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Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: FurReal Friends Pom Pom My Baby Panda Pet; Brand: FurReal; Review: Wonderful purchase. My daughter has got a Furreal go go puppy for Christmas and had money. This was her havorige by far. She is 7. It coos, it crawls. It was a wonderful purchase!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Barbie and The Secret Door Princess Alexa Doll; Brand: Barbie; Review: Good deal!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Barbie and The Secret Door Princess Mermaid Doll; Brand: Barbie; Review: Wonderful purchase. Received quickly.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars 18" Scout Trooper Action Figure; Brand: Star Wars; Review: Good Deal!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars Classic 18" Darth Maul Action Figure; Brand: Star Wars; Review: Good deal!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars Rebels 18" Tie Fighter Pilot Action Figure; Brand: Star Wars; Review: Good Deal!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Steve Jobs; Author: Walter Isaacson; Genres: history, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction; Review: Fascinating and appalling. I live in the Bay Area where Jobs' reputation amongst those who live here leaves much to be desired. What I didn't know is how big of a crybaby he is. I don't see men crying as a negative, but crying in order as a manipulative tool to get his way? Wow. Jobs seems to be on the extreme range of Narcissistic Personality Disorder; his wife must have been an absolute angel to put up with him. This is in contrast to Bill Gates and Elon Musk who seem to have Asperger's rather than NPD. What did I learn? 1. To do something great, you can't give a shit about what anyone else thinks (same is true with Musk/Edison/Tesla/Gates/Ford/Rockefeller to name a few) 2. Be a perfectionist (same as Elon Musk but contrary to Sheryl Sandberg's "done is better than perfect") 3. Accept nothing less than A players (I tend to be too nice and tolerate B players) 4. A players only want to work with other A players (so true!) 5. Follow your intuition 6. The end user matters, design matters 7. Keep it simple, stupid (don't make the end user think!) 8. Control the entire user experience 9. Never lose focus 10. Jobs' Reality Distortion Field underscores something I once heard Trump once say: "It is incredibly important that you stay positive" [that you will reach your goals] This is a very good biography, though I'm giving it 4 instead of 5 stars because I greatly appreciate it when an author can make their writing funny (Vance's Elon Musk was hilarious). Though I have to admit, I can't discount the possibility that my disgust with the subject himself is tainting my enjoyment of the book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping; Author: Paco Underhill; Genres: non-fiction; Review: Great ideas, items you'd think are common sense. Good to see what happens in practice. Cons: way too sales-y. Comes across as a promo brochure for his company which is a turn-off.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Being Martha: The Inside Story of Martha Stewart and Her Amazing Life; Author: Lloyd Allen; Genres: non-fiction, history, biography, historical fiction; Review: While I understand that the author is a long time friend of Martha Stewart, he just came across as too much of a fan boy. I agree that she was discriminated against because she's a woman, but there's just too much fawning over her in every aspect of her life.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Better Than Good: Creating a Life You Can't Wait to Live; Author: Zig Ziglar; Genres: history, non-fiction, biography, historical fiction; Review: A lot of concepts were great. Much of it is the application of the law of attraction. What was a turn off was that the second half of the book was proselytizing his Christian faith. Taking examples from his life and how Chrisitan faith helped his life become "better than good" is fine. Telling his readers what to believe and what not to believe is not. I would have tolerated a chapter speaking to his faith; not half the book.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Beginner S Guide to Humor and Healing: A Physician S Prescription for the Healing Power of Laughter and Love; Author: Bernie S. Siegel; Genres: non-fiction; Review: Excellent - your thoughts affect your moods. Your moods affect your interactions. Your interactions affect your health/reality.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How To Dominate Women; Author: Gary Brodsky; Genres: non-fiction, romance; Review: Another PUA handbook. Some good principles in the book. Have confidence. Don't whine about your ex's, dress nicely for dates, how to have a conversation, etc. It does seem that the author targets a very specific type of woman - the women who is very young and doesn't have self-confidence (the author actually says this and tells guys to use the woman's lack of self-esteem to their advantage). As a chick who is a sapiophile, the half that would work on me would probably work on men as well. The other half? Not as much. Moving too fast is what made me show a couple of men the door. Some of the pickup lines he says are so cheesy that I'd laugh at the guy and walk away.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Boundaries in Marriage; Author: Henry Cloud; Genres: non-fiction; Review: This was an *amazing* book. I'm not Christian, and nor am I likely to ever be one. In fact, Christian-laced books tend to bother me to no end. However, this book is the exception to the rule. The content was excellent. Growing up in a family that actively discouraged boundary-setting and being in a work environment that does the same, this book offered a lot of ah-ha moments. There does seem to be a book that is needed - one that addresses the gap between no boundaries to boundary-setting. That is, the ability to listen to our emotions. To be honest, I'm still somewhat numb to my emotions. The hard part is figuring out how to un-numb myself. Still, I will definitely be reading more of Henry Cloud's books.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet; Author: Andrew Blum; Genres: history, non-fiction, biography, historical fiction; Review: Interesting reading, though it was unclear to me who the audience was. The writing is wonderful, very descriptive. However, for people new to tech, pictures and maps would have made sense to better visualize what he was talking about. For those who already know what the insides of data centers or fiber optic cables look like, they probably wouldn't have the need to read an introductory book on the topic.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: The Fetherston Arms; City: Kirkoswald Eden District Lake District Cumbria England; Review: A beautiful pub the food is excellent. The atmosphere is good to the brothers really make it a friendly place to eat or a good pub for just a drink it serves local beer and it is worth a visit .It organises a beer festival which is definitely worth a visit with beers and ciders to drink also has live music on to hopefully the weather will hold out; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blanco s Hotel Restaurant; City: Port Talbot Neath Port Talbot South Wales Wales; Review: Fantastic place to stay staff helpful and friendly. We have family in port Talbot so is handy to stay in near the town center. The hotel is clean and tidy the food is excellent the breakfast is great sets you up for the day .; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Roundthorn Country House; City: Penrith Eden District Lake District Cumbria England; Review: Sorry to say we were there for a set meal but sorry to say not very nice. The staff are friendly and helpful hotel very nice but sorry the food needs looking at I would certinly not recommend to anybody. Don't know what it is like if you order of a menu but for big events avoid.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Praga 1; City: Prague Bohemia; Review: Hotel was handy for all amenities just a short stroll to St wenceslas square and surrounding areas.The hotel it self was clean friendly and breakfast was quite good will be happy to stay here again thank you; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rivendell B B; City: Dumfries Dumfries and Galloway Scotland; Review: We stayed overnight and what a beautiful and we'll kept place. Breakfast was excellent and the staff /owners were friendly and helpful. Will definitely return for a longer stay and would recommend to anyone wanting to stay in dunfries to stay here .; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Apartments Mare; City: Dubrovnik Dubrovnik Neretva County Dalmatia; Review: Lovely place to stay the appartments had everything we needed. Maria the lady who owns it was helpful and friendly. The walk from the appartments was 20 mins walk to Dubrovnik center with some sensational views along the way. The appartments are situated in a quiet area and over looked the sea with beautiful views. Shop just around the corner and a bakery not to far would recomend for couples who want a quiet place. Will return again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jurys Inn Birmingham; City: Birmingham West Midlands England; Review: My husband and I stayed for the weekend it was great. When we arrived Friday we were met with a surprise we were up graded to a fab room with a view and king bed. The staff were friendly and helpful the room was brill and the beds are so comfortable. The breakfast was great too enough for anybody catered for everyone as well would highly recommend we went to the icc and the hotel was a stones throw away fantastic location everything on the door step . From restaurants to night clubs not noisey at all we will return thank you for a great stay x; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Barnsdale Lodge Hotel and Restaurant; City: Barnsdale Oakham Rutland England; Review: Beautiful place to stay. So quiet and relaxing staff friendly and helpful. The spa was great. It looked over rutland water plenty to do and some beautiful walks will be going back. The room was comfy and the bathroom was very big everything you needed. Breakfast was a good selection the bar food was a little pricey for what you got but it was OK. Didn't eat in the restaurant so could not comment.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Mitte Berlin; City: Berlin; Review: Not an handy place to stay about an half hour tube ride to Berlin city center. Staff not helpful no tea making facilities in the rooms ok if needing a budget hotel. Didn’t try the breakfast a little expensive if only eating toast. Room was clean and tidy that was the only plus side sorry to say would not recommend I don’t like to say this; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Student shot teen near California school, slipped into class; Abstract: A 17-year-old boy gunned down another student outside their school Tuesday, ditched his gun and slipped into a class without arousing suspicion, evading capture for almost two hours as he joined thousands of students locked down inside classrooms because of the shooting, police said.; Category: news
Title: Millions of Americans Are Drinking Water That Is Contaminated Yet Legal: Environmental Working Group Analysis; Abstract: "The majority of water systems in the U.S. get a passing grade from the U.S. government," EWG toxicologist Alexis Temkin told Newsweek. But "legal doesn't necessarily mean safe."; Category: news
Title: Body of missing Alabama girl found; 2 being charged; Abstract: Investigators searching through garbage found the body of a 3-year-old girl who was missing more than a week, and authorities are charging two people with murder, police said Tuesday.; Category: news
Title: Georgia sheriff's 'No Trick-or-Treat' signs trigger lawsuit from sex offenders; Abstract: A group of sex offenders in Georgia is suing the Butts County Sheriff's office for posting "No Trick-or-Treat" signs on their homes.; Category: news
Title: Celeb couples with big age gaps; Abstract: Age is just a number for some stars!; Category: entertainment
Title: Duchess Meghan Hopes Public Will 'Give Her a Break' After Speaking Out; Abstract: Duchess Meghan Hopes Public Will 'Give Her a Break' After Speaking Out; Category: lifestyle
Title: Coast Guard searches for man who fell from cruise off Texas; Abstract: The U.S. Coast Guard late Thursday said it was searching for a man who plunged into the Gulf of Mexico while the ship was about 47 miles off the coast of Galveston, Texas.; Category: news
Title: Fact Checker: Trump's shiny new talking point about income growth; Abstract: The president is touting numbers that favorably compare his record to Obama and Bush, but he's cherry-picking the data.; Category: news
Title: South Florida principal who made controversial comments about the Holocaust is fired; Abstract: The South Florida principal who stirred national controversy after refusing to say the Holocaust was a "factual, historical event" was fired Wednesday during a school board meeting at the recommendation of the district's superintendent.; Category: news
Title: Maryland man, 46, gets probation after he killed a father and his four daughters when his SUV crossed a median and slammed into their minivan; Abstract: Alvin Hubbard III, 46, of Cambridge, Maryland, was sentenced to one year of probation after he killed a father and his four daughters when his SUV slammed into a family's minivan in 2018; Category: news
Title: Nikki Haley claims top aides tried to recruit her to 'save the country' by undermining Trump; Abstract: In a new book, the potential White House aspirant slams Rex Tillerson as 'exhausting' and John Kelly as suspicious of her access to the president, and argues they should have quit if they disagreed with him.; Category: news | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Enemy at the Gates (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ben-Hur: Collector's Edition (1959); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kinsey (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Trainspotting: Collector's Edition (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pay It Forward (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Entrapment (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Fast and the Furious (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Men of Honor (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Net (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Deeds (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Along Came a Spider (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: John Q (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Double Jeopardy (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Coyote Ugly (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The General's Daughter (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Enemy of the State (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Patriot (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0 | netflix |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Anker 2.4G Wireless Vertical Ergonomic Optical Mouse, 800 / 1200 /1600DPI, 5 Buttons - Black; Brand: Anker; Review: Just wish the sides were more "grippy"; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MEKO Universal Stylus,[2 in 1 Precision Series] Disc Stylus Touch Screen Pens for all Capacitive Touch Screens Cell phones,; Brand: MEKO; Review: Excellent pen/stylus.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: UL Listed Pwr Extra Long 12 Ft 2 Prong Polarized-Power-Cord for Vizio-LED-TV Smart-HDTV E-M-Series and Others 2 Slot; Brand: PWR+; Review: Works as expected.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Capacitive Touch Screen Stylus Pens 4.5", 6-pack - including 2 x; Brand: The Friendly Swede; Review: These are grippy and work well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Logitech G710+ Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Tactile High-Speed Keys - Black; Brand: Logitech; Review: Great keyboard!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Belkin 8-Outlet Power Strip Surge Protector with 6-Foot Power Cord and Telephone Protection, BE108200-06; Brand: Belkin; Review: lots of plugs!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hilton Americas Houston; City: Houston Texas; Review: My wife and I stayed at the Hilton Americas - Houston December 2011 and was pleased with the acomodations. However, the staff represents another matter. Upon checking in the receptionist offered no greeting, smile or other. Nor did she express gratitude for our business as she brushed us off for another customer. The other matter is with the Conceirge/Valet. I tried calling for my car several times but no one answered the phone. So we walked down to retreive our car and waited for nearly 25-min to get it and no one helped with our bags until we were already lifting our bags at the trunk. Very disappointed in the service! Not what you would expect from a higher calibur hotel.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gaylord Texan Resort Convention Center; City: Grapevine Texas; Review: I chose this hotel because of its family friendly amenities and specifially the water park feature. We certainly took advantage of most of the hotels activities including dining at the restaurants,in-room service, kid activities, and Friday Fireworks show to name a few. Overall, it was a nice place to stay but it is a little pricey. The only negative is with the customer service manager. I booked the room at a specific rate and when the bill arived upon check-out, it was twenty dollars more. I inquired about the increase and the service manager stated that the rate was higher due to a higher occupancy rate. After complaining about the change and pointing out that we spent over $700 with the hotel in 2-days, I was not appreciative of the up charge. The service manager reluctantly agreed to refund $20 but went on to lecture me about writing down the correct rate amount (which I did and verified upon check-in) and it would not happen again. Her comments were very unprofessional and sarcastic. I certainly hope that that type of "customer service" is not repeated throughout the organization.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Suncoast Hotel and Casino; City: Las Vegas Nevada; Review: The hotel is typical of a design of +15 years ago that offers a "reasonable" price for the property's amenities. Caution, if you do not like the smell of cigarette smoke you will want to look for another hotel as it hits you like a train as soon as you walk through the front entrance. The best atribute of the hotel is it's view of the adjacent Golf course and of course the Red Rock Mountains in the distance (if you happen to have a room facing North). Our room had a lovely view and is especially pleasent at sunset. The furnishings appear to be cheap and a little dated. The bed comfort was no better than sleeping at a Super 8 or La Quinta type property. The bath was spacious and clean. However, I will warn you of the pool. We stayed for three days and visited the pool everyday (only because of our kids) and it was dirty. The water was not only murky but the mucus and balls of hair floating was enough to disgust anyone. I do not recommend eating at the hotel if you have any desire to eat something that does not resemble a fast food restaraunt. Even still I would advise you to eat elsewhere as the food is over-priced and of poor quality. Overall, it's ok but I would not stay again.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Kemah near boardwalk; City: Kemah Texas; Review: My wife and I recently stayed at the Holdiay Inn near the Kemah boardwalk. We were professionally greated upon checking in and were promptly taken care of. I even mentioned that I was hungry due to missing lunch and the front desk lady gave me a complimentary bag of chips. A very nice jester to tide me over til dinner. The hotel was clean and modern. The bed was a little stiff for my taste but the hotel provides both a firm and soft pillow for our choosing. Overall experience was positive and I would stay there again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Doubletree Suites by Hilton Hotel Anaheim Resort Convention Center; City: Anaheim California; Review: My family and I stayed at the Doubletree Suites the first week of June in order to be conveniently close to Disney Land, which a shuttle bus picks you up directly in front of the property. The property is well managed and staffed was friendly. The accommodations are well appointed, modern, and appointed with all that a full-service hotel has to offer. The bed was relatively comfortable and the room service food was very good. Although the hotel charges for parking, I felt it was safe and secure. I would certainly stay there again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: OtterBox iPad Commuter Series Case; Brand: OtterBox; Review: Nice product that does what it is designed to do, protect the iPad. Two things I did not care for: 1. The charging port access is rather bulky and awkward to use. I think a slotted port would have been nicer and easier to use than the removable sliding door access. 2. I wish there was a cover that was easier to use for the front of the iPad. The clip on front is again a bit awkward to use and tends to be tossed more or less to the side. I am not sure if this is going to be my all time cover/protector for my iPad yet. So far I am still keeping an eye out for something better.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: ; Brand: Mount-It!; Review: I bought this for our 60" Visio flatscreen for the corner of our living room. It has worked out great. One thing is though we have an older house built in the 70's when things were not built so well and our studs tend not to be spec throughout the house. Luckily this mount worked out great with the articulation. The TV does fit in the corner just fine but there is no room left to move it out or in. It is flush with the walls on either side more or less. It does say for up to a 70" but I am not sure a 70" would have fit in our corner due to the stud placement - if you had a brick or mason wall it should be no issue at all. I would verify stud placement before buying. It does tilt and down but not by the full range of motion but that is fine with the way it is positioned. We positioned it a bit higher with a slight downward tilt and it is very comfortable to watch while sitting in the recliners. Installing the mount is a 2 person job to get the first screw in and for mounting the TV. The installation was easy after we found the studs and worked out the placement and spread of the arms. The built in level made things very easy and it did stay level through out the mounting process and TV install. It took about 15 minutes after the instructions were read and discussion of placement was complete. (Discussion of placement took the longest due to tall husband and short wife finding the happy medium). All in all, very pleased with the product, the price and the fast shipping. Thanks again Amazon!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ZW501PURPLE; Brand: KEVENZ; Review: It is light weight and does work as designed. The cover does fit well but my issue is the sharp edges along the side of the iPad frame. For the price, it is acceptable. There are nicer covers out there that are close to the same price therefore I gave the review 3 stars.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sapphire Radeon R9 280 3GB GDDR5 DVI-I/DVI-D/HDMI/DP Dual-X with PCI-Express Graphics Card Boost 11230-00-20G; Brand: Sapphire Technology; Review: This works great as a replacement card for my Dell Studio XPS. It is a bit older computer but still have a lot of power and speed. This was basically a plug and play and the picture is great on a 32" flat panel TV. Great for the price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: i.Trek 5-Inch Hard Case for GPS (Black); Brand: i.Trek; Review: Nice case. I really like how the GPS is protected and the extra pockets for cords and chargers. My husband liked it too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GRM0119801 - GARMIN 010-01198-01 nuvi 55LM 5quot; GPS Travel Assistant (Free Lifetime Map Updates with No Ads or Subscription; Brand: Garmin; Review: I like Garmin. The screen is nice, the routes are easy to follow. I seems to be accurate and did not have any strange turns that my phone with sometimes do to me. I use it with a sandbag type mount that sits on the dash so I do not know about the window attachment included with it. All in all very pleased with purchase; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: iKross 6 Feet M/F 3.5mm Male To 3.5mm Female Extension Stereo Audio Braided Sleeve jacket Cable - Black/Blue; Brand: iKross; Review: Great cable for adding length to my headset. It is nice and flexible and feels well made. I have been using it daily to extend my headset on my desktop and have been very pleased.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lexar JumpDrive S75 64GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive - LJDS75-64GABNL (Green); Brand: Lexar; Review: Great flash drive. I use it to store files I need with me. Plenty of size and works great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Garmin Vívofit 2 Activity Tracker, Black (Certified Refurbished) w/o ant stick; Brand: Garmin; Review: I just did not like this activity tracker but there were good features. It was rather big for me and I do not have a small wrist...probably average if not a bit bigger for a woman. The band was fine. No issues with the band and it's fastening I did not like having to cycle through functions by holding the button like for sleep mode or to light up the clock. I would go to see the time at night and over press the button and cycle through everything to see the time. Not fun in the middle of the night. The sync with the software was horrible and I really didn't like the software either. That was a big irritation. I did send it back and went back to my Fitbit for now. With the new technology emerging I am going to wait a bit and see what comes out in the near future. I will say I was using the activity tracker for getting points towards fitness for work and they only sync with a few brands. I am hoping that will change too so I can use another brand of tracker with all the new features coming out.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Fintie iPad 2/3/4 Case - Slim Fit Folio Stand Case Smart Protective Cover Auto Sleep/Wake Feature for Apple iPad; Brand: Fintie; Review: This is the 2nd case I have purchased and I am very happy with these cases. Well made, attractive and fits the devices very well. A bit heavier than my old case but it feels better. A very nice case for the money.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: OMOTON Screen Protector for All-New Fire HD 8 (2018/2017/2016 Release), Tempered Glass/HD/ 9H Hardness; Brand: OMOTON; Review: What an easy screen protector to use! This is so much easier than the flimsy plastic coatings. One does have to make sure there is NO dust, pet hair (my issue and not one that was hard to deal with) or other debris. A cleaning kit is supplied and once I found a good, still area with no air flow I was able to apply with no problem. Packaging is excellent. Very happy with this product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Actor Earphones, with Microphone Earbuds Stereo Headphones and Noise Isolating Headset Compatible iPhone 7/7 Plus iPhone8/8Plus iPhone X (Bluetooth; Brand: Actor; Review: These work well. Nice sound and the microphone works well. I do like the flat cord very much. The earbuds start to bother me after abount an hour though.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Seagate Expansion 1TB Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0 (STEA1000400); Brand: Seagate; Review: Small and yet large. Great for doing back ups and storing lots of graphics. No issue at all connecting to a Windows 10 machine. I will probably give these as a gift to family for Christmas.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Powerextra 2 Pack Replacement Canon LP-E10 Battery Compatible With Canon EOS Rebel T3, T5, T6, Kiss X50, Kiss; Brand: Powerextra; Review: These work great in my Canon. I use a dual battery pack on the bottom of the camera and these work just fine in the addition. Recommend replacing those old batteries that lose their charge quickly with these...the price was right.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Orchidtent 4 Pieces Clear Plastic Waterproof Battery Storage Case Holder Organizer for 18650 Batteries/16340 Batteries/CR123A batteries; Brand: Orchidtent; Review: Nice little boxes, I only wish they were hinged on one side. They hold the batteries well and I like that they are see through since I have several different types of batteries and this allows me to see my favorites.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Univivi Infrared; Brand: univivi; Review: Works great! Lights up the area for the night vision camera very well - out to about 30 ft or so.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: OMOTON Screen Protector for Fire HD 10 / Fire HD 10 Kids Edition, Tempered Glass / HD; Brand: OMOTON; Review: Works great and easy to apply. I put this on right when I got my Fire and I can't tell it is on. Not a bubble at all.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AUKEY USB Hub; Brand: AUKEY; Review: Nice hub, seems well built and the cord is just right. Nice packaging too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TECKNET Pro 2.4G Ergonomic Wireless Mobile Optical Mouse with USB Nano Receiver for Laptop,PC,Computer,Chromebook,Notebook,6 Buttons,24 Months Battery Life,5 DPI Adjustment; Brand: TeckNet; Review: Works well and is very comfortable while using. The size is right and I have medium size hands. Click action is smooth and quiet. Please with purchase.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: ROTEK Fw1 FW02. RV,Camper,Trailer; Brand: ROTEK; Review: I like that these are adjustable and not just flat press on. They work very well. I have not had them on that long so I will update if adhesion issue come up later.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Hamilton Beach Personal Cup Stay or Go POD Brewer - 49993; Brand: Hamilton Beach; Review: the water comes out to fast so the coffee tastes very weak, no brewing time with this machine. I have to use multiple pods so not saving any money on coffee. if the water would come out slower this would be a great machine.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 100% Stainless Steel Vegetable Steamer Basket/Insert for Pots, Pans, Crock Pots & more. 5.5" to 9.3"; Brand: Sunsella; Review: I remembered that my grandmother had one of these and it worked well so I figured it was a good price and it will fit various size pots for steaming different amounts of vegetables.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Euro-Pro XLT3501 Shark XL Microfiber Cleaning Pads for the Steam Pocket Mop, Set of 2; Brand: SharkNinja; Review: I bought them to go with my shark steam mop and they fit ok but the when the fabric got wet from the steam it would not glide easily on the floor. I had a difficult time pushing the steamer. I would not recommend this product.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Bissell Sweep-Up Cordless Sweeper model 21012, blue; Brand: Bissell; Review: My 1 year old daughter is afraid of the vacuum so this sweeper is perfect for cleaning up crumbs and other small messes on the rugs. It doesn't work on the wood floors which is fine because I got it specially for the rugs.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Refrigerator and Fridge Storage Organizer Bins Desk Organizer (White); Brand: eshion; Review: so small can't fit anything in there; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Bare Home Full XL Size Premium Mattress Protector - 100% Waterproof - Vinyl Free Hypoallergenic - 10 Year Warranty; Brand: Bare Home; Review: Works perfect , great feeling , great for when the baby is on the bed a mattress saver for sure; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Dorisol Pousada dos Vinhaticos; City: Ribeira Brava Madeira Madeira Islands; Review: My partner and I had the most lovely stay here and wished we had followed our intuition to stay more nights instead of proceeding into Funchal. The mountain view was fabulous and the food... the very thing we looked forward to every evening after a long day out trekking. Nelson, the hotel manager here, was really helpful and informative. He even suggested he cook us Fish soup when he heard we loved it so much. That was off the menu! The log cabin stay is lovely and I spent a whole day alone reading while my partner went on a trek. I'll definitely come back here again the next time I visit Madeira.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Oberoi Lombok; City: Tanjung Lombok West Nusa Tenggara; Review: I'm a repeat client and am going to go again. I've been there twice in five years and they are still maintaining such high standards. It's amazing. I love it there just hanging out, sleeping, resting and engaging in some outdoor activities just for a little change of scene. Basically the space is where you can just unravel at your own pace and feel held and secure doing so. They pay attention to detail and the hotel's generosity is always in the background. That kind of service and practice is hard to find anywhere else. The staff are attentive, sweet and professional. Many have been with the hotel for over 10 years. My only gripe this last trip there was the standard of the food. It was phenomenal the first time I went five years ago but now it has dropped till I wish I could go somewhere else for a good meal. That's not very good if your guests are staying for stretches of 5 days.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Royal Biz Taipei; City: Zhongzheng District Taipei; Review: It isn't the most convenient location for public transport nor sited at the most modern spot but I really liked it. There is the daily street market 2 minutes walk away sited along a small lane off the main road, then there is this really lovely area called Yong Kang District where you can go for food, unique shops and just really friendly community about 10 minutes walk away. This you can do in the late afternoon for a spot of tea and shopping and then dinner and snacks! I think my biggest gripe about the hotel is that the staff are rather blur. They are all pretty helpful but they aren't very smart or accurate. So if you just take it easy with them and make sure your message gets across, everything else is fabulous. The rooms are very clean and the modern style is unobtrusive and soothing at the same time. Taipei can be seriously hot this time of the year so umbrella, walking shoes and water are essential. The breakfast here is pretty decent although weekdays they are less lavish with their selection. Still it is ok. If you order eggs, just be prepared that they'll confuse the order regardless of what you try to do. Take it with a laugh and all will be fine. I recommend you take the suite. It isn't a lot more expensive over the deluxe room. Ideally ring the hotel personally and they can give you the best offer.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Frangipani Tree by Edwards Collection; City: Unawatuna Galle District Southern Province; Review: My partner and I spent three lovely nights at Frangipani Tree last year. Although it's right next to the main road, the high white wash walls takes out most of the street sounds. When you walk into the hotel, you'll feel like you've stepped into your home ground and welcomed by a cold tropical drink and the sounds of the ocean beckoning. All the travelling (travelling around Sri Lanka is a exhausting experience given the narrow and poorly maintained roads with crazy drivers. It's probably the heat as well.) The room we stayed in was huge with a high ceiling. The lighting isn't the best but I can live with it. My only complain about it was that mosquitoes are the regular guests in the evenings but this happens everywhere even with the mosquito coils. Just bring your own repellents. Also the towels were damp and yukky. I think it's a good idea to bring your own towel when you go to Sri Lanka, especially during rainy season, things just don't dry up and most boutique hotels don't use commercial dryers. Really yummy food. The wonderful thing about small hotels in Sri Lanka is their practice of planning your food preferences with you daily. It's a very good idea to speak to the manager at the start of your stay about your food preferences and also do it for every meal. They really appreciate that because they usually shop for food in the morning for your dinner meal. They buy and cook what you like and nothing gets wasted. They are very careful about not wasting food. I for one have trouble with digesting coconut so ask them to do their curry versions without coconut. It's great to know that out of all the curry-eating countries, Sri Lanka is probably the best for having versions without coconut! So enjoy! The sea isn't for swimming unfortunately because of the tides and corals but it's THE VERY BEST to count sea turtles. Every afternoon I would sit there with a tropical juice in hand and count the sea turtles coming up to take a breath of air before diving to hunt again. You can luxuriate here while being the part-time Animal conservationist. Exciting. And don't forget to eat Lunch at the famous Galle Fort Hotel (20minutes Tuk tuk drive away). They probably have the best Sri Lankan luncheon around. Good to do lunch and lounge for tea. Then walk around the area till you're tired then back to the Frangipani Tree for a late afternoon snooze or swim, then go count the turtles. By late 6ish, huge flocks of swallows fly back to roost. The chirping is deafening and the skies turn black in waves against the sunset as they return. After which you can settle back for dinner and early sleep. There's no TV to waste your life here on so you will be forced to enjoy each other's company. :-); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Metta Resort Spa; City: Paro Paro District; Review: I so want to give them five stars but can't. They almost won me over with their care for detail (shoeshine cloth, bathrobes, toilet slippers, etc.), decent food and every attempt to keep the heating up. (This is a real effort in Bhutan as whatever they seem to do, there's still not enough hot water for two showers despite waiting the recommended 30mins.) I should have known something was amiss when they even offered electric blankets on the beds! You would think after a strenuous 4.5hr hike up and down Tiger's Nest as well as 10days of travelling would put me to sleep instantly but no way. Beyond the fact that I'd refused the use of the electric blankets, the bed was rock hard. If you press down on it, your hand hits a plywood plank thinly veiled by a 3mm thick cotton layer. No matter how I turned, I couldn't soften the situation. It was only in the morning I realised why they had to offer the electric heater. It's because the bed doesn't retain any heat at all. It didn't help my bed was facing the main door with the freezing winter draft charging at me all night. I can't figure out their rationale. They made their place the classiest of the hotels I'd stayed in Bhutan (We didn't choose to pay extras for the luxury hotels.) but had the worst beds of all. What a pity. You might want to try it if it isn't winter and can stand hard beds but otherwise, try somewhere else. Or bring your own sleeping bag and mat.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Green Ridge Holiday Home; City: Munnar Idukki District Kerala; Review: ... made me feel somewhat claustrophobic with a tiny window and balcony that faced the wall of someone else's building. Not forgetting it was very noisy throughout the night. Street noise would suddenly blast its way into the room and at 3am, the hotel's sound system starting playing radio music into the corridors! I can't help feeling like I was living in a cardboard box. It's right by the main road in town and it looked way better many others situated similarly but then I wouldn't come here if the choice was up to me. The breakfast is pretty decent with a fair variety.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Thrisangu Haven Resort; City: Thekkady Idukki District Kerala; Review: My greatest gripe about this poorly run place was the five gigantic phone masts towers sited right next to the resort. I do mind being fried by them and will not have come if I knew it was there. I looked at their brochure and saw how they too had chosen not to represent them. Beyond the lovely scenic views all around (minus the super-powered phone masts) the living conditions in the standard rooms were dismal. 50% of the lights in the room and bathroom were broken and unfixed. The shower was damp and dark. The mattress was ok but its condition is tired and time to be replaced. The staff didn't speak much English and beyond looking like they were eager to please, you never get the service you need. We had two local guides who spoke good English and helped us translate our needs and still no action taken. The General Manager seemed the least interested of the lot. He would come to show his position but would quickly go back to his papers. Nothing much got done. We were a group of seven and we had to wait for at least 45 mins for all our meals (lunch, dinner and breakfast). Then they would come tell us that some parts of our orders were no longer available. We couldn't believe them as there was no other party there! The effect of their service and housing conditions left me wondering if they were indeed interested in having business at all.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Royal Plaza Hotel; City: Hong Kong; Review: We were three adults sharing a good-sized family room. Our booking didn't come with breakfast (Maybe we should have paid more for it). The room was spacious, toilets were clean with generous amenities. The room was well-insulated -- quite quiet spared for some distant knocking. The zircon was a bit of cranky. It would blow up really cold but would take a fair bit of stuffiness before the thermostat registers and the cool air would blow again. They are VERY busy. Plenty of guests coming and going makes for a lot of people in the main lobby. We were fortunate that our checking in and checking out was pleasant and speedy. Maybe because I'd booked and paid in full online. The shuttle bus manager told me that it's common for very long queues during check-out time making people late for their transport pickups. Because of the huge throng of people in the hotel, they try to sterilise everything, everywhere. The strong chemical smell of disinfectant is everywhere in the lobby and even along our room corridor. I try to hold my breath. It rained a lot during our four nights there and one night we decided to stay in for dinner. The Lion Rock on the third floor actually served a rather acceptable set meal even if it is a drinking place. The neighbouring chinese restaurant had a very appetising-looking menu too. We should have gone there. Most of our journeys out of the hotel we took cabs. The walk to the nearest MTR (train) is a little more than 400metres, it seems. We were too tired to bother and it wasn't expensive to cab. We missed the Flower street right next to the hotel. Pity. The shops were selling very interesting selection of flowers and plants. If you're a plant lover, don't miss this. I wouldn't stay here again merely because Mongkok is too busy for my preferences but it's a good hotel if you need to be here and if you want to squeeze three adults into a single room.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Madison Taipei Hotel; City: Da an Taipei; Review: We stayed there in July for four nights. It was heaven. The rooms were well-appointed with wonderful unvarnished wooden floors. The deluxe room was big and had a lovely view of the skyline and peaceful neighbourhood. After a hectic first half, Madison was a huge relief. It was quiet and calm. The staff was very helpful yet discreet. We didn't take the breakfast in the hotel. Found that there's limited breakfast places near there. We ate three lunches at Les Bebes near the hotel. It was great to have a change of palate. Fresh salads and western sandwiches. They are famous for their super cupcakes. The concierge does not know it. We took cabs mostly because it wasn't so convenient to take the MRT from there. After a long day, the walking can get to you. Cabbing is very easy. The beds are huge and no problem with the air on. We had the best sleep ever.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clarion Collection Hotel Kung Oscar; City: Trollhattan Vastra Gotaland County West Coast; Review: Good and clean and private. Wonderful sleep even being in the noisiest room of the whole hotel. We lived right above the main door and because we kept out windows open at night (no air conditioning in the hotel room which is fine given the local weather) we got smoke and noisy chatter from late night guests feeling inclined to stand outside the hotel entrance to chat and hang out! I would still stay here despite that main complaint because it is really pleasant to sleep. It's right near the city centre and if you don't want to pay for hotel parking, you can park a block down at the Oden Mall. Very cheap parking there. It's true the drive way in is very narrow and if you had and SUV, it'll be a squeeze. just drive slowly. They offer free dinners at night and if your budget is tight, this is a good option. There aren't that many amazing food options locally so you're not missing out that much.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Original Sokos Hotel Puijonsarvi; City: Kuopio Northern Savonia; Review: I will definitely come back here to stay the next time I visit. The hotel is has two main buildings which is separated by a street. It isn't a big deal even if you will need to walk around a bit to get to your room. Service is good and the hotel restaurants serve up very decent food indeed. For quieter rooms, take the rooms facing the back car park. No view but really peaceful. And the beds are really comfortable.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Triumph Hotel Mandalay; City: Mandalay Mandalay Region; Review: The Cons: 1. The hotel is just out of earshot from the bustle of the main city. There aren't many things going on around where it is. Considering the relatively expensive cost of taxis in Mandalay, not to mention the difficulty of finding one when you get into town, you have to hire a taxi from the hotel two-way. you can book a taxi for the day from the hotel. They offer it in two prices. One for within the city zone (+/- 35,000Kyat) and a slightly higher cost for outside the city zone. If you know where you want to go, this can work out to be cheaper than a tour guide and driver and car but there'll be no translation. Make sure you get your itinerary written out because the drivers aren't conversant in English. One more thing: If you book an airport transfer from the hotel, they charge you US$20. But on the return if you book and airport taxi, you'll pay 12,000 Kyat. 2. The breakfast is costly and the a-la-cart food menu is costly. Charged in US$. Cooking is also mediocre. We didn't bother to eat there. For dinner, you can get a taxi ride 3,000 kyat to A Little Bit of Mandalay just a shop hop away and eat there. They offer clean and very good local food. It isn't the most authentic (they tone down the heat) but it's a good start of your trip to unwind. The restaurant will send you back for free if you tell them you are a guest of the hotel. 