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Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Signs Preceding the End of the World in Books

Nov 9, 2017 (Updated Nov 9, 2017)  
Signs Preceding the End of the World
Signs Preceding the End of the World
Yuri Herrera, Lisa Dillman | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Darkly magical
Signs Preceding the End of the World is a moving novel about borders, identity and the world to come.

Yuri Herrera, a Mexican writer, packs a dense and colourful world, woven into a fast-paced narrative adventure. It is a powerful and poignant depiction of a complicated world-in-becoming whose bloody and fertile veins run through the US-Mexican border.

In this short novel, Makina, a young Mexican woman, is ordered by her mother to sneak across the US border in search of her brother, who has disappeared. To do so, she seeks the help of a local criminal gang, who agree to help her if she takes on a mission for them, too. In Makina, Herrera has created a remarkable and endearing character: self-assured, plucky, confident, capable of handling herself in a crisis yet still eminently human and full of fears and desires of her own.

Herrera casts bare the essence of the border zone where the action takes place. It's more than just a border. In a hundred pages he succeeds in portraying this world in greater depth and complexity.
  
I Declare War (2013)
I Declare War (2013)
2013 | Action, Adventure, Comedy
7
6.4 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Not Bad
I Declare War is the first film I chose in my quest to watch 365 films in 2018. It won't go down as a classic, but rather a film you're glad you watched at least once. Honestly, had it been a film about anything else, it could've been a classic. The subject matter made it hard to stay intrigued. You're entertained sure, but in the back of your mind, you're constantly reminding yourself that this is kids playing a game. With no real stakes. In the woods.

That's the plot, guys. A game of War played with fake weapons by kids in the woods. There were some funny moments that gave me a chuckle. One quote in particular caught me off guard: "God is so gay." Hilarious. I also thought writer Jason Lapeyre did an excellent job of capturing the fun blend between reality and pretend and how blurred those lines can be when kids use their imaginations. Friendships get tested in the spirit of competition. We all know how much kids hate to lose.

Decent, not classic. Even better, you can check it out on Vudu right now for free. I give it a 70.
  
The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars
John Green | 2012 | Children
10
8.2 (185 Ratings)
Book Rating
Everything (3 more)
Johns writing style
Hazel and Gus
Isaccs friendship
On A Roller Coaster That Only Goes Up My Friend
Although I say books are emotional and heart breaking this is actually the only book ever to make me cry. I cried probably not at the point most people did. I cried at an Issac scene. John is the only person I've come across that can make you want to laugh and cry at the same time he writes the most dramatic scene and then puts in something out of character yet thoughtful and makes you over explode with emotion.

Its hard to explain the book to people without going well the main character has cancer but at the same time its not about cancer its about people. That's what makes John such a great writer is that he always see's people first and what ever problem they have wrong with them second.


This is a beautiful book with love friendship joy and pain its about life and death and everything in between. On Johns youtube channel vlogbrthers he always reminds everyone "Don't forget to be awesome." This book certainly doesn't.
  
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Lou Grande (148 KP) rated Teratologist in Books

May 15, 2018  
Teratologist
Teratologist
Edward Lee, Wrath James White | 2011 | Horror
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Like a Buddy Cop movie directed by Satan
THE TERATOLOGIST--a researcher of physical abnormalities--is both a disgusting and fun (short) horror novel. Something like a Buddy Cop movie, a writer and photographer go to the mansion of a young billionaire who collects people with birth defects for a single nefarious purpose: to see God.

If you've read Edward Lee's Infernal Series, you may notice the similarities in theme. It isn't just good vs evil, it's Good vs Evil. It has the same dash of irreverent humor and more than enough depravity to make it a fun read for readers with iron stomachs.

That said, this is absolutely not for the faint of heart. If you're easily offended, why are you looking at a book by Edward Lee and Wrath James White to begin with? Both are masters of the splatterpunk genre, which has given birth to the "extreme horror" subgenre. This book will gross you out. Even seasoned readers might cringe at some of the acts depicted in THE TERATOLOGIST. They disgust on a moral and visceral level, but isn't that the point?
  
The Interestings
The Interestings
6
7.2 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received this book as a giveaway on Goodreads.
First, I must say, this was the first book I read by Meg Wolitzer. And while it was long, she is a great writer. The story flowed in a way that didn't make it seem as long as it really was.

The Interestings, is the story of 6 friends who meet at an art summer camp. Ash, Ethan, Jonah, Goodman, and Cathy had all been to camp before, but this was the first year for Julie, who later became Jules. The friendship that they formed during this summer was one not to be broken, even over time. Spirit-In-The-Woods was a 'magical' place for Jules. Having just lost her father, she needed someplace to go that she could be free. The story is told through her eyes.

You see the friends go through several "Interesting" things together, marriage, jobs, kids, death, and something no one thought would/could happen.

All in all, this book was interesting, but not for any specific reason. This could have been any group of friends, that attended any summer camp, anywhere. I was always wanting to know what was going to happen next.
  
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Lee (2222 KP) rated I Like Films in Podcasts

Feb 15, 2019  
I Like Films
I Like Films
TV & Film
8
6.5 (4 Ratings)
Podcast Rating
Enjoyable movie podcast with some great guests
Jonathan Ross has been a familiar face/voice on British television and radio for many years now. His connection to film goes way back to 1999 when he took over hosting duties on the BBC TV show 'Film', reviewing and discussing movies. He is also married to Jane Goldman, writer on numerous movies including Kick-Ass and Kingsman.

I've always been a fan of Jonathan Ross, although it's fair to say that his TV talk show has taken a serious dip in the quality of guests in recent years. In this relatively new podcast, the simply titled 'I Like Films', Jonathan just chats with some of the big names in the movie world - about their careers, about whatever movie they're currently plugging. I've not caught all of the episodes, but the ones I have listened to have always been very interesting and have made this podcast one of only a handful that I'll download the moment an episode becomes available. Robert Zemeckis, Samuel L Jackson, M. Night Shyamalan and Joe Cornish have all featured recently and each episode is just relaxed, informative and really enjoyable.