his son. They both have scars they need work pass within themselves. I enjoyed reading this book because the characters are easy to like and in the previous book they are introduced so you know a little of their story. Denise Hunter does a great job of mixing fiction writing into lessons that some people may need to hear about fear and how God always has our backs.
Sophie Foster has never quite felt like she fit in with her family. Turns out, that's because she isn't human. When she meets Fitz, her entire life changes as she leaves the Forbidden Cities of the human world to join the Lost Cities of the Elves. But her presence stirs up trouble in the Lost Cities as two different hidden factions start fighting over her. Can she navigate this new world and figure out who to trust?
This set contains the first three books in the series in paperback. They are filled with twists, turns, and surprises as well as wonderful characters and a fantasy world I would love to go visit. If you enjoy Middle Grade fantasy, you need to read these books, and when you do, you'll devour these three books as quickly as you can.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/11/book-review-keeper-of-lost-cities.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This set contains the first three books in the series in paperback. They are filled with twists, turns, and surprises as well as wonderful characters and a fantasy world I would love to go visit. If you enjoy Middle Grade fantasy, you need to read these books, and when you do, you'll devour these three books as quickly as you can.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/11/book-review-keeper-of-lost-cities.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Connie (244 KP) rated Super Powereds: Year 3 in Books
Jun 8, 2018 (Updated Jun 8, 2018)
The series you NEED to read!
Drew has done it again. After Year 2 I was worried that there would be nowhere new and exciting to go... But boynwas I wrong! I've never been so glad to be wrong, either. The twists and turns of the plot would do ANY Subtlety hero proud!
The Melbrook crew has made it to their third year, and things get even tougher as they go. A lot of questions (and a little bit of romance) keep the ball rolling, and we start to see the adult more and more in each of the students. Situations aren't what they seem at first sight, and not everyone is who they claim to be. How do you find trust in a world where everyone has a hidden identity?
This series is building toward a fantastic climax, and I can't wait to see what happens next!
This book has about 650 pages and cost $6 via Kindle.
The Melbrook crew has made it to their third year, and things get even tougher as they go. A lot of questions (and a little bit of romance) keep the ball rolling, and we start to see the adult more and more in each of the students. Situations aren't what they seem at first sight, and not everyone is who they claim to be. How do you find trust in a world where everyone has a hidden identity?
This series is building toward a fantastic climax, and I can't wait to see what happens next!
This book has about 650 pages and cost $6 via Kindle.
Booksnthreads (19 KP) rated Children of Blood and Bone: Book 1 in Books
Jun 2, 2018 (Updated Jun 2, 2018)
I’ve been looking for a sci-fi/fantasy novel this good since reading The Hunger Games. So many books let me down, but this one it my new favorite.
Such phenomenal world building, weaving into the narrative rather than simply telling. Thank you Adeyemi for believing in the readers enough to trust that they can figure things out as the story is told!
So many of the books written for young adults now, especially those specifically designed as a series, fail to deliver characters that are nuanced instead of stereotypical. Adeyemi delivers. So many books work too hard to to extend the story into the next book; Adeyemi seems to effortlessly build the plot to a natural crescendo that, yes leaves you hanging, but with just enough resolution to be satisfied.
I am eagerly anticipating the next installment and, essentially, anything that this author puts out. She has a long career ahead of her, and I look forward to follow8ng her progress.
Such phenomenal world building, weaving into the narrative rather than simply telling. Thank you Adeyemi for believing in the readers enough to trust that they can figure things out as the story is told!
So many of the books written for young adults now, especially those specifically designed as a series, fail to deliver characters that are nuanced instead of stereotypical. Adeyemi delivers. So many books work too hard to to extend the story into the next book; Adeyemi seems to effortlessly build the plot to a natural crescendo that, yes leaves you hanging, but with just enough resolution to be satisfied.
I am eagerly anticipating the next installment and, essentially, anything that this author puts out. She has a long career ahead of her, and I look forward to follow8ng her progress.
Paul Smedley (141 KP) rated Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) in Movies
Jun 20, 2018
Stop. Eject.
Well! I was really looking forward to this film as I loved the first one but this is god awful.
I love Jon Boyega but in this he doesn’t seem to be acting and seems like he’s in a rush to go home.
Charlie Day is another person I love to see in films and programmes but I cannot understand why he read the script on this one and agreed to go ahead with it.
The story is ridiculous, the acting is dire and I liked nothing about it other than Burn Gorman. His character remains the same and he is a delight to watch. The rest of the film is just full of ‘cringeworthy what the f@&£ness’
Watch the first, enjoy the first and imagine there was no sequel and that it ended where it did.
Trust me, you do not want to know where they took the story; it’s diabolical and you wouldn’t believe me!
I love Jon Boyega but in this he doesn’t seem to be acting and seems like he’s in a rush to go home.
Charlie Day is another person I love to see in films and programmes but I cannot understand why he read the script on this one and agreed to go ahead with it.
The story is ridiculous, the acting is dire and I liked nothing about it other than Burn Gorman. His character remains the same and he is a delight to watch. The rest of the film is just full of ‘cringeworthy what the f@&£ness’
Watch the first, enjoy the first and imagine there was no sequel and that it ended where it did.
Trust me, you do not want to know where they took the story; it’s diabolical and you wouldn’t believe me!
