Search
Search results
Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated Trophy Wife (The Dumont Diaries, #0.5-5) in Books
Feb 8, 2018
MMM, this is a hard one, on the one hand, I very much enjoyed Trophy Wife and on the other, there was some real no no's that totally turn me off when it comes to erotic fiction.
This is the main reason I've marked it down in my ratings.
Now obviously what sinks my ship may float your boat and more, we are all different and you may find my reasons don't bother you at all.
Now there are gonna be some teeny spoilers ahead as It's major unavoidable if I am going to explain why I've marked this down.
My major hard limit
CHEATING!!!!!
and not only cheating, the fact that no one's really bothered and I know this may seem a bit boring, but I like my Lover & Lovee to save the honey for each other, no excuses, no we were on a break and definitely no contact of any kind whatsoever, no exceptions and that means kissing also.
Why you might ask.
BECAUSE THERE MEANT TO BE BLOODY IN LOVE!!!!!!
or getting there at least and I'm a die hard romantic like that.
So yes no bodily contact with others while still being as filthy as downright sin is the flavour I like to see in my reading.
So, of course, this is where Trophy Wife let me down a bit, I maybe could have overlooked this if either Nathan or Candy had got their knickers in a twist diva style or something to that effect, but no let's brush it under the carpet like it never happened, and yes it's still cheating in my book when he takes his ex-girlfriend back and sleeps with her while still being married to Candy.
So the poor boy needed to get his leg over with his ex to decide he's in love with his wife geez!!
What happened did a shag unlock his brain.
And I do know that Candy is not exactly innocent either, They both behaved like a pair of absolute bloody pillocks in my opinion.
The second thing I had an issue with was the car incident. I have nothing against voyeurism at all but when Nathan gets candy to perform a certain service for his business associate and calls her a derogatory name in front of him well this wasn't hot or sexy one iota I was cringing in shame for the poor girl, awful behaviour.
The third and final thing and it may seem a tad silly but it's the name CANDY!!!
I hate it, it sounds like a stereotypical strippers name, which I know Candy is, but couldn't the poor girl have had something more sophisticated than Candy.
Despite my above bugbears, I really did like the rest of this book. It was mucky as hell and hot hot hot.
The story flowed brilliantly and I especially loved seeing the inner thoughts of both Candy & Nathan.
I feel that we needed to see inside Nathan's head as well as if I hadn't I don't know if I could have warmed to him at all.
He was such a dominant man, his vulnerability was so well hidden that it was his musings inside is own head that showed he had a softer side.
Trophy Wife by Alessandra Torre gets a three & half from me a great read with some issues that for me are just personal preferences.
You they might not affect at all.
Trophy Wife is currently free on KU.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
This is the main reason I've marked it down in my ratings.
Now obviously what sinks my ship may float your boat and more, we are all different and you may find my reasons don't bother you at all.
Now there are gonna be some teeny spoilers ahead as It's major unavoidable if I am going to explain why I've marked this down.
My major hard limit
CHEATING!!!!!
and not only cheating, the fact that no one's really bothered and I know this may seem a bit boring, but I like my Lover & Lovee to save the honey for each other, no excuses, no we were on a break and definitely no contact of any kind whatsoever, no exceptions and that means kissing also.
Why you might ask.
BECAUSE THERE MEANT TO BE BLOODY IN LOVE!!!!!!
or getting there at least and I'm a die hard romantic like that.
So yes no bodily contact with others while still being as filthy as downright sin is the flavour I like to see in my reading.
So, of course, this is where Trophy Wife let me down a bit, I maybe could have overlooked this if either Nathan or Candy had got their knickers in a twist diva style or something to that effect, but no let's brush it under the carpet like it never happened, and yes it's still cheating in my book when he takes his ex-girlfriend back and sleeps with her while still being married to Candy.
So the poor boy needed to get his leg over with his ex to decide he's in love with his wife geez!!
What happened did a shag unlock his brain.
And I do know that Candy is not exactly innocent either, They both behaved like a pair of absolute bloody pillocks in my opinion.
The second thing I had an issue with was the car incident. I have nothing against voyeurism at all but when Nathan gets candy to perform a certain service for his business associate and calls her a derogatory name in front of him well this wasn't hot or sexy one iota I was cringing in shame for the poor girl, awful behaviour.
The third and final thing and it may seem a tad silly but it's the name CANDY!!!
I hate it, it sounds like a stereotypical strippers name, which I know Candy is, but couldn't the poor girl have had something more sophisticated than Candy.
Despite my above bugbears, I really did like the rest of this book. It was mucky as hell and hot hot hot.
The story flowed brilliantly and I especially loved seeing the inner thoughts of both Candy & Nathan.
I feel that we needed to see inside Nathan's head as well as if I hadn't I don't know if I could have warmed to him at all.
He was such a dominant man, his vulnerability was so well hidden that it was his musings inside is own head that showed he had a softer side.
Trophy Wife by Alessandra Torre gets a three & half from me a great read with some issues that for me are just personal preferences.
You they might not affect at all.
Trophy Wife is currently free on KU.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The First Purge (2018) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Usually when a film reaches the fourth in a series there is the danger of becoming stale and repeating things form the prior film. With the release of “The First Purge”, the creator of the series, James DeMonaco; has stepped away from directing duties this time around and has turned his script over to Director Gerald McMurray to tell the tale of how the Purge began.
