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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Full Circle: From Hollywood to Real Life and Back Again in Books
Dec 30, 2019
I wanted so badly to fall in love with Andrea Barber's autobiography, but I just couldn't. It wasn't so much of a bad read. It was just very slow paced and boring. It just feels like someone rambling on and on. You know when someone talks to you and won't shut up about something, but they go on and on. It kind of felt like that. Sometimes I felt like I was getting preached at about how to be happy. While I admired Barber's strength to overcome her anxiety, I just felt like there wasn't much happening. Nothing special really stuck out. However, the book does get good about three quarters of the way in. From there, it really held my attention as Barber explains about being on Fuller House and her cast mates. This is a very uplifting autobiography, but I just didn't fall in love with it. It is well written word wise though.
Merissa (12861 KP) rated Summer Fire (The Lake House, #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
I received this book from Jar O' Marbles in return for a fair and honest review.
This is a short contemporary romance that nevertheless manages to convey the whole build up to the romance plus the anguish that Jack has lived through. There is depth to this novella which usually is missing due to the nature of the book. Somehow, Kate Austin has managed to give you their backstory, and how their relationship developed, plus Jack's history, all in a few short pages. This made the story all the more enjoyable.
If I had one complaint, it would be that you didn't find out anything really about Kara's creepy ex-fiance and family but that isn't really relevant anyway. That's just me being nosy.
Thoroughly enjoy this novella and although this story was wrapped up exceedingly well, was left wanting more from The Lake House. Highly recommended.
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is a short contemporary romance that nevertheless manages to convey the whole build up to the romance plus the anguish that Jack has lived through. There is depth to this novella which usually is missing due to the nature of the book. Somehow, Kate Austin has managed to give you their backstory, and how their relationship developed, plus Jack's history, all in a few short pages. This made the story all the more enjoyable.
If I had one complaint, it would be that you didn't find out anything really about Kara's creepy ex-fiance and family but that isn't really relevant anyway. That's just me being nosy.
Thoroughly enjoy this novella and although this story was wrapped up exceedingly well, was left wanting more from The Lake House. Highly recommended.
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated The Diving-bell and the Butterfly in Books
Jul 2, 2019
Emotional
Contains spoilers, click to show
This is a short memoir with snip-bits of chapters. The late Bauby had locked in syndrome, this is one of the reasons that makes this book remarkable. Being unable to speak or move, his story is captured by a friend through the authors blinking with his left eye. He finds a way to rearrange the alphabet in order of letter usage in French. This is not a heart rendering account of a man trapped in (as he calls it) a cocoon, but rather a snap shot of the way he copes, the way his memory allows him to heighten his imagination, the way he separates his existence from the outside world and the way his mind saves him from boredom.
Beautifully written with a conversational tone, this is a wonderful glimpse into the mind of a person whose body no longer works.
Beautifully written with a conversational tone, this is a wonderful glimpse into the mind of a person whose body no longer works.
Anne (15117 KP) rated Archimancy (Shadow School, #1) in Books
Nov 4, 2019
I loved and enjoyed this a lot. It was the perfect light and cozy spooky type of read yet it also has deep meaning, great themes and lessons in it as well. It's the first book in what I think will be an amazing Middle-Grade series and the more I read and check into MG books, the more I think that MG is sometimes being overlooked and shouldn't be. Middle Grade is a gold mine with lots of hidden gems in it and this is one of them that had me feeling very satisfied, happy and left with warm fuzzies.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series. Also J. A. White is a fantastic author, I keep falling in love with all his stories and books. If you haven't read this book or any books by J. A. White then you'd better go check his books out!
I can't wait to read the next book in this series. Also J. A. White is a fantastic author, I keep falling in love with all his stories and books. If you haven't read this book or any books by J. A. White then you'd better go check his books out!
Leigh J (71 KP) rated The Deadly Spawn (1983) in Movies
Nov 10, 2019
Creatures from the Black... Meteor!
Contains spoilers, click to show
A meteor comes crashing down to Earth one night... and it's inhabitants are a little bitey! Two campers witness the crash and soon enough fall victim to the sharp-toothed monsters, who then set their sights on a small town. After 2 grizzly murders, the monsters move onto another House. But these residents (one being a kid obsessed with Horror and Monster Movies) are willing to put up more of a fight against these creatures.
I really like The Deadly Spawn. It gets a lot of negative reviews and I have no idea why; it's actually very good... I've definitely seen a lot worse! It is quite tongue in cheek (which honestly makes it fun and terrifying at the same time) but comes with some very decent gore and the creatures look really good as well... pretty realistic! I enjoy it every single time I dig it out and give it a watch... one for the Creature Feature fans!
I really like The Deadly Spawn. It gets a lot of negative reviews and I have no idea why; it's actually very good... I've definitely seen a lot worse! It is quite tongue in cheek (which honestly makes it fun and terrifying at the same time) but comes with some very decent gore and the creatures look really good as well... pretty realistic! I enjoy it every single time I dig it out and give it a watch... one for the Creature Feature fans!
Emma (519 KP) rated Knives Out (2019) in Movies
Dec 2, 2019
Me and my mum had to kill a bit of time recently and decided to go to cinema, the strangest cinema I have been to, like an old fashioned flea pit. We had a choice of three movies: frozen 2, last christmas, or knives out. We chose knives out, not knowing what to expect.
We both thoroughly enjoyed this movie, it has an amazing ensemble cast, the only thing throwing us off being Daniel Craig's Southern American accent.
I enjoyed the fact each character has it's own quirks and back story, and I found humour in each of the characters.
It also kept me guessing right to the end, where usually I can tell who's done it within the first five minutes.
It's not a genre I have really watched before, but I can't wait for it to come onto DVD, we managed to spend our spare time watching a really enjoyable film, which to me was time well spent.