3. Presently there is construction beside the hotel so all through the day it is banging away but in a polite way. Pros: 1. Huge rooms if you book those. The floor is smooth wood and so comfortable to walk around. The beds are huge and a tad hard but it's ok. It's quiet and peaceful and you get a good night sleep. It isn't a 5-star modern hotel. The rooms are all single storied like chalets and it's a lovely change from high rise hotels. 2. The pool is nice so you can just hang around for a bit.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Glenross Plantation Villa; City: Kalutara Western Province; Review: We spent four wonderful nights there a few weekends ago. It was bliss. Hidden up a steep winding hill, our hired driver nearly couldn't find it in the middle of the night and even after much persuasion from the plantation manager on the phone, he still couldn't believe how scary obscure the way to the building was. But once you get there, you'll discover the gorgeous 18th century British colonial built house. They only offer four huge rooms and they are a serene sanctuary from the years gone by. High ceilings silky cool wooden floors and ceilings and cool walls. Everything you might want to be completely coddled from the world out there. We had the best sleeps ever. You can sleep all through the day and night and if it rains, even better! Went we went it was the Sinhalese new year and most of the local markets and shops were closed so we didn't get a larger choice of local tastes which we were hoping for. But the manager and the cook were completely lovely. We had the run of the house and I even managed to get a cooking lesson! Do not go if you are easily bored and need plenty of stimulation. This goes for kids too. Beyond the plantation walks that can and do come with leeches. (This is tropical country afterall.), there are no shops around except a small little provision shop down the 2km drive up from the main road. You'll just need to entertain yourselves, which may not be so bad! The pool is a bit sad. They cleaned it but got all ragged again after the storm. The front lawn is beautiful but bugs will share the grass with you. The monkeys can become a nuisance too. Their favourite mango tree is right next to the building and they think you are their competitor. But all is fun and adventure. Go and laze your days away and recooperate.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Santani Wellness Resort Spa; City: Werapitiya Kandy District Central Province; Review: We stayed there for three nights just last month and wished I had better sense to book for four nights if not five. I love the way their owners put so much thought in the design and placement of the buildings. Minimalism at its most thoughtful. The location on the ridge meant the rooms were well-placed to have great views of the valley and nature was right at the doorstep. We slept so well. Went to bed with the stars and insect songs and woke up to foggy mornings and birdsongs. Weather was perfect. The restaurant served up indulgent meals. I must say the coffee and teas were rather insipid. It'll be nice too if they had decaf but maybe that's too much to ask for. Just good coffee would be wonderful. Lazavva? The road up is hard for drivers if they don't allow more time. It's is about 1.5 hour drive from Kandy Central and the last kilometre is rocky so it means slow going. Road markings are available but can be a bit confusing. If you take the train to Kandy, they offer a car to pick you up (for a fee, I think). Their spa lost that last star for us. It's pretty cramp and the whole entry concept and lounge concept was missing. The thermal pool was tiny and if there's someone there already, you just don't want to go in without feeling like you are sharing your bathtub with a stranger. The toweling situation was a mess. I think it was not such a great idea to use those thick towelling bathrobes (linen ones are better) because washing the oils off are hard even in modern conditions. That meant fresh clean towels and bathrobes were still stained and half wet. Prices at the spa are high and they didn't match the service we got. A few of the rooms were noisy from the kitchen aircon condensers and the condensor building near the pool unfortunately. I think it would be lovely if they could add an afternoon tea service. And if they had a written up menu on the board would be great. Otherwise you are constantly asking for their options for food.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Termy Medical Warmia Park; City: Stawiguda Warmia Masuria Province Northern Poland; Review: UPSIDES 1) Location - 2,5 hrs drive from Warsaw 2) Nice landmark, forest & lakes surround 3) Good kitchen but does not keep quality over 1 week. You can find amazing dishes, but also terrible ones 4) People. I've been there few times. You can see the same faces, from desk to cleaning - they are very nice & helpful 5) when going with children - the place is weather proof, you have aqua park - free for guests DOWNSIDES: 1) Paper walls - you would hear EVERY word your neighbours say, or EVERY THING they do from flushing the toilet to quiet sex (you will feel like having threesome...). If you want to relax and need good sleep - avoid this place. The only rooms, where you can count on a little silence are located on upper floor (roof over your head). They are big rooms, two level. (i.e. 217, 218) But still, you WILL hear every word & noise made by people next door. 2) To maximise revenue managers rent these rooms to 4-6 people very often, what makes this rooms even louder. AVOID other rooms on the 1st floor. 3) They are building new buildings to host more people. Soon, it is going to have its capacity doubled. When the weather is bad, everyone is at the pool, which makes it hard to use when with children. I can't imagine twice more people. 4) Internet is unstable and drops speed very often, free 5) They will charge you for parking - shame General rating: 2/5 stars Price<>quality: overpriced; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Locanda de La Spada; City: Venice Veneto; Review: Went there with my mother to show her Venice, and: CONS: - no elevator. Very hard for a granny to climb to the top 3 times a day. Truly speaking they have elevator, but it is for luggage only. They will tell you you could use it to bring a person up or down, but it operating it is so weird - we decided to suffer climbing the stairs - breakfast - very nice, but chairs and tables are very uncomfortable for the purpose of eating, and I think - for any purpose... - internet - they sey it is in the room. It isnt. The router is mounted upside down, both antennas pointing the floor, which makes the range week. You will have to walk out and work in the corridor (room #307) PROS: - room was very nice. The building is located directly by the canal, boating water. When coming from the airport, you will switch from regular taxi to water taxi. If in the evening - the views are impressive. - very nice restaurants & food. Italy - no comments. They are very good in this. - AC working fine - TV - you will find hundreds of italian channels, but there is also CNN, BBC, RTL and one french i can't remember the logo. - very nicely equiped bathroom, you will find toothpaste and brush, lots of different cosmetics, shaving kit. Resuming: Good for romantic weekend for a young couple. Convinient location to visit the most famous places and go to the opera in Theatre De Fenice; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Klimczok Hotel Resort SPA; City: Szczyrk Silesia Province Southern Poland; Review: 2016 New Year Eve package Pros • Crew are very nice people, reacting very fast, doing their best • Pub: the only thing you can eat there safely are steaks. Dont try anything else. Cons • Food - terrible, too heavy for any diet. Breakfast buffet - during few days stay you can see the same plates with the same food served over and over again, slices of meet and chees have more and more dried edges. Dinner buffet - far much to heavy, al ot of fat. The cook performes like if there were no herbs and spieces. On top of that - there was a massive food poisoning. I have experienced it myself, and have heard a lot of guests suffering after New Year Eve. • Rooms: the hotel is half renovated. I haven't seen renovated rooms. Bad luck I've got stuck in "modern apartment". Design, look & feel - I will save the words. Please see photos. Horror, horror, horror... • Spa: haven't tried. Too busy in the toilet ;-) • Quality of sleep, BAD: no AC, you cannot open windows, only balcony doors. So when there is -10 outside, you can either dry out to death from central heating, or freeze to death when you open the balcony door. The heating is half-automated, which means it doesn't work or nobody can tell you how to operate it. With outside temperature going below -10C it si very hard to keep the room worm, it goes max to +21. • Pool: too small. Looked like it needed cleaning. Water is warm, but since it hase this exit and entrance for the river, which goes outside - you really cannot relax in warm air of the pool. It is cold. When with small kids - very uncomfortable to change and dry hair. Cold! • Parking: free, but limited space. • TV: only air TV, no cable, no sattelite • Internet: very poor and unstable, complimentary, but you have to give away your data - shame. Forget about any streaming, skype or facetime • Playground for children: one room, quite nicely done, but too small, up to 10 kids safely • Only one and very slow elevator Overal: • Easier to bring it down to the ground then to renovate; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Atrium Platinum Luxury Resort Hotel Spa; City: Rhodes Town Rhodes Dodecanese South Aegean; Review: Pros: - great location - pools, there are few incl. shallow one for kids - sunbeds - enough for all, no need to run in the morning with towels, however some people love first row by the pool, so they do. Tip: get one under the olive tree. It keeps you cooler in some magic way ;-) - pool bar and restaurant - very convenient - people - the crew: they make this place better than it really is!!! - best food: greek salad and retzina - breakfast: large choice, good quality - food: there is israeli influence, but not kosher ;-) - consierge - car rental at the reception - very clean - A/C is controlable, you can have mild cool air in the room at night, you don't have to choose between "get boiled" or "get frozen". Very quiet. Cons: - restaurants at the top, thai, sushi - it is very specific, local ;-) - no guards at the pool, I saw youth with drinks in hands in the water, no reaction from any staff when there are plenty by the pool - poor choice of tv channels, but who stares at TV while in Greece? Overal: book and go!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nordic Hotel; City: El Tarter Canillo Parish; Review: PROS: - 100 m to the gondola lift (you can ski from hotel door) - Food is not bad - Staff is trying to be nice CONS - no coffee machine in the room, no cattle - no room service - no telephone in the room - paid internet in the room, which is rip off. Shame to have such quality of service in 21st century. Only messaging if you are lucky. - If you live in the section with “apartamentos” - you will have to go through underground corridor, where you will have to smell [@#$&]. Literally: [@#$&] sewage!!! . Great before and after every meal you have. You will have to experience it also when using hotel ski lockers. - No complimentary water in the room. The air is dry, you will have to buy in the market and bring it yourself, or buy in the bar/reception, 2,50 eur/bottle - location - there is absolutely nothing close to this hotel, but ATM machines and ski rentals - heating int the room - you cannot be comfortable: you die on the grill or you freeze to death. - no any help with the luggage - when leaving home early - you have to beg for what should be there - anything to eat or a cup of hot tea/coffee when wainting for a transfer bus 5 am. They will give you a sandwich made of toast bread with the cheapiest ham and cheese. No chance for hot coffee/tea. Shame.... - TV - only BBC news in English To summarize: value for money ratio is 4/10; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Heron's Cove (Sharpe & Donovan); Author: Visit Amazon's Carla Neggers Page; Review: I always enjoy Carla Neggers books. They are fun reading. I'm sorry to see each of her books end and look forward to the next one.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Finding You; Author: Visit Amazon's Carla Neggers Page; Review: Love to read Carla Neggers. Her books are always fun to read and good escape. I am an avid reader and like variety. Sometimes I will reread one of her books years later and still enjoy them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Elantris; Author: Visit Amazon's Brandon Sanderson Page; Review: Loved this book. Brandon Sanderson is a good writer and his stories interesting and fun to read. Can't wait to read more of his work.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Final Empire: Mistborn Book One; Author: sanderson-brandon; Review: Sanderson had a new fan in me. I've already finished The Final Empire and on to book 2. The magic in this series is so different from any other fantasy I've read. Very cleverly done.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Last Rite: A Maggie Devereaux Mystery (#3); Author: Visit Amazon's Stephen Penner Page; Review: Interesting subject. Loved the historical references. Only drawback for me was getting past Maggie's seeming obsession with the Dark Book. Seems out of character for her. Finally explained in their 3rd book. Overall a fun and interesting read. I would recommend to anyone who like paranormal with romance.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Whisper of a Witch; Author: Visit Amazon's Suza Kates Page; Review: I enjoyed the story and the characters. 3 stars because I feel the situations a little too contrived. Having said that I recognize this kind of story might need to be. I will read more but might like it better if it wasn't in 9 separate books.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Answers For Julie: Book Nine In The Bodyguards Of L.A. County Series (Volume 9); Author: Visit Amazon's Cate Beauman Page; Review: I've enjoyed this series. Good story lines & likeable characters. Answers for Julie has to be my favorite. From the beginning the story pulled me in and I found it hard to put down. I was anxious to get to the "who's responsible" but sad to say goodby to Julie and Chase. Can't wait for the next book in the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Finding Lyla: Book Ten In The Bodyguards Of L.A. County Series (Volume 10); Author: Visit Amazon's Cate Beauman Page; Review: I've read all of the books in the "bodyguard" series. This was my favorite. Good story and I loved Lyla and Collin. Looking forward to more.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Syma S107g-13 Helicopter Replacement Part - Main Shaft; Brand: SYMA; Review: I purchased this part to fix the broken black piece at the top on my S107G helicopter. The original part broke at one of the plastic pins that mount the top propeller assembly. As best as I can tell, it looked like an exact replacement. I did not replace the whole shaft though, I was able to remove the two screws at the top and just change the black piece. Patience, good lighting, and eyeglasses kit size phillips screwdriver was needed to work on it. The price seemed right, no real complaints. Seller was NBOX, recieved in good time, however was shipped in just a plain envelope unprotected. It didn't appear to be damaged, but since I haven't used the shaft, I don't know that it didn't get bent at all and I think it would be easy to get bent that way.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Fold and Go Wooden Princess Castle With 2 Royal Play Figures, 2; Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: I find myself regretting this purchase a little. It's a cute little set, but it didn't turn out to be a favorite for my 4 year old girl. She played with it for a week or two and has moved on. As cute as it is, the usefulness of it is limited. It's detail is craft like inside, and isn't inspiring to the imagination I think. Which may explain why my girl immediately colored the entire inside with crayons. The front door is secured by elastic band and snaps closed with a bang, which is annoying a bit as well as a strange way for a door to work. Our first one arrived broken. The unit opens using a hinge on one side that is riveted into the wood, which is layered like plywood, and it was just blown apart. So we are super careful with the replacement one. For what this costs you could get quite a bit of playset in something else. In hindsight, I wish we hadn't bought it. It was a birthday present, and supposed to be something special, so we were willing to spend a little because it looked really neat. But in hand it's just limited on what she really is inspired to do with it. It really would take a whole lot of imagination to use, so maybe it's better to older kids.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fun Express Colorful Mini Beach Playsets- 12 Buckets, Shovels, Rakes, and Scoops; Brand: Fun Express; Review: Fulfilled the job of giving a bunch of little kids something to play with at the park for a birthday. Just about everyone's shovels fell apart, and if I had known before hand, I think I could've glued them together before the party. Was just right price/size for the use.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Play-Doh Modeling Compound 24-Pack Case of Colors, Non-Toxic, Multi-Color, 3-Ounce Cans, Ages 2 and up (Amazon Exclusive); Brand: Play-Doh; Review: Was the best price per ounce, it is a LOT of play-doh, but the next cheapest option is less than half the number of containers and the smaller ounce size.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Furby Boom Figure (Triangles); Brand: Furby; Review: Pretty neat toy that my 5 year old girl adores, and loves playing with the app. My complaints would be: -never thought I'd need to worry about it teaching my kid to talk badly. She is picking up urban slang from it ( can I get a what whaaat, awwww yeah, me know riiight?, etc. ) -the mobile app is surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, an added money grab. In the tradition of smartphone apps, there is much opportunity to blow real world money. So, just a tip, lock your purchases ahead of time. -the app is not available on our Kindle Fire HD kids tablet. For serious. You'll have to use your phone most likely. And it gobbles around a quarter Gig of space, to play the videos at every step that you can't skip. It probably isn't worth the normal price, grabbed it for Christmas for 25 ish, that's about right to me. The four AA batteries have made it until today, Jan 4th, since Christmas day. Rechargeable batteries are are wise investment.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bruder Mb Arocs Cement Mixer; Brand: Bruder Toys; Review: Kids are absolutely in love with the cement mixer. Twin boys got one of these, and one dump truck, and the one was quite jealous of the cement mixer. Bruder's are kinda stuck in a weird place to me. For the price, the plastic everything is a bit disappointing. I grew up when my Tonka tow truck was realistic, and had glossy metallic paint on a metal body, it was beautiful. Times are different. A few things have broke here and there, stickers peel off, the plastic is pretty easy to scuff up and look dull. For that kind of money, the materials could be better. That said, they do really like them because they are a real looking and operating vehicle. The scale is was does it, they are massive, there are almost no other toys available on the market at that scale.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Scotts 2000-20 Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower, 20-Inch; Brand: Scotts; Review: great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bird B Gone Reflective Scare Bird Diverter (Set of 5); Brand: Bird B Gone; Review: needed; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bird-X Balcony Gard Ultrasonic Bird Repeller; Brand: Bird-X; Review: needed; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mice, Rodent, Cockroach Rat Repellent Ultrasonic Device - Best Humane Electronic Pest Control Home; Brand: Pest Revolter; Review: needede; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AUSTOR 6 Pcs Carburetor Adjustment Tool with Case Included 21 Teeth Splined; Brand: AUSTOR; Review: good tools; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Patio_Lawn_and_Garden |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Twilight (Twilight, #1); Author: Stephenie Meyer; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: To be fair, I went into this knowing it probably wasn't going to be great. On some levels, I was right, and on others, I was pleasantly surprised. So here we go, pro's and cons: Cons: The characters are really rather one dimensional. Bella makes some seemingly self-destructive choices ( a lot ) with no solid reasoning behind it other than the author wanted her to do those things. In this respect, it was very hard to get along with Bella as a main character. She made stupid choices, and she did stupid things. The writing wasn't god-awful, but it wasn't good either. I found the character's actions and even dialogue to be rather unconvincing and sometimes even laughable. (and yes, I have to say it.. what on earth possessed a grown woman to make vampires "sparkle"?) Pros: After awhile, once I was able to set aside the absurdity of the writing and characters at times, I was able to sit back and enjoy the story for what it is: a pre-teen fantasy-fulfilling romance with adult themes thrown in. It WAS entertaining once I forced myself to quit nitpicking. I won't say it's a good book, but it did it's job in passing the time. Unfortunately, I think the author's inability to write dialogue and characters correctly made this into a book that can only truly be enjoyed by a younger audience - but because of the adult content, is also inappropriate for that same audience.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1); Author: Suzanne Collins; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Loved this book - in fact, the whole series! I'd definitely recommend it to anyone! I think the movie came really short on portraying Katniss.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Divergent (Divergent, #1); Author: Veronica Roth; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Honestly, I loved this book. I won't be afraid to admit it. I'm a big fan of anything Dystopian - and coming into this book I hadn't read or seen a single review or even the hype for it. I found it by accident and decided to give it a read - so there's little bias here. So first off, it read easily - I never got hung up on the style, which for a nitpicker like me, is virtually amazing. I can find fault in anything. Second, though I hated the main character's nickname (it's just stupid), I found myself liking her. She worries about her choices between right and wrong, and then she does what she can to make her decision (which sometimes has it's consequences). She has spunk. I also enjoyed the world and the strange way it worked - however improbable it is that a society like that -could- work. It was entertaining to see the differences in the characters from different faction to different faction. I am highly looking forward to the second book!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2); Author: Suzanne Collins; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Loved the entire series~!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Date with the Other Side (Cuttersville, #1); Author: Erin McCarthy; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: An entertaining afternoon read :3 It certainly made me giggle every time the two main characters got locked in a room together!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #1); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: At the beginning I had a hard time getting into the book. I'm not a big fan of books that start out in the middle of a very complicated life - and that's what Anita Blake has, a VERY complicated life. But after awhile I was able to catch up with the ruckus going on around her, and sank into the book. Overall, I liked it, a lot. Anita is witty, sarcastic, tough - but still has a bit of a girly side to her. We get along just fine! I also greatly appreciated that even though the book had several hot males in it (both human and not-so-human) she didn't end up hooking up with or falling in love with any of them. She could have - but she didn't. So props to the author!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Laughing Corpse (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #2); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book - even more so than the first (possibly because I'm a bit more used to the character now and there wasn't as much sexual-tension between the characters that was never fulfilled). The ending had me cheering for Anita!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Across the Universe (Across the Universe, #1); Author: Beth Revis; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1); Author: Laini Taylor; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #3); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I didn't enjoy this one as much as the second - there was so much going on that the book felt reallllly long. The story was entertaining though. A couple of points I didn't enjoy were that the author broke fourth wall at one point for what I consider a stupid reason. The second, is that the end was too tidily wrapped up. It was one of those "and everyone lived happily ever after" moments. It felt cheesy. Still a really good book, but the second one was better in my opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Lunatic Cafe (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #4); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I enjoyed this edition to the anita blake series more than the previous one. It was nice to see a bit of a love triangle appearing - and fascinating to watch anita quarrel with her own personal beliefs the deeper she got into the situation. The author did a great job making it not seem forced as Anita slowly began to admit that okay, maybe she wasn't so sure about what she wanted. I can't wait for the next one!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bloody Bones (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #5); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This one seemed a bit more complicated than those before it. There was a lot going on, and a big mystery in play that kept me guessing nearly to the end. It was a fun ride :3 I hated the bad guys, loved the good guys, and rooted for the ones in the gray quarter. I Can't wait to read the next one!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Killing Dance (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #6); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Finally! I won't say all the sexual tension was resolved in this book of the series - that would be spoilers - but I'll say that some things became clearer. It was a nice change from the previously frustratingly chaste books before it. It will be interesting to see where things go from here :3 It was a nother amazing book in the series!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Burnt Offerings (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #7); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Maybe it's the strange melding of anita to the lycanthorpic clans, Jean-Claud, and her own inner monster, but I felt it was a bit hard to personally identify with her in this book. She's traveling into the dark recesses of her life now, and there may be no turning back. I see the doubts beginning to appear. Overall, it was another wonderful addition to anita blake's tale - and parts of it I found absolutely fascinating, but like I said, it was harder to personally identify with her this time around. We'll see what happens in the next one. I think part of the problem is that even though she's changed a lot from the first book to this - her voice hasn't changed much. She's still a bit goofy, a bit feminine, a bit of a smart mouth - but the darker edge doesn't show as darker - just more scared. I don't think the author was able to convincingly change Anita Blake internally as much as she should be changing with all this death and chaos around her.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blue Moon (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #8); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I didn't enjoy this book as much as any of the previous ones. It was still a good book, but there came a point when I sat back and just went "WTF is going on?". This book is 90% sex and lust, and very little plot. There were some really good moments, and if you were prepared for the amount of sex involved, then yah, it wasn't fine - but it certainly didn't match up to the expectations I'd had from the previous books.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Obsidian Butterfly (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #9); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: It was odd going into this book - a lot of people gave their opinions on it before I ever got into it, and most of them said it was their favorite of the series. I can't honestly agree. It was a good book - and it got back to the crime fighting that the Anita Blake series originally started off with. That was nice. However, I honestly missed all the other little character I had grown to love - jason, nathaniel, zane, etc I ended up not enjoying this book as much as I had expected to. It wasn't really in-line with the other of the series - it was a step aside, like one of those christmas specials you get on TV. The main character was there, the crime fighting was there, but everything else was just off. Honestly, this is probably my least favorite of the books so far. As a stand alone: awesome. As part of the series: meh.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Narcissus in Chains (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #10); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would - and so far, it's one of my favorites, which in and of it's self is frightening. This book had way more sex in it than most of the others - practically every time Anita Blake blinked she had a man fawning over her - but it didn't really bug me. By now I've gotten used to Anita's chaotic love-life, and so I guess it doesn't bother me now when things go a bit to the ridiculous. The romance scenes were much hotter, sometimes weirder, but they all fell comfortably within the storyline. I was really pleased to see Anita making up her mind a little in this book. She stopped running from herself and the people around her, put on that stiff-upper-lip, and gave in to who she is. It was a nice change.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cerulean Sins (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #11); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Another great addition to the Anita Blake series. There wasn't a lot that stood out about this novel. That goes for both the good and the bad. I enjoyed the plot - and the fact that it got back to solving crimes (not to mention tying in some elements from earlier stories). Over all, a good read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Incubus Dreams (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #12); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: The ONLY reason this book got 3 stars is the abundance of hot sex scenes. Honestly. There was no plot - only a small investigation into some serial murders that didn't even get solved. Most of this book was just plain sex - rarely with the same person. I call that fan-service. If you aren't into the sex-side of the Anita Blake series, I'd skip it. You won't miss much. If you're into reading the series solely for the hot men.. then you'll love this book. *thumbs up*; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Micah (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #13); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This was... really, really short. I'm still thinking that maybe I'm missing most of the book. I'll have to check to make sure my Ebook is complete because 12 chapters is NOT enough. I don't even mean that in a funny way. I seriously think part of my book is missing. It was good... but... I feel like I got 1/3 of the story.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Danse Macabre (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #14); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I don't have anything overly good or bad to say about this one - the plot (for once) was there. Lots of sex. Lots of new relationship problems. Your standard anita blake story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #15); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Another awesome edition to the series! I enjoyed this one more than most - and it's alluded to a lot of very dark stuff coming up in the near future. I can't wait to see what happens next!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #16); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I really enjoyed this installment to the Anita Blake series. For once, there was a solid plot - which is something that's been missing from a few of the previous books. I loved learning a bit more about Jason (one of my favorites in this series) and seeing how Anita and Jason's relationship as both friends and lovers grew. Can't wait to read more!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Skin Trade (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #17); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: These books just get stranger and stranger. This wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't a great one either. For once, there was a plot, but for having spanned several books, it had a pretty weak conclusion to the arch.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Flirt (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #18); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This was another of those really REALLY short books, but it was a really good one too. I love the new addition of Nicky - the poor hopeless bastard.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bullet (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #19); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Another great book in the Anita Blake series :3 I don't have anything overly bad to say about it. I've gotten used to the high amounts of sex and orgies that go on during this series - and they no longer bother me as they once did. It may be that I'm just too attached to the characters to care now.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hit List (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #20); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Another good book in the Anita Blake series. Her life is starting to get a bit too complicated even for me to follow - but it was nice to see some things from other books wrapped up. I really wish the author had handled the Olaf problem another way, but who am I to complain? Still worth a read!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Kiss the Dead (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #21); Author: Laurell K. Hamilton; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Nuuu. I ran outof anita blake books to read. This was another good edition tot he series - I'm interested in seeing where things go with this new Benjamin, and I'm glad to see Asher go. I really hope they make him leave - that man needs some serious therapy. All in all, a good book - I enjoyed reading it!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake (Love By Numbers, #1); Author: Sarah MacLean; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I LOVED this book. It was everything I believe a regency romance should be - and it renewed my faith in the genre after reading what I considered a rather awful predecessor. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to get into the regency romance genre - you won't be dissappointed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Desperate Duchesses (Desperate Duchesses, #1); Author: Eloisa James; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I'm generally a fan of regency-era romance, but honestly I found it difficult to get into this one. I'll flat out say that I felt most of the characters were downright stupid and one-dimensional. The beginning of the book was really hard to get into - I don't know if it's the author's style, or the fact that I read this as a close second to the Anita Blake series, but the language just flew over my head the first couple of chapters. I found it difficult to figure out who was speaking or acting until nearly chapter 20 when the story finally became interesting. By chapter 25 I was ready to kill the main character if she didn't find a way to marry Gemma's brother. I regret to say I've already forgotten nearly all of the character's names and I just finished reading the last chapter about 30 seconds ago. It wasn't an awful book, but it was by far not one of my favorites.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone; Author: Kat Rosenfield; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: I may be one of the few people who really couldn't appreciate this book (judging by the other reviews). Every chapter the author had us in a scene with a different set of characters and it became both very hard to connect to any of the characters in particular as well as hard to tell who's chapter I was in. A chapter or two didn't seem to have anything to do with the plot or main characters of the book at all. Overall, I found it hard to follow - and therefore, hard to enjoy. I did like the last two chapters - It was only near the very last chapters (maybe the last three or four) that I began to suspect who really killed Amelia Anne, or at least what really happened to her, and as the events unfolded I really felt sorry for her. I could have lived without all the chapters before it though. Amelia, though she was already dead at the beginning of the book, was probably my favorite character. I both sort of loved and hated the author's writing style.. there were times when it made me roll my eyes - a bit too poetic. Other times, I enjoyed the sense of atmosphere it gave the scenes... it was a very thin line at times.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Enchantment (Channie, #1); Author: Charlotte Abel; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: LOVED IT. Even though it's a young adult novel, I found it engaging and very well written. I adored Channie (the main character) and her quirky, unpredictable nature. This wasn't just a romance, it was an endearing love story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Taken (Channie, #2); Author: Charlotte Abel; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: The second Channie story was every bit as good as the first one. The plot was complicated and intriguing (in a good way) and the characters were once again very endearing as well as funny. I love this series!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Wild's Call (Aspect of Crow, #0.5); Author: Jeri Smith-Ready; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: It was a great premise for a story, and a very short, interesting read. However, I felt that even for a short story it seemed extremely rushed. What should have happened over the course of weeks or even months happened in just two days. The romance was completely unbelievable as a consequence. It's a shame such a great premise for a novel was wasted on something so short.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Fated, Part One (A Timeless Series Novella); Author: Lisa L. Wiedmeier; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: The writing was clear and easy to follow, but I had some serious issues with this story. ALL of the characters (three males) sound exactly alike. It was very hard to distinguish one from another, in fact, unless you paid attention to the chapter subtitles (which told you which chapter belonged to which character.. thank GOD for those), you couldn't tell at all who was speaking in most of the chapters, or what gender they were (until they started fawning over the girl). I got all the way to the second chapter before I realized the person speaking was male! There was also a lack of detail in the surroundings and even what the characters looked like, leading to quite a bit of "floating head syndrome". We saw very little of the female main character (and never from her perspective), so it was very hard to relate to her at all... she was just some girl in the background all the guys were gaga over.. but I couldn't get a good sense of who she was. Plot was good, world-building was good, but the writing to put it all together lacked. And though I won't spoil it, I was extremely disappointed with the ending.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: My Familiar Stranger (Knights of Black Swan, #1); Author: Victoria Danann; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: I was hesitant going into this novel based on the title and cover art. I was imagining were-swans, having not read the description, but was pleasantly surprised to find a gem of fantasy fiction. Do not pass this story up - you won't be disappointed!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: At the End (The Road to Extinction, #1); Author: John Hennessy; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: It took me awhile to get into this story - the characters all sounded the same, and there wasn't a lot of description, but in the end i enjoyed this somewhat fantastic rendition of the apocalypse via alions.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dance of Shadows: Chapters 1-3; Author: Yelena Black; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: A promising start - can't wait to read more. Looks like I'll be buying a new book. Keep it coming!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Accidentally in Love with...a God? (Accidentally Yours, #1); Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: This book turned out better than i thought it would going in. It's always a toss up going into a book with such a strange, corny name, but in the end I was glad i gave it a shot. It was nice to see something a little different in the mythology of a paranormal romance. Come on, how often do you get to read about sexy Mayan gods?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sun God Seeks…Surrogate? (Accidentally Yours, #3); Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: I think this book was a little better written than the previous of the series. I enjoyed the twists and turns that befell penelope, but in the end it wasn't much of a romance -- lust, yes, romance, nuh-uh. Still, i enjoyed it, and will eagerly await book 4.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Accidentally Married to...a Vampire? (Accidentally Yours, #2); Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: USA TODAY and New York Times Best Seller! Thank you, Readers! "If you love her, set her free. If she comes back, she's yours. If she doesn't...Christ! Stubborn woman! Hunt her down, and bring her the hell back; she's still yours according to vampire law." Niccolo DiConti, General of the Vampire Queen's Army. THE DETERMINED VAMPIRE: Niccolo DiConti has faithfully served as leader of Her Majesty's army for over a millennium, but he'd rather sunbathe in the Sahara than spend another grueling day under his demented queen's command. However, no one has ever left her side and lived to tell. So when a powerful goddess prophesies he will meet his salvation - a human woman he must turn into a vampire with her consent - he eagerly rises to the challenge. After all, how hard could it be to seduce a human female into taking the immortal plunge? Harder than he thinks. Because his mate won't be born for another three centuries, and when he wakes up in the goddess' tomb, not only is his life a mess, but his destined female isn't about to settle for a coldhearted vampire. Can he win her over before it's too late? Not if his enemies have anything to do with it. AN UNWILLING BRIDE: On the night Helena Strauss meets the fierce, devastatingly handsome vampire who saves her life in the jungles of Mexico, she knows her world will be forever changed. Because an attraction this mind blowing only comes along once in a lifetime - or existence. And when he claims she is his one true mate, destined to be his for all eternity, it's a fairytale come true. So what if her knight in shining armor is a vampire? Nobody's perfect. But discovering the powerful, overbearing immortal doesn't "do love"? Deal breaker. Helena will flee and set out to accomplish the impossible...sever the otherworldly bond between them. And it turns out, Helena is just the leverage Niccolo's enemies need to break the mighty warrior and wipe out his people. WARNING: This book contains sexual content (For some of you, not enough. I know. I'll try harder, I promise.), adult language, hot men with unrealistically large physical characteristics, female whining (What? I whine all the time. It's a healthy form of venting!), silliness, snark, sarcasm, and blatant abuse of the English language.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Daughter of Joy (Brides of Culdee Creek, #1); Author: Kathleen Morgan; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I'm not a religious person in the least, and because of that this story did come off as a bit preachy for my tastes. However, the message in it was still a good one, and i thoroughly enjoyed this tale of heartbreak, love, and redemption. Definitely worth the read!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Waking Up Married (Waking Up, #1); Author: Mira Lyn Kelly; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: This was a bit of a different take on the classic reluctant of convenience couple. The romance was complicated but strong from the very beginning and an entertaining ride. A well-written, interesting story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Ghost of Squire House; Author: Joanne Pence; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This was a charming tale of wasted time, hidden treasures, and true love. I enjoyed every minute of it though i wished there had been a bit more visible action between paul and jennifer.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Forever Fifteen; Author: Kimberly Steele; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Though the writing of this story was very stiff and clinical for the most part, i felt the style was appropriate for the telling of it. This isn't your typical vampire story, and the author is unapologetic about it. Rather than the typical teen romance stories full of longing and drama, this takes what I'd consider a more realistic approach to the classic vampire story. The main character, Lucia, is an unwilling teen vampire with a practical outlook on eternity and her situation. You won't find angst and promises of forever within. It should be noted that I actually red the book and didn't listen to the audio version.