With crime, unemployment, and other social issues at all all-time high, a new political group; known as the “New Founding Fathers of America” rises to power and plan to implement a bold new experiment to get the country back on track.
Dr. Updale (Marisa Tomei) has a plan to legalize all crime including murder for a 12-hour span. The idea is that by allowing people to vent their frustrations, it will allow them to be happier in the situations and better able to face the challenges they have.
The decision is made to set it in a poor community in Staten Island and naturally protests arise over this especially from community leaders who see the cash incentives being offered to stay in the area and take part in the event as exploiting the poor.
Despite worldwide condemnation and protests, the event goes on as planned and for the most part does not result in the mass carnage that many expected.
Local criminal Kingpin Dmitri (Y’Lan Noel) plans to ride out the event in his compound surrounded by his crew as he believes that his fortified and well-armed locale will be more than enough to ensure his safety. Others in the community stay at home, gather at a church, or take to the streets for parties and mayhem as nobody really knows what to expect.
Under the watchful gaze of the government, it soon becomes clear that the events of the evening are being manipulated and that there is a much bigger and more sinister agenda behind the event.
When squads of well-armed mercenaries enter the community and start killing everyone they encounter, Dmitri and others must work with one another to survive the night.
The film takes a bit to get started as it spends a good amount of time introducing us to the various characters we will meet over the evening and it helps to show the community and how the events of the evening motivate the various characters.
The series has always been heavy on social commentary and the inclusion of characters and costumes that are clearly inspired by various hate groups throughout history is impossible to miss and the film seems to be pushing home the message that society needs to be careful as we are close to heading down the dystopian path that the series depicts.
If you have seen any of the film in the series, you know what to expect as it shows what happens when humanity is not bound by the laws of society and the threat of punishment. The cast works well as they are not simply fodder to be endangered and disposed of when the Purge begins.
There is a 10-episode television series coming soon and it will be interesting to see where the franchise goes following it. For now, “The First Purge” should be an entertaining enough film for fans of the series
http://sknr.net/2018/07/03/the-first-purge/
With crime, unemployment, and other social issues at all all-time high, a new political group; known as the “New Founding Fathers of America” rises to power and plan to implement a bold new experiment to get the country back on track.
Dr. Updale (Marisa Tomei) has a plan to legalize all crime including murder for a 12-hour span. The idea is that by allowing people to vent their frustrations, it will allow them to be happier in the situations and better able to face the challenges they have.
The decision is made to set it in a poor community in Staten Island and naturally protests arise over this especially from community leaders who see the cash incentives being offered to stay in the area and take part in the event as exploiting the poor.
Despite worldwide condemnation and protests, the event goes on as planned and for the most part does not result in the mass carnage that many expected.
Local criminal Kingpin Dmitri (Y’Lan Noel) plans to ride out the event in his compound surrounded by his crew as he believes that his fortified and well-armed locale will be more than enough to ensure his safety. Others in the community stay at home, gather at a church, or take to the streets for parties and mayhem as nobody really knows what to expect.
Under the watchful gaze of the government, it soon becomes clear that the events of the evening are being manipulated and that there is a much bigger and more sinister agenda behind the event.
When squads of well-armed mercenaries enter the community and start killing everyone they encounter, Dmitri and others must work with one another to survive the night.
The film takes a bit to get started as it spends a good amount of time introducing us to the various characters we will meet over the evening and it helps to show the community and how the events of the evening motivate the various characters.
The series has always been heavy on social commentary and the inclusion of characters and costumes that are clearly inspired by various hate groups throughout history is impossible to miss and the film seems to be pushing home the message that society needs to be careful as we are close to heading down the dystopian path that the series depicts.
If you have seen any of the film in the series, you know what to expect as it shows what happens when humanity is not bound by the laws of society and the threat of punishment. The cast works well as they are not simply fodder to be endangered and disposed of when the Purge begins.
There is a 10-episode television series coming soon and it will be interesting to see where the franchise goes following it. For now, “The First Purge” should be an entertaining enough film for fans of the series
http://sknr.net/2018/07/03/the-first-purge/
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Immortal Writers in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Words are the most powerful form of magic. Jill Bowers creates a unique fantasy concept in this soon to be published adventure novel. When <i>Immortal Writers</i> begins, the genre is similar to many contemporary novels: characters living normal day-to-day lives. Eighteen-year-old Liz has just landed back in her hometown after touring to promote her new novel, the next in a popular fantasy series that won her the Best Young Fantasy Award. All she wants is to return to her apartment and go to bed, so being kidnapped was not part of her plan. Especially not being kidnapped by the formidable William Shakespeare.
What Liz and readers both learn next is a brilliant, awe-inspiring idea. Imagine that all the world’s most famous authors were immortal and lived together in a magical castle manipulated by the science fiction novelists. That is what Liz suddenly has to come to terms with. Although she is only young, her books show so much potential that she is already initiated into the Immortal Writers. But it is not only legendary writers inhabiting this fortress. When an author becomes immortal, their characters become real. Liz is shocked to come face to face with the handsome hero of her story as well as a few of her supporting characters. However that is not all that has crossed over into reality.