We both thoroughly enjoyed this movie, it has an amazing ensemble cast, the only thing throwing us off being Daniel Craig's Southern American accent.
I enjoyed the fact each character has it's own quirks and back story, and I found humour in each of the characters.
It also kept me guessing right to the end, where usually I can tell who's done it within the first five minutes.
It's not a genre I have really watched before, but I can't wait for it to come onto DVD, we managed to spend our spare time watching a really enjoyable film, which to me was time well spent.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Die Hard (1988) in Movies
Dec 7, 2019
The best action film ever?
When it comes to action films, Die Hard really can't be beaten. I'd even go so far as saying it's the best action film of all time.
It has everything that makes for an excellent action film. A likeable protagonist in John McClane, who's a pretty awesome action hero that Bruce Willis was born to play. Alan Rickman too is fantastic and strangely likeable as the bad but you still love him villain Hans Gruber. The film itself may be a little cheesy at times, but after a slow but necessary build up it really gets into it's action stride and is full of some brilliantly funny lines and moments too. For an 80s action film as well, it looks surprisingly good.
Whilst I'm not convinced this is a Christmas film (being set on Christmas eve doesnt mean it has festive feels!), it's still a hugely entertaining action flick and one that more modern films can't match up to.
It has everything that makes for an excellent action film. A likeable protagonist in John McClane, who's a pretty awesome action hero that Bruce Willis was born to play. Alan Rickman too is fantastic and strangely likeable as the bad but you still love him villain Hans Gruber. The film itself may be a little cheesy at times, but after a slow but necessary build up it really gets into it's action stride and is full of some brilliantly funny lines and moments too. For an 80s action film as well, it looks surprisingly good.
Whilst I'm not convinced this is a Christmas film (being set on Christmas eve doesnt mean it has festive feels!), it's still a hugely entertaining action flick and one that more modern films can't match up to.
AJaneClark (3975 KP) rated One of us is Lying in Books
Dec 9, 2019
Suspenseful
Five very different students walked into detention that day, and only four walked out! Outsider, and creator of the Bayview gossip app, Simon dies 24 hours before releasing a post about the other students he shared detention with, a post that would expose their deepest secrets online!
Bronwyn, the overachieving nerd, hoping to head to Yale, Cooper the star baseball jock, Addy the prom queen and Nate the bad boy, are all now looking at facing murder charges when the investigation uncovers Simon's last gossip column, pointing the finger in their direction.
Follow the Bayview 4 as they try to uncover the other secrets, prove their innocence and try to keep up with being teens in a normal high school.
McManus keeps the suspense building in this well written novel. Expect some twists and the odd red herring as you follow the journey of these four very likeable characters, thrown together in an unlikely friendship.
Bronwyn, the overachieving nerd, hoping to head to Yale, Cooper the star baseball jock, Addy the prom queen and Nate the bad boy, are all now looking at facing murder charges when the investigation uncovers Simon's last gossip column, pointing the finger in their direction.
Follow the Bayview 4 as they try to uncover the other secrets, prove their innocence and try to keep up with being teens in a normal high school.
McManus keeps the suspense building in this well written novel. Expect some twists and the odd red herring as you follow the journey of these four very likeable characters, thrown together in an unlikely friendship.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Queen & Slim (2019) in Movies
Feb 6, 2020
Another powerful film about racial tensions in America; this one is unusually subtle and sophisticated, too. A young couple are forced to kill a racist cop and go on the run from the authorities, falling in love as they go. The subtext - that the bias in the system inevitable ends up criminalising decent young folk - is obvious, but the film finds nuance as well. There are decent white people and corrupt black people, while the protagonists have no interest in bigger political issues - but find themselves being claimed as symbols or representatives of some dubious political movements.
The film seems to be suggesting that in a conflicted and corrupt world, the best thing is to find joy where you can, and the developing romance between the two leads is as memorable as any of the political or dramatic content. Possibly a bit overlong at two and a quarter hours, but an engaging, intelligent and moving film from the first moment to the last.
The film seems to be suggesting that in a conflicted and corrupt world, the best thing is to find joy where you can, and the developing romance between the two leads is as memorable as any of the political or dramatic content. Possibly a bit overlong at two and a quarter hours, but an engaging, intelligent and moving film from the first moment to the last.
Otway93 (580 KP) rated JCB Tradesman 2 TP127 in Tech
Jan 2, 2020
Waterproof (3 more)
Dustproof
Basic
Loud
Plastic appearance (1 more)
Battery Cover
Not as tough as it makes out.
Everything started off so well with this phone, but within two weeks, this "IP67 Rugged phone" was damaged with parts being held on with parcel tape.
For the time I had it, it was for the most part an excellent phone. Basic (text and calls only with only snake or something similar for entertainment), waterproof (and it floats), dustproof, and so loud it could easily be heard in the noisiest of environments.
But after a couple of weeks, I removed it from my pocket, and this somehow broke the clips on the cheap and cheerful battery cover, rendering it no longer waterproof or dustproof. The battery cover is held in with two flimsy plastic clips, that are apparently easily broken off.
Finally, the appearance. Not an important one, I quite like it, but it does have a very cheap plastic look about it.
For the time I had it, it was for the most part an excellent phone. Basic (text and calls only with only snake or something similar for entertainment), waterproof (and it floats), dustproof, and so loud it could easily be heard in the noisiest of environments.
But after a couple of weeks, I removed it from my pocket, and this somehow broke the clips on the cheap and cheerful battery cover, rendering it no longer waterproof or dustproof. The battery cover is held in with two flimsy plastic clips, that are apparently easily broken off.
Finally, the appearance. Not an important one, I quite like it, but it does have a very cheap plastic look about it.