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Maid for the Billionaire (Legacy Collection, #1); Author: Ruth Cardello; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: A great quick read. I loved the spicy if somewhat complicated relationship between abby and dominic. My only sore point was that close to the end i felt their relationship leapt a little too far and a little to fast. I would have liked a few more chapters before they jumped straight to marriage.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hired by the Cowboy (Windover Ranch #1); Author: Donna Alward; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: This was a great romance - nicely paced and clearly written. Loved it! Conner and alex had an obvious spark between them from the very beginning!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stained (Stained, #1); Author: Ella James; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I liked the world and idea behind this story. At points i even hesitantly liked the characters, but i found the writing style very sloppy and hard to follow. A lot of issues were never cleared up (even though i understand this is a series), and the characters moods seemed to change on a whim without any clear reason. That being said, i felt compelled to read on - and that's the only reason this scored 3 whole stars.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Prince of Wolves (The Grey Wolves, #1); Author: Quinn Loftis; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This has got to be THE best single YA Paranormal Fiction book I have read to date, hands down. The story was engaging, full of well-developed characters with unique personalities and voices, tongue in cheek humor, snarky comments, a super-brave and interesting female lead... the list goes on. The writing itself was clear, and sucked me right into the story. Four paws, five stars, two thumbs up to this one.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blood Rites (The Grey Wolves, #2); Author: Quinn Loftis; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Loved it. It was every bit as good as the book before it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Just One Drop (The Grey Wolves, #3); Author: Quinn Loftis; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This was another great addition to the grey wolves series, and yet again, it didn't disappoint. It was nice to get to see jen's point of view this time around, and I can only hope that at some point we'll get to see sally's as well - right now she's sort of coming off as a third wheel with both jaque and jen finding smexy love interests. This book had a bit more intrigue to it than the first two, and I'm waiting with baited breath to see where all this conflict is going. My only negative impression was at the ending. I feel we were left with almost too much of a cliffhanger. I would have liked to have seen jen's situation a little more resolved at the end.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Out of the Dark (The Grey Wolves, #4); Author: Quinn Loftis; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I'm not quite sure I fully enjoy Jen in love, she's a bit too sweet compared to the sassy sailor-mouthed Jen I'd grown to love as a character, but that aside, I loved this new addition to the grey wolves series. I have to hand it to Quinn Loftis for coming up with such great pairings and characters. Each of them is unique and easy to tell apart, which seems to be difficult for a lot of authors to portray. I can't wait for the next book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beyond the Veil (The Grey Wolves, #5); Author: Quinn Loftis; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Let me start out by saying that I'm not a big fan of the ending. Just as the tension was at an all time high and things were finally getting good, POOF, it was over. That being said, it was a great book. My only other real complaint is that with so many relationships popping up in this novel, I felt they all got a little less screen time than they deserved.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld #1); Author: Gena Showalter; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: You can see my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All in Time; Author: Ciana Stone; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Despite the name i tried to read this novel with as little bias as possible, but by about 26% i gave up and tossed it. The writing at the beginning was dense and difficult to follow. I found myself skimming, but the farther in i got... it never really let up. The beginning of a story should hook you and pull you along into the story and i couldn't seem to find the hook. The first introduction to the main female lead instantly made me dislike her... she came across as trashy. This just isn't my kind of book.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Alpha Moon (Silver Moon, #0.5); Author: Rebecca A. Rogers; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: As i read this book it almost seemed to be more of a short story than an actual novel and i can only assume that is because it was a prequel. Nevertheless it was written well. I only wish more time had been spent on the relationship between the main couple, without it i didn't feel as attached to their story as i would have otherwise been.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Amethyst (Guardian, #1); Author: Heather Bowhay; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: College-bound Lexi Adams leads no ordinary life. Premonitions dictate her every move compelling her to rescue strangers day and night. After years of self-sacrifice, she decides to ignore one, but innocent people die. So, when the next premonition depicts her own death, Lexi has a decision to make. Except more complications arise when a series of strange illnesses and murders devastate her small town, and co-worker Jessica Nelson insists Lexi can help. According to Jessica, everyone is born with an inner energy called Essence. Only a select few, Amethysts, can control Essence and heal people. Jessica claims to be an Amethyst and asks Lexi to join her and a group of her friends as they track the murderers. Lexi considers helping them only to find out that not only do Jessica's friends have a hidden agenda, but they also harbor extraordinary abilities. Even more unsettling, they have connections with the Ray-pacs - the sadistic killers who are preying on human Essence. Ultimately, Lexi must decide if life, not death, equals salvation. And if so, is she willing to make sacrifices and join her friends in eradicating the Ray-pacs? Amethyst is the first novel in the Guardian series, a spellbinding young adult, urban fantasy series laced with paranormal elements. FREE in eBook format at Smashwords.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, and Diesel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Awakened (Vampire Awakenings, #1); Author: Brenda K. Davies; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: First of all, i thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was nice to read a story that revolved around college students and a frat house without getting campy. Although the characters weren't overly unique or deep, they were consistent, and despite these points i found myself liking them. In these ways the story was phenomenal. I also found it odd but welcome that at about halfway through the story I'd already felt like I'd finished a complete novel... only to find there was an immediate sequel. I'm not sure if this odd double plot was intended, but as i was thoroughly enjoying the story i was glad to find there was so much left of it to read. Unfortunately there were a few things about this story that i didnt like. A big part of this was the constant miss-use of words. I cant even count how many times withered was used in place of writhed, too instead of to, and sense instead of since. With the writing otherwise being very clear i found this abuse of grammar to be striking and difficult to fathom. I can only assume that the publisher's spell check was seriously malfunctioning the day this was typeset. I also found the use of two similar malicious female personalities (michelle and beth) a bit redundant plot-wise. Those two could have been sisters! I also was somewhat put off by the intensity of sera and liam's relationship. I realize that this was plot based, but i was cringing at the rage and possessiveness liam showed... i think there's a fine line when it comes to romance on how far you can push those emotions before it sets off warning bells for abuse, and this i think straddled that line a little too closely. All in all I'm glad i read this book and I'd certainly recommend it, but it wasn't one of my favorites.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Baby Bonanza; Author: Maureen Child; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Its a harlequin, so of course the writing is phenomenal, but I'll be honest that this isn't my favorite type of book. I don't like coming into a book AFTER the main characters have already fallen in love. To me, the most exciting part of the Romance is waiting for the characters to meet and fall in love, and eventually admit to it....but when the story starts after they've already had a physical relationship i feel like I'm missing half the fun. I also think their relationship got tied up a little too neatly considering the amount of obstacles between them. Still, it was a quick, entertaining read for the afternoon.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Baptism by Fire; Author: Keira Ramsay; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: There were some good parts of this story....and there were some really awful parts. I went into this thinking it was a romance but was disappointed to discover it was closer to a raunchy erotic. The romance was completely unconvincing and moved ridiculously fast. I could believe the main characters were in lust, but not in love. Furthermore the language and terminology used in the intimate physical moments came across as trashy and almost laughable. I really wanted to like this story... the plot was interesting...but in the end i was disappointed with how the story was portrayed.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bewitching the Werewolf; Author: Caroline Hanson; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: This was ridiculously short. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't good either. The scenes seemed to skip round about as fast as i could blink... and because the story moved so quickly it was hard to care about any of the characters or even believe their emotions. I think the plot of this story could have made a great full length novel, but the writing style just wasn't there.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Blood King (Dardanos, Colorado #1); Author: Calle J. Brookes; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: The story was short, which i should have, but didn't, expect. The writing was clear, the story intriguing. My major problem came from the way the romance was handled. These girls were brutally kidnapped and held against their will and yet they fell in love with these monsters. I didn't feel their reactions were realistic or plausible given the little bit of story we were given. Had the author taken a little more time with portraying the characters emotions i think i could have given into the fiction of it, but as it was i just didn't feel their connection.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Book of Deacon (The Book of Deacon, #1); Author: Joseph R. Lallo; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This tale was fantastic in every sense of the word. The plot was engaging, the writing clear, the characters unique and entertaining. I totally fell in love with myn, myranda, lain, and deacon. I cant wait to get my hands on the next book of the series. If you bypass this book i promise you will regret it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Branded (Fall of Angels, #1); Author: Keary Taylor; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I ended up being pleasantly surprised by this book. Loved the characters, the plot, the settings... my only unfortunate nitpick is that the writing wasn't great, it wasn't awful, but i think the style could have been better. Still, the story was engaging and kept me reading well past 3 am.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Bride's Baby; Author: Liz Fielding; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Like all harlequin romances, this one was decently written, though not as well written as most. There were a few places with typoes that should have been cleaned up prior to publication, and some serious issues with the formatting. With no clear line breaks to indicate character, scene, or time breaks, i sometimes found myself lost for a minute or two while i tried to figure out when a scene had suddenly changed. I did enjoy the plot, but sometimes wished it had more depth. The characters had history for once, but didn't portray a lot of deep emotions or personality. It still made a good afternoon read, but wasn't something id give a second thought to.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Space Junque (Apocalypto, #1); Author: L.K. Rigel; Genres: paranormal, romance, fantasy, fiction; Review: I really liked certain aspects of this book. There was complicated world building an array of unique characters. Unfortunately, the things that made this book interesting were also the things that lacked. The world building was not well fleshed out, leaving me scrambling after the strange terminology, not really understanding what it was referring to. The characters didn't portray a lot of emotion, which made it hard for me to really care about any of them... i was just along for the ride. The plot itself was nearly nonexistant. The entirety of the story came down to just this: escape. Survive. The romantic bits were completely glossed over. It was still an interesting read, but not one of my favorites. Comment Comment | Permalink; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: All over You (Devoured, #0.5); Author: Emily Snow; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: I couldn't get into this book at all. I got to about 9% before i gave up. Books should never be written in either future or present tense, and certainly not in present first person. It was ridiculously hard to get into and the main male character came off as a total sleazeball within the first paragraph of the book.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Before The Moon Rises (Ritter Werewolves, #1); Author: Catherine Bybee; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: This was really well written, and even though it was short, it wasn't written like a short story. There was no glossing over emotions or scenes like I'm used to in similar stories. My only nitpick is that at the end it was horribly rushed. The story started out slow and detailed, but in the last chapter sped up drastically. The sudden rush to wrap it all up made the male lead come across as a bit of a stalker, and i was uncomfortable with the way he was portrayed through the last little bit of the story. Still, it was worth the read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Avalon (Avalon, #1); Author: Lana Davison; Genres: paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, romance; Review: I liked the plot and background to this story, it was unique and entertaining. However, i felt the writing style somewhat lacked. The dialogue was dry and unconvincing at it's best and made me roll my eyes and skim at its worst. The narrative lacked description and had a tendency to gloss over large amounts of time and action. I feel that this could have been more engaging than it was if only the author had taken more time and the writer's golden rule to heart: show, don't tell.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jenny Pox (The Paranormals, #1); Author: J.L. Bryan; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This book was absolutely amazing. The characters were deep and unique, their personalities fascinating and engaging. The plot was entertaining and full of little mysteries to solve as it went along, and the writing style was clear. This story sucked me in and i found myself reading it even in the middle of playing games and cooking meals. This was one of the better books ive read so far this year. I cant we ait to get my hands on more from this author. My only negative comment has to be that the end felt a little contrived. I would have been fine with this story without the little bit of mythology at the eund, and it almost seemed as if it were added as a bit of an afterthought. I would have prefered the author to expand on the idea that like seth and jenny were opposites, ashleigh had one too. I kept waiting for this mysterious fourth person to show up that never did. Still, it was a great read and i highly recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Identity (Eyes Wide Open, #1); Author: Ted Dekker; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This book, or should i say novella, was indeed incredibly short by design, but also well written. The plot was engaging, complicated, and full of intrigue. I don't normally like shorter stories, but found this one entertaining. I'm hooked.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Broken (Reflections #1); Author: Dean Murray; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** Although I've read some really fantastic werewolf fiction and i wouldn't place this in those top ranks, there's a lot that can be said about this book that made me put it at four stars. I like that atypical of the books usually in this genre, the author didn't tell us right away that the supernatural beings in this book were werewolves. A good portion of this book was spent speculating what was going on in this messed up school because obviously, something big was happening. And like adriana, we weren't privy to the behind the scenes stuff going on with alec and brandon. It was refreshing to be kept out of the loop for once. I liked the characters, and there was an attempt at depth with them, unfortunately i don't think it was quite there. There wasn't a lot of explanation or visuals for what was going on with the supernatural beings in this book, and on one hand i wish there had been. I didn't really feel the connection between alec and adriana like i wanted to. I was actually rooting for brandon - and that's bad. On the other hand it was sort of fitting up to a point. I was falling for brandon and mad at alec because that's what adriana was feeling... and that's good writing. I just don't think that in the end there was enough time or narrative given to switch that love/hate relationship in alec's favor. Another sore point was the lack of depth to Adriana's character. She was a bit too weak and gullible for my tastes. She was constantly being harassed by teachers, friends, classmates, and the guys in her life and very rarely, if ever, stuck up for herself or strived fo fix her problems. She was always feinting and freaking out and being shoved out of conversations. It got irritating to watch her be a doormat. I also wish more time had been spent on the situation with her twin and her ptsd. As an identical twin myself, this part of the story was intriguing to me, but other than a few mentions, adriana never really had to explain her issues with the past to anyone, or even face them. I think an incredible opportunity for conflict and situations related to her past were skipped over in favor of petty highschool drama that was rather irrelevant to the story. Still, i these issues aside, i really did enjoy this story. I'll definitely be reading torn and the next book in the series as soon as i can get my hands on them.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cheyenne (Timeless #1); Author: Lisa L. Wiedmeier; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Chance for Charity (The Immortal Ones, #1); Author: S.L. Baum; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: For a my complete and honest review: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Waiting for Morning (The Brides of Last Chance Ranch, #2); Author: Margaret Brownley; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Undertow; Author: Callie Kingston; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review: [url]; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Vale of Stars; Author: Sean O'Brien; Genres: history, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: When the Siren Calls (The Siren, #1); Author: Tom Barry; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: For my complete and honest review: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Across A Moonlit Sea (Dante Pirates, #1); Author: Marsha Canham; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Meet Me; Author: Azure Boone; Genres: romance; Review: For my complete and honest review: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Virtuous Ward (Sweet Deception Regency #5); Author: Karla Darcy; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Death's Daughter (Calliope Reaper-Jones, #1); Author: Amber Benson; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cat's Claw (Calliope Reaper-Jones, #2); Author: Amber Benson; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Serpent's Storm (Calliope Reaper-Jones, #3); Author: Amber Benson; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** For my complete and honest review: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How to be Death (Calliope Reaper-Jones, #4); Author: Amber Benson; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: For my complete and honest review: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: To Love A Thief (Secrets & Scandals, #4); Author: Darcy Burke; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Daisy Madigan's Paradise (Morgan Sisters, #1.5); Author: Suzy Turner; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Glimmer (Delaney's Gift, #0.5); Author: Amber Garza; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, young-adult, romance; Review: You can see my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Deepest Cut (MacKinnon Curse, #1); Author: J.A. Templeton; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Valentina Goldman's Immaculate Confusion; Author: Marisol Murano; Genres: fiction; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Border Laird's Bride (Borderland Brides #2); Author: Allison Butler; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Bane (The Eden Trilogy, #1); Author: Keary Taylor; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love at First Sight (Cupid, Texas, #1); Author: Lori Wilde; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: His Reluctant Rancher (Three River Ranch, #2); Author: Roxanne Snopek; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, #1); Author: Julie Kagawa; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can see my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden, #2); Author: Julie Kagawa; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Note: Book was received through NetGalley in return for an honest review. I didn't think it was possible to top The Immortal Rules, the first book in the Blood of Eden series by Julie Kagawa. I was wrong. I absolutely loved the second book. Despite the fact that I had a ton of work to do over the past two days, I hunkered down and read through this book - forsaking work - because I simply couldn't put it down. I was so glad to see the return of Zeke, Allie, Kanin, and even Jackal. I hated the bad guys (just as I should) and loved the good guys. I applauded their attempts (although sometimes foolish) to do the right thing, and was glad to see that time apart hadn't changed Zeke and Allie. I have to admit a certain fan-crush on Jackal at this point. He's so evilly charming and entertaining - I hope he stays in the series until the end. The end had me absolutely screaming out in rage. Was I mad at the author? Not in the slightest. I loved the ending! I was so angry at Sarren by the end of the last page that had I been a character in the book, I would have grabbed up a weapon and gone charging after him along side Allie. I hope that guy gets what's coming to him. As with the first book, this story was fast-paced, deeply engaging, and full of captivating characters. The worst thing I can say about this book is that the next book in the series won't come out for a long time. Waiting is going to be akin to being strung up in Sarren's torture cells. Write faster Julie Kagawa. Write faster.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Katana (Katana, #1); Author: Cole Gibsen; Genres: history, young-adult, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Secrets (The Guardian Trilogy #1); Author: Liz Schulte; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: After The Ending (The Ending, #1); Author: Lindsey Fairleigh; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rogue Alliance; Author: Michelle Bellon; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Impersonation; Author: Tamsin Kate Walker; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: For my complete and honest review, Visit: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Baron; Author: Juliana Garnett; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dark Wolf (Spirit Wild, #1); Author: Kate Douglas; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my complete and honest review, here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Trail of Bones; Author: Chris Salisbury; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Ghost Planet; Author: Sharon Lynn Fisher; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Testing (The Testing, #1); Author: Joelle Charbonneau; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Genesis (Blood of Ages, #1); Author: K.L. Kerr; Genres: paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Legally Addicted; Author: Lena Dowling; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Inconvenient Duchess (The Radwells #1); Author: Christine Merrill; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shadow's Claim (Immortals After Dark, #13; The Dacians, #1); Author: Kresley Cole; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my honest and full review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles, #1); Author: Kresley Cole; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fate (Timeless Trilogy #1); Author: Tallulah Grace; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Superb and Sexy (Sky High Air, #3); Author: Jill Shalvis; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Brazos Bride (Men of Stone Mountain, #1); Author: Caroline Clemmons; Genres: history, fiction, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, mystery; Review: You can find my complete and honest review, here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: High Stakes Bride (Men of Stone Mountain, #2); Author: Caroline Clemmons; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bluebonnet Bride (Men of Stone Mountain, #3); Author: Caroline Clemmons; Genres: history, biography, romance, historical fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Tempted Soul (Amish Quilt, #3); Author: Adina Senft; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Reason Is You; Author: Sharla Lovelace; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Breathless (The Blue Fire Saga, #1); Author: Scott Prussing; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: For my complete and honest review, visit: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Awakening (The Vampire Diaries, #1); Author: L.J. Smith; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Alone (Serenity, #1); Author: Marissa Farrar; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bad Vibrations (The Sedona Trilogy, #1); Author: Christine Pope; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Oh man. I totally have to flail my arms and try not to spoil this amazing story for you. It's hard. It's really hard. I've always been... well... not a fan of aliens, but perhaps fascinated by them. I can't say fan because there were some very traumatizing movies I watched as a child that had me freaking out about aliens many a night. They scare me. Truly. That aside though, I've always been really interested in aliens. It's hard not to think about how vast our universe is the possibility, even probability, that there are other life forms out there--but let's face it: there are a lot of weirdo's out there, so when you pick up a book about aliens, there's always a chance you're about to jump into the deep end of crazy. Bad Vibrations visited the deep end of crazy, but in a good way. The story is about Persephone O'Brien, a psychic who's pulled into an alien conspiracy by a client she's pretty sure is off his rocker. Pulled into an amazing adventure, she meets a handsome ufologist, and an array of entertaining characters that range from ex-military to UFO themed shop owners, who join her in the hunt to stop aliens from invading Earth. It is a wacky, hilarious ride with endearing love, full-blown mysteries, and dangerous action scenes. I loved every second of it. The characters are quirky and highly entertaining, and the alien plot is both sinister and believable. I won't spoil the finer points, but I truly enjoyed Bad Vibrations. The author has a very contemporary, humorous style that made it a light-hearted romp, but didn't detract from the heart-racing bits of the storyline. I definitely plan to read a lot more of her work! Originally reviewed on Author Unpublished as a part of the Sedona Trilogy Book Tour. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review from the book tour organizer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Desert Hearts (The Sedona Trilogy, #2); Author: Christine Pope; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: After running through the first book of the Sedona Trilogy in just two days, I immediately attempted to secure a copy of book 2 (Thank you Sage!). It didn't disappoint! Desert Hearts returns to Sedona and the world established in Bad Vibrations, but this time focuses on Kara Swenson (the UFO themed shop owner from the first book!). One night, out of the blue, she returns home to find her house unlocked, and inside, a completely nude male. She quickly falls in love with the stranger, but soon discovers that he isn't what he appears. Torn between this stranger, and an old crush, she too is pulled into the alien conspiracy surrounding Sedona as the aliens once again try to come back--this time, without the help of the US government. Like the first book, Desert Hearts was a humorous, light-hearted adventure as the motley crew of UFO-enthusiasts from Sedona band together to once again, defeat the alien invasion. There's romance, mystery, and plenty of heart-stopping action. I have to admit, I didn't like it as much as the first book, but only for one reason : The love triangle didn't go the way I wanted it to. *pouts*, really, it was every bit as good as the first book. I'm just a sore loser. Review Originally posted TO Author Unpublished as part of the Sedona Trilogy Book Tour. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review from the tour organizer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Into The Fire (The Ending, #2); Author: Lindsey Fairleigh; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I'd recommend it to anyone who liked the first book of the series. It was a fun, action-packed read, and it didn't let me down. If you enjoy Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, or Sci-Fi adventures, you'll probably like this book, and love the series. You can find my full review here: [url] on Author Unpublished.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Undertow (Undertow, #1); Author: K.R. Conway; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, #3); Author: Cassandra Clare; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: His Convict Wife (Convict Wives #2); Author: Lena Dowling; Genres: history, children, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my full review here: [url] Colleen Malone may yet be one of the best heroin's Ms. Dowling's written to date. She's a spitfire of a character who's stubborn, straight-forward, and hilarious. The story was full of tension between not only the main couple, but also the minor, side, and other lead characters, and that helped to drive the story onward. I didn't feel rushed, bored, or confused, and I never had a moment where I sat back and went "really? That's what's happening right now?" The characters were very convincingly written, and from a technical standpoint, the writing was clean, fast-paced, and well-written. Was it a book to break the boundaries of the genre? No--but it was certainly a good book, and one I'm happy to be setting on my "Keeper" shelf. I think anyone who enjoys a good historical romance will enjoy this book, and I highly recommend it to anyone who's new to Ms. Dowling's work.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1); Author: Cassandra Clare; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url] Partial Review: I think overall, if you liked the movie even remotely, you should give this book (and the entire series) a chance. The characters were a lot more personable in the book vs. the movie, and their motives, a little easier to understand. Jace especially was easier to connect to in this version of the story, though I think Clary possibly lost a bit of her coolness-factor. Simon still irritates me, but no surprise there. Anyways, it was a good book and I'd recommend it to any YA (or even adult) reader. The entire series is age appropriate for anyone 13+. A little later in the series (towards the last two books) there are some racier bits if you're considering gifting this series to your teen, but the author was very careful not to go into great detail of any sexual/romantic encounter even that late in the series, and I'd certainly feel comfortable recommending it to anyone 13+ who enjoys paranormal fantasy. The world-building was a nice mix of fantasy/paranormal that leaned a bit towards the grittier side, with conniving not-so-nice fairies, vampires, werewolves, demons, and avenging angels.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Impostor (Variants, #1); Author: Susanne Winnacker; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: [url] You may find my complete and honest review here.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Before Midnight (Blood Prince, #1); Author: Jennifer Blackstream; Genres: history, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: In Heat (In Heat, #1); Author: Felicity Heaton; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2); Author: Cassandra Clare; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can see my full and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4); Author: Cassandra Clare; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments, #5); Author: Cassandra Clare; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #1); Author: Patricia C. Wrede; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Magic Academy; Author: Jillian Keep; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The In Between (The In Between, #1); Author: Catherine Converse; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can find my honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Burning Embers; Author: Hannah Fielding; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Deliver Me (Holmes Brothers, #1); Author: Farrah Rochon; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Impossible (With Me, #1); Author: Komal Kant; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Stranded, Stalked and Finally Sated (License to Love, #1); Author: Amelia Rose; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: You can read my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Impulse Control (Talent Chronicles, #0.5); Author: Susan Bischoff; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my complete/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1); Author: Cassandra Clare; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can find my complete and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2); Author: Cassandra Clare; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my full and honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices, #3); Author: Cassandra Clare; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my full, honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: UnEnchanted (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale, #1); Author: Chanda Hahn; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Seventh Sister (Parched, #2); Author: Z.L. Arkadie; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Here and Now; Author: Ann Brashares; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Insight (Insight #1; Web of Hearts and Souls #1); Author: Jamie Magee; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: you can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tranquility (Otherkin, #2); Author: Anya Bast; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bad Apple (The Warner Grimoire, #1); Author: Clay Held; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: ** spoiler alert ** Review originally posted to Author Unpublished: [url] - contains mild spoilers I'll admit, this book was a bit of a push for me. When I first picked up Bad Apple by Clay Held months ago, I didn't enjoy it. A handful of pages in, I was ready to toss out the book. There were a few small typos--nothing too jarring--but mainly... the opening sequence just didn't interest me. The narrative was wordy, awkwardly phrased, and it was hard to follow what was going on. In fact, other than providing Simon with a fear of water, the whole opening sequence didn't seem to have any impact on the story as a whole. It was a bit like a needless prologue, and it bored me. Months passed, and determined not to let this book become lost in the depths of my TBR pile, I picked it back up... desperately hoping that the second chapter would be better. To my surprise, it was. A lot better. The story quickly developed into a gripping, magic-filled adventure for 14 year old Simon Warner, and was filled with colorful characters. I'll admit, I got sucked in. I loved the character of Nathan--he was probably my favorite--and he reminded me of a character out of a comical wild-west drama. I mean, how do you not love a man who walks brazenly into a room and introduces himself as: "Nathan Alan Tamerlane, born in a summer storm, raised in the rain." Likewise, I'll admit some affection towards Penny, Luke, and the adorable Malik. Were all the characters as entertaining? No. There was a fair share of one-off characters that showed up, introduced themselves, and were never mentioned again. This includes Molly and Zoey, the two women in Simon's life. They show up in the first couple of chapters of the book, and don't reappear until the very last chapter. Frankly, by the time their names were mentioned again, I'd forgotten who they were. For the most part, the story was well written. It kept a decent pace, the characters were interesting, and the world building was well fleshed out. Unfortunately, the book wasn't all rainbows and puppies in that department. There was a lot to this book that wasn't explained or resolved. In the end, the plot didn't feel resolved, and it didn't feel like Simon and his friends had actually accomplished anything. Other than rescuing Sam.... everything was left open. It was a bit of a disappointment in that regard. I really wish more had been explained or resolved in a way that made the ending feel more complete. I understand the need to leave the plot open for future books in the series--but the book felt like a bit of a goose chase. Simon's adventure had him running around all over the place, learning new things and meeting new people, but he didn't accomplish anything. He eventually returned home and things went back to normal. It wasn't satisfying. Overall, I liked the book. It wasn't the best YA fantasy book I've ever read--in fact,; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pierced (Book 1 of the Pierced Series); Author: J.C. Mells; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, mystery; Review: Review originally posted to Author Unpublished. I hate giving 1-star reviews, so understand going into this review that I didn't come to my rating for this book lightly. Pierced by J.C. Mells is one of those books that was given to me directly from the author/publisher that sounded interesting... but ended up sitting on my To-Be-Read list for well over a year because I just wasn't the right audience for it. Going into this book I knew the story was purportedly a Paranormal Urban Romance... which generally is right up my alley as far as books go. I knew vampires were involved, and I knew the main character was a bit odd. So going into reading this review, understand that what this book actually was vs. my expectations of the book, were vastly different. I wanted to like this book. I read about 30% in before I looked up one day and realized I had no idea what I was reading. I set it down, I picked it back up, and eventually I started over from the very beginning, hoping that the second time around, I'd get farther in. I ended up dropping the book the second time at about 10% in. Pierced is the somewhat tragic story of Pierce. From an early age, Pierce isn't like other little girls. She lives in a one bedroom apartment with her drug/alcohol addicted mother, and from very early on, she realizes she's different. She has some physic abilities, a photographic memory, OCD, and some odd personality quirks that fall under the umbrellas of Asperger's and Schizophrenia. That's a whole lot of problems for a little girl, and unfortunately, the first several pages of the story are exclusively dedicated to the explanation of what these symptoms are. It was an info dump. The pace was incredibly slow and the narrative was written in a very clinical-manner that made it unenjoyable to read. In addition, the editing was lacking. There were numerous punctuation errors (particularly with commas) that made it a bit of a slog to read through for someone like me who copyedits and reviews books professionally. I just wanted to get to the meat of the story. The author then introduced the main bit of drama... a vampire that for unknown reasons, wants to possess Pierce. To be honest, the story was a bit busy. Between all her mental issues, her drug addicted mother, the vampire that was stalking her and the smart-mouthed ten-year-old that Pierce dragged around with her, I got lost. There were so many bits and pieces to the story that I had a really hard time following what was going on and who the various characters were. When I hit the 30% mark, I sat back and realized that I didn't understand what I was reading. I read back a few pages, I read it again... and I just couldn't follow. There was just too much stuff. Between the busy plot, the lack of proper punctuation, the dry, clinical narrative voice and the author's predisposition towards large dumps of explanations...; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Hidden Wings (Hidden Wings, #1); Author: Cameo Renae; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Review originally posted to Author Unpublished: [url] First off, the cover is gorgeous--I tilt my jaunty imaginary hat to the cover designer. That being said, I'm a little on the fence with this book. Going into Hidden Wings by Cameo Renae, I found myself having a bit of trouble. The first couple of chapters of this book are terrible. Hands down. It's full of cliche, poor punctuation, misspellings, and possibly the most dramatic main character in existence. Look, I understand that she just survived a horrific car crash that killed her parents, but the level of drama is almost comical. There are better ways to make a reader care about a character, and certainly better ways to portray such an important moment in Emma's life. I'll admit, I very nearly gave up on this book at 13% in and declared it a Did-Not-Finish. Nearly. Operative word. Instead, I set it aside for a week or two, and I went back and picked it up. I pushed--and I pushed hard, but it started to pick up. By the time I was 30% in, I was engrossed. Yes, the characters were overly dramatic. Yes, it was full of cliche moments and ridiculous character decisions. Emma didn't come across as an overly bright character. She seemed to be tossed around by the events of the book without taking the time to pause and think through any of it--and it showed. She was curled up sobbing one moment, ready to tear the clothes off a sexy angel the next moment, and a few seconds later, was standing up to Fallen and Darklings (despite the fact that she had no combat skills whatsoever). She was the essential damsel in distress that ended up getting other people, and herself, in danger with every breath she took. To be honest, I didn't really like her... but I couldn't help but become interested in her story and where it may lead. Despite the fact that a great bit of this book was poorly written and nearly laughable in it's execution... I still wanted to read it, and whatever else I may complain about... that says something. The concept of this book wasn't bad, it truly wasn't... but it was executed poorly--and that's something that can be fixed. Did I enjoy reading this book? Yes. Would I read it again? Yah. I probably would. Would I recommend it? I'm not sure. There's a lot of promise in the pages of this book. It wasn't a great book by any means, but I think it holds the promise of better books to come. I fully plan to move on to the next novel in the series--with the hopes that some of what went horribly wrong in this book may be remedied farther down the line. This isn't going to be for everyone, but I think a good number of teen readers may enjoy it if they can accept it for what it is: a fun, quick read. This isn't genre breaking, it's not in-depth and full of gripping world building, and it; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: First Impression (Shadow Maven #1); Author: Pauline Creeden; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Empath (Flawed, #1); Author: Becca J. Campbell; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Warning: The mildest of spoilers if you're super-sensitive. I really had to debate with myself over how many stars to give Empath by Becca J. Campbell. It wasn't easy to settle on three stars, so try to keep an open mind when I explain why--this was not a light decision. Technically speaking, the story was well-written. There were very few noticeable typos, the narrative was easy-to-read and flowed well, and the dialog seemed natural. All good things. My only gripe about the technical aspect of the story is that the structure didn't work for me and wouldn't have worked in any other way at the same time. Let me explain: The POVs in this book switched between that of the main character, Jade, to some of the lesser characters (like Cam and Logan), but at the end of every chapter also switched to Ethan. Here's the problem: Ethan is a psychopath. It wasn't fun to see the timeline from his point of view. He was creepy (as well he should be) but I wasn't able to sympathize with him or understand him. His particular motives for being a serial killer weren't clear, nor was his obsession with Kelsey. Frankly, I didn't like reading his POV, but the story wouldn't have carried on had his POV been absent. Other than one mention where Jade felt Ethan close by in a parking lot, she didn't interact with him until the very end of the story. From her POV, it didn't feel like she was being stalked. There was no threat. Had Ethan's POV been left out, the story would have completely fallen apart. For me, the structure didn't work. I felt like I should have been fascinated or in some way compelled to read Ethan's POV. I kept hoping that he'd give me some insight into why he stalks women, or why Kelsey was so important to him, but the answers were vague at best. Most of the time I wanted to skim his POV. That aside, the other characters were pretty interesting and easy to like. I liked Cam and his siblings. I liked Logan. More importantly, I liked Jade. Her story was engaging and fascinating, and I liked seeing the world from the POV of an empath. The romance and friendships were convincing, and for the most part, the characters actions were believable. Honestly, minus the story's few flaws, I really enjoyed it. Here's the problem--aside from the structure, I had one other major problem with the story. It was just a little too absurd to be believed, and the author didn't do a good job of convincing me otherwise. From the very beginning, when it was explained that Jade was an empath, the author threw around buzzwords like "rape" and "violation" and explained and re-explained how horrific being an empath is. I get it. I really do--being an empath is not fun... but it seemed like the narrative was trying too hard to convince me without showing me evidence. I wanted to see how Jade's power affected her life. I didn't; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Flight (The Crescent Chronicles, #1); Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can see my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Focus (The Crescent Chronicles, #2); Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Found (The Crescent Chronicles, #3); Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my honest/full review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bite Me (Pride, #9); Author: Shelly Laurenston; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Plus One; Author: Elizabeth Fama; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Searching for Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #2); Author: Patricia C. Wrede; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blind Wolf: The Complete 4-Book Boxed Set; Author: Aubrey Rose; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: All American Wolf; Author: Adriana Hunter; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Change to Bear (Last of the Shapeshifters, #1); Author: A.E. Grace; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: you can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Curves for the Lone Alpha; Author: Molly Prince; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Charming The Alpha (The Crane Curse, #1); Author: Liliana Rhodes; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Change For Me (The Alpha's Kiss, #1); Author: Lynn Red; Genres: paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bear King's Curves; Author: A.T. Mitchell; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Delicate Freakn' Flower (Freakn' Shifters, #1); Author: Eve Langlais; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Supreme Moment: Kairos (Fractured Multiverse, #1); Author: C.G. Garcia; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ivory Guard (The Guard Duet, #1); Author: Natalie Herzer; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Alpha's Mate (Huntsville Pack, #1) Sequel to Bring Her Wolf; Author: Michelle Fox; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Romancing the Wolf; Author: Skye Eagleday; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Protecting the Pack; Author: Tabitha Conall; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tommy Nightmare (The Paranormals, #2); Author: J.L. Bryan; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Calling on Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #3); Author: Patricia C. Wrede; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I can't help but love this book and the others in it's series. It is one of the funniest fantasy stories I've ever read, and even though It's meant for Juvenile readers, I enjoyed it every bit as much as the 10 year old I've been reading it to. The characters in this series are witty, stubborn, and sometimes short-tempered. They are vibrant and funny, and sure to make any child grin from ear to ear. I'll admit, I can't decide which character I liked best: Fiddlesticks the cat who has an alarming penchant for fish and a decided lack of common sense, or his mirror, Killer, the rabbit who can't help but nibble on bits of magical things when he finds them. It's no surprise the poor blotchy rabbit has turned himself into a 7'11" (at the ears) hovering, blue, insubstantial donkey with oversized wings. Killer made me laugh throughout the book. The story was filled with adventure, hijinks, danger, and grumbly self-important wizards that have to ruin everyone's day. The writing was engaging, clear, and easy to follow. Reading it aloud to a 10 year old, I was being begged for just "one more chapter!" on a daily basis. Most days we ended up reading three or four instead of one as we had originally planned. Overall, I loved this book. I wouldn't change a thing about it. Would I recommend it to others? Honestly, if you have a kid, I'd make it mandatory. Any child will love this book, and it's filled with messages of self-empowerment (males and females both!) amidst all the silliness. I think you'll love it every bit as much as I do.