As well as the goodies, the evil characters have also been brought into the world. Kenric, Liz’s antagonist, has hidden himself nearby with hundreds of dragons. He wants dominion over the entire planet and the only person that can stop him is Liz herself. So begins an adventure of learning to use magic, sword fights, dragon attacks and inevitable, heart wrenching causalities.
As a writer, Jill Bowers has not quite got the level of standard that the top authors have achieved. This is evident from the lack of description and awkwardness of the prose throughout the first few chapters. Once the storyline is well under way it becomes a lot easier to read; whether her writing improves is debatable, but her imagination captures the readers attention and provides a thoroughly entertaining narrative.
It is not solely the plot, characters and action that will stay in readers’ minds – the overall concept is fantastic. Who would not want their favourite authors to live forever? I would love to meet a William Shakespeare who has adapted himself to modern day living. Even more exciting is the possibility of meeting fictional characters. Each reader is bound to start daydreaming about which of their most loved books they would like to become real. How great would it be to meet Harry Potter, or see a unicorn, or eat some chocolate made by Willy Wonka, or… the possibilities are endless.
<i>Immortal Writers</i> is the first novel in a series so there will be more books that focus on this amazing idea. From the preview at the end of this copy, it appears that the following book will be about different authors/characters, therefore will provide a whole new outline to wrap our heads around.
Fantasy fans should definitely seek out this series. The writing may not exactly be up to par, but the general storyline is unquestionably worth it. Encompassing, contemporary, adventure and romance genres, <i>Immortal Writers</i> is an incredible fantasy story based in the “real” world.
Words are the most powerful form of magic. Jill Bowers creates a unique fantasy concept in this soon to be published adventure novel. When <i>Immortal Writers</i> begins, the genre is similar to many contemporary novels: characters living normal day-to-day lives. Eighteen-year-old Liz has just landed back in her hometown after touring to promote her new novel, the next in a popular fantasy series that won her the Best Young Fantasy Award. All she wants is to return to her apartment and go to bed, so being kidnapped was not part of her plan. Especially not being kidnapped by the formidable William Shakespeare.
What Liz and readers both learn next is a brilliant, awe-inspiring idea. Imagine that all the world’s most famous authors were immortal and lived together in a magical castle manipulated by the science fiction novelists. That is what Liz suddenly has to come to terms with. Although she is only young, her books show so much potential that she is already initiated into the Immortal Writers. But it is not only legendary writers inhabiting this fortress. When an author becomes immortal, their characters become real. Liz is shocked to come face to face with the handsome hero of her story as well as a few of her supporting characters. However that is not all that has crossed over into reality.
As well as the goodies, the evil characters have also been brought into the world. Kenric, Liz’s antagonist, has hidden himself nearby with hundreds of dragons. He wants dominion over the entire planet and the only person that can stop him is Liz herself. So begins an adventure of learning to use magic, sword fights, dragon attacks and inevitable, heart wrenching causalities.
As a writer, Jill Bowers has not quite got the level of standard that the top authors have achieved. This is evident from the lack of description and awkwardness of the prose throughout the first few chapters. Once the storyline is well under way it becomes a lot easier to read; whether her writing improves is debatable, but her imagination captures the readers attention and provides a thoroughly entertaining narrative.
It is not solely the plot, characters and action that will stay in readers’ minds – the overall concept is fantastic. Who would not want their favourite authors to live forever? I would love to meet a William Shakespeare who has adapted himself to modern day living. Even more exciting is the possibility of meeting fictional characters. Each reader is bound to start daydreaming about which of their most loved books they would like to become real. How great would it be to meet Harry Potter, or see a unicorn, or eat some chocolate made by Willy Wonka, or… the possibilities are endless.
<i>Immortal Writers</i> is the first novel in a series so there will be more books that focus on this amazing idea. From the preview at the end of this copy, it appears that the following book will be about different authors/characters, therefore will provide a whole new outline to wrap our heads around.
Fantasy fans should definitely seek out this series. The writing may not exactly be up to par, but the general storyline is unquestionably worth it. Encompassing, contemporary, adventure and romance genres, <i>Immortal Writers</i> is an incredible fantasy story based in the “real” world.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019) in Movies
Dec 19, 2019
Verdict: Visual Spectacular
Story: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker starts as the resistance led by General Leia (Fisher) has been regrouping with Finn (Boyega), Poe (Isaac) and C-3PO on their own mission, Rey continuing her training and Kylo Ren (Driver) is continuing his desire for power by going in search for Emperor Palpatine who has been waiting for his chance to return to power.
As the truth about Rey’s past comes to light, the destiny of the characters will come through in the epic battle that will be all or nothing for the galaxy’s future.
Thoughts on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Characters – Rey is continuing her training in the art of a Jedi, she is still learning her place in the force, she starts to suffer visions which will fill in moments from her past, including glimpse of what happened to her parents. She is still communicating with Kylo, she will finally get to learn the truth and take her place in the history of the galaxy. Kylo Ren is searching for complete power, a force which will see him take to victory, he makes the deal and now he will look to gain all the control of the galaxy once and for all. Finn continues to learn more about the other victims in the galaxy, learning how he could lead them in the future, while Poe is still learning his place in the war, with his past being used to unlock clues along the way.
Performances – We have had the four newer members of the Star Wars universe taking the centre stage this time, nobody does anything wrong, they give the safe performances without doing anything overly outstanding like we saw in the final chapter of a long awaited saga.