Stormy (1 KP) rated Coco (2017) in Movies
Jul 3, 2018
Amazing. Colorful.
Coco is a solid 10. I can't believe how wonderful it is. It's one of my son's favorites, so I've seen it enough times to tell you the whole story by heart... but the gist is
Miguel wants to play music. His family is against music due to a long dead grandmothers vendetta. (This movie centers around the legend of the Land of The Dead, and Dia de los Muertos.) Miguel will do whatever it takes to achieve his dream of being a famous musician! He travels to thr Land of the Dead and goes on an adventure with his decesed relatives to get back home to the Land of the living.
This movie is a tale of friendship, trust and familial bonds. It is a wonderfully colorful movie with a great learning experience for people who don't know about Dia de los Muertos. It's full of wonderful music and an incredible journey.
Miguel wants to play music. His family is against music due to a long dead grandmothers vendetta. (This movie centers around the legend of the Land of The Dead, and Dia de los Muertos.) Miguel will do whatever it takes to achieve his dream of being a famous musician! He travels to thr Land of the Dead and goes on an adventure with his decesed relatives to get back home to the Land of the living.
This movie is a tale of friendship, trust and familial bonds. It is a wonderfully colorful movie with a great learning experience for people who don't know about Dia de los Muertos. It's full of wonderful music and an incredible journey.
David McK (3377 KP) rated Tarnished Knight (The Lost Stars, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Spin-off from <i>The Lost Fleet</i> series, with this taking place after the events off/concurrently with those of [b:The Lost Fleet Beyond the Frontier Dreadnaught|9676849|The Lost Fleet Beyond the Frontier Dreadnaught (The Lost Fleet Beyond the Frontier, #1)|Jack Campbell|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388524088s/9676849.jpg|14564728] (and it's sequels).
Following the defeat of the Syndicate Worlds at the hands of 'Black Jack' Geary, more and more former Syndicate Worlds are rising up against their old masters - this novel concentrating on one such world, that of Midway.
However, neither former CEOs Artur Drakon or Gwen Iceni are sure if they can trust the other ...
As a spin-off, this introduces almost-entirely new characters, along with some mentioned in passing, or who have had a small role in previous novels. It also makes occasional reference to those earlier novels - particularly to 'Black Jack' Geary himself and some of his actions, even though he is entirely absent from the story.
Following the defeat of the Syndicate Worlds at the hands of 'Black Jack' Geary, more and more former Syndicate Worlds are rising up against their old masters - this novel concentrating on one such world, that of Midway.
However, neither former CEOs Artur Drakon or Gwen Iceni are sure if they can trust the other ...
As a spin-off, this introduces almost-entirely new characters, along with some mentioned in passing, or who have had a small role in previous novels. It also makes occasional reference to those earlier novels - particularly to 'Black Jack' Geary himself and some of his actions, even though he is entirely absent from the story.
Merissa (11967 KP) rated Witch Hunt (Preternatural Affairs, #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
Poor Cèsar. He just can't catch a break at the moment. He catches a criminal, goes out for a drink to celebrate and then things get a bit blurry. He wakes up with a hangover from hell and an apartment that's been trashed. What would you do?
This story all takes place during one week as Cèsar tries to figure out what's going on, who he can trust but more importantly who he can't. You are kept on your toes throughout the book as you wonder if that person was involved, or did that person have something to do with it. Cèsar has one helluva week.
Witch Hunt is full of twists and turns and gives you an insight into the Office of Preternatural Affairs and the Union, who we have met from the other side in the Descent series. It is a highly entertaining tale that is not as dark as some of S.M. Reine's previous works. Recommended.
This story all takes place during one week as Cèsar tries to figure out what's going on, who he can trust but more importantly who he can't. You are kept on your toes throughout the book as you wonder if that person was involved, or did that person have something to do with it. Cèsar has one helluva week.
Witch Hunt is full of twists and turns and gives you an insight into the Office of Preternatural Affairs and the Union, who we have met from the other side in the Descent series. It is a highly entertaining tale that is not as dark as some of S.M. Reine's previous works. Recommended.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Die Hard (1988) in Movies
Dec 1, 2019
Over thirty years on, John McTiernan's superlative action movie continues to thrill and delight audiences, as well as become rightly acclaimed as one of the great Christmas films, guaranteed to warm the heart - at the end, the terrorists/criminals have been defeated, the McClanes have been reconciled, and Al the cop has rediscovered the joy of gunning people down in the street.
Strange to think that, contractually, the producers were initially obliged to offer the lead role to Frank Sinatra - in the end, the film shows what can happen when you take two actors with almost no track record in movies and invest a little trust in them: Bruce Willis' sweaty, frantic turn as the blue-collar McClane makes him a new kind of action hero, while Rickman's status as an exceptional thief is confirmed by the way he steals the movie. Good jokes, terrific action sequences, and a deceptively clever script: one of those films that will always be as great as you remember.
Strange to think that, contractually, the producers were initially obliged to offer the lead role to Frank Sinatra - in the end, the film shows what can happen when you take two actors with almost no track record in movies and invest a little trust in them: Bruce Willis' sweaty, frantic turn as the blue-collar McClane makes him a new kind of action hero, while Rickman's status as an exceptional thief is confirmed by the way he steals the movie. Good jokes, terrific action sequences, and a deceptively clever script: one of those films that will always be as great as you remember.