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vampires Need Not...Apply? (Accidentally Yours, #4); Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Kallista; Author: Della Rose; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Chasing Mercy (Mercy, #1); Author: Stacy Claflin; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Witchy Wolf; Author: Alexis Dare; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Hex Breaker's Eyes (Hex Breaker #1); Author: S.D. Tennant; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Alpha Claims A Mate (Blue Moon Junction, #1); Author: Georgette St. Clair; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest opinion here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Darkangel (The Witches of Cleopatra Hill, #1); Author: Christine Pope; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Elements; Author: Zhu Hsia; Genres: paranormal, fantasy; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Resisting the Rancher (Three River Ranch, #4); Author: Roxanne Snopek; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alexander Death (The Paranormals, #3); Author: J.L. Bryan; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fated Mates: The Alpha Shifter Boxed Set; Author: Adriana Hunter; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review of all the books (and the set as a whole) here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Legend of the Blue Eyes (Blue Eyes Trilogy #1); Author: B. Kristin McMichael; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, young-adult, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Talia (Book #1); Author: Christy King; Genres: paranormal, fantasy; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Airel: The Awakening (The Airel Saga: Book 1, Part 1); Author: Aaron M. Patterson; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hexed (The Witch Hunter, #1); Author: Michelle Krys; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Branded (Sinners, #1); Author: Abi Ketner; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Talking to Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #4); Author: Patricia C. Wrede; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #1-4); Author: Patricia C. Wrede; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Humming Room; Author: Ellen Potter; Genres: young-adult, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bound by Prophecy (Descendants #1); Author: Melissa Wright; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shifting Fate (Descendants #2); Author: Melissa Wright; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Matched (Matched #1); Author: Ally Condie; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url] The Condensed Version: Overall, I really enjoyed the story. The storytelling and characters were amazing, but I did feel that the Cassia lacked a full personality. Her voice came across as a bit too editorial and lacked a lot of warmth or personality. Still, I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA Dystopian fiction.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Selection (The Selection, #1); Author: Kiera Cass; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Song of Scarabaeus (Scarabaeus, #1); Author: Sara Creasy; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my complete/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Independent Study (The Testing, #2); Author: Joelle Charbonneau; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can see my complete/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Switch (New World, #1); Author: Janelle Stalder; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my complete/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, #1); Author: James Dashner; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Originally Posted to AuthorUnpublished: [url] It honestly amazes me how many bad reviews I've read about this book. I'll admit, The Maze Runner by James Dashner appeared on my To-Be-Read list solely because I knew there was a movie coming out for it--and gosh darn it, for once, I was going to read a book before the movie came out... not one week after. Determined to see what all the fuss was about, I dug in, and couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. For being a relatively new Young Adult book (Published within the last decade), The Maze Runner has a remarkably nostalgic feel to the way it's written. It took me back to the early 90's when Young Adult books were full of adventure and intelligent teens--not sex-crazed airheads. The characters within this novel were well written, and though the author didn't delve too deeply into their characterization, I felt that perhaps the lack of complexity to the characters somewhat help bolster the impact of the most important character of all... the maze itself. The world building in this book was flawless. Between the way the characters spoke, reacted to their environment, and the hints of a much greater backdrop, I was immediately sucked into the insular world of Thomas and the Gladers. Thomas was an intelligent character with the tendency to sit back and soak in his world before making too many judgments, and it was easy to see why he became the sort of pseudo-leader he did to these boys. He wasn't the type of boy to demand a leadership role, but fell into it naturally. He was happy to sit back and let the other strong characters lead, but when needed, he didn't back away from stepping up. You could tell that he was always thinking, analyzing the puzzles around him, and though he sometimes let his emotions get the best of him, he was a strong character with an innate sense of right and wrong. This was by no means a complex edge-of-your-seat type of book, but I think that the messages this book presents to young teens are more important than the action and brutality of what is happening to the kids in the maze. There are ever-present themes of friendship, loyalty, courage, selflessness--helping those in need even if it is easier not to, and a strength of character that tells teens to never give up. Never give in to the fear of what may happen--push on instead. Do what is right despite the nay-sayers. The narrative itself was a bit slow-paced. Thomas was a bit of an observer. He liked to puzzle out what was happening before jumping in, and this came across in the way the book was paced. The first chapter was exceedingly slow, and if you don't enjoy slow-paced books, it could throw you off. I implore the readers out there to stick with it. The Maze Runner was such a gem. I would happily read this story again (actually, I am--to my 10 year old), and I'm glad I picked it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Torrent (River of Time, #3); Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my complete/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cascade (River of Time, #2); Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my complete/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Waterfall (River of Time, #1); Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my complete/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Remnants of the Damned (Abyssal Sanctuary, #1); Author: Gavin Hetherington; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, mystery; Review: Did not finish. I hate not finishing books, and I hate writing reviews for books I don't finish--because I know that people are going to harass me over it. It happens every single time.... but I'm going to write this review anyway because I believe that any time a reader can't get through a book, there's usually a good reason. As a reviewer, it is my obligation to give my opinion to other readers out there and let them know the pitfalls and triumphs of the books I review. You may agree with me, you may not, but this is my personal opinion. To be frank, this book, in my opinion, was awful. How awful? I gave up 2 1/2 pages in--that may literally be the quickest I've ever given up on a book. Go ahead, take the time to cry foul and argue that it's not fair of me to say a book sucks without having read the whole thing. I'll wait. Here's the thing... whatever the plot was, however wonderfully written the characters may have been, I couldn't get past those first 2 1/2 pages. The sentence structure was convoluted, and littered with both run-on sentences and fragments. The wording was odd and had a disjointed feel to it, and the words used were often misused and ill-placed. I am a firm believer that narrative should practically disappear. It should be effortless and flow from one idea to the next in such a way that you forget you're reading a book. Instead, you become part of the story for a few short hours. I didn't get that with this book. You don't have to take my word for it--I have some quotes to share. //The stories began when the town was first founded one thousand years ago. One particular urban legend is that once you leave the town and return, you're doomed to die. In fact, just stepping foot in Lakefield View is enough to curse a soul to a promised home in the ground.// //There is a monster. It cloaks itself with a human identity. There are many monsters that live in the shadows, but only one is solely responsible for the fate of this abyssal sanctuary.// //The moon descends a haunting glow on the spacious town that is locked in by miles and miles of evocative trees.// //With gorgeous houses lining the street, the residents milk the opportunity to brag about their homes. Not all of the people who live there are smug and condescending, but the majority have a death wish.// These are just a few lines from the first two pages. It's hard to explain exactly why the narrative feels so off to me--perhaps because it's hard to understand what the author was trying to tell us. The paragraphs contained several disjointed thoughts at once, often without anything to tie them together. Attention was drawn to certain aspects of the story (like the monster) only to be glossed over and ignored further down the page. I guess the word I'm looking for to describe the narrative; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Veiled; Author: Victoria Knight; Genres: paranormal, fantasy; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Hunted One (End of Days, #1); Author: Meg Collett; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Death of the Body; Author: Rick Chiantaretto; Genres: paranormal, romance, fantasy, young-adult; Review: Review originally posted to Author Unpublished: [url] Death of The Body by Rick Chiantaretto was not exactly what I expected, but it was certainly a fascinating read. I thought this book was going to be your usual, angsty, teen-becomes-grim-reaper story, but that isn't exactly what I got. The book is the story of Edmund, a boy from the world of Orenda, where mages live in harmony with nature and in conflict with the human race. Evil spirits, Energumen, roam the land in search of unwary people to possess and control. Despite the dangers, Edmund's childhood is filled with adventure, friends, family, and his magical connection to nature. All that changes one day when his people are betrayed by one of their own, and Edmund's life is thrown into uncertain chaos. I'll admit. At first, I was confused. I'd read that this was a YA novel, but the main character was barely 10 years old. For more than half the book, Edmund was under 14. It threw me off. However, this changed later in the book, and for the remainder of the story, Edmund was a student in college. I can't fault the author for the way the story was put together. I can't imagine it having been written any other way. I think it was important to the story line to show Edmund's childhood, just as it was important to show his older self... however, it did make it hard to place this in the YA category. The first half of the book is very clearly Middle-Grade, and the latter half, I feel, should have been labeled New Adult. There's large amount of gore, and there are intimate situations that aren't really appropriate for the early YA crowd--it didn't feel like it fit into the category it was placed. Character-wise, I liked the characters. Edmund was an intelligent, conscientious boy, and his friends were equally as enjoyable.... but I didn't feel like I had a personal investment in any of the characters. Don't get me wrong, I was interested to see where Edmund's story was leading, but it wasn't a soul-gripping heart-wrenching concern over his life. I think part of that is my own fault though. I'm used to reading romance novels where the reader's association with the main characters is a little deeper than that usually presented in a fantasy novel. I can't hold that against the story. I will say, however, that I was a little disappointed in the romantic side of the story, regardless. The relationship between Xia and Edmund moved quickly and didn't seem to have a lot of emotion behind it. I wish it had been developed a little slower. That aside, the story was well written. There were a few spelling mistakes and incomplete sentences, but nothing too jarring. Overall, I liked the it. I don't want to give too much away, so I'll hold off on long explanations and in-depth delving into the religious aspect of it and how it related to the world building, but it was one of the most fascinating part of; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The One (The Selection #3); Author: Kiera Cass; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Elite (The Selection #2); Author: Kiera Cass; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crossed (Matched, #2); Author: Ally Condie; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Reached (Matched, #3); Author: Ally Condie; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Graduation Day (The Testing, #3); Author: Joelle Charbonneau; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my complete/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Her Tom, Her Lover; Author: Nicole Hofbrauhaus; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: You can read my full/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Meeting Mr. Wright; Author: Cassie Cross; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: You can read my complete/honest review here: [url]; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shattered Dreams (Midnight Dragonfly, #1); Author: Ellie James; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Originally Posted To: Author Unpublished / [url] Shattered Dreams was not what I expected. Some months ago, I won a copy of the third book in this series by mere coincidence. Being one of those people that hate to jump into a series of books mid-way through, I immediately went about securing the first two books in this series... and promptly forgot to read them. Finally, just a few short hours ago, I dove into Shattered Dreams. I hadn't read the synopsis, didn't know the genre... the most I knew was that the entire series has a trend towards beautiful covers. What I found within its pages however, was a pleasant surprise. Shattered Dreams is a Paranormal/YA/Romance that revolves around the muddled life of Trinity Rose Monsour. Orphaned after the death of her parents when she was only a toddler, and then again by her dearly departed Grandmother, she moves in with her Aunt (who she barely knows) and tries to start anew. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Trinity's life is never going to be normal. She's a precog--blessed (or cursed) with the gift of witnessing people's death before it happens, just as her mother, and her mother before her. Shortly after coming to live in New Orleans, she is witness to the grisly future of a classmate, and all chaos ensues. I really enjoyed this book. The writing was clear, easy-to-follow, and for the most part, well written. There were a few punctuation / conjunction misuses that aggravated me, but I'm willing to admit that I'm nitpicky about those sorts of things. The pace moved along at a steady pace, the world building was well done (if a little hard to follow at times), and the characters were... well, maybe not three dimensional, but not completely flat either. Honestly, the characters weren't the best I've seen written, but they weren't the worst either. They all had their roles to play and had their own clear identities... but I don't think they were as well fleshed out as I'd hoped. Many of the characters (such as Jessica's little sister--who's name escapes me--and Pitre) had little more than cameo's as far as face-time went. They were all right while on-screen, but quickly stepped off and faded into the shadows until key moments. I didn't feel like their presence in the book was integral to the story, nor that they had any stage-presence once they were off-camera. Maybe I'm being finicky because I've read some fantastic characterizations recently, but it could have been worse. There was one other problem: as interesting and unique as the world building of Ms. James' novel was, it was also hard to follow. I understand that trinity was a precog. I understand that her mother and her grandmother were precog's before her. What isn't made clear, is how the women came upon this ability, who the other "magic" people exactly were in this story, and what connection they all had to Trinity's family. There seemed to be this underlying current that perhaps they were part of a bigger,; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Broken Illusions (Midnight Dragonfly, #2); Author: Ellie James; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Originally Posted to: [url] Author Unpublished Intense. That's what I have to say about this book. Deep breath. Okay, let's get down to the nitty gritty. The writing was well done. There weren't a multitude of grammar, spelling, or punctuation mistakes. The narrative was clean, easy-to-follow, and fast paced. However, there were a few problems with the story that made me rate this book as a 4 star rather than a 5... While I love the world building of this series, it is incredibly convoluted and vague at at times. Despite this being the second book in the series, I am still no closer to understanding the lore behind Trinity's gift, or behind any of the other "talented" people within the series. There's just so much that I still don't know about Trinity's visions, Dylan, and the murderer, that it's hard to keep up at times. The constant dreams and visions Trinity suffers from are so vivid, so ever-present that even I can't distinguish between dream and reality any more when flipping through the pages of this book. I guess I feel that there's just too many questions left unanswered--too many holes in the story that I desperately want to have filled, and because of that, it's hard to feel satisfied about this book. Another problem for me was the romance. In the first book of the series we were introduced to Chase... the popular boy at school that Trinity was crushing on. I liked him in the first book... although I wasn't fond of how he was introduced. By the time the first line of the book rolled around, Trinity had already met and grown close to Chase... all off camera. I honestly dislike it when stories start the love interest off camera because I feel as if I've missed something. It was harder to connect to Chase from the very beginning than I'd anticipated, but by the end of the book I'd managed to get my warm-fuzzy feelings about him inline with what the narrative was telling me, and it was fine. In this book however, the warm-fuzzies flew out the window. He was needlessly jealous and unsupportive of Trinity. It felt like he was pulling away from her all throughout the book, and though Trinity kept running back to him, trying to patch up the shambles of their relationship... I couldn't help but secretly hope she'd dump the guy and run toward the real hero of the story--Dylan. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Dylan and Trinity in this story. There's this underlying current between them that seems to draw them together. Dylan is sweet and caring, and despite his standoffish appearance, it's clear that he really cares about Trinity. Every time she needed him, he was there (which is more than I can say for Chase). I was desperately routing for him throughout the story, and secretly wincing every time Trinity ran back to Chase. There's so much tension and longing between Trinity and Dylan that it's hard to do anything other than support them. I won't give; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Finding Home; Author: Roxanne Snopek; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I have to say, Finding Home by Roxanne Snopek was a pleasant surprise. The narrative was paced well, grammatically correct, and effortless in its execution. I was drawn in right away by the hilarity of Samara's first few moments back in her hometown of Marietta, Montana, and it wasn't long before I was completely sucked into the story. Let me preface this review by admitting... I don't like novellas. In my experience as a reviewer I've found that 9 times out of 10, novellas are rushed. There isn't time for deep characterization or slow romance progression, and that often leads to huge time jumps and tourniquet'd narrative. That wasn't the case with this novella. Even though it was shorter than your average romance story, I didn't feel like I was reading a short story. The characterization of the characters was so well done that I felt like I lived within the small town of Marietta right along side them. Each character had a unique voice and personality, and I genuinely wanted to know more about them--especially Eliza and Mable, who I believe have a lot more to tell about their stories. The dialogue was natural and well-written, and the narrative was equally so. The story moved along at a decent pace without feeling rushed or disjointed, and by the end of the book, I felt as if I'd read a full length novel, despite it's small page count. The main couple, Samara and Logan had an obvious and unapologetic chemistry that was easy to believe, and more than once, completely giggle-worthy. I was routing for them every step of the way, and I fell in love with Samara's quirky daughter, Jade. The tension and stress on Samara's shoulders felt real, and when it all got too much for her, I too felt my heart clench in response. For a short romance, this book was fantastic. It was heartwarming, endearing, and I'm so glad I got a chance to read it. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quick contemporary romance read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bourne & Tributary (River of Time, #3.1 & #3.2); Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren; Genres: history, young-adult, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Originally Posted on Author Unpublished: [url] It's a bit hard to qualify how I feel about Bourne & Tributary by Lisa T. Bergren. Unlike the previous three novels in the series, This, the fourth, is not a true novel, but an anthology containing two shorter novellas. Also, unlike the previous three novels, instead of following Gabi's POV throughout the story, the viewpoints switch back and forth between a handful of characters, most notably Gabi's younger sister, Lia. On the one hand, it was interesting to see other POV's this time around, and like the previous books, the writing was clear, easy to follow, and grammatically correct. On the other hand, I missed Gabi's comfortable POV. I was used to Gabi, and being switched into different POV's was a bit distracting. Unfortunately, Lia's POV (which was the most often used) was extremely similar to that of Gabi's. If I hadn't know better, I would have thought them the same person... and that isn't a good thing. I would have preferred that the different viewpoints more individual. That aside, the stories were good, if short. Like the previous books in the series, Bourne & Tributary had elements of romance, adventure, and thrilling intrigue and battles. That said, I still wish there had been more to them. The conclusions to the stories seemed rushed, and I didn't feel connected to any of the new viewpoints. In the end, the stories were so different than what I was used to with the previous novels that I found it hard to be drawn into the stories. The writing was good, the characters were my usual favorites... the elements of the story were there--but these two novellas didn't draw me in. They didn't feel like part of the series I've grown to love. Overall, this was a decent addition to the River of Time series... but I could have done with out them. I wish this had been a true fourth book and not a set of novellas. They weren't bad stories, but they weren't what I was expecting, and in the end I didn't like them as much as I'd expected. If you've been keeping up with this series, I'd certainly recommend that you give these novellas a look, but other than one major announcement, you aren't going to miss anything by skipping them.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Deluge (River of Time, #4); Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren; Genres: history, young-adult, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This review was originally posted to Author Unpublished: [url] It's hard to qualify my feelings about Deluge by Lisa T. Bergren. Like its predecessors, the narrative was clean, easy to follow, and well written. There weren't any noticeable editing problems, and the characters stayed true to previous characterizations. Also, just as with the previous novels in the series, the plot was filled with tension-filled battles, romantic moments, and tragedy. The first half of the book passed by in a blur as I was sucked in to the chaotic world of Gabriella and Evangelia Bettarini's adventures in the 1300's. After the two novellas of Bourne & Tributary that made up book 4 of the series, I was glad to get back to a longer novel-length story, and Deluge didn't disappoint. I wasn't thrilled with the continuing of the POV switches between Lia and Gabi, but I grew used to the switching POV's (even if I still hold that Lia and Gabi's inner voices are extremely similar). Unfortunately, the second half of the book was a bit harder for me to enjoy. There is a lot of tragedy and death in this book--far more than with the previous books in the series, and I'll admit, it made it a little less enjoyable for me. As interested as I was in the events taking place... as much as I wanted to know what would become of the Bettarinis and Forellis... by the time I hit the end of the book, I was ready for it to end. With the exception of the short epilogue (that frankly, felt needless to me) the ending of this story was not a happy one. It left me feeling somewhat depressed, and that made the novel hard to enjoy as a whole. Don't get me wrong - the book was good... but I don't know that I can say that I enjoyed it. I really wish the story had picked up more in the end, and that it hadn't been left hanging in the darkest of times for Lia and Gabi. Overall, I'm glad I read it. It felt like a pretty solid ending to the River of Time series... but I don't think it was the ending I was looking for to this wonderfully imaginative and thrilling series. The last quarter of the book sucked all the enjoyment out of it for me. Would I read it again? Maybe. There were some really great moments for Lia in particular that I'm glad I got to see. Would I recommend it? Sure. If you've been keeping up with the series, this is a solid end, and you'll probably be glad you read it. I'm sure there are a vast amount of readers out there that will love this book far more than I did... it's just that the weight of the tragedy held within the ending was a little much for me to slog through. What can I say? I prefer happy endings, and this wasn't much of one. I still highly recommend the series, and I think the first; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dead Girl Walking (Royal Reaper #1); Author: Ruth Silver; Genres: history, young-adult, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Review Originally posted to Author Unpublished: [url] I hate giving one-star reviews. I loathe it... but I simply could not get through this book. The cover was gorgeous, the synopsis was interesting, and I was excited when I picked up my ARC copy of Dead Girl Walking by Ruth Silver. Despite my predisposition towards reading YA novels on a regular basis, it did not take me long to realize that I was probably the worst possible reader choice when it came to picking up this book. This book got a lot of 5-star reviews before it picked it up, so I was expecting a spectacular, in-depth read... but that isn't what I got. I got a familiar read instead. The plot was uncomfortably similar to another series from a few years back (which just happens to be one of my favorite series), and while I hate to compare books (and so I will not name the series here), the two are remarkably alike. Both series contain a girl who by unfortunate circumstances is killed, and finds herself invited into the ranks of the reapers. Both have younger sisters of about the same age... both main characters chafe against the new rules of being reapers... both take on new identities and appearances... and unfortunately, their method of reaping, how they get their reaping notices, etc, is all nearly identical. The difference, unfortunately for this novel, is that the older series thrives on it's in-depth characterization, gripping drama, and world building. Dead Girl Walking contains none of that. The main character, Ophelia, is entitled in a way that isn't pleasant: she isn't aware of how entitled she is. She takes her status in society and wealth as if it were normal, and despite her constant protests that she knows what it is like to be a commoner, she really has no clue. She holds no accountability for the danger she put herself in, the heartbreak she brought to her family, or the job of being a reaper. She's barely been a reaper for a few hours, and after having the importance of her new job explained to her (and having signed a contract), she is flippant about her obligations. I found it incredibly difficult to relate to her, or even like her. As she unraveled it, the scroll revealed her first reap. "Absolutely not." She was not ready for this; she would never feel ready. She rolled the scroll up and shoved it back into her stocking. "It's your lucky day, Asher Smoot. I'm not taking your soul." The other characters faired no better. Though I was given their names and genders, three chapters past their introduction, I still knew nothing about them. Not what they looked like, their ages, their personalities... nothing. Other than Ophelia/Leila, the cast of the book seemed to be present because Ophelia/Leila needed someone to bounce conversations and actions off of. They felt like stand-ins instead of real people. I was given no sense of their personalities, nor what they thought of the main character. They were just names; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Beyond the Reach of Judgement; Author: Jo Bissell; Genres: history, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: ** spoiler alert ** This review was originally posted to Author Unpublished: [url] - It contains spoilers. I had a hard time with this book. I wanted to like it so badly--I'd heard of the author before, and had the general idea floating through my mind that they were a good author, and so when I got ahold of Beyond the Reach of Judgment by Jo Bissell, I was excited to dig in. Unfortunately, I wasn't prepared for what I was about to walk into. Right off the bat, I felt like the main characters, Ruth and Julien, lacked chemistry. The characterizations didn't feel as intimate as I'd come to expect from a romance novel, and the detached, emotionless way Julien acted made it hard to like him as a main male lead. I didn't like them--not as individual characters, and not as a couple. Both Julien and Ruth made decisions that reeked of poor judgment and immaturity, and considering the fact that Julien was a vampire, I found it hard to reconcile their decisions with the author's fictitious reality. It wasn't believable. I'd also like to take a moment to point out how infuriating the Agent (I can't be bothered with her name) was. Instead of being professional, she hunted down the wife of a man she only knew through association, a man who obviously had issues and willingly admitted to stalking said wife. It was clear to anyone with half a brain that this man was unstable, and yet she continued to help him--even when she eventually did have doubts about his sanity. She put another woman (Ruth) in danger. I'm pretty positive there's some kind of girl-code floating around that says you don't help an insane, dangerous man stalk another woman. I was disgusted with her as a character. Despite all the evidence that Ruth and Julien were happy and Ruth was in no danger, she continued to harass the couple.... it was sickening. For the most part, the POV of the narrative stayed locked on Julien and Ruth--which was great... until it wasn't. At one point, the POV switched to a third party POV to view their breakup, and I couldn't help but sit back and wonder why I'd been pulled out of the intimate, tension-filled moment to a bystander POV. Another time closer to the end of the book, and perhaps more problematic, I was thrust into the unfavorable POV of Ruth's soon-to-be-ex husband. This is a man who abused her, suffered from PTSD, and was in general, a creepy, stalker-type-personality. I did not like this man, and I liked being in his head even less. It felt like the author was trying to make me feel bad for this obviously sick individual who, for a brief moment, felt some remorse over the way he'd treated Ruth in the past, but even that was wiped away when he hunted her down and shot her. The story was filled with potholes, cliche moments, unbelievable character actions, and lackluster characterization that made me want to put the book down.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Sweet Salt Air; Author: Barbara Delinsky; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: This review was originally posted to Author Unpublished: [url] I wish I had read this book sooner. I received a copy of Barbara Delinsky's Sweet Salt Air from a giveaway nearly a year ago, and never having read the author, and not particularly taken in by the cover (which, by the way is gorgeous... just not the usual bodice-ripper cover I'm used to seeing on a romance themed novel), I set the book aside and didn't take a second glance. I'm kind of face palming about it now. I almost cannot put into words how deliciously well written this book was. The writing was clear, fluid, and easy to follow. I felt engaged right off the bat, and before I knew it, I was more than halfway through the book before I happened to look up from the narrative. There were a few typos involved, but let me make it clear that my copy of Sweet Salt Air was an ARC, and chances are that the typos (which were few and far between) were probably cleaned up for the final version. Though this was indeed a romance, I think the main theme of this story was friendship. Charlotte and Nicole, though having spent more than a decade apart, were true friends in every sense of the words. They made mistakes--big mistakes--but in the end it didn't matter. through betrayal, distance, time, and the stress of their lives, they continued to try and make peace with one another, and in the end I think their bond was stronger than ever. Their relationship was the type of relationship I think we all secretly want: forgiving, strong, and thankful. I loved every minute of the dynamics between the two friends. Ms. Delinsky has a magical way of bringing her characters to life that is hard to come by in this day and age. Each voice was unique, and I fell in love with each character (though Leo was by far my favorite). They felt like real people to me, leading real lives, and combined with the rich setting of the island and small town atmosphere, I felt like I was in Quinnipeague along side them. I absolutely refuse to spoil this book for anyone, so let me end it with this: Would I read this book again? Hell yes. Would I recommend it? No question. I think anyone who loves a richly spun drama full of romance, betrayal and small town charm will love Sweet Salt Air by Barbara Delinsky. I highly recommend you give it a read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Howl's Moving Castle (Howl's Moving Castle, #1); Author: Diana Wynne Jones; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Review originally posted to Author Unpublished: [url] It's hard to talk about Howl's Moving Castle (the book) without comparing it to the 2004 animated movie by Hayao Miyazaki. Though both similar and vastly different in various ways, both tell the fantastically beautiful and epic tale of Sophie Hatter, the elder, dowdy daughter of a hat maker who spends her days in the back room of her parent's shop resigned to the dull life of adorning patron's heads. On an unexpected whim, an old which bursts into her hat shop one day and curses Sophie with the visage of a 90 year old woman.... and Sophie's adventure begins. The story is filled with demons, magic, castles that move on mechanical legs, star-eating wizards, and portals between worlds. This is a story of family, friendship, and love, and I adored nearly every moment of it. Like the movie, the book boasts a colorful cast of characters ranging from the very normal Sophie, to the insanely pieced together Turnip-Head scarecrow that bounds miles across the land in search of it's missing pieces. There's drama, hijinks, romance, and comedy sure to delight any middle-grade reader, and if you liked the movie, you'll probably like this too. There are some major differences between the movie and book, especially towards the end, but I think for the most part, the changes will only add understanding to what may not have made sense in the movie. If you haven't seen the movie (I highly recommend you do), this story is probably going to be a little more complicated for you to get through (there is a LOT going on), but it's no less enjoyable without the movie to back it up. The world building of the story is panoramic in it's scale. There's so much going on that at times it's hard to soak it all in, but the world is rich and detailed in a way that can't help but suck you into the story. The characters are distinct, colorful, and loveable in so many ways (Sophie and Howl of course being my favorites), but I will admit that the romance is a bit lukewarm. It's understandable--this is a novel geared towards younger readers, but I couldn't help but feel that the connection between Sophie and Howl, particularly at the end, seemed to be very loosely tied together. I really wish the story had delved deeper into their friendship and subsequent romance (and I certainly hope it develops in the later books of the trilogy). Technically speaking, the story was pretty well written. There weren't any obvious grammar, punctuation, or spelling mistakes, and the text was clear and easy to read. My only complaint, if one at all, is that the voice of the narrative is very "tell-y" There's very little dialogue comparatively to the descriptions within the story, and at times it does feel like the author is spending too much time telling the audience what is happening rather than showing us... BUT I also realize that this was part of how stories were written back in; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Dark of Twilight (Twilight Shifters, #1); Author: Kate Danley; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Review originally posted to Author Unpublished. First off: The cover is gorgeous. I tip my hat to the cover artist. Technically speaking, this book is exceedingly well written. There were only two typos I found in the entire book (Pg 54, Line 7 & Pg 139, Line 28). The narrative was easy to read, flowed naturally, and had a quality of engagement that really attests to the author's skill at writing. Despite the fact that this book geared to the YA/NA crowd, I never felt bored or talked down to, and none of the characters were overly whiney, dramatic, or angsty. I cannot emphasize how rare that is with a book of this age group these days. The characters were equally well written. Aein was a strong female lead, even if she was relatively untested and a bit star-struck by the other characters around her. She stood up and fought when she needed to, and blended into the background when she didn't. She wasn't a fussy girl, and she wasn't overly boy crazy despite the amount of eligible men running around the book. I couldn't help but like her. Aein was a nice mix between a strong kick-ass heroine and a teen who was still trying to get her bearings in life. She made it easy to enjoy the story. Though there wasn't a lot of depth to the characters other than Aein (who was always in the foreground, as she should be), the characters all had distinct personalities and blended well into the world building. I only found two parts of this book hard to digest. The first, is the large amounts of time skips in the book. I'm not a fan of time skips. Don't get me wrong... they weren't that jarring. Despite the large chunks of time that went missing (particularly in the beginning of the book between Aein's deployment to the swamp and her return), I didn't feel like I was missing a huge chunk of her narrative. In fact, the only reason I mention it is because it would have been nice to have had a little more time with the character that early on in the story, and I think it would have helped to solidify Aein and Lars' deep friendship. The second problem I had, and this is somewhat dependent on those missing bits of time, is the lack of heart-felt romance. There are two clear love-interests (okay three, but I refuse to count HIM) but there is very little romance to back up their relationships with Aein. When the relationship parts popped up, it felt like they were showing up out of the blue. I didn't feel like Aein was particularly attracted to the two love interests, so when they suddenly were interested in her.. it was like "Whoa there buddy! Hands off!" Otherwise, this was a great book. The world building was clear and well-constructed. The writing was engaging. The character weren't annoying...and the plot itself was both clever and imaginative. I can't say I've ever run into a werewolf-driven story like this; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner, #2); Author: James Dashner; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Book review originally posted to: Author Unpublished. Another great book by James Dashner. I started the Maze Runner series with my 11 year old some months ago, and we've now finished the second book together... and boy what a ride it was. Like his other books, The Scorch Trails by James Dashner was well written. The writing was clear, easy to follow, flowed at a nice pace, and lacked any obvious errors. Other than the authors predisposition towards using commas without conjunctions, I found no technical errors or blips within the narrative. Like the first book, the characters were well written--each with his or her own voice and personality, and though few of the characters get as much screen time as the golden few (Thomas, Theresa, Newt, Frypan and Minho), I didn't feel like they were absent from the story. The world building was well done and I got sucked in easily. The book was a bit darker than I'd expected, as odd as that may sound. The Maze Runner felt like a mystery adventure with bits of horror thrown in for good measure... but The Scorch Trials seemed to be more dark, more tense, and more gory than its predecessor. The pace was a little slower, and the narrative less humorous, but I think that it fit the book well. Every time I ended a chapter I felt the pull to press on--to discover what lay in store for the Gladers and Group B. I never wanted to put the book down. There's a lot I want to say about Theresa, Brenda, Jorge and Aris, but I'm going to keep it to myself. Anyone who enjoyed the previous book should give the second book in the series a look. It's a bit less light-hearted than the first book... a bit darker, but it's still a fantastic read, and I don't want to spoil it for anyone. I'd happily recommend this to anyone looking for a smart YA Dystopian fiction to pick up. The book is fine for middle-grade readers... other than a few tame kisses, there's nothing inappropriate... but it may be a bit scary for younger readers who aren't used to horror. My 11 year old only got creeped out once (Hint: Nose. Vent. Table) but was otherwise unaffected. I loved the book, and I'm excited to move on to the third in the series soon!