Story – The story here follows the latest attempts for the resistance looking to put an end to the first order, only to learn of a bigger threat to the whole galaxy. The story here is the third part of the latest saga, after many people didn’t like the Last Jedi’s choices, the seem to spend most of the film trying to erase most of what wasn’t liked, we have twists that just seem completely out of nowhere in a bad way, rather than ones that are placed together well. While there are weaknesses here, we could well have some nice developments between Rey and Kylo, which is the highlight of the story, otherwise it just ends up being the same as most Star Wars, feeling very safe, with the ideas that we get plenty of bait related moments, which seem like they want to have a big impact, only they didn’t let the impact last long enough.
Action/Sci-Fi – The action in the film is big, it will entertain even if it does feel like more of what we have seen before. We know this franchise is the backbone of the sci-fi genre and like nothing before and this never lets us down.
Settings – The film uses the different planets to give us difference environments which is all nice, we have seen it a lot before, but it works for the film.
Special Effects – The effects in the film do come off looking almost flawless, like always.
Scene of the Movie – Rey vs Kylo on water.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The Spy
Final Thoughts – This is an entertaining movie that might have flaws in the story, it will complete the saga well.
Overall: Safe conclusion.
Story: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker starts as the resistance led by General Leia (Fisher) has been regrouping with Finn (Boyega), Poe (Isaac) and C-3PO on their own mission, Rey continuing her training and Kylo Ren (Driver) is continuing his desire for power by going in search for Emperor Palpatine who has been waiting for his chance to return to power.
As the truth about Rey’s past comes to light, the destiny of the characters will come through in the epic battle that will be all or nothing for the galaxy’s future.
Thoughts on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Characters – Rey is continuing her training in the art of a Jedi, she is still learning her place in the force, she starts to suffer visions which will fill in moments from her past, including glimpse of what happened to her parents. She is still communicating with Kylo, she will finally get to learn the truth and take her place in the history of the galaxy. Kylo Ren is searching for complete power, a force which will see him take to victory, he makes the deal and now he will look to gain all the control of the galaxy once and for all. Finn continues to learn more about the other victims in the galaxy, learning how he could lead them in the future, while Poe is still learning his place in the war, with his past being used to unlock clues along the way.
Performances – We have had the four newer members of the Star Wars universe taking the centre stage this time, nobody does anything wrong, they give the safe performances without doing anything overly outstanding like we saw in the final chapter of a long awaited saga.
Story – The story here follows the latest attempts for the resistance looking to put an end to the first order, only to learn of a bigger threat to the whole galaxy. The story here is the third part of the latest saga, after many people didn’t like the Last Jedi’s choices, the seem to spend most of the film trying to erase most of what wasn’t liked, we have twists that just seem completely out of nowhere in a bad way, rather than ones that are placed together well. While there are weaknesses here, we could well have some nice developments between Rey and Kylo, which is the highlight of the story, otherwise it just ends up being the same as most Star Wars, feeling very safe, with the ideas that we get plenty of bait related moments, which seem like they want to have a big impact, only they didn’t let the impact last long enough.
Action/Sci-Fi – The action in the film is big, it will entertain even if it does feel like more of what we have seen before. We know this franchise is the backbone of the sci-fi genre and like nothing before and this never lets us down.
Settings – The film uses the different planets to give us difference environments which is all nice, we have seen it a lot before, but it works for the film.
Special Effects – The effects in the film do come off looking almost flawless, like always.
Scene of the Movie – Rey vs Kylo on water.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The Spy
Final Thoughts – This is an entertaining movie that might have flaws in the story, it will complete the saga well.
Overall: Safe conclusion.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Suicide Tree in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
The Suicide Tree by Shayla Raquel was a surprisingly good book. It was not quite what I expected but after reading it I am honestly not sure what I was expecting. Early on it talks about the Suicide Tree being a real tree and I could not help but look it up. What I found is that the Suicide Tree is actually a tree called Cerbera Odollam and is found in Asia and India. I find it interesting Knox uses this tree’s nickname for his tag because of the specific properties this tree has. I will leave it up to the interested reader to look up those properties for themselves. The story was so good that I am afraid to say too much without the risk of spoilers.
Trigger Warning: Although I don’t usually feel like I need to add these to my reviews I feel this may be an exception. The death of Knox’s parents is a tragedy and a large part of the story and is brought up very frequently.
Knox Kevel’s parents died in an explosion three years before the story begins. Knox, being almost a computer genius becomes a hacker known as The Suicide Tree while his parents are still alive. After their death, he works for people on the black market and attracts the attention of the FBI. The FBI gets ahold of him twice and he is facing prison time when Arlo Jenson pops in. Arlo wants Knox to work for him and if Knox agrees Arlo will call in a favor with the DA and have Knox’s charges dropped.
Knox ends up flying to Italy with Arlo, in hopes of finding the person who hurt Arlo as a child. Knox and Arlo stay with Norah, Arlo’s sister, and her daughter Jessa. The four of them team up and travel to many well-known cities in Italy trying to discover the truth. The truth about what? Well, you will just have to read The Suicide Tree to find out for yourself.
What I liked most about this book was the interwoven stories of Knox, Arlo, and the mysterious person who harmed Arlo. It was actually hard to find something that I didn’t really like about this book. After thinking about it I would say that the reasoning behind Arlo’s childhood assault (for lack of a better term) was a bit on the anti-climatic side. I was hoping for something a little more in-depth than what was offered.
In all honesty, I believe just about anyone could read this book. There is little in the lines on inappropriate material in this book. The book is also relatively short and does not require a lot of dedication making it perfect for the occasional reader. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 because the plot line was well thought out and there was very little that I questioned after finishing the book. The story was strong and extremely entertaining. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a quick read.
Trigger Warning: Although I don’t usually feel like I need to add these to my reviews I feel this may be an exception. The death of Knox’s parents is a tragedy and a large part of the story and is brought up very frequently.
Knox Kevel’s parents died in an explosion three years before the story begins. Knox, being almost a computer genius becomes a hacker known as The Suicide Tree while his parents are still alive. After their death, he works for people on the black market and attracts the attention of the FBI. The FBI gets ahold of him twice and he is facing prison time when Arlo Jenson pops in. Arlo wants Knox to work for him and if Knox agrees Arlo will call in a favor with the DA and have Knox’s charges dropped.
Knox ends up flying to Italy with Arlo, in hopes of finding the person who hurt Arlo as a child. Knox and Arlo stay with Norah, Arlo’s sister, and her daughter Jessa. The four of them team up and travel to many well-known cities in Italy trying to discover the truth. The truth about what? Well, you will just have to read The Suicide Tree to find out for yourself.
What I liked most about this book was the interwoven stories of Knox, Arlo, and the mysterious person who harmed Arlo. It was actually hard to find something that I didn’t really like about this book. After thinking about it I would say that the reasoning behind Arlo’s childhood assault (for lack of a better term) was a bit on the anti-climatic side. I was hoping for something a little more in-depth than what was offered.
In all honesty, I believe just about anyone could read this book. There is little in the lines on inappropriate material in this book. The book is also relatively short and does not require a lot of dedication making it perfect for the occasional reader. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 because the plot line was well thought out and there was very little that I questioned after finishing the book. The story was strong and extremely entertaining. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a quick read.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Ronaldo: Rudi's Birthday Extravaganza in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
The book Ronaldo: Rudis Birthday Extravaganza by Maxine Sylvester followed perfectly in the footsteps of the previous book in the Ronaldo series. It comes right after Ronaldo: The Phantom Carrot Snatcher that I previously gave a 4 out of 4. This is another wonderful Ronaldo book although it was not quite what I expected from the title. For some reason, I was expecting the entire book to take place at Rudi's birthday party but that was not the case.
The book opens to Ronaldo looking at his options for Rudi's birthday present. Then Rudi's mother shows up asking Ronaldo for his help. Rudi needs to go the doctor for an injured hoof but he is afraid of needles and is refusing to go. Ronaldo agrees to go along so that he can support and comfort Rudi. On the way home Ronaldo ends up helping his favorite baker with her shopping bags. After learning that her hip is hurt Ronaldo offers to deliver her cakes to the bakery for her.
On the news Ronaldo lears of Vixen's Workshop and his parents agree to let him go. Rudi wants to go as well but can't because his father just lost his job. Ronaldo takes his earnings from the cake deliveries and tries to pay for Rudi to got to the Workshop himself, unfortunately there is no room. Little dose Ronaldo know Rudi's father got a job with the baker and also tried to get Rudi into the Workshop but was unable to do so as well. At his party Rudi got a wonderful suprise by meeting Vixen and discovering he was going to be able to go to the Workshop anyway.
What I liked best was that once again Ronaldo puts his friendship with Rudi first. He offers his own money that he worked hard for to ty to do something that meant a lot to his friend and that is not all he did Rudi. This book also teaches about honesty as well as the value of friendship. What I did not like about this book was actually similar to my complaint about the previous book. This time there is entire chapter about Ronaldo breaking wind. Again I do understand the usefulness of it in this book as a consequence of Ronaldo being greedy with suckers and cake. I just could do without it.
Target readers for this book is the exact same as the previous one. Elementary students, probably around second grade could handle this book without a problem. Chapters are short and words such as "apprentice" are explained within the story for readers who might not be familiar with them. I rate this book 4 out of 4. It is a great children's book with a wonderful story line. There are even a few nice surprises along the way. I look forward to my own children being old enough to enjoy the Ronaldo books.
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews
The book opens to Ronaldo looking at his options for Rudi's birthday present. Then Rudi's mother shows up asking Ronaldo for his help. Rudi needs to go the doctor for an injured hoof but he is afraid of needles and is refusing to go. Ronaldo agrees to go along so that he can support and comfort Rudi. On the way home Ronaldo ends up helping his favorite baker with her shopping bags. After learning that her hip is hurt Ronaldo offers to deliver her cakes to the bakery for her.
On the news Ronaldo lears of Vixen's Workshop and his parents agree to let him go. Rudi wants to go as well but can't because his father just lost his job. Ronaldo takes his earnings from the cake deliveries and tries to pay for Rudi to got to the Workshop himself, unfortunately there is no room. Little dose Ronaldo know Rudi's father got a job with the baker and also tried to get Rudi into the Workshop but was unable to do so as well. At his party Rudi got a wonderful suprise by meeting Vixen and discovering he was going to be able to go to the Workshop anyway.