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sound of Sirens (Tales of Skylge, #1); Author: Jen Minkman; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This review was originally posted to Author Unpublished: [url] I'll admit it, when I first opened Sound of Sirens by Jen Minkman, I didn't like it. In fact, after the first chapter, I very nearly put it down. Unfortunately, the story is written in present tense, and I don't need to remind the people that regularly read my reviews that I loathe present tense. It feels awkward and unnatural to me and makes it hard to sink into the story. Worse yet, the tense was wrong at certain parts, leading to oddly phrased sentences like: "That's the first time I hear of them. Who are they?" As I say, this tross has been my faithful visitor for months on end, and I've never given it food. There are times when past tense MUST be used even in a book written in present tense... and unfortunately, the editors didn't catch it. Actually, the editors didn't catch quite a lot. The book was littered with spelling and punctuation errors, and it slowed down the pace to nearly a crawl at times when phrases that really should have been one sentence ended up as 3 or four smaller fragment sentences. I really had to push through the first two chapters of the book. Like I said, I nearly put it down. The world building was rich and detailed, but I didn't feel it came with enough explanation. Strange words and phrases (including the new alternate meaning of Currents--with a capital C) were introduced throughout the story with little explanation or context. By the end of the story I'd figured out maybe 60% of what was going on, but I didn't -really- understand any of it. It was confusing, and I really wish the author had done a little more hand-holding. It became hard for me to decide if this world was completely fantasy or routed in reality (with very real people and places thrown into the mix like Nicola Tesla, the German language, etc), and unfortunately, I wasn't given the genre's when I was handed the ARC, nor could I find a list of genres on Goodreads. I have no idea what the intention of the author was... I can only make a guess afterwards... and at times that made the story hard to grasp. Sometimes the story seemed to be a bit contradictory, such as when Enna narrates that her father could barely make anything but tea anymore, and then she promptly suggests he cook them all pancakes. Sometimes scenes were glossed over and time jumped without a clear break in the narrative... like when Enna suddenly began talking about a small net she'd had placed around her neck, even though she'd been talking about breakfast with her father just a few sentences before. The story was written awkwardly. The pace and flow seemed slow and broken, the editing was lacking, and the world building didn't seem cohesive. I stopped at one point and even penned a note into the book's pages that I wish the author had given the characters a bit of; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Sweet Montana Christmas (This Old House #2); Author: Roxanne Snopek; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Review originally posted to Author Unpublished: [url] Ah, another wonderfully written book by Ms. Snopek. A Sweet Montana Christmas is the heart-warming, tension-filled story of Melinda and Austin Sweet--a recently separated couple who've had their share of hardships and are willing to give it one last go before they give up entirely on one another. It is a story of love, friendship, and family, and I ate up nearly every minute of it. As with all of the author's books, the writing was impeccable. The story moved along at a good pace, it was easy to read and follow along with, and the colorful narrative and dialogue seemed to melt effortlessly into the background. I was absolutely absorbed in the storytelling. The only problem I had with the book, and trust me, it was very much -my problem-, is that I'm not a big fan of romance stories that start after-the-fact of the couple's relationship. Melinda and Austin were already married, already in love at once point, and I didn't know them as a couple. I wish I'd gotten to know them when they were first in love... I think it would have helped cement their relationship for me. That's not the author's fault though. That's every bit my own problem, and I recognize it--and so I'm not marking points off the overall score. That aside, the story was beautifully written and full of both heartwarming and steamy moments between Melinda and Austin. The cast of characters, though brief, seemed authentic. I wanted it to work out for the couple, and though there were a few niggling details that bothered me (like the fact that Austin had magically become more muscle-bound in the time between he and his wife had last seen each other) overall, the story was a short, but engaging delve into the small-town Montana life, and I enjoyed it. I'd be happy to recommend this short little story to anyone looking for a sweet holiday-themed read, and I encourage you to take a look at the rest of the author's work. I have had the privilege of reading quite a few of her works over the last two years, and everyone of them has been remarkably well written. If you like cozy romance stories, you'll enjoy this.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: More Than Friends; Author: Barbara Delinsky; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Review originally posted to Author Unpublished I had to stop and think a long time about what I was going to say about More Than Friends by Barbara Delinsky--a lot more time than I usually set aside to mull over a book. If you go into this book expecting to find a steamy, heartwarming romance... you aren't going to find it. Classifying More Than Friends as a romance is a bit of a stretch. Yes, romance is a theme that runs throughout the book... but the book isn't about romance. This is a story of heartbreak and tragedy... about what happens when people make more decisions that effect the lives of everyone around them. It's about taking a hard look at your life and really deciding what you want it to be... not just taking the comfortable route. It's also about betrayal, manipulation, and guilt. Conversely, it's also about friendship, love, hope, and forgiveness. Before we delve too deeply into the story of More Than Friends, let's take a moment to talk about the technical: The book is incredibly well written. Barbara Delinsky has a way with characters that is sorely missed in a lot of the literature I read. Her characters are detailed and realistic, even fallible. Relationships are complex and at times, tenuous. The character's voices, unique. The story was set up in such a way that I got sucked into the settings and situations without thinking twice. There were no grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. However, I'll admit, the story was a little slow--and this is one of the main reasons I marked it down to 3 stars. As interesting and well written as the story was... it wasn't terribly engaging. Sure, I cared about the characters. I wanted to see where the relationships would lead and if the problems would be resolved... but I wasn't biting my nails, eagerly awaiting the next chapter. It's not that the story was boring, but it lacked a sense of excitement that I'm used to in my usual book picks. I put the book down a handful of times. I didn't throw it across the room. I didn't wrinkle my nose and complain that nothing was happening... but I set it aside, sometimes for a day or two, and didn't feel particularly swayed to pick it back up. This was the second book I've read from this author, and both books I picked up from her just so happen to have similar themes... mostly concerning marriages in the midst of falling apart. Is this a running theme with her work? I don't know. I haven't read enough to say--but it isn't my favorite theme for a romance novel. It lacked that high of a brand new relationship and the draw of steamy sex scenes that I've come to know and love in romance novels. Does that mean this was a bad book? No. It just wasn't what I expected. Overall, I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it either. I think if I'd expected to have this sort of deep; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Maybe This Christmas (2-in-1); Author: Janet Dailey; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: ** spoiler alert ** This review was originally posted to Author Unpublished. Maybe This Christmas by Janet Dailey is a short 2-book anthology of purportedly "heartwarming" holiday-themed romance novels. The novels were originally written in the 70's and despite the marketing claiming the books were updated and re-written for the modern times for their second publishing (2003), I'll admit... there's little heartwarming about these stories, and except for short 2-page scenes depicting Christmas.... they aren't even holiday related. Before I get ahead of myself, let's delve into the first book. Warning: There will be spoilers. Many of them. Don't feel bad, you aren't going to want to read this book. I should include that if you do choose to read this book and skip this review, here are your trigger warnings: There is blatant problems with males in these stories not understanding what "no" means. This may prove as a trigger to some readers who may have dealt with abusive or damaging relationships in the past. Darling Jenny was the excruciating story of Jennifer Glenn, a secretary who flees her life in the city after her boss makes unwanted advances, and moves in with her sister in the lovely town of Jackson Hole. Right away, I was put off by the writing. Don't get me wrong, the narrative is decently written for the most part. There was only one error that I found (Pg, 130, Line 32), and the writing flowed easily and was reasonably well constructed. The story was engaging in all the right places. I didn't get bored. However, the writing tended to lean towards the overly-descriptive and the author had a penchant for info dumps when it came to describing characters. It's not my favorite tactic when it comes to writing, but I was able to push through. The real problem was the believability. The character's actions were so overblown and dramatic that half the time I couldn't believe what I was reading. Their decisions made little sense, and the main character, Jennifer, was infuriatingly dense. The only character worse than her, was Logan, the main male lead who practically forced himself upon her on several occasions (leaving her struggling to the point of drawing blood), and had the brilliant line of: "I'll touch you any damned time I please!" I cringed. Despite the story's "updating", the misogyny and male entitlement in this book were disgustingly vivid. By the time I reached the last page, I was literally staring down at the book saying "What The Flip did I just read?" The romance made no sense whatsoever. The entire book Jennifer was trying to avoid Logan. She was pissed off at him 98% of the time (with good reason I might add), and other than the sexual attraction she felt towards him... didn't seem to know him all that well. I rolled my eyes when she first thought she'd fallen in love with him. He constantly pushed her into uncomfortable situations, refused to call her by the name she preferred, and treated her like property (which he didn't even; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Simple Gifts: Just Curious / Miracles / Change of Heart / Double Exposure (Westmoreland, #3.5); Author: Jude Deveraux; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Review originally posted to Author Unpublished. Simple Gifts by Jude Deveraux and Judith McNaught is a Christmas Romance anthology of four short stories (Just Curious, Miracles, Change of Heart, and Double Exposure)--and honestly, it's a bit of a gem. I thought about delving into the depths of each story one by one in this review, as I usually do with anthologies, but finally decided, I don't want to ruin it for you--it was that good. These stories are wonderfully well written with only a partial-handful of errors to the books, and are otherwise easy to read, beautifully detailed, and engaging. Both authors had a way of drawing in the reader so that even though the stories are decidedly short-lived, I always felt engrossed in what was happening. The romances were deliciously heartwarming and gut-wrenching at the same time, and littered with a fun array of vivid characters. If I had to point out one negative (and there is only one) it's that I really wish the stories had been longer. I'm not a big fan of short stories--and though the authors did a great job of writing the stories in such a way where for the majority, they didn't feel rushed or like huge amounts of time had been skipped.... near the end of the romances the books had a habit of making huge leaps and bounds towards the relationships that felt rushed and forced. It was like watching a flower bloom in slow motion and then BAM having it sped up 200% at the last five seconds. I will say, out of the set my favorite story was probably Just Curious by Jude Deveraux, and my least favorite was Change of Heart by the same author. Where Just Curious was a giggle-worthy, heartwarming story of love-at-first-sight, Change of Heart was a bit of a let down. The female love interest (Miranda) was painted as a naive airhead by both her genius son and the author. It was hard to enjoy a romance story where the heroine was dumb as bricks. That aside, I really enjoyed this Christmas anthology. I loved the characters, the writing, and the stories themselves... which for an anthology of short stories, is a new thing for me. If you're looking for a quick set of heartwarming romances to enjoy over the holidays, you're probably going to enjoy this. I'd be happy to recommend it to anyone who needs a holiday romance read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jingle All The Way; Author: Fern Michaels; Genres: history, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Review originally posted to: Author Unpublished. This Christmas-themed anthology was a bit of a mixed-bag. I think out of the four stories, Maybe This Christmas by Jane Blackwood and The 24 Days of Christmas by Linda Lael Miller were my favorite of the bunch, with A Bright Red Ribbon by Fern Michaels and Santa Unwrapped by Theresa Alan falling disappointingly behind. The latter two stories seemed rushed (particularly A Bright Red Ribbon) and I found it hard to sink into their narratives. The romances just felt a little too forced for me to enjoy. A Bright Red Ribbon in particular felt as if the dialogue had been force-fed a dose of holiday candy. The pace was so swift that the characters came across as hyper-active. It was a little weird--and although the plot was fantastic... I found myself cringing. As for Maybe This Christmas and The 24 Days of Christmas, I found both stories to be heartwarming and enjoyable. They too had some issues with the romances being a bit quick (as is usual with short stories) but they didn't feel nearly as forced as the other two stories, and in the end, I enjoyed them more. They were very well written. I don't want to delve too much into the stories individually (because we'll both be here all day), but I think overall I really enjoyed the anthology--though the religious bits came across as a little preachy in parts. Still, I'm glad I gave this anthology a shot, and though it's not my favorite Christmas-themed anthology so far this year, it was still a good read. There's a gem or two in here for romance readers who are looking for quick, heartwarming holiday reads.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Plain Jane; Author: Fern Michaels; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This review was originally posted to Author Unpublished. For me, Plain Jane by Fern Michaels fell into a hazy gray area of books that I sometimes like to refer to with such phrases as "Meh." or "Mixed-Bag". It wasn't a great book, but it wasn't horrible either. Technically speaking, the writing was grammatically correct, punctuated appropriately, and most of the time retained a pretty steady pace throughout. With the exception of one error that I found (Page 207, Line 31), this was a clean, well-written read. Unfortunately, the author's style just wasn't my cup of tea. The narrative had a very "cozy" voice to it that's hard to describe other than to say it lacked tension. The characters were a bit happy-go-lucky and over-dramatic at times, but very little seemed to go wrong for them. Even in moments where the characters should have been terrified or grief stricken, I knew they were going to be okay. I never feared for them, and I never felt bad for them. I wish the author had done more to amp up the tension in the book. Considering the very serious topic of rape, I was expecting the mystery and tension surrounding Connie's death to be a little more...tense for lack of a better word. Instead, it felt like watching a children's cast performing a dramatic disaster scene. I just couldn't take it as seriously as I wanted to. That isn't to say that the story was all bad though. Even lacking tension, the mystery and suspense surrounding Connie's rape and subsequent death was one of the most captivating aspects of the book. I wanted to know what had happened to her and how the event had been orchestrated. I almost wish the entire book had revolved more around the mystery rather than wandering off on tangents about ghost dogs, an old author couple retiring to train k-9's and Jane's really-$h!tty feud with the snottiest therapist I've ever had the misfortune to read. The book was a bit busy for me, and lacked good tension. It wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't great. In the end it was "okay". Would I read it again? No. It was good for wasting an afternoon, but it's not a book that would spur me on to read more from the author. In the end, it just wasn't the kind of romance book I enjoy. I like my romances filled with passion, tension-filled moments, and relationships that overcome insurmountable odds. That isn't what I got with this. The romance was lukewarm, and I felt the need to skip the sex scenes once Jane started shouting: "Take me, take me now!" Just.. no. I'd recommend this book to romance readers who want their novels sweet and cozy, and their mysteries puzzling but not too scary. It's unfortunate that this wasn't the type of book I enjoy, but I have no doubt that there will be some readers out there that will inevitably love this book. It just wasn't for me. Trigger Warning: There is mention of rape in this book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: In The Arms Of The Law (Fortunes of Texas: Reunion #3); Author: Peggy Moreland; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: Review originally posted to Author Unpublished. I picked this book up as a bit of a light, easy read for over the holiday break--and purposefully because it wasn't Christmas themed (I've had my share of those in the last few weeks), and a light easy read is exactly what I got. In The Arms of The Law by Peggy Moreland was a short 206 page read that followed the chaotic relationship of Andrea and Gabe, a police officer and a detective thrown together to solve the murder of a John Doe that literally just washed up out of nowhere. The writing itself was clean, easy-to-follow, fluid, and lacked any major grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. The POV switched off between several characters within the story, but never felt confusing or jarring. I have to say, this was well written. My only gripe, if it is a gripe, is that the police work in the story felt like it was being dumbed down for me. Characters sometimes explained police procedure in dialogue when they didn't need to (they are both cops after all... I'm sure they both know how a crime scene works). My hand was being held by the author, and though it wasn't exceptionally irritating, it was obvious. The characters themselves, while not overly complex were interesting. The author didn't sink too deeply into character development, but it was enough for the genre/type of book this was. The romance was sizzling, and other than one or two parts where I rolled my eyes at Andrea's exclamation of "Give it to me, now!" the sex scenes didn't come across as overly flowery or ridiculously overdone. The tension between Andrea and Gabe was probably one of my favorite things about this book, and of all the characters, Gabe was probably my absolute favorite. I do wish there'd been a little more tension to the criminal elements of the book, but I'm willing to admit that this book was heavily geared towards the romance genre. It wasn't meant as a true Suspense/Thriller, and so I can let it go. Was it the best romance I've ever read? No. It didn't break the genre or present me with anything new, but it was still a fun, light, romantic read, and I enjoyed it. If you like formulaic romantic fiction, you'll probably like this book. If you're looking for something a little more intense and thought-provoking, this probably isn't what you're looking for.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Loveknot (Welcome to Tyler, #12); Author: Marisa Carroll; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Originally posted to Author Unpublished. I tried so hard to like this book. I put it down, I picked it back up, ad infinum. By the time I got halfway through the book, I was bored out of my mind. You know a book just isn't speaking to you when you get two chapters from the end and almost can't force yourself to read the last two chapters... the part of the book that's supposed to be the "happy ending". Don't get me wrong, the writing itself wasn't bad. The narrative was clean, easy to read, and wasn't bogged down with an over-abundance of drama or stupid character mistakes... but the storyline just wasn't for me. The main characters were much older than I'm used to dealing with as a romantic interest--grandparents. As someone in my early thirties. I had trouble identifying with them. Unfortunately, the mystery of Alyssa's mother's death just never drew me in. So much time had passed between her death and the story that I couldn't help but wonder why it mattered at that point. Life had moved on for the characters--an entire lifetime for the main character--and it seemed inconsequential in the end. The romance itself seemed lukewarm. Sure... Alyssa and Edward loved each other once upon a time, and those feelings were still in play decades later... but it didn't feel like there was any real passion behind their romance. I didn't feel as much draw (read: sexual tension) between the two as I'd come to expect from a romance. It made it hard to invest into their relationship, and frankly, the business aspect of their relationship just didn't interest me. In all honesty, the entire book felt lukewarm. I don't know if it's because my inability to identify with the older characters, the absurd amount of time between the mother's death and the current setting, or the lack of sexual tension, but I just couldn't bring myself to care about the story. I was bored. By the time I reached the end of the book I couldn't bring myself to care what happened to the characters. I'm not saying that the book was badly written... but I wasn't the appropriate audience for it. The book just wasn't for me. Overall? Decent book, probably, but I didn't like it. I think other readers could enjoy this book, particularly of an older age than I am, but this one won't be going on my keeper shelf.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Sweet Talking Man; Author: Liz Talley; Genres: romance; Review: I'll admit it, going into Sweet Talking Man by Liz Talley, I had my reservations. I'll be the first one to admit that I'm a bit of a throwback when it comes to my romance reading. I like my men very masculine, even broody. Stepping into this story, I was put off by the nature of Leif, the main male lead who was a bit of an artist, hippy, and vegan. It's not that I find fault with any of those qualities (I come from a family of artists and hippies, and I was once upon a time, a vegetarian), but in my mind's eye those qualities come across as a little... well... high maintenance is the closest word I can come up with--and I'm just not interested in reading about high-maintenance men. That being said, I've changed my opinion: I loved Leif. The romance in this book was spot-on. Despite the fact that the couple was older, not my ideal, and were involved in a messy situation with their exes (all of which I tend to avoid in my romances)... I loved every second of it. Leif and Abigail were meant for each other. I felt their romance deep down into my bones. The sex was steamy and not too ridiculously written (which tends to be a bad habit of romance writers), and I felt the attraction Leif and Abigail had for each other. I wanted them to succeed in their relationship with every breath in my body. The characters were well written for the most part, although I definitely had a bone of contention to pick with Birdie, Abigail's 12-year-old daughter. I have a daughter around the same age as Birdie, and to me, Birdie seemed much older. I half expected her to be 14 or 15, not 12. She was so incredibly disrespectful to her mother, and while yah, I understand that it was written that way as part of the drama for the story, I can't help but want to give my mom-stare to both Birdie and Abigail, because it's every bit as much her mother's fault that her daughter's turned out that way as it is Birdie's. Pfft. Look at me discussing these two characters as if they were real and needed a good talking-to about respect; it just goes to show you how well written they were. Overall, I loved the book. It had a few moments that made me question the writing: such as how quickly the situation regarding Leif's paternity was wrapped up and Birdie's nasty attitude despite her young age, but for the most part, I really enjoyed the story. That said, I did received a copy of this book from the publisher before publication in exchange for an honest review--and unfortunately, the copy I received was littered with typos and formatting errors. I can only assume these will be cleaned up before it's release date on February 2nd (I'll be sure to pass my notes on to the publisher), and I certainly wouldn't let it keep me from purchasing the book. If; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Legend of Drizzt: The Collected Stories; Author: R.A. Salvatore; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Review originally published to: Author Unpublished. I've never been a fan of Dungeons and Dragons books. In fact, before now, I'd never read anything by R.A. Salvatore either. Sure, I've played D&D, but playing and reading about it are vastly different things. However, when I heard that Audible was giving away The Legend of Drizzt: The Collected Stories by R.A. Salvatore for free for a short period of time, I leapt at the chance to download it. I'll admit, it was mostly because of the star-studded cast of narrators the book boasted; I make no qualms about being a huge Felicia Day, Wil Wheaton, and Sean Astin fan girl. Oddly enough, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I actually really enjoyed this anthology of short stories revolving around D&D and one of it's most beloved characters--a dark elf named Drizzt. The stories were short, but well-written. They were full of humor, wit, and colorful characters with ridiculous names that I couldn't help but fall in love with. The narration was superb and well-voiced by an array of actors.... honestly, I was a bit blown away by how much I enjoyed the anthology. I never thought I'd see the day where I physically wanted to hug a little goblin... but that day has certainly come. So adorable, I tell you! There are so many great stories in this set that it's hard to pinpoint any single one as my favorite (although the first story was probably my honest-to-goodness favorite), but I would recommend that anyone who loves Dungeons & Dragons or fantasy give this audio book a try. You won't regret it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: End Dayz (The Hitchhiker Strain, #0.5); Author: Kellie Sheridan; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Review originally posted to Author Unpublished. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about End Dayz by Kellie Sheridan. I came upon this book as part of a larger series on NetGalley--in fact, the Hitchhiker Strain series in its entirety. Going into it, all I knew was that it was a three-book set. It wasn't until I started reading End Dayz that I discovered that it wasn't so much the first book in the series, as a prequel set of letters and diary entries. I wasn't aware that it was a set of four short stories to begin with, so take that into context as you read this review. I kept waiting for the actual story to begin, and instead I was reading abandoned letters and diary entries from a bunch of kids trying to survive the apocalypse. The narrative I was expecting never came, and the longer the letters went on, the more I was starting to think that this "prologue" was going on way too long. That's okay though. To be honest, the letters were really interesting. It was entertaining to see how the different teens dealt with the horrors of a zombie apocalypse and how they conveyed those horrors to the reader. It managed to keep my interest despite being about something entirely different than I expected, and I would have given it five stars... except, the letters and diary entries weren't written like letters and diary entries. The entire time I was reading I kept thinking to myself, "No one writes letters like this." The amount of detail and blow-by-blow accounts of zombie battles that the author put in weren't true to the format of letters. I can't think of a single person who would write their dad a letter that gives a blow-by-blow account of what a person was thinking, feeling, and what actions they took while some survivor tries to kidnap her. It just isn't going to happen. That doesn't make it any less interesting... but it didn't stick to the format in which it was meant to be written. It was a problem for me. Does that mean I didn't like it? No. I liked it tremendously--even more so once I started reading the actual first book, Mortality, and realized that the letters tied into the greater story. Had this series of four short stories been about separate, random survivors, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much. Overall, I gave this four stars. The stories are good, but it's hard for me to give them full credit when they didn't stick to the format in which they were presented. Had they actually sounded like letters and diary entries I probably would have liked them more. Still, it was a good read, and if you plan on reading further into the series, I'd recommend you have a go at End Dayz first. It helps to bring some context to what's going on as Mortality starts.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mortality (The Hitchhiker Strain, #1); Author: Kellie Sheridan; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Review originally posted to Author Unpublished. I was a little hesitant going into Morality by Kellie Sheridan. I was just coming out of End Dayz, which was not at all what I expected, and stepping into book one of the series... I was cautiously optimistic. After all, the prequel was well written--it just hadn't been what I'd expected. There was an audible sigh of relief when I found Mortality wasn't another bunch of letters, but an actual narrative story. All was not well in the world, however. The book had this odd habit of switching back and forth between present-day post-apocalyptic drama with Savannah, and then after two or three chapters, switching to Zarah, who was dealing with the initial outbreak some months before. To say that I was confused about where the story was heading would have been, to put it mildly. I was probably on chapter 15 before I realized that Zarah's chapters weren't written from Savannah's POV. I honestly thought they were flashbacks to begin with. As you can imagine, this lead to all kinds of misconceptions and confusion. My stupidity and inability to read chapter headings aside, the stories of the two girls themselves, were great. The writing was moderately well done. The sentences flowed easily, it wasn't bogged down with a ton of exposition, the sentence construction was easy to follow, and the girls' stories were engaging. My only nitpick would be that there were a few typos. Not big ones. Usually a letter left off a word, a space missing, or more commonly: a missing line break between actor and speaker when they were not the same individual. None of these errors were book-breaking though. I loved the characters in this book--Zarah and Savannah especially. Each had their own very distinct set of thought processes, emotions, and personalities. Zarah was in love and a little doe-eyed about life in general, but she wisened up a lot as the story went on. She became practical, frustrated, observant. Savannah started out the story pretty gung-ho and fiery, but throughout the story learned to be more cautious and to stop and weigh her options a little. The dichotomy between the two girls and their struggles in the post-apocalyptic landscape was fascinating. I got sucked into their stories right away, and as the book wore on, I was avidly waiting to see where their stories would eventually meet up. I really don't want to give away any spoilers to this series--it was that good--but I honestly can't praise it enough. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking this story, and I'll definitely be moving on to read more in this series. Thank goodness the second book is already sitting on my Kindle waiting to be opened. If you're looking for a good character-driven zombie story (and probably one of the best zombie transition sequences written) you should definitely check out this book. I highly recommend it--and it's odd little prequel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Cowboy Next Door (This Old House #3); Author: Roxanne Snopek; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Review originally posted to Author Unpublished. If you're looking for a funny, light-hearted, contemporary romance, look no further. The Cowboy Next Door by Roxanne Snopek is the hilarious tongue-in-cheek tale of true love found in all the wrong places. Leda, the book's main female lead is a bubbly, potty-mouthed girl with a whole lot of spunk, and a lack of good judgment when it comes to men. Eric is the older ex-rodeo star cowboy living next door... and together they make one of the sweetest, puppy-love romances I've ever read. To be honest, I wasn't thrilled with the couple at first. Eric saw Leda as little more than a sexy cheerleader, barefoot and babe at her breast. He came across as a little ridiculous and dreamy considering his age and experience. It was easy to tell that in a previous life, he had probably been a little bit of a love 'em and leave 'em type and maybe a bit of a poetic romantic--though that was never outright stated. Despite the fact that he thought Leda was little more than a teen the first time he met her, he was ogling her assets--and it sent me on edge from the start. Leda, on the other hand, is probably one of my favorite caricatures--and yes, I mean, caricature... not character. She had an over-the-top small-town southern charm (despite not being from the south) and let loose an array of colorful swear words that would make anyone giggle. She was bold, brassy, and full of spunk in the best ways--and she was a certifiable mamma-bear when it came down to it. A lot of bark came with the petite package that was Leda, and I loved every minute of her presence in the book. Together, Eric and Leda had a flirty banter-filled romance that was endearing and fun. As for the technical side of things, the book was well written. As with all of Ms. Snopek's work, the book wasn't plagued with a ton of errors. The narrative was clean, easy-to-follow, and well placed. The romance was sizzling without being vulgar or overly flowery, and although the plot was restricted solely to the romance (which is fine.. sometimes you want a quick romance-filled read that isn't tangled in political drama and thrilling sub-plots), the book was engaging. The only point of contention for me was that the romance did move a little quickly near the end of the book. This isn't a long book--I read through it in one short afternoon, so it's hard to hold the quick pace of the narrative against it, but generally I do like my romances to simmer a little before it gets down to the stable romance part. Eric and Leda went one ONE date before they were declaring their ever-lasting love. It was still believable, after all, Leda and Eric were the type of couple that fell into ridiculously sappy love very quickly--this wasn't out of character for them--but I; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Seeker (Seeker, #1); Author: Arwen Elys Dayton; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This was a hard book to love. My initial impression of Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton was that it was a gripping, action-filled fantasy/mystery. The world was introduced in such a way that I couldn't help but get sucked in. I wanted to know what Seekers were and what would become of Quin and her companions. The writing was well done with few noticeable typos or formatting errors. I thought to myself, "Wow, this is a gem." I loved the future tech mixed in with the old Scottish roots, the swordplay, the forbidden romance. It was almost too good to be true. Unfortunately, by the time I hit 46% in, I was kind of bored. The tidbits of missing information and mystery that had once endeared me to the plot soon became what most aggravated me about it. So very little was explained. I'd expected to have a clear idea of what a Seeker was by nearly halfway into the book, but I wasn't given that information. The romance fizzled up and died out at about 30% in, and the author fell back on the amnesia plot device... so even the main character forgot what the story was about. It was hard to peg down what time frame the story was taking place, what the characters were meant to do, if they loved or hated each other, and even who they were intrinsically at one point. The pace slowed down to a limp, and I lost interest. I had to really push to get through the last half of the book. Was this a terrible book? No--but I think the author's vision got a little lost. The plot was very convoluted and slow, particularly after the first half of the book. The characters were on the tip of being excellently well fleshed but fell short. There wasn't enough explanation of what was going on or what the character's motives were. It was all very... vague. That being said, the core writing, particularly the first half, were well done. The story started out with so much promise, and I can't help but wonder if subsequent books in the series may be more explained. I think the main problem was the lack of explanation. As I said earlier in this review... everything was so vague and mysterious and unexplained that it felt like the author was dancing around the reader, answers in hand going "guess! guess! guess!" and frankly, I got tired of trying to figure it out. Overall... This book was a bit of a "meh". It had some really great aspects--the action and character writing in the first half of the book was excellent.... but that doesn't necessarily excuse the pace, the vagueness, and the confusion of the plot. I think there will be readers out there that really enjoy the complex plot and characters of this story, but I don't know that I was one of them in the end. This isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea... but I do see promise in this author. If you like complex; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Total Surrender (Sin Brothers, #4); Author: Rebecca Zanetti; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I recently received an ARC of Total Surrender by Rebecca Zanetti in a Good Reads Giveaway--I'm a huge fan of romance, even formulaic romance, so it's no surprise to anyone that I was looking forward to giving this book, and the Sin Brothers series a chance. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed. Now, I'll admit, there were a few errors in the copy I received--I found three--but, keep in mind that my copy was an ARC (advanced reader copy) that probably wasn't done with it's final bout with the editor--so I hesitate to dock it any points. Overall, the writing was phenomenal. The sentence structure was well done, easy to read and follow, and concise. Not once did I stop and cringe at an awkward bit of wording or flowery language. As for the characters: I fell madly in love with Piper and Jory as a couple. Sure, Jory could be domineering and arrogant, but it worked with his character and even when he was pushing Piper around it was obvious that he did so for her safety--not because he was just an ass. Piper was by far my favorite character. She was foul-mouthed and full of spunk (my favorite kind of heroine), and despite being no physical match for Jory, she held her own verbally. The one major detractor from this book, unfortunately, was that it was very formulaic. It had your usual tropes of a domineering alpha male and the petite gorgeous woman who loved him. As with most sure-read romances (as I like to call them), the ending of the book was an idealized vision wrapped up in a neat little bow complete with a three-part epilogue where everyone was snuggling and talking about kids and marriage. If you don't like happy ending romances, you may have a problem with this book. Personally, I don't have a problem with formulaic romances, and in all honesty, I sought this book out because it was one. Sure-read romances are the bread and butter of the romance genre, and one of my favorite types of books--it's like curling up in a cozy chair with some hot cocoa and a box of chocolates. Even though I pretty much know how the book is going to end, that doesn't lessen the appeal to me. Sometimes you want a cozy read. That aside, the book is fantastic. The writing was exquisite, the characters were loveable, and the action and romance scenes were enough to set my heart racing. If you want a hot, fast-paced romance filled with gun fights, hacking ordeals, and sassy verbal wars, you're going to enjoy this book. It isn't going to be for everyone because like I said, it was a tad predictable, but that doesn't make it any less of a good read. I'll definitely be tracking down the other books in the series and more from this author in the future.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Duality (The Hitchhiker Strain, #2); Author: Kellie Sheridan; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, mystery; Review: This review was originally posted to Author Unpublished. I'll admit it; this is one of those books that I picked up and got so sucked into that I forgot to leave myself any notes to fall back on for the review I knew I'd be writing. It was that good. As far as the technical side of things goes, there were very few errors. I found two. Not only is that acceptable for a published book, it's pretty damned impressive. The narrative was clear, easy to read, and moved at a pretty decent pace. I never felt like it was dragging or moving too fast. Overall? I have no complaints. As far as the story itself goes... this was a good addition to the series, and a solid continuation of the story set up in the first book, Mortality. Once again, the narrative was split between a small cast of characters, the main two being Savannah (from the first book) and a new player: Chelsea. To be honest, I like Savannah and she works well to tie all the books together, but she definitely isn't my favorite character. In the first book, Savannah was a bit self-centered and all-over-the-place. She got herself and a lot of other people into danger with the poor snap decisions she made. She waffled on her romances, and in the end, I wasn't a huge fan of her. It seemed like in Duality at least, she'd settled down and found herself. There was a lot less 'obnoxious teenager' to her character, and a lot more of a girl who was just trying to make the best decisions she could and save as much of humanity as she could muster. I ended up liking her more in this book than the first--she's still not my favorite though. That distinction fell to Chelsea. One of the best parts of this book and the series as a whole, is the way the author portrayed the zombie characters. In this book, that role belonged to Chelsea Zimmerman--a sixteen-year-old girl who finds herself trapped and sharing her body with the zombie virus that she refers to as "the beast". She's completely awake--aware of what she's doing as an infected second-generation Zombie, but can do nothing to stop it. She spends her days sitting in the backseat of her mind, keeping a running death toll on how many survivors she's killed and doing her best to keep the zombie part of her brain from walking itself into dangerous situations. Seeing the post-apocalyptic world from a tragically aware zombie girl's point of view was both fascinating and equal parts horrifying. And that's the great thing about this book, and indeed, this series: it tells the very human story of what the world is like after a zombie apocalypse... but it doesn't restrain the point of view to just the human survivors. The author delved into the heartbreaking idea of what would happen if a person became a zombie but was fully aware... just unable to stop themselves. If you're looking for a good zombie; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hitchhiker Strain: The Complete Series; Author: Kellie Sheridan; Genres: young-adult, romance; Review: Review originally posted to: Author Unpublished. This is hands down, one of the best zombie-based book series I've had the privilege to read. The Hitchhiker Strain Series revolves around a small group of teens that are trying to survive the post-zombie infection world. It is a tale of lost futures, lost families, and lost innocence. The stories are told from multiple viewpoints and over a series of months between the first sign of an epidemic, and a year later when the world has collapsed and the first signs of a cure are starting to surface. The books are filled with clean, YA romance (though that is by far not one of the main themes), action, adventure, mystery, and horror. The characters are wonderfully fleshed out and very human in the way they are written--imperfect, fallible, and struggling to come to terms with the way the world has changed. The real strength of this series, however, is the way the zombies were portrayed, and the way the author used their viewpoints to show the struggle for humanity that everyone--zombies and survivors alike--had to deal with. One of my favorite moments in this series revolved around the heartbreakingly tragic moment when I sat back and tried to imagine what it would be like to be one of the second generation zombies. I sympathized with Chelsea and Zarah more than almost any other character in the series. The writing itself was beautifully done. The narrative was engaging, clear, easy to follow, and fast paced. I never got bored or confused, and there were very few technical errors. Overall, I loved the series. I am so incredibly glad I read it, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a good YA Zombie-based series. This box set is going on my keeper shelf.