What I liked best was that once again Ronaldo puts his friendship with Rudi first. He offers his own money that he worked hard for to ty to do something that meant a lot to his friend and that is not all he did Rudi. This book also teaches about honesty as well as the value of friendship. What I did not like about this book was actually similar to my complaint about the previous book. This time there is entire chapter about Ronaldo breaking wind. Again I do understand the usefulness of it in this book as a consequence of Ronaldo being greedy with suckers and cake. I just could do without it.
Target readers for this book is the exact same as the previous one. Elementary students, probably around second grade could handle this book without a problem. Chapters are short and words such as "apprentice" are explained within the story for readers who might not be familiar with them. I rate this book 4 out of 4. It is a great children's book with a wonderful story line. There are even a few nice surprises along the way. I look forward to my own children being old enough to enjoy the Ronaldo books.
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated A Good Day To Die Hard (2013) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
To me, the original Die Hard (1988) was the birth of the modern action movie that we now take for granted. We have a seeming normal everyman in Bruce Willis, playing a likable but tough as nails NYPD cop John McClane, who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. (Yes, Story if his life.) The street smart hero uses whatever resources he could muster to become a thorn in the side of an intelligent and sophisticated villain, while dropping a few comedy one-liners along the way. This being the 5th installment of the Die Hard series the formula seems to be working, only not as well as past films in the series.
As a fan of the series there are many things this film does well. The soon to be 58 Willis is still as likeable as ever as John McClane. The film does a good job of making fun of his age just enough to make you feel that he is old, but not TOO old. The improbable action is as big as ever which leads to mass destruction in typical John McClane fashion. This action helps the 97min runtime feel fast paced and fun. Also Jai Courtney (Jack Reacher) plays John’s son CIA agent Jack McClane and actually plays strong against Willis. The whole father-son dynamic is interesting and gives some new depth to this familiar character. This dynamic leads up to a redeeming moment for John McClane that makes you wonder if this is Willis’s swan song in the series and if the reins are being passed to Courtney?
As a fan of the series there are many things this film does not do well. Perhaps the most notable are the lack luster one-liner jokes that always seem to stand out in the previous films. They exist, however they are not really that funny. Also the same joke was recycled over and over that by the end I do not recall laughing about anything in the final 40 mins of the film. Perhaps my biggest complaint is that the villain in this film is vanilla. So plain that I do not care to even look up his name. Just know that if you are a fan of the film he is nowhere near the Brilliance of the characters Hans Gruber or even Simon Gruber in previous films. And for this series that is a big problem. We know John McClane is a bad ass, but what is the point of all his destruction if he is not using it to stomp someone who is equally menacing.
In the end I can say that this film is a guilty pleasure that I enjoyed. It is far from a good movie but fans of the series and anyone just looking to watch a run of the mill action flick will be entertained. Leading up to this film I watch the previous four films and I have to say that this film is better than Die Hard 2: Die Harder and Live Free and Die Hard but behind the Die Hard With A Vengeance and far behind the original Die Hard. If you have never seen a Die Hard film, do yourself a favor and use the price of admission to rent the original.
As a fan of the series there are many things this film does well. The soon to be 58 Willis is still as likeable as ever as John McClane. The film does a good job of making fun of his age just enough to make you feel that he is old, but not TOO old. The improbable action is as big as ever which leads to mass destruction in typical John McClane fashion. This action helps the 97min runtime feel fast paced and fun. Also Jai Courtney (Jack Reacher) plays John’s son CIA agent Jack McClane and actually plays strong against Willis. The whole father-son dynamic is interesting and gives some new depth to this familiar character. This dynamic leads up to a redeeming moment for John McClane that makes you wonder if this is Willis’s swan song in the series and if the reins are being passed to Courtney?
As a fan of the series there are many things this film does not do well. Perhaps the most notable are the lack luster one-liner jokes that always seem to stand out in the previous films. They exist, however they are not really that funny. Also the same joke was recycled over and over that by the end I do not recall laughing about anything in the final 40 mins of the film. Perhaps my biggest complaint is that the villain in this film is vanilla. So plain that I do not care to even look up his name. Just know that if you are a fan of the film he is nowhere near the Brilliance of the characters Hans Gruber or even Simon Gruber in previous films. And for this series that is a big problem. We know John McClane is a bad ass, but what is the point of all his destruction if he is not using it to stomp someone who is equally menacing.
In the end I can say that this film is a guilty pleasure that I enjoyed. It is far from a good movie but fans of the series and anyone just looking to watch a run of the mill action flick will be entertained. Leading up to this film I watch the previous four films and I have to say that this film is better than Die Hard 2: Die Harder and Live Free and Die Hard but behind the Die Hard With A Vengeance and far behind the original Die Hard. If you have never seen a Die Hard film, do yourself a favor and use the price of admission to rent the original.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated In the Heights (2021) in Movies
Jun 21, 2021
Music and lyrics are fantastic (1 more)
Choreography
Lin-Manuel Miranda's high octane musical hits the heights.
"In the Heights" follows the hopes and dreams of a group of ordinary but ambitious Latinx youngsters, living their lives as best they can in the poor neighbourhood of Washington Heights in New York. They all have their own 'El Sueñito' - a little dream - of what they want to achieve.
Positives:
- A "proper" musical, with a large percentage of high-octane song and dance numbers.