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Unremembered (Unremembered, #1); Author: Jessica Brody; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: This review was originally posted to: Author Unpublished. It was a bit of an odd moment for me when I put this book down and got ready to write a review. I went into this book a little hesitantly--the first paragraph had some pretty flowery narrative and the present tense is one of my most loathed forms of tense. I remember setting the book aside and thinking "oh god, not another one of these." assuming that the narrative was going to be so distracting that I'd never get past the first 10% of the book. That happens a lot when you read fiction for a living--but that isn't how things turned out. I can honestly say that I loved this book. Except for one typo (page 189), the narrative read smoothly. There weren't a lot of technical or formatting errors. The characters and logic behind their decisions and dialogue were consistent, and the pace moved along at a decent speed. The story firmly stuck to it's genres: YA, Sci-Fi, Time Travel, Romance, and Mystery... there were no left open plot holes or fumbles in the story telling that pulled me out of the narrative. Despite the deplorable tense, the book was well written, and I managed to enjoy it. ...and yet, when I sat down to write this review I noticed that on multiple book sites, this book has an array of low ratings. "Why is that?" I wondered. From what I can gather, the majority of that answer is: people either hated the tense, were expecting something other than what they got, or they were simply tired of reading amnesia based stories. I can't argue against that. There are an array of amnesia-based stories out on the market, and people's expectations are their own trouble. From what I read, the story every bit matches the description I was given on the back cover--and yes, the tense is awful. I hate present tense with a passion... but, having said that, it honestly didn't bother me after the first three lines. This is one of those very rare cases where I think the tense worked. I got sucked into the story and didn't even remember that I'd been reading present tense until I read a comment about it and had to go back and assure myself that this was a true statement. All of that aside, when I get down to it: this was a good book. It's very heavily mystery based, with themes of science fiction, genetic engineering, and time travel involved. There's some romance--though it's clean and really downplayed quite a bit. Overall, Unremembered was a story that posed a question: what makes a person Human, and if those things are fabricated in a lab or removed... does that make someone less Human? This isn't the type of book to have you gripping your seat with the action sequences or squealing in joy over the romance, but it is a book that will make you think and wonder, and care for it's characters. Though it's YA, as an adult I thoroughly; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Save Me; Author: Jenny Elliott; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This review was originally published to Author Unpublished. Honestly, I'm a bit mystified by the amount of negative reviews this book has gotten--and I mean it--utterly mystified. I'll admit, the description is a bit vague and leaves a lot to interpretation; when I first opened the book I'd half convinced myself the story was going to be about mermaids, whale-shifters, or any number of other paranormal phenomena. I really had no idea. It wasn't any of those things, but, it was a solid paranormal/fantasy story, just as promised. As far as the technical side of things go: The cover is gorgeous, the writing was nearly flawless in it's editing, and the narrative was clear and easy to read. The story moved along at a good pace and was dotted with separate plot lines and mysteries--enough to keep me engrossed for hours. Save Me by Jenny Elliott fit perfectly into it's set genre's and it's description, and I can't fault it for that. The romance wasn't too steamy--it was actually pretty tame, and very clean, which is perfect for an array of YA readers ranging from 13-18. Frankly, it was sweet, and a tad on the forbidden side, but nothing I wouldn't feel uncomfortable letting any young teen read (which is an improvement over some YA books I've read). Do I wish it had a been a little more steamy? Sure... but I'm an adult reader and not this book's target audience. Though the author never delved too deeply into the side characters, Cara (the main female lead) was well fleshed out. The relationships between her and the other characters in the book were natural and didn't come across as too forced or too convenient (okay, maybe excluding Garren, but that's a whole 'nother bag of worms that I rather not expound upon). Conversations were well written, made sense, and the character's decisions logical. I found the book engaging, easy to read, and a bit of a fun puzzle to unravel as the story began to weave in the separate threads of mystery and paranormal. My only complaint (and okay, it's a bit of a big one) was the religion. I'm not a religious person in the slightest, but I don't mind reading religious-based books as long as the regions aspect of the story is provided up front. I was deep into the story (nearly half way) before the first bud of religion popped up in the story, and it threw me for a bit of loop. Up until this point the closest mention of anything even remotely religious was Cara's reverence for nature and an occasional slip of "oh my god" by one of the teens. Then, suddenly there were religious rites being performed, mentions of church and prayer, exorcisms... and that's fine.. but I would have preferred a bit of a lead up or some sort of mention before it was suddenly dropped into the story. I thought I was reading a certain kind of strictly-paranormal/fantasy read and ended up reading something heavily religion based instead. There was really no need; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sea Air; Author: Jule Meeringa; Genres: romance; Review: ** spoiler alert ** Did. Not. Finish. I desperately wanted to like this book. I'm a tried and true romance reader at heart, and so when I got a copy of Sea Air by Jule Meeringa, I had decent expectations that I was going to like the story, even if the synopsis wasn't entirely right up my alley. Let's be honest, I'm not a huge fan of massive age gaps in couples. It's not that I'm inherently against age gaps... my own parents were nearly 10 years apart in age... but 25 years is an exceedingly large age gap. That's like a guy dating someone his daughter's age. Unfortunately, I didn't get far enough into the story to base my dislike of the book on the age gap. You see, Sea Air was originally written in the German language--and I'm sure that written in it's native language, it is quite well done--but, somewhere in translation the heart of the narrative got lost. The text is incredibly dry. It lacks the engaging quality that I often search for in books, the quality that makes me want to continue reading. By the end of the first chapter, It was already beginning to drag. It felt as if the life of the character's narrative had been sucked out and only sentence structure remained. I'll go ahead and say it--it was boring. To make matters worse, Nele and Mathis lacked chemistry. Other than the fact that Nele was interested in Mathis' life story, the first few days she met him didn't indicate any romance at all. Mathis was a mysterious, quirky, older guy with children, and as he indicated to Nele, a wife. He talked about himself in third-person. Nele was hardly better. She seemed to lack any obvious connection to her own daughter--it was as if they were strangers--and within 24 hours of meeting Mathis, was asking this complete stranger if she could rest her head in his lap. This is the point at which I threw in the towel. I have a feeling that a lot of what made this book good was lost in translation, and it's unfortunate. I just couldn't push myself to read anymore. I wasn't engaged, and there came a point where I just couldn't push myself to read any more. There may be someone out there who will like this book more than I did--particularly if you're from Germany and can maybe pick up on some of the familiar nuances of their social interaction... but it wasn't for me.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Boy Next Door; Author: Katie Van Ark; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would, but not for the reasons I thought I would. The Boy Next Door by Katie Van Ark is a love story between two teens--a pair of figure skaters--that have been best friends and neighbors for their entire lives, but just because they've spent their lives close to one another, doesn't mean they always understand each other. The book was riddled with misunderstandings, assumptions, and poor choices. If you're looking for a sweet, romantic, or steamy YA read... keep looking. It's not that this book doesn't possess some of those themes--there is a sweet romance. Sometimes there's romantic moments, and yes, even steamy bits, but that isn't what this book is about. It's a very real, honest look at a relationship between two teens that aren't yet grown up enough to always make the right choices. There is betrayal, lies, misinformation. There's alcohol, unexpected events, and pushy ex's. The relationship between Maddy and Gabe is a struggle every step of the way--but that's part of what I really liked about it. This wasn't some simple YA read where it's love at first sight and everything goes perfectly. There were some very real obstacles in this story for the characters to work through. Technically speaking, the book was well written. The narrative was clean and easy to follow. There weren't any typo's or misprints that I spotted, and the character's actions and dialog made sense. I sunk into the story right away and didn't come up for air until the last page. That being said, it wasn't my favorite YA book. It's not that there was anything particularly wrong with it, but I generally like my romances a little more "romancey" than what I found here. This book was about the romance between the two main characters, but not in the way I expected. It wasn't so much about the attraction and longing between the characters as it was about their struggle to figure out their relationship, and how to keep it steady despite the many things that continued to go wrong for them throughout the book. It was a tad more literary than I'm used to in that respect. Does that make me like the book any less? No--but it's a different kind of like. This wasn't the type of book that I'd devour and move on to the next one in the series... but it is a book that makes me appreciate the depth of it's writing. Overall: I really enjoyed the book. I wish it had been a tad more engaging for me personally, but I'm still very glad I read it. I think The Boy Next Door is perfect for older teens (15+) but I wouldn't hand it to the younger YA crowd. There is alcohol use, and there is sex involved. It's not graphic, but it's not glossed over either. I wouldn't hand this book to my 11-year-old--but I do think it's a good book for teens. I think it will give them a lot of things to think; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Guardians: Awakened (Pantheon #1); Author: Kimiko Alexandre; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, mystery; Review: I was so excited to get ahold of this book, and it didn't disappoint. Guardians: Awakened by Kimiko Alexandre tells the story of Raegan, an ex-military woman working as a bodyguard who gets sucked into a war between angels and other supernatural forces. Suddenly everything she thought she believed about angels, demons, possessions, and herself is wrong, and she's smack dab in the midst of it all. On the technical side of things, the book was decently written. There were a few pet peeve moments for me when conjunctions were used to start sentences (that is a very specific hatred of mine), commas were misplaced or missing, and a few clumsily worded passages at the very beginning of the story that knocked me out of the narrative a little, but overall, I don't have any major complaints. The narrative was pretty easy to follow, the dialogue moved along at a good pace and wasn't overly dramatic or forced. The only complaint I had in that department was one small section where Raegan's name was repeated twice in a very short period of time. (Loc. 747 on Kindle) [QUOTE] "Give me just a moment, Raegan. The girl needs some attention." Her voice sounded otherworldly, with her eyes shining bright. All nodded. "We'll get this sorted out, Raegan, now that Ariel is here we can get you back into your body. I'm sure you're freaked. I'll explain as much as I'm allowed," Trace said. [/END QUOTE] Other than that, the only technical errors that really stuck out was the ONE time a quote was misplaced (Loc. 90 on Kindle): [QUOTE] "Perhaps you can call your boss as you intended," Chris stepped in without hesitation," and he can verify we should have been on the list. [/END QUOTE] Honestly, I'm being nitpicky. I can admit that the editing set off my worst pet peeves possible. Overall, the technical aspect of the book was very nearly spot on--I only wish a really good editor could have made it just that much tighter to make it perfect, because I loved the story so much once that aspect was set aside. I really enjoyed the characters as a whole, though Raegan could be a little dense at times. There were at least two or three instances where the author very clearly hand-held the audience a little, letting important bits of info pop up in hints that Raegan just didn't pick up on. It didn't really irritate me, but it did make me stop and go: "Why is she surprised at this? Didn't we already establish this was happening?" Apparently, Raegan wasn't great at hints--it sort of fit her personality though. Raegan could be bull-headed in the best way, and I dearly loved her for it. She was the type of heroine who really felt genuine because she reacted in a very believable fashion to what was happening. She stuck to her opinions, even when she clearly knew she was wrong. She swore at angels--despite the fact she knew they could smite her if they so chose to. She; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Death Wish (Ceruleans, #1); Author: Megan Tayte; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: First, let's get the technical bits out of the way. I'll admit, my first impression of the narrative style of Death Wish by Megan Tayte wasn't great. I don't know what I was expecting going into this book, but the first few pages came across as a little overly poetic. Maybe because it was a YA Fantasy that had been e-mailed to me directly from the author, I regretfully assumed that the writing was going to be subpar. That happens a lot when you review books on a regular basis. It also didn't help that the author chose to perpetrate one of my biggest writing pet peeves: incorrectly used conjunctions. It drives me up the wall. Seriously. Otherwise, the writing was pretty flawless. I didn't notice a lot of obvious typos or awkward sentences, and other than constantly having to look up the slang (I'm from the US, and Scarlett clearly is not), I found the narrative to be clean. It was easy to follow, and engaging. I got sucked into the story right away and finished it in a matter of hours. So, going into the book, right off the bat, I'll admit I was probably a little prejudiced. I was expecting simplistic, overly dramatic writing, and I got... well... detail and well-thought out passages that verged on poetic. It was a bit of a narrative shock, and it bothered me. I wasn't quite in the right mindset for what I was reading. That didn't last long. Before I knew it, I was engrossed in Scarlett Blake's story--I was consumed by it. I adored the characters, especially Cara and Luke. Scarlett had her moments of stupidity and misjudgement, but overall, I found her to be a strong character. She was a teen that was caught in the middle of dealing with some pretty heavy issues and considering everything she had heaped on her shoulders, she muddled through as best she could. Sometimes she made poor decisions... but I can't fault her for them. Considering everything that was thrown at her, frankly, she handled it all pretty damn well. The only characters I truly didn't like where Scarlett's parents. Out of the all the characters, they were probably the most 2 dimensional. Her father was little more than a prop. Her mother, was an emotional basket case in the worst, most dramatic way. Frankly, I think the book could have done without them both. As for the rest, well, I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery aspect of the plot--it almost read more like a mystery/thriller than a fantasy/romance, and every bit of it was enthralling. I wanted to know what had happened to Siena and what was in store for Scarlett as the story wound its way through the twists and turns of the plot. I was desperately clinging on in hopes of learning more about Jude. In the end, not everything was cleared up. I still have a lot of questions about what happened to Scarlett's sister and who and what exactly the Ceruleans are, but though the ending was a little; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chimera (Universe Eventual, #1); Author: N.J. Tanger; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Science Fiction isn't generally my favorite genre. I tend to get lost in the technobabble of the fictional science. I'll admit, going into Chimera by N.J. Tanger, I was a little lost. I didn't sink into the story right away--it didn't last long, though. By the end of the first chapter, I was engrossed in the story. The characters were unique and full of depth. They led very different lives from one another, and they each had separate motivations for wanting to get on board the Chimera. They felt more like real people than characters. Though I have the feeling that the author hasn't even barely begun to scratch the surface of the plot behind this series, the book was filled with suspense, mystery, action and adventure. The world building, like the characters, was intricate and well fleshed out. Honestly, other than the short period of time where I sat back and wondered at the complexity of the book sitting before me, I have nothing to complain about. There were no obvious technical problems with the narrative. The characters were logical and well-dialogued. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. If you're looking for a solid start to a brand new science fiction series, I'd highly recommend that you check this out. I can't wait to get a hold of the rest of the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Highland Knight's Desire (Highland Dynasty, #2); Author: Amy Jarecki; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I was so happy to pick up a copy of A Highland Knight's Desire by Amy Jarecki. I am a tried and true romance reader at heart, and historical romances, in particular, are one of my guilty pleasures. There's something to be said for a good, solid formulaic romance at the end of the day. Though a lot of readers disdain this type of book--the kind with swooning lasses, arrogant men, and an epilogue entirely devoted to either a marriage, children or both, I'm not one to turn up my nose at a sure-read. It's a bit like coming home to a nice warm cup of hot cocoa and a chick flick. Technically speaking, the book was well written. The world building was well-researched and painted with bits and pieces of culture and language from the time period. The narrative was easy-to-follow and flowed well. I didn't spot any noticeable typos or grammatical errors--overall, really well done. The characters were vibrant and well fleshed out, and I enjoyed the steamy romance between Duncan and Meg. Though Meg was sometimes a little too forward at times, their romance was believable and endearing. Some aspects of the plot, as I said earlier, were formulaic. Read any number of historical romances and you're going to run into a very similar set of attributes throughout the genre--the fiery young girl intent on putting her mark on any situation despite her gender, station, or propriety... the tough sword fighter with gleaming muscles who's fallen head over heels for a girl he shouldn't be near... it's all very familiar. For some readers this will be a problem--it's predictable--but personally I don't mind. I enjoy the story despite the familiar circumstance and tone. Is it going to break the genre? No... but it's still a good read. There were a couple of reasons this book got 4 stars instead of 5 for me: 1) Because it was formulaic and predictable. I wasn't gushing over new content as much as I loved the story. and 2) There was a very questionable moment partway into the book. Spoilers will ensue below because I think it needs to be discussed--this is your fair warning: Here's the thing: had the genders of Meg and Duncan been reversed, women everywhere would have cried foul at the first sex scene in the book. Meg basically crawls into bed with Duncan while he's terribly ill and feverish and mostly unconscious and begins to kiss and fondle and prompt him into sex. Did he enjoy it? Sure... though he was convinced it was all a dream until the next morning... but switch their genders and have Duncan crawling into bed with the unwitting Meg while she's half-unconscious and ill... and people would throw a fit. So here I am, throwing one for the men out there. It wasn't okay. That being said, in the time period the book was written, we kind of have to accept that rape, and coerced sex were a thing that was not only prevalent but often expected--and because; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ready Player One; Author: Ernest Cline; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This book is brilliant. How brilliant, you ask? It's 3:38 am--and I just spent the last 9 hours reading non-stop. My eyes won't even focus at this point. From the minute I picked up Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, I couldn't put it down. Technically speaking, the book was exceptionally well written--but it isn't going to be for everyone. There were no typos, awkward sentences, or misplaced punctuation to stumble over. The narrative was fairly clean and easy to follow. I was sucked into the story from page one and never lost interest. However, there is a bit of a caveat. This book is littered with geeky, nerdy 80's pop culture references. If you weren't around in the 80's and you didn't follow early game culture... you may have trouble getting through this book. It is absolutely saturated with name-drops and references. That isn't a bad thing though. Being a geek myself and having grown up in the 80's, I loved every minute of it. I literally squealed when Aech and Wade argued over The Battle For Endor--hey, no judging. (Though my squeal when Whil Wheaton was mentioned as running in the OASIS politics was even louder.) I honestly can't even imagine the amount of research that went into writing this book, but I am astounded by it. So much gaming culture and geek culture in general was woven into the narrative as to make this an instant classic in my eyes. Though this book isn't going to be for everyone (it is, after all, lacking in significant amounts of dialogue and littered with references and facts from a very particular decade and geek-gamer culture), I think it could be--for anyone willing to give it a chance. There's a very real message in it's pages for what could be in store for our human civilization as it stands right now. Wade's future isn't so different than our own. Our technology hasn't quite caught up, but we're not that far behind. In fact, Wade's future is so eerily similar to our own future that the big red button was looking mighty tempting to me. (You'll get that reference when you read the book) I don't want to give away spoilers, just know this: This book was fantastic. It was intricate, well-thought-out, and begs the reader to stop and think, and consider the human condition. I highly recommend that you read it. This is going on my Keeper Shelf...and then I'm going to log out of OASIS and get some sleep. I've been logged in for way too many hours. PS: Imagine Og as Leonard Nemoy. It will make everything better.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Haunting of Sunshine Girl (The Haunting of Sunshine Girl, #1); Author: Paige McKenzie; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I've been waiting to get my hands on this book since it was first announced. Let's be clear--I've maybe watched every single episode of the Haunting of Sunshine Girl web series since its inception. I know. I'm an adult, it's not really scary, but it's something I can't help but enjoy as a paranormal fan. If anything, my prior predisposition for the story of Sunshine made me both cautious and excited for the first book in the series. Excited, because I wanted to re-live the adventure of Season One in text form (and okay, I'll admit it, I desperately wanted Nolan to make an appearance--he's one of my favorite characters). Cautious, because I was terribly worried that I wouldn't like the book. I didn't know if Paige McKenzie could write, and I've never read anything by Alyssa B. Sheinmel. I was terrified that the YA-geared voice of the narrative would be irritating and ruin the story I enjoyed so much. Luckily, that wasn't so. First off, let's cover the well, cover. It's gorgeous, and it's great to see Paige herself on the cover (aka Sunshine)--but to be honest, the cover, as pretty as it is, has nothing to do with the story. Not once does Sunshine wear a beautiful white dress, put on heels, or fall sideways through a room. Technically speaking, the book was decently written. There were a number of errors in the copy I received--mostly formatting errors, missing spaces, missing commas and misspelled words--but given that my copy was an ARC from NetGalley, that's to be expected. I can only hope the final copy of the book will have the aforementioned issues resolved. As many errors as there were (and there were many) they weren't too distracting for the most part and only cause a few stumbles along the way. As one might expect, the book did a pretty decent job of sticking to the source material (the web show). There were some deviations from the original story, but if you're a die-hard fan of the original, I don't think you'll find this one too far off. The changes were made mostly to the origin stories of Nolan and Victoria and the method in how Anna died--and honestly, I think the changes were for the better; the story seemed a little more cohesive overall. As for the characters, they stuck true to form. Victoria was wonderfully creepy and a little off-kilter. Nolan was charming and geeky and the most adorable way and Sunshine was her usual quirky fun-loving self. The humor in this book was spot-on and goofy in a lovable sort of way. It made the narrative charming and engaging, and fun to read along with. The relationship between Sunshine and her mother especially was filled with humor and quirky quips, and it really shone through how much the two characters got along--but of course, my favorite duo were Sunshine and Nolan. I don't want to spoil too much, but I will say this: if you enjoyed Sunshine and Nolan in the web series, you're going to love; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Son of the Mob (Son of the Mob, #1); Author: Gordon Korman; Genres: young-adult, thriller, children, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: This isn't the type of book I'd normally buy for myself--In fact, my copy of Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman was donated to me by a local librarian who had some free swag sitting around. Score! Ahem. So color me surprised when I actually really enjoyed this book. First off, he book didn't have a lot of depth. Let's get that right out of the way. There wasn't a lot of chemistry between Vince and Kendra, and to be honest, Alex, Vince's best friend, was a rather shitty friend. Very little time was spent on any of the other characters, including Vince's parents and brother. The characters lacked depth, and that's the main reason this book only got four stars out of me. Even though this was a YA book, I was expecting there to be a little more angst and drama, even emotion from the characters--and it just wasn't there. Technically speaking, the book was well written. There weren't any noticeable typos, the sentence structure was easy to follow, and there weren't any disruptive bouts of flowery language or awkward sentences. The cover fits the story, as does the title, and the way it was written easily appeals to the YA crowd. There was some romance and make-out sessions, but nothing graphic, and nothing I'd feel overly worried about sharing with a middle-grade reader. Overall, the book was fun. The drama was geared towards the right audience, Vince's story was interesting, and the writing was engaging. The charm of this story falls on the humor. There's nothing particularly laugh-out-loud funny in the book, but between the ridiculous situations Vince finds himself in and the giggle-worthy nicknames of the mob-uncles, the story was a fun, light-hearted adventure. Reading Son of the Mob was a lot like sitting down on a rainy afternoon and eating a cupcake while playing Go-Fish with a circle of seven year olds. Short, fun, and sweet--and not necessarily how I'd want to spend every afternoon, but every once in awhile? Definitely a good way to lighten your day.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Gracekeepers; Author: Kirsty Logan; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: It's hard to sum up how I feel about The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan. The world building was both interesting and familiar--very similar to the lore behind Waterworld (of which I am a huge fan). The settings were eerie, unkind, and terrifying in a way because they are so familiar and yet nightmarishly different than our own reality. The prose of this book was beautiful, and the uncut ARC copy I received through a giveaway had only a few noticeable typos--most notably a lack of space between two words here and there throughout the book. The writing was pretty flawless. Unfortunately, the pace of the book was excruciatingly slow. It's hard to put my finger on the reason why the book just didn't speak to me. The narrative lacked an engaging quality. The sentences, while well-structured, didn't flow well. It seemed as if every page took twice as long to read through as the books I normally delve into. The characters felt detached--almost robotic. There were several instances in the book where Callanish and North could have, and should have displayed some emotion... but everything seemed to roll right off of them. It didn't matter that people were dying, birds were being starved to death, or that one of the characters was selling her body. Because the characters were so detached, I found it hard to relate to them. The story lacked the engaging quality I usually look for in books that makes me want to keep reading and never put the story down. I repeatedly set this book aside, reading half a chapter at a time until It was over. Don't get me wrong, the book wasn't bad. I liked the story--I'm jut not entirely sure what the story was about. I got this brief peek into these two girls lives (as well as the various other characters), but not a lot happened. There wasn't a lot of action, romance, or drama to pull the story along. A lot of the plot was backstory and the day to day interactions between the characters. It just didn't pull me in. Overall, I had to give this book three stars. It was "meh". I'm glad I finished the book, but had I stopped halfway through, I don't think I'd have missed anything. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't great either... just mildly interesting in a "I have nothing better to do than pick up this book" sort of way.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cinders & Sapphires (At Somerton, #1); Author: Leila Rasheed; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was given to me on a whim by a local librarian (thank you so much!), and at first I was a little hesitant to pick it up. It's not a small book at over 389 pages, and as much as I love the historical, romance, and YA genres... having all three in one book is a tall order. YA books so often make romance into a silly affair, and history into a simplified, dumbed down alternate universe that is often woefully inaccurate. However, after having read Cinders & Sapphires by Leila Rasheed, I can assure you that you have nothing to fear. The book was excellently well-written. The narrative was appropriately tinted by the dialect and romance of vocabulary known to the early 1900's. The characters, while often ensconced in scandal, acted appropriately in their dialog, thought, and eventual shame. I never felt the need to question their actions or words, and I never stumbled over any technical errors either. The narrative was easy to read and devoid of any obvious misspellings. The sentences flowed nicely, and it was easy to sink into the text. The characters were unique and colorful, each in their own ways. I adored Rose, Ada, and Georgina and loathed Charlotte and Stella. I sympathized with Oliver and Sebastian and swooned over Ravi and Lord Fintan. The characters never fell into the trap of fading into the background or melding into one another as time went on through the book--the author did an excellent job of making them all stand out for their own merits, and it made it easy to keep track of them--which, in a historical setting such as this, where the language can be hard to follow at times, was most welcome. I will say that the plot was extremely busy. There were numerous scandals and intrigues going on throughout the course of the book. Relationships were complicated and intertwined, and everyone had secrets. It could be hard to untangle at times, but it certainly made things interesting. I never got bored with the plot--it always seemed like there was so much going on. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I hate to compare Cinders & Sapphires to anything, but I think it's a pretty decent analogy to call it Downton Abbey for the YA crowd. I'm certainly glad I read it, and I'm looking forward to more books in the series. If you're looking for a smart, intricate-plotted YA story filled with scandal, secrets, and romance, it's a good bet that you'll like this book. It isn't going to be for everyone (not everyone can stomach historical novels because of the language and the politics of the Ton), but I'd certainly recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forget Me Not (Ceruleans, #2); Author: Megan Tayte; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Forget Me Not by Megan Tayte is everything I've wanted in an indie published book for a long, long time. The writing was excellent; none of that 'bordering on poetic' stuff that makes me cringe, no awkwardly worded sentence structures or punctuation mistakes... just solid, easy-to-sink-into writing. The characters felt genuine and logical, not angsty and overly-dramatic like most YA books. Not once did I find myself scowling at a character or rolling my eyes. For a few short hours, I sunk into the world of Scarlett Blake and the journey was breathtaking. I'll admit, I was a little afraid going into this book. Immediately after reading the first book in the series, I was contacted by the author with a note of thanks for my review. I was excited to hear back from her and to tell her how much I enjoyed the book--and was then off-my-rocker happy to be offered a chance to read the second book in the series in exchange for another honest review. Well, considering how much I loved the first book, I jumped at the chance. Going into Forget Me Not, I was worried that it wouldn't hold up to the first book--that happens sometimes with sequels--but I was excited to get even a few more hours in the world of Scarlett, so I dived in. I wasn't disappointed. In fact, if anything, I think I enjoyed the second book more. This addition to the Cerulean series was heartbreakingly beautiful. Where the first book focused mainly on the romance between Scarlett and Luke, as well as the mystery surrounding Siena's death, this book focused mainly on the aftermath of Scarlett's revelation that she was going to die... and there was nothing she could do about it. I promise I won't give away too many spoilers, but the story centered on the remaining months of her life... knowing that her time was short and what she chose to do with the time she had left. Even though the plot centered around the supernatural aspect of the Cerulean series, it was hard not to think of Scarlett as an average girl dying from any number of very real causes. The story felt like a peek into the last days of a girl coming to grips with her mortality... and whether her death was permanent or not, it was a very real, very human experience. This book is going to stick with me for a long time. A lot of mystery still surrounds the Ceruleans. Despite the very heavy main theme, I didn't feel like the supernatural aspect of the plot was neglected, thankfully, but I don't know that I'm much closer to figuring out what exactly the Ceruleans are and why Scarlett and her sister have been chosen to become Ceruleans. I still feel like there's a lot going on that Jude hasn't given us information about, and with the appearance of Daniel, I feel like I've been left with more questions. I thoroughly enjoyed this book regardless. In fact, before I started writing this review I had; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I'll Meet You There; Author: Heather Demetrios; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: I enjoyed I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios a lot more than I initially thought I would. Though I'm an avid YA reader, and even more so, a Romance reader, this book wasn't what I'd usually pick up. The synopsis sounded vaguely interesting to me, but to be honest... I grew up in a small town with rinky-dink trailer parks. I grew up in the poor neighborhoods where clubhouses were built in abandoned lots where addicts occasionally hung out. I was that small town girl who worked at a fast food restaurant because there were no other jobs available in a town most people had never even heard of. Revisiting those small-town memories isn't high on my to-do-list. Almost on a whim, I picked up this book, and I'm so glad I did. Forget the genre's... because if you see that it's labeled YA, Contemporary, Romance... you're going to get the wrong idea. This book is so much more than that. I'll Meet You There is the story of two teens, barely on their way into adulthood. Skylar is the small town girl that sees her hometown through jaded eyes. She wants out in the worst way possible, but she's scared to leave her neurotic mother and her close friends behind. Josh is a boy who was once the life of the party... the jock that every girl wanted and every guy wished he could be... and then the war happened. He comes home an amputee and doesn't know what to do with himself now that he's home. This story is the narrative of their friendship and eventual romance as they rediscover who they are and re-evaluate what they thought they knew about their lives. The narrative was exceptionally well written. I had an ARC (sent to me directly by the publishers) and there were a few typos, but nothing that stuck out too much. The writing was clear, easy to follow, and engaging. The story is told from two points of view: Skylar's POV which is the main thread of the story, and smaller interjections of Josh's POV which consists mainly of military service flashbacks and diary-esque moments when he's addressing his dead war buddy, trying to figure out his life. The story is gripping and real. Though there's some of the usual teen hijinks where relationships get complicated and often go bad, you won't find a lot of melodramatic teen angst that's present just for the purpose of providing drama. I got sucked into the story right away, and by the end I was cheering on the characters. I felt their pain, and I was desperately hoping that everything would turn out all right. Now if you're looking into buying this book for your Teen, be aware that there is mention of sex and violence--a few times. The story doesn't give a blow-by-blow account of anything, but there are certainly some moments that aren't going to be appropriate for young teens. This is definitely geared more towards the 16-20 crowd. That being said... it's a conversation starter. The characters; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: From What I Remember...; Author: Stacy Kramer; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: I loved this book, and I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt. Even though the rating was more of a 4.5 for me, I'm going to go ahead and mark it up to a full 5 stars. From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas is at its heart, a good old-fashioned road trip adventure. It's about a tenuously connected group of teens that get sucked into the road trip of a lifetime and the ensuing chaos as they try to make it back home in time for their high school graduation. There are bar fights, late-night swims with dolphins, car chases, kidnapping, and a dubious group wedding on a dock in Ensanada--just to name a few hijinks. The book was funny, quick-paced, and easy to read. I didn't catch any glaring typos or awkward sentences. The characters (mostly) made sense (let's face it, an angry teenage girl doesn't always make great leaps of logic in times of crisis), and the dialog was believable. Though it was a long book by YA standards (a whopping 462 pages in my hardback copy), I felt sucked into the story from the very beginning, and finished the book in a matter of hours--taking only one much-needed break to sleep. For the most part, I liked the characters--Max and Kylie especially. Okay, I'll admit, I hated Lily. She's just the type of person I can't stand... manipulative, petty, and self-absorbed. I wasn't a huge fan of Will either, despite his status as Kylie's best friend. He was a little too "devil may care" for me. He stepped in a lot when he didn't need to and made situations worse than they had to be. He was also extremely loyal to his best friend though, and I have to give him props for that. The only major downfall of this book for me was the character of Jake. I get it... he's sort of the token sibling with issues. He has Asperger's, and while I appreciate the fact that he was added into the story for diversity's sake... and it's refreshing to see the world through a slightly different POV...he wasn't an integral part of the story. His chapters had very little plot development and had he not been a part of the cast, the story would have faired just as well without him. Jake felt too much like filler in the long run. That aside, I enjoyed the book. The characters weren't exactly what I expected when I read the blurb from the characters printed on the inside of the dust jacket. I was expecting a lot of back-stabbing girl drama with some coming-of-age literary bits thrown in, and instead I got an adventure filled with laughter, love, and crazy events that spun wildly out of control in the best way possible. I would highly recommend this book to any YA reader looking for a solid, fun, summer adventure story. The romance has a strong role to play in the drama, but it's not the main focus of the story. This; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Caught Up in You (Island Bliss #5); Author: Kim Boykin; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: This book was close to being a 3 star for me, but I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt because I did enjoy reading it. For the most part, the writing was excellent. There were a few places in the very beginning of the book where the dialogue stuck out as a little verbose and the narrative was awkward, but after the first few pages, that died down. For the remainder of the book, the narrative was easy-to-follow, believable, and fast paced. The story itself was engaging, and I loved the characters. Declan was charming in a way that bordered on being pushy, but it didn't come across as too high-handed. It was clear that he drawn to Shelby, and I was routing for him to succeed. Shelby was pleasant--if a little too obsessed with shoes for my taste. She obviously cared about her friends and family, and she was head over heels in love with Declan--though she tried very hard to pretend she wasn't. My only point of contention with the characters is that I wish they'd been a little more fleshed out. The book starts off making a big deal out of this friendship between seven women, and they rarely show up in the book. The past relationship between Declan and Shelby comes up numerous times, but isn't wrapped up except in passing in the epilogue. My biggest complaint, however, is about the end. This book wrapped up quickly--too quickly. It felt like Shelby and Declan's relationship had barely started when all the sudden it was the end of the book. I had a moment where I literally second guessed myself and wondered if I'd somehow skipped a few chapters--it was that abrupt. It was clearly rushed, and I wish more time had been taken to wrap up their relationship. All of that aside, I genuinely liked the book. There were some laugh out loud moments between the characters that had me grinning from ear to ear. There were warm, endearing moments that made me squeal with glee. Though there weren't a lot of hot sizzling moments (read absolutely zero), the romance felt real between the characters--if a little rushed. If you're looking for a cozy, adorable romance, you'll probably enjoy this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In the Land of Gold; Author: Angela Christina Archer; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: In the Land of Gold by Angela Christina Archer is a quaint, clean romance about the love between a gold miner's daughter and the Irish trail guide who leads her through Canada and up into the Klondike. The story was short, fast-paced, and easy to read. Technically speaking, the book was fairly well written. At times the narrative could be a little wordy and overdone--there were sentence fragments, missing/misused words, and a few issues with the tense, but most of these incidences were small and easily skimmed over. The majority of the book flowed well and I never felt the need to re-read an awkward sentence of double-guess a meaning. The errors I found didn't prevent me from enjoying the book, and the copy I received was an ARC, so I'm willing to set my complaints about the quality of the editing aside--I've certainly seen far worse. The characters themselves were both endearing, hilariously funny, and engaging. I loved Cora Colton as the female lead in this story, and Flynn O'Neill made my heart want to melt into slush. Snowball. That's all I have to say--readers, you'll understand, I'll leave it at that. The romance between Cora and Flynn was easy and charming in the best possible way. My only complaint is that I didn't have another 200 pages to spend with them. Now let's talk about why I gave this four stars instead of five. The book was incredibly fast-paced... which isn't a bad thing, but towards the end of the story the pace seemed to gear up to an unreasonable sprint. For a few chapters, it was drama-drama-drama--one huge event after another, and it felt a little forced and melodramatic. Large periods of time passed between the major dramatic events, but those time periods were skimmed over in such a way that their impact was barely felt. It felt like BAM!Two months passed. BAM!A week passed. BAM! The year is over... and I hardly had time to breathe before the next crisis popped up. I wish the pace had slowed down a little in those areas. The side effect of this was that the romance between Cora and Flynn also sped along at an unreasonable pace. They went from tentative friends to declaring love in a chapter, and as much as I loved the couple, that was too quick for me. I think a lot of the tension in their relationship and their journey was lost in the way it was handled. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I had some doubts at the very beginning due to the editing, but by the end of the second chapter I was sucked in completely. I found the story engaging and entertaining right up until the very end (when everything suddenly sped up). The end was a bit abrupt to me, but that didn't lessen my overall enjoyment of the book. If you're looking for a clean, endearing romance filled with adventure and historical escapades, you're probably going to like this book. It made a quick afternoon read for me, and I'm glad; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Millionaire Daddy Project; Author: Roxanne Snopek; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: The Millionaire Daddy Project is yet another fantastic contemporary romance by the ever-talented Roxanne Snopek. The story centers around the complicated, sometimes over-dependent relationship between Dane Bergman, the CEO of a multi-million dollar line of restaurants, and Pamela Atwater, his assistant and lifeline in the corporate world. The book was fast-paced, easy to read, and nearly flawless in execution (I found one typo--but I'm not going to hold that against it... it was an ARC copy after all). The chemistry between Pam and Dane was sizzling and understated in the best possible way, and I had no trouble being caught up in their relationship. It didn't feel rushed or forced. In fact, I originally sat down with the intent to read a few chapters late last night, and before I knew it, it was 2 AM and I was 86% of the way in. I was utterly sucked into the story. Though Pam and Dane were not my usual favorites as a couple--both were a little more tight-laced than what I expected--I fell in love with them regardless. I wanted them to succeed both as a couple, and as a team as they worked to win over Dane's daughter, Dani. Though the main theme of the book centered around the romance between Pam and Dane, there were some definite undercurrents of redemption, humanity, and forgiveness--and I ate it up with a metaphorical spoon. Overall, I loved the book. I'm a huge fan of formulaic romance, and though this certainly fit into that category, it didn't feel like a formulaic romance. The characters held a lot of depth. There wasn't an over-abundance of the misunderstandings or melodramatic drama that usually plagues these types of novels, and though, yes, there was an epilogue to tie up the story (as there usually is in formulaic romance), it felt genuine. Rather than an after shot of the happy couple either getting married or giggling over an unexpected pregnancy, Pam and Dane stood side-by-side in solidarity, on equal terms in their partnership till the very end. It didn't feel cheesy or overdone, just... complete. If you like romance and you're looking for a heart-warming tale filled with family and a bit of an off-limits romance, you're going to like this book. I urge you to give it a read--it's certainly going on my keeper shelf.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Trusting Liam (Taking Chances #2); Author: Molly McAdams; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I received an ARC copy of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway, with no obligation to review. Trusting Liam by Molly McAdams was a solid, contemporary romance. On the technical side of things, the writing was clear, easy to follow, paced well, and I didn't notice more than a typo or two--neither of which were jarring to the story. The copy I read was an ARC, but even then, it was nearly flawlessly put together. The characters were great. I loved that the main couple wasn't your average clean cute couple. They had piercings, tattoos, complicated families and past histories. Kennedy was stubborn, a bit goofy, and confident. Liam was charming, sweet, and endearing. Together they made an adorable couple that I just couldn't get enough of. Their romance was equal parts adorable and steamy, with just a hint of cheesiness thrown in to keep things light hearted. The plot itself was interesting, but maybe a little more downplayed that I would have liked. When the story started and I realized that Kennedy and her sister Kira were basically getting death threats from the Juarez gang, I assumed that there was going to be a pretty solid foundation of suspense and thrills in the story--and that isn't what I got. Sure, the suspense was mentioned, but it remained rather forgotten through most of the book and was solved rather anti-climactically. Other than a few eye-roll-worthy cheesy moments, there's not many negative things I can point out about the story. So why did I give this four stars instead of five? Because there wasn't anything spectacular about it either. Don't get me wrong, it was a good, solid romance... but it didn't rock my socks. I had no problem putting the book down--it didn't draw me in--but by the same token, I did enjoy the story. Would I read this again? Probably if I didn't have anything else drawing my attention. Would I recommend it? Sure. It was a good book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: His Blushing Bride (Montana Born Brides, #2); Author: Dani Collins; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: I picked up His Blushing Bride by Dani Collins at NetGalley on a whim. I'm a huge fan of formulaic romance in all it's sub genre's, but to be frank, I'd never picked up a book by this particular author before, and I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into. I'll admit, my first impression wasn't positive. Whether it was my recent burn out on contemporary romance, my lack of coffee, or the inconvenient way the first page left me in the narrative with the impression that Piper was possibly a student rather than a teacher, I had a hard time getting into the story. For the first chapter or two I skimmed, and then re-skimmed... and then Bastian showed up on Piper's doorstep. The chemistry between Bastian and Piper was sizzling, and the author didn't shy away from steamy scenes in general (thank you! all I've read recently was clean romance, and I missed it!) It was hard not to fall in love with Bastian as a male lead. He was charming, sexy and had a personality that made you want to snuggle with him--the best kind IMHO. Piper was his polar opposite. Sure, she was sexy, but it wasn't intentional. Piper's priorities were on her job, not on her sex life. It was nice to see a female lead so down to earth... even if sometimes her anxiousness made me want to shake her. Both of the main characters were flawed; Piper's flaws were literally front and center for the world to see, but Bastian's flaws were a little better hidden... and a whole lot more serious. As far as the technical aspects of the story, the writing was excellent. The story got off to a bit of a slow start--I wasn't engaged right away--but the pace picked up in later chapters. My copy was an ARC, and as such, it had numerous typos (mostly, words ran together and the formatting was wonky) but let's be clear... it was an ARC, and ARCs often have formatting and typo errors that are weeded out in publication, so I don't take them very seriously. None of the errors I ran across were glaringly obvious or obtrusive. My only real nitpick was the ending, which moved a little too quickly for my tastes. The couple went from a benefits-only relationship with a very clear expiration date to rings and white dresses in an exceptionally short period of time. I have nothing against formulaic romance, in fact, it's one of my favorite kinds of romance... but it was disappointing to see yet another book that wrapped up in what seemed like a heartbeat, complete with epilog of marriage and pregnancy announcements. It's a romance genre trope that's been done to death. Overall, I liked the book. It wasn't genre-breaking by any means, but it was a quick, pleasant afternoon read with just the right amount of sizzle and spark. If you enjoy contemporary romance and you're looking for something to fill a few hours of your weekend, this is a great book to; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Discovering April (Discovering Trilogy, #1); Author: Sheena Hutchinson; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I received a copy of this book through a GoodReads Giveaway, with no obligation to review. To be honest, Discovering April by Sheena Hutchinson was a case of an interesting plot crippled by poor execution. Though this was written as a new adult contemporary romance, the writing was subpar, and the narrative came across as juvenile, rushed, and unbelievable at best. Though this was an ARC and I feel I should give it a bit of a pass, there were several dozen typos and spelling mistakes, and at least once a character completely misquoted an important historical figure. (For future reference, Caesar didn't say "Et tu, Judas", he said "Et tu, Brute"--Thank you two years of Latin studies. The characters, to put it kindly, were a mess. April was melodramatic, and in my opinion, kind of incomplete as a real person. Her life was completely devoted to her first boyfriend in the story, and when he left her she fell apart... even though she knew it was coming and didn't really love him anymore. It made my skin crawl to see her constantly being manipulated by her former boyfriend (who, let's face it, was a total asshat)--to the point that she contemplated suicide and quit eating for weeks at a time. It seemed like too much given the slow degradation of their relationship. To make matters worse, she immediately launches herself at her next door neighbor, who in my opinion, was a bit of a stalker... and they live HEA. Combined with odd love quadrangle moments between April and the most blandly named cop ever (John Smith)... the romance throughout the book seemed forced, tangled, and, unfortunately, unbelievable. Jared, the main male lead and love interest, didn't fair much better. Here was this kid who fell madly in love with his next door neighbor at a very young age, but when tragedy struck and she offered to help, instead of keeping her close, he basically stopped talking to her for the next seven years. He worshiped her from afar--to the point that even his friends knew how obsessed with her he was. It was borderline stalker behavior, and he constantly watched her undress through her bedroom window. I don't understand how their relationship was supposed to be anything but doomed for disaster. Though the theme of the book seemed to rely heavily on the idea that April was supposed to be rediscovering herself, it didn't feel like that was the case. April had a nasty habit of transforming herself to fit her boyfriend's tastes, and that's exactly what she did as soon as she entered into a new relationship with Jared. Under the premise of going back to how she was originally, she basically let him push her into all kinds of activities that she wasn't interested in and didn't even like so that she could be included in his friend circle. From an outside perspective, it felt like she was once again molding herself to be what Jared was looking for, instead of just figuring out who; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cinderella's Cowboy (This Old House #4); Author: Roxanne Snopek; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Cinderella's Cowboy by Roxanne Snopek hooked me from the very beginning and didn't let up for three hours (that's approximately how long it took me to finish this book from cover to cover in one sitting). Right away Cynthia's humor and self-deprecating snark drew me in. I was barely off the first page before I was grinning--it was a great start to a fantastic book. Technically speaking, like all of Ms. Snopek's books, the writing was impeccable. I read an ARC obtained through NetGalley, so there were a few bumps and bruises at the beginning--mostly dealing with curiously absent hyphens mid-strungtogether-phrases (see what I did there?) and one or two fragment sentences, but nothing so big as to pull me out of the story. The narrative moved along at a quick pace and flowed seamlessly from the first word to the last. I adored the characters especially. Cynthia was a no-nonsense sort of woman with a snarky sense of humor and just enough anxiety to make her downright adorable. In contrast, Chad was an all-too-sure-of-himself cowboy with a sexy swagger and charm dripping from his pecs. The two really couldn't have been any more different, and yet, they worked. Cynthia threw Chad off balance in a way that brought him back down to earth. They were good for each other, and I loved the understated chemistry between the couple. There were definitely some undertones of the original Cinderella story running through the book, but it wasn't so blatant to call this an alternate version of the fairytale... more like a tip of the hat in that direction. It was fun to see the similarities between the two stories, but also the contrasts. Though let me tell you... the stepsisters were by far not my favorite people... maybe it's because I have a little Cynthia in me, but I loathe people who are shallow and irresponsible--and boy those girls got under my skin! Overall, I really enjoyed the story. My only wish is that the story had been a little longer. I sped through Cinderella's Cowboy like it was an 8-second bull ride, and when it was over I desperately wanted more. I hesitate to say that I'd probably have loved the story more had the romance between Cynthia and Chad dragged on a little longer and been a little more steamy--but that's mostly a personal preference. If you're looking into getting this book be aware that it can stand alone, but it's better if you read it along with the series. There are numerous mentions of characters from previous books, and if you haven't read them, these characters may come off rather 1-dimensional. Their stories weren't necessarily delved into in this book, and they really weren't meant to be (because they do have their own stories). If you read this book having missed the previous stories, you'll probably still enjoy it, but maybe not to the degree that you could. I urge you to pick up this book if you like contemporary romances filled with humor, clean romance, and sexy cowboys--you're going; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dreamscape: Saving Alex; Author: Kirstin Pulioff; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: What a hidden gem. I picked this book up on a whim because it was free on Amazon. The cover was pretty, it was a genre I liked... I thought "Why not?"I didn't expect to fall in love with this book as thoroughly as I did. I was engaged from the very first page--though I'll admit that at first, Alex wasn't high on my list of favorite characters. She whined and pouted and was so full of teenage drama and angst that I'm surprised she didn't lay on the floor and throw a tantrum. That's probably the parent in me speaking. That being said.. I hated her mother even more, so I was willing to side with the teen. Throughout the book there was a wide array of characters with different personalities, some that I liked, some that I didn't, and some that fooled me and forced me to change my opinion of them. Alex was definitely one of those. She grew throughout the story at a natural pace, and before I knew it, she was a pretty spectacular person. I adored her. The only person I liked more, was Arrow. Technically speaking, the story was exceptionally well written. I didn't run into any obvious typos or errors, no grammatical fumbles or awkward sentences. The pace moved steadily along at a nice pace, and I lost track of time. For six hours, I got sucked into Alex's world, and I didn't come up for air until the end of the story. The book was filled with grand adventures and quests, colorful characters, daring battles, deadly traps, and a heartbreaking romance. I couldn't have asked for more. My only complaint was the ending... because I really, REALLY wanted just one more chapter... or, you know, a continuation of the book. Why is this not a series? Overall, I loved the book. If you like YA Fantasy and you're looking for a fun book filled with crazy adventure, hijinks, and a bit of a romantic subplot, I would urge you to pick up this book and give it a try. It's going on my keeper shelf... and then I'm going to hand it to my daughter. There's some mild gore/violence/romance involved, but nothing I wouldn't feel uncomfortable handing to my 12 year old.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Art of Cunning (Crookshollow Foxes, #1); Author: Steffanie Holmes; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, mystery; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I received a copy of this book through The Naughty List ARC Club in exchange for an honest review. I had such high hopes for this book. Art of Cunning by Steffanie Holmes started with a bang. To be honest, I wasn't aware of the page count of the book when I picked it up, and had I known, I probably wouldn't have. I'm not a fan of short stories or novellas in general, and I try not to pick up books with less than 100 pages bare minimum... this book clocked in at about 95 pages. So, full disclosure: I didn't know this was a short book, and some of my nitpicks about the pacing were made without that information. The book started strong. I immediately fell in love with the main female lead of the story, James Alexandra Kline (or as she prefers to be called, Alex). She was witty, smart-mouthed, and strong willed. She was the type of woman who didn't put up with a lot of BS, and she wasn't afraid to take control of a situation when needed. I thought she was fantastically written from the very first page, and she was the major reason that I immediately became engrossed in the story. The other characters, however, were not as strong. Outside of Ryan Raynard, the story's main male lead, none of the other characters seemed fleshed out. Not one of them was explained past a cursory greeting. The characters were mostly 1-dimensional, with a little more filler for Alex's roommate and Ryan's mother. Even Ryan himself was a little 2-dimensional. My first impression of Ryan was standoffish and recluse, which quickly changed to domineering, and then... well.... flimsy. The man ran hot and cold with his personality and his decisions, and it was a bit hard to follow at times. One moment he was stiff as a board and trying to stay as far away from Alex as possible, the next he was trying to seduce her... and five minutes later he was back to trying to abandon her again. As for the plot, well, it was good--but it could have been great. The story started strong with a lot of mystery and danger, but by halfway into the plotline, it all seemed incredibly rushed. It felt as if there was a lot more to the world building that could have been woven into the story--but because of the page count, most of the backstory and world building that we needed to understand the storyline was dumped onto the reader all at once in monologue-like tirades. As I read, I sincerely began to wish that the author had made this into a full fledged novel rather than a novella--because I think with a little more leeway with the pacing, this story could have been great. Technically speaking, the writing was... dare I say it? Sloppy. There were a few typos and missing words--nothing too jarring--but the biggest problem with the quality of the writing was the amount of contradictions present in the; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ignited (Ignited, #1); Author: Desni Dantone; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I can honestly say that I was surprised how much I like this book. I picked up Ignited on a whim because it was only .99 on Amazon and I liked the look of the cover. I didn't particularly know what the book was about, but it had a lot of positive reviews, and I was willing to give it a try. I am so glad that I did. Ignited by Desni Dantone is the story of Kris, a seventeen-year-old girl whose life has been plagued with tragic accidents and mysterious circumstances. As the story unfolds Kris slowly begins to learn that her tragic, but rather ordinary life is anything but; she's being hunted by supernatural beings on both sides of an ancient war, and she has no idea why. The story firmly sits in the YA Urban Fantasy category with some tones of romance to spice things up, and just enough action and danger to keep the story moving along at a good chug. Technically speaking, the story is well written. There were a few moments when my editing pet peeves made me cringe (mostly conjunctions being used to start sentences), but other than that, there weren't a lot of spelling or punctuation errors involved. The narrative moved along smoothly at a decent pace, and I didn't find myself stumbling over the language at any particular point. The characters were well-fleshed out, and delightfully sarcastic in the best ways. Kris was a strong female lead who was often unexpectedly shoved into situations that could have broken her--and would have broken just about anyone else--but somehow, despite her bouts of breaking down into tears (I can't really blame her for that), she escaped relatively unscathed. She took the conflict in stride and managed to hold her own. Nathan and Alec were both sinfully sexy and equal parts broody, flirty, and dangerous. Though love triangles aren't every one's cup of tea, I enjoy a good battle of the hearts, and both the male leads put up a good fight. There was no clear winner for me. The world building of this book was an interesting stray from the norm. I was convinced I knew what the supernatural aspect of this story was when I started the story, and quickly found out that I was entirely wrong--and boy was I glad! There's been a few Greek mythology based stories to come out the last few years, but they're still relatively few and far between, so it was nice to delve into a relatively untouched category of paranormal fantasy--I'm so tired of vampires and werewolves right now. I really don't want to ruin this story for everyone, so I'll keep this review deliberately vague... but overall, I really enjoyed the story. There wasn't anything that stuck out at me as negative as I read through the book. I liked the characters, the plot, the writing style...all of it. I'd certainly recommend this series to anyone who's looking for a new YA Paranormal Romance to pick up--I know I'll be moving on to pick up the; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bride by Mistake (Montana Born Brides, #3); Author: Nicole Helm; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Bride By Mistake, written by Nicole Helm, was a pleasant surprise. I'll admit, I've never picked up a book by this author before--but I am so glad that I did. Bride By Mistake was a sweet contemporary romance about the complicated relationship between Kaitlin, a no nonsense must-plan-out-everything type of girl--and Beckett, the motorcycle-riding bad boy who is best friends with Kaitlin's older brother. Technically speaking, the writing was very well done. There was one line in particular I had to re-read because for some reason it amounted to Greek as far as I was concerned, but otherwise, the narrative flowed smoothly, and was paced well. I did spot a handful of typos, but to be fair, this was an ARC--and I can't hold a few typos against the author when it wasn't a published copy. As far as the characters go... I adored them. Kaitlin had a nasty habit of over-thinking everything, and it lead to quite a few chuckles as she proclaimed her hatred of all things Beckett in some pretty colorful tirades inside her head. Likewise, Beckett didn't pull punches when he narrated his opinions of the other characters in the book. Between the two of them, the heady bits that otherwise could have been boring, made for an engaging read. As far as the other characters go... eh--this kind of plays into the fact that I only gave this book 4 stars. Other than Kaitlin and Beckett, I didn't feel like I got to know any of the other characters very well. The closest to the main couple was probably Kaitlin's older brother, and he maybe had an hour of screen time if you counted all the time he waited in the hall outside of Beckett's hotel room. Despite the impact Kaitlin's sister and her beau had on Kaitlin's life, they weren't present after the first chapter. The story stayed almost exclusively with the main couple. Don't get me wrong--in some ways, that's good. It was their story... and I'm glad I got to spend a lot of time with them... but I think a lot more drama and conflict could have been introduced through the other characters, and I would have liked to have experienced it. The main reason this book got 4 stars instead of 5 though, was the romance. It was sweet, funny, and a bit frustrating at times. The first and only sex scene was both steamy and awkward--but not in a way that made me cringe. It was exceptionally well-written. The problem is, 90% of the story revolved around Beckett and Kaitlin arguing. There wasn't a lot of chemistry between the couple in the narrative (despite assurances from the characters that there was), and other than a few moments here and there when Beckett was basically acting like a devoted house-wife to Kaitlin....well, I didn't see the romance behind it all. I still loved the characters and the story, but I was expecting more chemistry for a Romance novel, and I didn't find it. Overall, I enjoyed the book. It made me laugh,; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Heir (The Selection, #4); Author: Kiera Cass; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: What can I say other than I'm disappointed? I loved the first three books in the Selection series--in fact, I gave them all 5 and 4-star ratings... but the fourth book in the series, The Heir, didn't live up to the hype. I was so excited when I learned that a fourth book had been written. I'd assumed after the first three that the Selection was over. Now, I kind of wish it had ended. Eadlyn was hard to like. She was self-centered, arrogant, and childish. It was impossible to like her--and though I understand that she was in a difficult position, I found it hard to empathize with the spoiled princess. Honestly, I'm a little mystified how America and Maxon's daughter could turn out to be such a brat. My inability to empathize with Eadlyn wasn't the only problem, however. The plot was basically a rehashing of the entire three books before it. I don't know that I needed to see the selection again enough to warrant a re-start. It felt like the whole process was already hashed out with the first three books, and suddenly we're back at it again. I enjoyed it the first time around, but this time, it felt a little tired. I was over it. Sure, I appreciate the role reversal of the main character being a princess rather than a prince or a contestant, but I honestly think the contestant's point of view is more interesting in this case. Pouring yet another round of salt onto the wound, the romance and intrigue of The Heir was a bit too fluffy for my tastes. By the end of the book, there is no clear love interest for Eadlyn. Sure, there are a few boys she likes, but none that jump out as being possibly "the one". The romantic tension I was expecting just wasn't there. I almost feel as if nothing was accomplished. The romances were never really developed, the threat to the monarchy was vague at best and only a distant threat. Other than gaining a few friends, Eadlyn didn't change much throughout the book, and nothing happened. When the end of the book rolled around I was genuinely surprised. It felt unfinished. That isn't to say it was all bad though. I did like quite a few of the male characters in the book. There's a special spot in my heart for Erik, Henri, Kile, and a few other of the boys. Most of them were better written than Eadlyn, and I wish they had gotten more "screen time" so to speak. It was also nice to see America in her role as mother--her character seemed more put together and well rounded in this installment to the story, and she came across as a strong figure. The writing itself was well done. I didn't notice any awkward sentence structures, punctuation or spelling mistakes. Despite my dislike of the main character, the narrative was easy to follow and engaging. Overall, the book was okay. I'm glad that I got another chance to peek inside the; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Forget Me Not (Loveless & Dunn #3); Author: Erika Marks; Genres: romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. I sincerely enjoyed Forget Me Not by Erika Marks--in fact, I'm somewhat disappointed that I couldn't give it a full five stars. I very nearly did, right up until the very end of the book... but we'll get into that in a moment. Technically speaking, the writing was exceedingly well done. There weren't any typos, awkward sentences, or narrative blunders. The story moved along at a pleasant pace, and the characters felt well fleshed out--even the one-off characters that only appeared for a scene or two. Both Josh and Mallory seemed like solid, grounded characters. They didn't make rash decisions or throw melodramatic hissy fits. Their relationship felt real though it could be rather awkward at times. I'm usually not a huge fan of romances where the characters begin their relationship off-screen; I like to watch the characters develop their relationships and battle their physical attraction, but I didn't mind it this time. Despite starting the story late in their relationship, their love for each other felt natural; it was obvious and convincing in a way that I sometimes feel a lot of romances lack. As a reader and sometimes writer of the erotic/romance genres myself, I found it fascinating that in the book, Mallory was an erotic fiction writer. It was interesting to see how she handled the fame and subsequent embarrassment that comes along with making a living writing sex and romance. She faced some very serious issues and had to figure out how to handle life back in her hometown once everyone was made aware of her somewhat unusual claim to fame...and she probably handled it much better than I would have! The only real negative that stuck out to me with Forget Me Not, and the main reason I marked it down to 4 stars rather than 5, was the ending. It felt... rushed, I guess is the word I'm looking for. The story had a nice, slow lead up as the characters began to try and untangle the mess of their relationship and figure out where they stood with one another, and then in what seemed like a split second, everything was resolved. I think I would have still given it five stars, except at that point, the book felt finished... but instead of ending, the story continued on for a few more minutes past that point. It's hard to explain, and though I can't tell you how much I appreciate the fact that the romance didn't end with your typical marriage, engagement, or pregnancy announcement, it felt... wrong for the story to end mid-start into another scene. It felt as if the story should have ended just a bit earlier. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. Had it not been for the odd structure of the ending, I wouldn't have anything to complain about. If you're looking for a nice, clean, and endearing contemporary romance, this is going to be perfect for you. If you're looking for something a; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aftermath (After the Fall, #1); Author: Tom Lewis; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I tried to like this book. I did. I picked it up multiple times, read a little bit, put it down, re-read it again--but I just couldn't get past the writing. The story itself was interesting at first look. It followed a girl, her friends, and family, as aliens invade earth and her hometown is wiped off the map. There was action, mystery, and from what I saw of the story, the characters were well fleshed out. But all was not hugs and puppies. I had a serious problem with not only the logic of the character's decisions but also the way the story itself was written. There was an obvious moment in the first four chapters of the book where the main character and her best friend witness an electrical surge, and the traffic lights and other electrical systems start to fail all over town...I mean, power poles fell. Then, she gets home to where her brother and his friends are having trouble getting the TV to work, and instead of mentioning that something weird is going on with the electrical grid - something that was still very fresh in her and her friend's mind and should have stuck out as odd - she basically tells them "did you try unplugging it and plugging it back in?" I was mystified that the main character would completely skim over the fact that something was so obviously wrong and not mention it to anyone. The writing itself, though, was my largest complaint. It started off okay. The characters were a little cliche, but nothing stood out too much. Then, I noticed moments where the author messed up the POV. The fourth wall was broken. Things that should have been said in dialogue, were stated in the narrative. Words were left out of sentences. At points, the narrative said one thing, and then the characters showed me something contradictory. Exclamation points were used in abundance! Everywhere! It got to the point where the writing style just devolved into an overdramatic mess of exclamation points and declarations, and when I got to a sentence that read "It was punishing, pushing beyond any level of tolerance, and blasting their sanity." I was just done. The style of the narrative just wasn't something I enjoyed, and though I tried to push past it and into the story, every time I picked the book back up to give it another chance, I'd run into another narrative problem that made me roll my eyes and kept me from wanting to read any further. I have no doubt that there is someone out there that will love this story... but they're the type of person who's going to have to be okay looking past the inadequacies of the writing, and that's just not something I'm able to do.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court: A Medieval Time Travel Romance (Twisted Time Book 1); Author: Mari Mancusi; Genres: history, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: It took a long time for me to decide what rating to give A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court by Mari Mancusi. This was the fun, sometimes silly, often thrilling adventure of Kat--a fashion editor who's all about Starbucks and her Manolo's, and not so much about medieval life--but it wasn't without its snares. Technically speaking, the writing was pretty decent. I found a small handful of typos throughout the book, but nothing terribly jarring. The writing overall was fluid, clear, and fast-paced. I didn't feel like I was stumbling through awkward word choices or grammar issues. The romance between Lancelot and Kat was believable and steamy, and I rooted for them throughout the book. The world building was familiar and stuck pretty true to the core tale of Arthur and Camelot, and I enjoyed the idea behind the plot. The problem for me, unfortunately, was Kat herself. I found it very difficult to like Kat. Honestly, she was kind of obnoxious and definitely more than a little self-centered. Her words and choices throughout the book were made with little forethought, often resulting in misunderstandings and trouble for the people around her, and instead of outright apologizing, most of the time she just pouted in her head about how no one liked her because she made bad first impressions. She certainly did at that--I hated her personality and found her more than a little annoying. Still, the book was fun and a certainly interesting mash-up of an old classic tale and modern day drama. Overall, I rated the book a "meh". I liked it, I'm glad I read it, but I would have liked it a lot more had Kat not been as obnoxious, and had her actions had more realistic consequences. She just wasn't my idea of a fun heroine to follow around for the entirety of a book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Different (Tainted Elements #1); Author: Alycia Linwood; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: It was hard for me to settle on a rating for Different by Alycia Linwood. The plot was interesting, the characters engaging, and the hint of romance had me shipping some pretty crazy couples... but the book had some pretty major flaws despite all its positive qualities. The pacing was ridiculously fast. One minute the main characters was meeting a group of strange teens she didn't trust, the next she was giving them hugs. At times, the book became confusing because of how fat the plot was moving, and it almost seemed as if the story started mid-book. So much information was being doled out so quickly that before I even had time to breathe, the plot was in full swing. By the time the book was at the midway point, it felt as if it should have been over. To make matters worse, and maybe because the pace was so quick, the characters actions and the authors choices didn't always make sense. At one point, the main character faked a bar fight to get some bad guys to show up at a specific location, and immediately after she feigned confusion that reports were coming in of the bad guys searching bars. Stranger yet, it turned out that one of her friends was doing exactly what she had pretended he was up to in order to lure the bad guys in--he was causing trouble in a bar only two blocks away! It felt at times as if the author hadn't planned the story out well, and the coincidences just weren't believable. Things that should have been important were resolved easily, and relationships jumped ahead quickly. I had a hard time appreciating the story. Does that mean I didn't like the story? No. I liked the world building (what little there was0. I liked the characters, even the hint of romance. I think the book just suffered from a case of bad execution. I wish the author had spent a little more time fleshing things out and plotting things through. This book isn't going to be for people who like incredibly detailed and well-plotted stories, but if you want a quick paced YA with magic and it's fair share of drama, you may appreciate it, as I did.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dunstable Park House; Author: Therese Stenzel; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Honestly, I'm on the fence with this one. The writing was subpar, and often littered with typos. It didn't grip me like I'd expected from a time travel romance--one of my favorite genre's, and I wasn't a huge fan of the overall narrative voice. In fact, I very nearly put the book down in the first fifteen minutes. But... I stuck it out, and in the end, I did enjoy the book, even if it wasn't my favorite. It was a quick, light read, and though it was also light on historical world building and believability most of the time (something I generally look for in a time-travel romance), I did find it entertaining. Overall, the story was... meh. It wasn't awful, and it wasn't great, but it was an okay read. If you're looking for a light romantic read to peruse while sitting in a waiting room somewhere--this may be something you want to pick up. If you're looking for a more intricate historical read... this may not be the book for you.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Forever His (Stolen Brides, #1); Author: Shelly Thacker; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I adored Forever His by Shelly Thacker. I've been on a bit of a time travel romance bender the past week and being the 7th of it's kind that I've read in a row, I was starting to get used to the idea that I wasn't going to run into any 5-star reads in the genre. After all, I picked up this book on a whim from Amazon back when it was FREE--and the FREE section on Amazon is often very hit or miss when it comes to quality. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find a genuinely solid read. Technically speaking, the book was exceedingly well written. I ran into maybe one or two typos the entire book. The grammar, punctuation, spelling, and the structure was spot-on. The narrative was clear and easy to follow, and I sunk into the story effortlessly. I found the world building to be well fleshed out without being overbearing, and the characters seemed to be genuine people with thought-out personalities. I fell in love with Celine and Gaston as a couple. Celine was a genuine character, and I found it easy to relate to her. Gaston was hopelessly pig-headed at times and more than a little jaded, but the challenge of watching Celine bring him out of his shell against his will was an entertaining ride. They made a magnificent couple. I honestly don't have any complaints about the book. That is so incredibly rare for me to say, so bravo Ms. Thacker! I loved this book and the rich story of Celine and Gaston and their escapades in time, and I'd be happy to recommend it to anyone looking for a solid time travel romance to sink into.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Frozen; Author: Meljean Brook; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: This definitely wasn't my usual romance. The idea of a frost giant as the male lead was surprising and a little off-putting (I'm not a huge fan of blue men), but in the end, I didn't mind as much as I thought I would. What did bother me was a little was the super aggressive way the curse was handled. Yes, the main character was consenting and loved the male lead, but really, she didn't have much of a choice. She was going to be raped, and I'm not sure if her consenting to the pre-determined event counteracts that fact. This isn't going to be a book for everyone--some people will probably find this aspect of the pot off-putting. That aside, the book was well written. I loved the characters, the lore, and the dialogue and characterization were well handled. There seemed to be a genuine attraction between the main couple, and the author didn't fall back on the usual romance trope of a happy ending complete with marriage and pregnancy--so that was a nice change. Overall, I enjoyed the book--a lot more than I'd anticipated, and the few things that bothered me about the plot weren't enough to keep me from enjoying it. If you're looking for a slightly different urban fantasy romance to try out, you may really enjoy this book. If, however, mentions of rape are a trigger to you, you may want to keep looking. Some readers will have a genuine problem with the romance (it was a sticking point for me too). This isn't going to be for everyone.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love Beyond Time (Morna's Legacy #1); Author: Bethany Claire; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I enjoyed Love Beyond Time by Bethany Claire. Having never read this particular author's work before, I was curious to pick up the first book in the Morna's Legacy series to see what all the fuss was about--and I wasn't disappointed. Technically speaking, the book was well written. I didn't stumble across any misspelled words, awkward sentences, incorrect punctuation or grammatical errors. The pace was a bit fast for my liking, but not egregiously so, and I found myself easily slipping into the story from the beginning. The writing was engaging and clean and read like a polished Harlequin romance... for better or worse. I liked the characters, especially poor Brielle (love her name), who found herself sucked into the past and did her best to make an impossible situation as pleasant as possible--even if she had to delude herself a little to accomplish the feat. However, I'll admit that there was a certain lack of depth to some of the characters that left me with some doubts. To be clear, I really enjoyed the book, but it wasn't without it's problems. The book was almost a little too formulaic. There was a certain lack of complexity to the characters, a lack of grittiness to the world Brielle was thrust into that made it seem as if things were perhaps going a little too easily for the heroine. Situations arose where the solutions just seemed to pop up on their own before things got too tense, and after awhile, I felt that it sucked some of the interest out of the story for me. The quick pace of the writing contributed to the problem, making it seem as if maybe some of the world building and character development had been left out in lieu of moving the story along as quickly as possible. It wasn't bad... but I think it could have been better. Overall, I liked the story, the characters, the plot, even the writing. Was it the best I've read? No. I wish there had been a little more to it... but it's still a good book, and I'm glad to have read it. I think people who read typical formulaic Harlequin-esque romance literature will appreciate the story a lot more than the typical fantasy reader, but I'd urge you to give it a try if you like time travel romances.