-As with "Hamilton", "In the Heights" features some truly clever rap-style lyrics - lyrics so clever that you gasp at the way in which they trip off the singer's tongue. At one point, Carla (Stephanie Beatriz) sings "My mom is Dominican-Cuban, My dad is from Chile and P. R., which means: I'm Chile-...Dominica-Rican! But I always say I'm from Queens!". Glorious stuff.
- The dancing is stupendous. The choreography team is led by Christopher Scott, and he joyfully brings back the large set piece dances that we used to see in movies of old. The Esther Williams style swimming routines even make a spectacular return in a glorious Lido sequence (although I could have personally done without the dislocating contortionist dancers here!).
- The four young people taking the leads are all extremely personable (as well as being very good looking). Anthony Ramos in particular shows real star quality, those mesmeric eyes holding your attention for every moment he's on screen. You get the feeling that Lin-Manuel Miranda (whose superfluous minor role could have usefully ended up on the cutting room floor) was itching to play the lead but was just "too old man"!
- It was also great to see a range of roles for older women as well, with the dramatic sequence with Olga Merediz, the neighbourhood saint and guardian Claudia, being a highpoint in the movie for me.
Negatives:
- When you step back and analyse it, the story is pretty slight. You are distracted from this by all the razzle-dazzle going on, but having a bit more meat on the bone would have been welcome. This is particularly the case, since....
- At 143 minutes, I have to say that the movie outstayed its welcome for me by about 20 or 30 minutes. If the movie had been tightened up a bit and shortened, it would I think have been much improved.
Summary Thoughts on "In the Heights": This is a musical for those people who say "They don't make musicals like that anymore". High octane and full of noise and colour, its a spectacular that doesn't disappoint. The quirkiness of "Crazy Rich Asians" (which Jon M. Chu also directed) is on full display in some of the sequences, which are cleverly filmed. It's a movie that had me periodically grinning, not just at the story or the songs but at the movie craft on show.
Is it a bit of an 'Emperor's New Clothes', given the shallowness of the story? Yes, perhaps. And does it laugh in the face of my 90-minute movie ideal? Definitely. But it's still well worth the price of your movie ticket..... and this IS a movie that demands to be watched on the BIG SCREEN to get the full effect.
(For the full graphical review, please check out One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/06/21/in-the-heights-lin-manuel-mirandas-high-octane-musical-hits-the-heights/. Thanks).
Positives:
- A "proper" musical, with a large percentage of high-octane song and dance numbers.
-As with "Hamilton", "In the Heights" features some truly clever rap-style lyrics - lyrics so clever that you gasp at the way in which they trip off the singer's tongue. At one point, Carla (Stephanie Beatriz) sings "My mom is Dominican-Cuban, My dad is from Chile and P. R., which means: I'm Chile-...Dominica-Rican! But I always say I'm from Queens!". Glorious stuff.
- The dancing is stupendous. The choreography team is led by Christopher Scott, and he joyfully brings back the large set piece dances that we used to see in movies of old. The Esther Williams style swimming routines even make a spectacular return in a glorious Lido sequence (although I could have personally done without the dislocating contortionist dancers here!).
- The four young people taking the leads are all extremely personable (as well as being very good looking). Anthony Ramos in particular shows real star quality, those mesmeric eyes holding your attention for every moment he's on screen. You get the feeling that Lin-Manuel Miranda (whose superfluous minor role could have usefully ended up on the cutting room floor) was itching to play the lead but was just "too old man"!
- It was also great to see a range of roles for older women as well, with the dramatic sequence with Olga Merediz, the neighbourhood saint and guardian Claudia, being a highpoint in the movie for me.
Negatives:
- When you step back and analyse it, the story is pretty slight. You are distracted from this by all the razzle-dazzle going on, but having a bit more meat on the bone would have been welcome. This is particularly the case, since....
- At 143 minutes, I have to say that the movie outstayed its welcome for me by about 20 or 30 minutes. If the movie had been tightened up a bit and shortened, it would I think have been much improved.
Summary Thoughts on "In the Heights": This is a musical for those people who say "They don't make musicals like that anymore". High octane and full of noise and colour, its a spectacular that doesn't disappoint. The quirkiness of "Crazy Rich Asians" (which Jon M. Chu also directed) is on full display in some of the sequences, which are cleverly filmed. It's a movie that had me periodically grinning, not just at the story or the songs but at the movie craft on show.
Is it a bit of an 'Emperor's New Clothes', given the shallowness of the story? Yes, perhaps. And does it laugh in the face of my 90-minute movie ideal? Definitely. But it's still well worth the price of your movie ticket..... and this IS a movie that demands to be watched on the BIG SCREEN to get the full effect.
(For the full graphical review, please check out One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/06/21/in-the-heights-lin-manuel-mirandas-high-octane-musical-hits-the-heights/. Thanks).
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Ms. Marvel: Volume 3: Crushed in Books
Nov 30, 2020
This review is really for the first three volumes, including this one.
So, first let me start off by sharing a little honesty.. I read the first volume 4 or 5 months ago. I thought it fun, but not enough to pursue reading further volumes. A lot has gone down in my life since that first outing. For those of you who either a) do not know me offline, or b) have not looked at my GR profile, I was diagnosed with RRMS (relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis) in September of last year, then two months later, we said goodbye to Lily, our 14-year-old Mini Schnauzer.
Prior to all that, I used to live a relatively structured life, with plans-of-a-sort as well as a job. I have since had to step down from my job (thanks, MS!). I have also taken to trying to lead a "sloth life". I live each day as if it were the last, preferring to not plan days in advance. I also am trying to let a lot more roll off my back, giving an honest effort to having more fun with life.
One of those things which is appearing to be helpful to my mental well-being and general happiness has been G. Willow Wilson's MS. MARVEL.
GWW took a character who was once Carol Danvers (now Captain Marvel), a superhero whose costume did nothing what so ever to aid feminism or help to have less objectifying looks for our female heroes. She gave Ms. Marvel a proper reboot, presenting us with Kamala Khan, a young Pakistani-American living in NJ. Her character is one of many who were exposed to the Terrigen Mist via a Terrigen Bomb released by Black Bolt, the Inhumans' king; her powers gained gave her the ability to be polymorphic, i.e. shape-changing.
The series presents us with an imperfect hero. Kamala struggles to balance her hero life, while hiding it from her parents. She maintains her Muslim faith, offering us glimpses into her life and much of what it entails. The handling of it is both mature yet fun, giving us a palatable, more open approach to their faith, rather than what the Idiot in the WH has tried to portray it!
Like Marvel's UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL, MM is clearly a book that, at its heart, lies a good sense of fun, as well as some good life lessons along the way. In an era where the focus appears to be "Gloom Is Good" and "The Darker The Story, The Better", it is truly refreshing to read a book like this one.
As amazing as Wilson's writing is, the series' artists - Adrian Alphona, Takeshi Miyazawa and fill-in artist Jacob Wyatt (Issues 6 and 7) - all did one heckuva job providing artwork that was as fun as the writing it was supporting. All three were different, yet they shared similarities in their rendering of Kamala and her supporting cast, helping to maintain continuity rather than breaking it via wholly dissimilar art.
I know that there only few more volumes before Wilson hands the reins to Saladin Ahmed (MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN, BLACK BOLT), with the art being handled by with art by Minkyu Jung. I have seen Wilson's own page, where she seemed very confident in Ahmed's future handling of Kamala's adventures. That, alone, is good enough for me!
Seriously, if you have not checked out, please, please check out the adventures of MS. MARVEL. Your heart and mind, not to mention your soul, will be more the better for it! Promise!
So, first let me start off by sharing a little honesty.. I read the first volume 4 or 5 months ago. I thought it fun, but not enough to pursue reading further volumes. A lot has gone down in my life since that first outing. For those of you who either a) do not know me offline, or b) have not looked at my GR profile, I was diagnosed with RRMS (relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis) in September of last year, then two months later, we said goodbye to Lily, our 14-year-old Mini Schnauzer.
Prior to all that, I used to live a relatively structured life, with plans-of-a-sort as well as a job. I have since had to step down from my job (thanks, MS!). I have also taken to trying to lead a "sloth life". I live each day as if it were the last, preferring to not plan days in advance. I also am trying to let a lot more roll off my back, giving an honest effort to having more fun with life.
One of those things which is appearing to be helpful to my mental well-being and general happiness has been G. Willow Wilson's MS. MARVEL.
GWW took a character who was once Carol Danvers (now Captain Marvel), a superhero whose costume did nothing what so ever to aid feminism or help to have less objectifying looks for our female heroes. She gave Ms. Marvel a proper reboot, presenting us with Kamala Khan, a young Pakistani-American living in NJ. Her character is one of many who were exposed to the Terrigen Mist via a Terrigen Bomb released by Black Bolt, the Inhumans' king; her powers gained gave her the ability to be polymorphic, i.e. shape-changing.
The series presents us with an imperfect hero. Kamala struggles to balance her hero life, while hiding it from her parents. She maintains her Muslim faith, offering us glimpses into her life and much of what it entails. The handling of it is both mature yet fun, giving us a palatable, more open approach to their faith, rather than what the Idiot in the WH has tried to portray it!
Like Marvel's UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL, MM is clearly a book that, at its heart, lies a good sense of fun, as well as some good life lessons along the way. In an era where the focus appears to be "Gloom Is Good" and "The Darker The Story, The Better", it is truly refreshing to read a book like this one.
As amazing as Wilson's writing is, the series' artists - Adrian Alphona, Takeshi Miyazawa and fill-in artist Jacob Wyatt (Issues 6 and 7) - all did one heckuva job providing artwork that was as fun as the writing it was supporting. All three were different, yet they shared similarities in their rendering of Kamala and her supporting cast, helping to maintain continuity rather than breaking it via wholly dissimilar art.
I know that there only few more volumes before Wilson hands the reins to Saladin Ahmed (MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN, BLACK BOLT), with the art being handled by with art by Minkyu Jung. I have seen Wilson's own page, where she seemed very confident in Ahmed's future handling of Kamala's adventures. That, alone, is good enough for me!
Seriously, if you have not checked out, please, please check out the adventures of MS. MARVEL. Your heart and mind, not to mention your soul, will be more the better for it! Promise!
Squeebles Times Tables 2
Education and Games
App
Perfect for 5 to 11 year olds, Squeebles Times Tables 2 allows them to practise their times tables...