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Out Of The Ashes (The Ending, #3); Author: Lindsey Fairleigh; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Let me preface this review by saying that I adore this series as a whole--I've been following it from the moment I was sent the ARC of the first book--but this installment to the series wasn't my favorite. It's been more than a year since I read the second book in The Ending series, so going into Out of the Ashes by Lindsey Fairleigh and Lindsey Pogue, I had a bit of a hard time sinking in. Like Zoe, one of the main characters of the series, I felt like I had a form of amnesia. I couldn't remember what had happened previously in the series, particularly near the ending of the second book, and so being dropped into the fast-paced and somewhat alarming beginning of the third book, I was rightfully confused. It took me a while to sort out what was happening and to remind myself of previous plot points... and in that way, I felt very close to Zoe in her struggle with trying to remember her past. It was an unexpected and strange sisterhood between us throughout the book. Technically speaking, the book was exceedingly well written. I didn't run into any grammatical errors, typos, or punctuation problems. The characters were all distinct, easy to love or hate respectively, and the story moved along at a steady pace. The setting was rich with detail but not so much as to bog down the narrative, and overall, I enjoyed the book as a whole. There was only one problem. I slogged through the book. It was odd how slowly I moved through the story--and it took me till nearly the end of the book to figure out why. There were no big battles or dramatic plot points. The majority of the book was spent delving into the character's emotional states and the relationships between the members of their group... but very little was spent in any sort of action scene or on any sort of big battle with a nemesis. It was all very interesting--don't get me wrong.. but by the end of the book, I was left feeling that nothing had happened. As much as I enjoyed spending time with the characters, by the end I was glad to finally be done and to set the book aside and move on. I'm even a little hesitant now to pick up the fourth book, though I will be doing so shortly... this installment just wasn't as tension filled as I'd come to expect--although, thank goodness, there was a lot more of the romance present that had been missing from the second book in the series. If you like post-apocalyptic stories filled with special abilities and great characters, I highly recommend this series, even if this wasn't my favorite out of the bunch.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Out of the Past (Heritage Time Travel Romance #1); Author: Dana Roquet; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I have mixed feelings about Out of the Past by Dana Roquet. Going in, I was under the impression that this was a time travel romance--and it both was and wasn't. I'd expected maybe your typical endearing romance with some steamy sex and some time travel thrown in to mess things up for the characters, but that isn't what I got. Instead, I got a story that revolved mostly around dreams of the past heritage of two families with a little bit of romance, and very little time travel involved at all. Technically speaking, the story was decently written. The plot was new and interesting. I liked the characters, and with a few small exceptions for some flowery writing, the narrative was clean and easy to read. There were no obvious spelling mistakes, incorrect punctuation or grammar, and the sentence structures flowed well. Unfortunately, the pace was also painfully slow. The detail lever was a bit distracting at times, often with the characters rambling on for two or three pages at a time about the histories of certain objects, complicated genealogical lines, and endless lists of replaced historical artifacts. Frankly, I was bored when the main character droned on about the history of her house and family. I had expected the book to be all about the romance and time travel but soon discovered that it had little to do with either. The story was more often about the love of the character's restoration work and historical research, and I just wasn't interested. To make matters worse, the time travel wasn't really time travel at all, and as far as I could tell, served no purpose in the plot. The characters didn't learn anything or solve any problems by traveling (I use this term lightly) into the past. The most it did was fill in some blanks on the family tree and spur on the main character's shopping sprees for antiques for her newly refurbished historical home. The romance itself was a bit watered down, and in a way, almost too perfect. There was little to no tension between the couple and they never made any mistakes. The male lead said the right things at the right time, and overall, it came across as bland and contrived. In the end, I had to give the book a 3-star rating. It wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't great either. I wasn't engaged by the story or characters. Instead, it felt like a very long, drawn-out history lesson. It just wasn't my idea of a gripping romance, and not what I thought I was going to be reading when I picked it up.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Raven's Wish (Scottish Clans, #3); Author: Susan King; Genres: history, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I enjoyed The Raven's Wish by Susan King, though not for the reasons I enjoy most formulaic historical romances. Technically speaking, the book was exceedingly well written. Though there was a handful of small typos, including missing spaces, missing words, and a mistake in tense, most of them were small and easily navigated around. I never felt bogged down or confused with what I was reading--they were only small hiccups. The pace, though slow at times due to the language the characters were forced to use (historical books often have flowery, drawn out language), most of the time I didn't mind. I enjoyed the beautiful and often clever descriptions in the narrative. The only time it became a problem was during the sex scenes, where the flowery language and vague language sucked the steam right out of the bedroom and seemed to make the sex drag on for ages. It was pretty--but didn't convey the amount of lust/steam I was expecting. Most of the time, I opted to skim over the sex scenes. The characters themselves were a delight--I loved Elspeth and Duncan, both as individual people and as a couple, though Elspeth was definitely my favorite of the two. I love characters with a spark of stubborn defiance and joy in them. That isn't to say that the characters were perfect, however. Other than Elspeth and Duncan, the characters honestly didn't seem that fleshed out. Despite having 80 or so 'cousins', a lot of time wasn't spent on the other characters in the book outside the main character, and most of them could have been used interchangeably. I wish they had been more complex, that there had been more depth... but I also recognize that this is a romance book, and it's pretty par for the course to keep the focus on the main couple (as it should be), and that often means that the minor characters aren't as well fleshed out. Overall, I enjoyed the book. For a romance, it was better written for most--the language and the descriptions were beautiful, but again, it was a formulaic romance. The book didn't break any molds, and it was fairly predictable. Still, I liked it, and I'm glad to have read it. If you're looking for a strong, well written historical romance full of beautiful descriptions and fun characters, I'd suggest you give this a try. If you aren't a fan of formulaic romance with happy endings, this may not be for you.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Significance (Significance, #1); Author: Shelly Crane; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I wanted so badly to give this book five stars. In fact, I very nearly did. I picked up Significance by Shelly Crane on a whim.... several months ago--but I never read it. I thought it looked cute, and it was free on Amazon, and I thought, "Why not?" I set it aside, and never went back to it--because let's face it, my TBR pile is huge. Then, I came across a BookTube review of the series, heard that it was good, and thought, "You know what? I'll give it a try." I wasn't disappointed. The writing was nearly flawless. though I'm sure there was a typo somewhere (there always is), I can't remember any. The text moved along at a nice pace. It was well structured, grammatically correct and punctuated (okay, I just remembered a typo) decently. I got sucked into the story from the very first page, and I hardly wanted to put the book down. In fact, I forgot to do anything but read until well into the wee hours of the morning (okay, so it was almost breakfast by the time I set it down). I absolutely loved it. The characters were heartwarmingly endearing, fun, and funny. I adored Caleb and Maggie as a couple; they were undeniably perfect for each other. In equal parts, I was irritated with Kyle, Bish, and Marcus most of all. There was some definite tension between the couple and the other characters of the book, and at times it was frustrating to watch the story unfold for Maggie. The girl didn't seem to catch a break. Here's where things got tricky (and why this lost a star for me). The love between Caleb and Maggie was the very definition of Instant-Love. Literally, they were madly in love after the very first five minutes of meeting each other. It's not a huge problem for me, but I know that for a lot of readers, this is going to make them cringe. On one hand, the instant love was well explained.. that's just how these soul mates/aces work. I understand that... but I'll admit, it was really cheesy. I think I would have swallowed it a little better, except there was very little tension between the couple. I understand--again, they're soul mates... there are paranormal forces at work that make them never want to be a part. I seriously get it--but I think I needed there to be tension between them anyway. Maggie was thrown into an impossible situation. She was just learning about these paranormal beings, finding out she was going to become one of them, basically betrayed by her own body to crave this guy she's never met.. and she's hopelessly naive about real relationships. It felt like there should have been more doubt, more fight... and there wasn't. As adorable as they were, their relationship was a little too easy. I also had a problem with the end. It felt like the end came out of nowhere. One second a new chapter and location had been revealed, and then BAM, the; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Tail of Emily Windsnap (Emily Windsnap, #1); Author: Liz Kessler; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, romance, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I have to give this book a little bit of leeway because it was most definitely a middle-grade book geared towards young children. So, we'll start off with the good--the book was extremely well edited. It was easy to read, fast-paced, and had enough humor and shocking moments to fully entertain my 13-year-old daughter (who I read it with). Emily's adventure in becoming a mermaid and seeking out her father was an interesting plot, and it was very entertaining. My daughter loved the book! From an adult's point of view, though... It was cheesy. Very cheesy. The characters were one-dimensional, even pretty stereotyped at times. The twists in the book were ridiculously easy to see figure out well before the characters figured them out, and the world-building was rather unimaginative and well, silly. Mermaid reporters and underwater limo's with seatbelts was a bit much. Don't get me wrong, it was a fun book, and my daughter was entertained... but as an adult, had I read this on my own, it would have easily gotten 1-star. The last few chapters of the book were a bit of a letdown, and definitely very unrealistically resolved, and even my daughter had to admit that it got pretty ridiculous. It didn't feel like there was anything to learn from this book. There were no real life lessons or situations I could talk about with my daughter, other than the main character's terrible decisions to lie to her mother, sneak away in the middle of the night to swim in the ocean, break into a prison (no, I'm not kidding), and generally cause havoc for all the adults in her life. She was a bratty 12-year-old that didn't think about the consequences of her actions, and somehow avoided all of them. The book was pure fluff. Overall I gave this book two stars, because although I wasn't a fan of it, and it was definitely not geared towards me, my teenage daughter did enjoy it. Was it her favorite book? No. Was it a good book? Meh... It was entertainment and served its purpose, but I don't know that I'd delve deeper into the series.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: War Kids (War Kids, #1); Author: H.J. Lawson; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Did not finish. I tried--I really did. I picked up a copy of War Kids by H.J. Lawson directly from the author and then bought a second copy from Amazon with the hopes that it was going to be a fantastic story. Thrillers aren't always at the top of my list of genres to read, but I do enjoy them now and then, and I was excited to take a look at a new author. Unfortunately, the book didn't live up to my expectations. The story started with chaos. Jada, a fifteen-year-old girl, wakes up surrounded by the remains of a bombed out hospital littered with the dead and dying. It was a great concept and a strong start, but I'll admit, it was a little hard to follow. Jada's confusion over her situation and a decided lack of explanation over who was attacking the hospital made it difficult to get a grasp on what was happening throughout the first chapter. The narrative was punctuated with odd little bits of information that felt out of place, and sometimes contradictory--such as the moment when Jada narrates about the gray dust covering her face. How does she know she has dust on her face? "Is there a mirror?" I couldn't help but ask. A little while later, after she points out that she can't hear any sound (despite people trying to scream at her), she then narrates the squeak of a bed. How did she know it squeaked? It was little things like this that made the narrative feel sloppy and unfinished. To make matters worse, the narrative lacked warmth. Jada spoke and narrated her story without contractions, making her voice seem awkward and unnatural--almost clinical, especially considering the context of the story. Both she, and the other characters in the story kept referring to the 15 to 18-year-old teens as "children" or "kids", and well, it seemed odd. I can't think of a single teen in real life who would refer to themselves or other teens as children. It's hard to put my finger on exactly why I disliked the story so much. It was nothing big--just little things. For example, when a 15-year-old girl narrates that she's been a trained killer for the past two years and yet she feels horrified and upset over stepping over dead bodies while fleeing for her life. Or in another chapter, how a boy makes it a point to become angry at the fact that soldiers with guns have forced his older brother to kneel, rather than being upset at the fact that he has a gun to his head and all his classmates have been murdered. Little moments like this stuck out at me as unconvincing. Possibly the worst offender was the moment an armed soldier walked into a boy's bathroom, shot a student, and then was interrupted by an officer who came in, asked the soldiers his name, told him to keep up the good work, and left. What was the purpose behind the officer entering the bathroom in the first place? It didn't; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Boyfriend From Hell (Falling Angels Saga, #1); Author: E. Van Lowe; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Boyfriend From Hell by E. Van Lowe wasn't at all what I thought it would be. I thought it would be about a teen girl who started dating Satan. The title and cover insinuated as much. I was so very wrong. Instead, Boyfriend From Hell was about a 15-year-old girl who's mother begins to date Satan and the ensuing drama as she tries and fails to convince her friends that she needs help to defeat him--and no, she hasn't gone crazy! There's so much more to this story that I'd like to share, but I'll refrain from giving spoilers for now. Technically speaking, the book is fairly well written. There were a lot of typos in my copy, but these mostly consisted of words being jammed together where spaces had been misplaced. None of the typos were too jarring or distracted me from the overall story. My biggest complaint instead comes from the main character herself. Frankly, it was hard to like her. She was bratty and selfish, prone to jealousy, and lies. It was often hard for me to relate to her because of her childish actions. She didn't have many redeeming qualities (until near the end of the book) so it was hard to understand why no less than three characters seemed to be obsessed with her romantically. Still, it wasn't all bad. I love a lot of the characters (like Maudelin!) and the plot, though not what I was expecting, was fun and entertaining. There were times when the characters did/said things that were a bit melodramatic and cliche, but I'm willing to give the book the benefit of the doubt because it was so obviously a YA book meant for very young teens and I am not the intended audience at the wise old age of 32. Overall, despite it's flaws, I enjoyed the book and I think it fit its intended audience well. If you are looking for a fun, adventure-esque YA novel where teens fight the powers of evil and save their mom's from the worst dates imaginable, I encourage you to give this a try. It isn't going to be for everyone, but it was a fun read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Miss Mayhem (Rebel Belle, #2); Author: Rachel Hawkins; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Immediately after putting down Rebel Belle, I grabbed Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins. I was excited to move onto the second book in the series and to continue the story of Harper, David, Ryan, and Bee. Miss Mayhem picks up immediately where Rebel Belle left off, and though the transition seemed seamless, about halfway into the book I began to realize that things were a little off. Like the previous book in the series, the writing was clear, easy to follow, grammatically correct, and other than the way my Kindle decided to butcher the formatting, error free. However, something seemed to be missing. It took me awhile to put my finger on it, but at the halfway mark, I realized that the narrative lacked any of the funny, sometimes a bit meta asides that I'd come to love in Rebel Belle. Harper's tone of voice was much more serious in this installment to the series. She didn't crack jokes or poke fun at herself. As a side effect, the narrative lost some of the humor and heart that I found so engaging previously. Instead of gorging myself on a 9-hour binge read (as I did with the previous book), I found myself repeatedly putting the book down to do other things, and I didn't feel drawn to pick it back up again. Don't get me wrong, the book was still a fantastic read and a compelling continuation of the Rebel Belle series... but it lacked that magical engaging quality that I'd expected when I picked it up. Still, the characters stayed true to their original versions and were well-built. The narrative was natural (though, I too agree with David and Boyfie was not a thing that needed to happen), and the plot was interesting. My only other major complaint about the book was the ending. I won't spoil it for you (don't worry), but I will say that it felt very... final. Even though it was left open for a third book, as the story closed there was this sense of foreboding and finality that came with the closing scene. To be honest, I didn't like it. When the previous book ended I was compelled to pick up the second book. I wanted to see what would happen with David and Harper and all their friends. With how this book ended, however, I feel no such draw. It's not that I want the story of Harper and her friends to end permanently as it did here... but I don't know if I honestly care to find out what happens next. The end was kind of... depressing. Overall, I liked the book and I'm glad that I read it. I think the first book in the series was better, but this one wasn't bad. Despite the end and the more serious tone of Harper's POV, I still really enjoyed the story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rebel Belle (Rebel Belle, #1); Author: Rachel Hawkins; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: It's not very often that I pick up a book--be it on a whim or something I was asked to read--that has me so engrossed by the end of the first page that I forget to take notes. For a few hours that go by all too fast, I forget that I'm a book reviewer and I need to keep track of things like character names, typos and plot holes. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins did one better. By the end of the first sentence, I was sucked in by the voice and humor of the main character, Harper, and completely forgot all of my worldly obligations. I find myself writing up this review at 2 AM, unsure what happened to the last 9 hours. This book was spectacular--and I don't say that about a lot of YA. The characters were vivid and so full of depth that they felt like real people. The narrative voice was both engaging, hilariously witty, and comfortable at the same time; it felt like Harper was my best friend, and she was narrating the story to me as if we were catching up after a long weekend. The narrative was clear, easy to follow and punctuated by humor-filled asides that made it a joy to read. Harper poked fun at herself and her story throughout the book, and despite the many things about her that normally would have put me on edge (she was a popular cheerleader obsessed with cotillions and lip gloss after all), I found it impossible to dislike her. She was your average, self-involved teen just trying to survive high school--that is until her history teacher tried to murder her in the girl's bathroom with a scimitar. Considering her circumstances, she came across as a strong character. Despite the craziness of her schedule, social obligations, and oh yah... the order of magical people trying to have her assassinated, she managed to keep herself together. I thought the author did a fantastic job of keeping all the characters, even the lesser side characters, not only present and functional in the plot, but so well written that I had no problem telling them apart or remembering their names. The plot itself was full of twists and turns. There were several moments when things took a shift in a direction I didn't expect, and I literally gasped aloud. I never knew where the story was going to go or what decisions the characters might make, and it kept me on my toes. I could go on and on about this book and never say as much as I want to--that's how much I loved it, but I'm going to save you from the spoilers. Overall? I loved the book. Hands down. I am thankful to have read it, and I will immediately be picking up the next book in the series. If you're looking for a good, solid YA book filled with magic, romance, high school drama, and bathroom brawls, you're going to love this book every bit as much as I did. I would highly; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail; Author: Cheryl Strayed; Genres: history, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: What an amazing, wonderful, and strange journey I have just been on. Wild by Cheryl Strayed isn't a book I'd normally pick up. Honestly, I don't think I've ever read an entire biography in my life--on anyone. Ever. So why did I pick up this book? I happened upon a trailer for the movie, and I thought "I need to see that."... and I did. Immediately before I read the book, I watched the movie--and I'm glad that I did for a lot of reasons. Wild is the true story and memoir of Cheryl Strayed, a woman who, when she was 22, went on a self-discovery hike along the Pacific Crest Trail in order to find herself. She walked over 1,100 miles (give or take a few) from the Mojave Desert all the way up to the border of Washington and the Bridge of the Gods. The reason this story intrigued me is that it sounds like something I've always wanted to do. I grew up in Oregon, hiking, camping, hunting, and enjoying the outdoors. I've been to a lot of the same places that Cheryl went on her journey--and I was intrigued to find out what she may have learned along the way. Like Cheryl, I too lost my mother to cancer at a young age (though I was just a teen), and I couldn't help but identify with some of the commonalities between our lives as I read through her journey. It's difficult for me to quantify this story in the way that I normally would in a review. Normally I'd pick apart the language, sentence structure, characters, and world building. I can't do that here. Cheryl Strayed is a real person, and the events of the story really happened. It would be insulting to try and quantify this story on any sort of literary level. So instead, I'll say this: Thank you. This book took me two days to read--which is longer than most books take me. The story delved into aspects of life that I try to avoid in fictional stories... drugs, promiscuity, death, abandonment... but I'm infinitesimally grateful that I read this story. When the last page was finished and Cheryl's hike came to a close, I felt like I too had been on an amazing journey. Wild made me think. It made me consider the importance of life and the people in it--of who all of us are once we strip away the needless things of our daily lives. There were some differences between the movie and the book. I felt a lot of the original printed story was cut out for the movie, and some details were definitely altered and re-arranged for the cinematic screen, but deep down, the story at its core was the same. Honestly, I'm not sure how I would have felt about the movie or the book had I not seen/read both. The movie wasn't particularly engaging, and neither was the book... but I couldn't help but be drawn into the story anyhow. Watching the movie ahead of time made it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alienated (Alienated, #1); Author: Melissa Landers; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** (very mild spoilers) To be honest, I went into this book thinking this was going to be another mediocre, but entertaining enough YA Romance--I've run into quite a few of those lately--but I was wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed Alienated by Melissa Landers. The book centered around the friendship and eventual romance between two teens, one Human, one L'eihr (alien!) as they work together as part of a foreign-exchange program between the two species. Technically speaking, the book was well written. The narrative was easy to follow, well paced, and error-free. The story was told from the viewpoints of both Cara and Aelyx, and I was grateful for the contrast. It was fun to see how their social norms clashed, and how though they were very different on many levels, deep down they were the same... just two teens trying to do their best and wrestling with their innate loyalty between their species and each other. I adored the romance between Cara and Aelyx. It was rocky and understated at first, but in the end it was passionate and steamy without crossing the line into adult territory. I think the author handled the romance well, and despite how passionate it got between the two, I'd have no problem letting my pre-teen pick this up. It was nice to read a teen romance that didn't rely too heavily on the trope of misunderstandings to drive the conflict of the relationship forward. There were a few things I wish had been handled perhaps a little differently--but they aren't major plot points. The first was the relationship between Cara and her friends. In this day and age with a generation that I'd like to think is mostly open to diversity and differences between people, I find it a little hard to believe, and perhaps a little tragic, that not a single one of Cara's friends stuck by her throughout the foreign exchange period. I'd expected, if nothing else, for Cara's best friend to stay by her side--though I understand that maybe the title of the book was purposefully a little literal in this sense. The second point of contention I had was with Cara's disturbing ability to Mind-speak with Aelyx when it was obvious that no one else could. This seemed like a major breakthrough, and I'd expected that at some point the teens would bring it up with an adult, but they never did. Right up until the very end, no one outside of the couple had any inkling that the two could share what was essentially a L'eihr-only ability. It felt unresolved, almost forgotten in the context of the story. Overall? I Loved the book. I'm super-excited to delve into the rest of the series. The book had just enough sci-fi to keep things interesting without getting bogged down by technical jargon and science theories. The romance felt genuine and appropriate, and the plot was entertaining. If you're looking for a fun, sci-fi themed ya romance that isn't going to make you memorize a bunch of technical jargon, I'd encourage; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Invaded (Alienated, #2); Author: Melissa Landers; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I thoroughly enjoyed Invaded by Melissa Landers--though not for the same reasons I loved the previous book in the series, Alienated. Where Alienated was fun and centered mostly around the romance between Cara and Aelyx, Invaded took things to a whole other level. The book was fast-paced, filled with political drama and danger, and although the romance between Cara and Aelyx was present, it took a back seat to the rest of the plot. For the majority of the book, the couple was apart, and in the absence of their relationship, the complex plot began to shine. As with the previous book, the world building, and character development was outstanding. I found Cara and her bubbly and sometimes sarcastic personality, less annoying this time around, and I'll hand it to the girl--she really stepped things up. The plot threw everything it could at Cara, it isolated her, threw death plots at her, and tried to frame her for every crime under the sun, but Cara held her own and pulled herself through despite having almost no one to rely on. There were twists and turns I didn't see coming (and a few I did), and I couldn't help but be drawn into the story. As for the technical side of things, the book was well written. I didn't stumble over awkward phrases or pacing problems. There were no noticeable typos or grammar blunders. I was sucked into the story from the very first page and wasn't let go until the very last. There will probably be some readers who don't appreciate this book as much as I did. I'm sure they'll go into this book expecting it to mimic the light-hearted heavy-romance theme of the first book, and they'll be disappointed. Personally, I love this book for entirely different reasons than I loved the first book. Where I loved the first book for its romance and clever but understated science fiction theme, I loved Invaded for it's complexity, danger, and drama. The book was equally fantastic, just for different reasons. Overall, I enjoyed Invaded, and I'm excited to see if there will be a third book in the series anytime soon (please, oh please). If you like science fiction, YA, or romance, and you don't want to be bogged down with a ton of science terminology, you'll love this series. I highly recommend it. The book is perfect for pre-teens on up... the romance, while steamy, is clean--there are no graphic sex scenes, and I'd be perfectly fine handing this book to my pre-teen daughter. I'm looking forward to more by this author--this entire series is going on my keeper shelf.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hotter You Burn (The Original Heartbreakers, #2); Author: Gena Showalter; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I received an ARC of this book as part of a GoodReads Giveaway. I adored The Hotter You Burn by Gena Showalter. Having never read the first book in the series, I went into this story as if it were standalone, and I'm happy to report that it stood on its own two feet just fine. The story was a steamy/sweet contemporary romance whose two main protagonists were deeply flawed. Beck was a former foster kid and criminal turned wealthy business mogul trying to atone for his sins, and Harlow was a former town bully, so loathed by her own hometown that someone once doused her in gasoline and lit her on fire. Under normal circumstances, and with a different author, I think I would have found it hard to like Beck and Harlow--but instead, I loved them. Beck was a melt-your-heart guy with a predisposition towards loyalty and a little too much charm for his own good. Harlow, despite her checkered past, was a down to earth spitfire who went out of her way to make other people's lives easier... even if they treated her like a leper. Together they made a fantastic couple, and it was impossible to do anything but love them and cheer them on. There were a lot of themes of forgiveness, redemption, and trust in this story, and weighing in at nearly 400 pages, the book managed to find time to delve pretty deeply into those themes. I never felt like the story was rushed or that parts of the plot were being skimmed over by the author. Romances these days aren't often over 200-250 pages, so it was a nice change to find a romance that was longer and had the time to delve a little deeper into the relationship between these two characters. The writing itself was nearly flawless. I was reading an ARC, and I'll admit, there were a few typos, but nothing jarring, and I'm not going to knock points off my rating for something that I'm sure will be fixed by the time publication rolls around (after all, the book doesn't get released until August). Overall, I really loved the book. The romance between Beck and Harlow was heartbreakingly sweet and steamy at the same time--definitely rife with sexual tension and emotional drama, and the cast of characters was vivid and at times, hilariously funny. I laughed out loud quite a lot with this one. If you're looking for a good, solid romance read with an HEA, humor, and some pretty sizzling chemistry, take a look at this book. It's going on my keeper shelf.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wild Blue Yonder (Ceruleans #3); Author: Megan Tayte; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. It was difficult for me to choose a rating for Wild Blue Yonder by Megan Tayte. After reading the first two books in the series I was practically waiting with baited breath for the third installment--and despite the fact that I had other things to do and genuinely tried to put off reading Wild Blue Yonder, I found myself picking it up to "read one chapter" late last night. Before I knew it, I had demolished the book. Like the previous books in the series, the writing was flawless and effortless in its execution. I didn't stumble over awkward sentence structure, grammar, or punctuation mistakes. I was immediately drawn into the story by the characters and the mystery of the plot. Like I discovered with the second book in the series, Wild Blue Yonder was both a well pieced together addition to the previous books, and yet something completely different at the same time. The first book was all about the romance and the mystery, the second book about grief, and this book? This book was about deception, betrayal, and ultimately, truth. The reason this book was so hard to rate came down to the uncomfortable feeling that rooted in the pit of my stomach as I read. The Ceruleans, to me, went from being this vague magical race to these terrifying cult-like people who operated on blind faith and careful deception. The story was tense, and so was I. As riveted as I was by the plot, by the end of the book that uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach had grown into anger. Oh, how angry I was! At Jude, the Ceruleans, Siena... I wanted to cry right alongside Scarlett. It left me unhappy. When the book was over, I had to take a step back. My initial thought was "I didn't like this book" because I'm not used to walking away from a book feeling as uncomfortable and angry as I did--but the more I thought about it, the higher the rating for this book went. The thing is, I didn't like the book--I didn't--but I'm okay with that. What this book did was powerful. For a few hours, I was put into Scarlett's shoes and I lived in the world of the Ceruleans. No, I didn't like their world--but that was sort of the point. I wasn't supposed to like their world. I was supposed to empathize with Scarlett... and I did. As unhappy as I was with certain aspects of the book, this was a phenomenal read. I'm glad I read it, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series--but I think I'm going to need a little while to recover. It may be time for a fluffy, HEA next. If you enjoy complex mystery-oriented YA fantasy, you need to give this series a try. The series has been exceptional so far, and I'm happy to recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beast (Norseton Wolves #1); Author: Holley Trent; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I'm going to give Beast by Holley Trent the benefit of the doubt. I'm not generally a fan of novellas; I prefer to sink deeply into my novels and not come up for air for several hours, and that just isn't something I can do with shorter books. They tend to feel rushed and incomplete. That wasn't so with Beast, however. Despite being a novella, the pacing was spot on. I never felt like I was missing part of the story, that the details were being skimmed over, or that I was being rushed. The writing too was clear and easy to follow, and with the exception of one typo, well-written. The world building was a fresh take on the werewolf lore, and a welcome change in a theme that's been recycled over and over in the past few years. I liked Christina and Anton as a couple. They contrasted and complimented each other in a way that I found endearing and fun to follow along. My only major point of contention was that neither were very strong characters. Anton was plagued with self-doubt that lead him to verbally put himself down on a regular basis--and it wasn't a very attractive feature of his. I almost would have preferred that he be standoffish or outright mean. Christina, on the other hand, despite purportedly being regularly abused throughout her life, ended up being the stronger, more domineering of the couple. She was a bit of a spitfire (which I love in my female protagonists)--but it didn't seem to fit with her backstory, which lead to her earlier abuse seeming to be more of a needless plot device to drum up sympathy for the diminutive girl. Overall, I liked the novella. It wasn't typical of what I normally read, but the chemistry was steamy, the character were interesting, and despite a few weak points where the characters were involved, I can genuinely say that I liked it. If you're looking for a short, fun erotic/romance read that isn't too vulgar, this would be a good pick for you.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Curiosity Keeper (Treasures of Surrey, #1); Author: Sarah E. Ladd; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book through a GoodReads Giveaway. I'll admit, I'm a huge fan of historical romances. There's something about the dialog that flows like poetry and dances around what it really wants to say... the absurdity of the customs and societal rules the characters have to follow, the almost naive way that even the harshest of characters is almost entirely oblivious to the more straight-forward romance that we're used to that makes me giggle and cheer them on. Some of my favorite books have been historical, and this book was true to its genre. The writing was clear and easy to follow. I didn't run into any awkward sentences, typos, or niggling bits of modern prose that broke me out of the world of Camille Iverness and The Curiosity Keeper. I was sucked into the story from the very first page, and before I knew it, I was halfway into the book already. Technically speaking, this was an excellent read. The characters were flawed, and sometimes gullible, but didn't come across as weak or naive as is prone to happen in a lot of historical novels--especially concerning the female lead. Camille wasn't brash or crass, but she was able to stand on her own two feet. She wasn't fearless, but nor was she meek. There was a nice balance of good-heartedness and sense of dignity to her character that I appreciated. Likewise, Jonathan was equal parts defiant and warm-hearted. He wasn't the bravest of men, but he stood up for what he believed in. Together, Jonathan and Camille made an endearing couple. The romance in this book was lukewarm--as happens in a lot of historical novels. It's not the author's fault... that's just the way polite society worked in this era. People often "fell in love" and got married without barely speaking to each other, and so while I would have liked there to have been more steamy romance, I'm not going to fault the book for the lack of it. Even without the steamy bits, the understated romance of Jonathan and Camille made me want to cheer for them. The mystery too was understated. I'll admit, it was a bit predictable. It didn't take me more than 5 minutes to figure out where the fabled Bevoy ruby was or why it was in that location to begin with. So while I did appreciate the mystery aspect of the plot, it wasn't a major draw for me... and this is why this book got 4 stars from me, rather than 5. As much as I liked the book, as well written as it seemed to be.... I wasn't blown away. I wasn't gripping the pages in anticipation of the mystery behind the Bevoy, and I wasn't squealing in delight over the romance. Don't get me wrong, it was a really good book--just not as engaging as I think it could have been. Overall, I really liked it, but I don't know that I liked it enough to read it more than once every few years. If you're looking; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Accordance (Significance, #2); Author: Shelly Crane; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: After quickly reading through the first book in the Significance series, I went ahead and picked up the second, Accordance, right away. I was a little worried going into this story that I wouldn't like it as much as the first book; it's pretty common for series to go through the second book slump, but I wasn't disappointed. Like Significance, Accordance was well written. There were quite a few typos in my copy of the book, which was unfortunate, but other than one or two stumbles where a letter or word was left out, most of the errors were tiny and didn't jar me out of the reading. The narrative was decently paced, easy to follow and engaging. I was sucked into the story right away and sped through to the end of the book in just a few hours. Luckily, where the first book failed in the series, Accordance excelled. The story was rife with tension, both between the rather large cast of characters, the different families of the Aces, and more importantly, between Caleb and Maggie. Things certainly weren't easy for the couple, and Marcus, Bish, and Kyle once again didn't make things any easier. I was glad to see the changes to Maggie and Caleb as they started to come into their powers, and even more so to see some of the other characters start to find their Imprints. My only problem was with the exceedingly slow pace at which Maggie figured things out. I'd guessed at the outcomes of some of the relationships and uses of their powers long before Maggie caught on, and it felt a little like I was waiting for her to catch up throughout the book. Still, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Now that the Instant-Love aspect of Maggie and Caleb's story was a book behind me, I was able to sink into their relationship a little easier, and of course it was nice to see that they were beginning to run into obstacles with their relationship. If you liked the first book in the series, or you're a fan of heavily romance-influenced paranormal YA stories, you'll probably love this book. It isn't going to be for everyone, but personally, I can't wait to continue on with the series!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Defiance (Significance, #3); Author: Shelly Crane; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Defiance, by Shelly Crane, was a great addition to the Significance series. While the first book lacked a lot of tension and drama between Caleb and Maggie, the further I've gotten into the series, the more tension seems to arise--and I love it! What started as an instant love relationship between two teenagers has become a full on, real relationship, complete with all the messes that seem to inherently stem from them. As with the previous books, I found that Caleb and Maggie made a fantastic couple. Their relationship isn't perfect--they still fight and have doubts despite the paranormal aspect of their bond, but regardless all the drama, it is easy to tell that they belong with one another. It was nice to see a couple that fits so perfectly together. As far as the technical aspect of the book went... well, I'll be honest: the editing left something to be desired. The book contained multiple misspelled words, missing words, punctuation mistakes, and other typos. That being said, the typos were relatively small, and, for the most part, not jarring to the story. Otherwise, both the narrative and the dialog were well put together, flowed at a decent paste, and were easy to understand. The writing wasn't bad... it just needed to be cleaned up. I think my favorite part of the book though, was watching Maggie come into her powers as the Visionary. Throughout this series, Maggie's been pushed and pulled through her new life as Caleb's significant other. From the very beginning, she's accepted who she's meant to be and didn't put up much of a fight. It was nice to see that change as the story wore on. Yes, she did step up and take over the role she was supposed to play... but she did it her way, and she didn't let anyone tell her what to do. I enjoyed watching her finally step up and stand up for herself, as well as for the rest of the Aces. Overall, I loved the book. It was a solid edition to the Significance series, and I'm glad I read it. I'm excited to move further into this series. If you like paranormal YA romances, you'll probably enjoy this series. If the first book doesn't grab you, give the second or third try.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Last Alpha; Author: Ruby Fielding; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wanted so very badly to like this book. Parts of it, I found exceptionally well written... and other parts, lacked. As far as the technical side of the writing went, it was nearly flawless. I spotted less than a handful of noticeable errors throughout the text. For the most part, the writing was spot on. There wasn't an overabundance of awkward sentences, misspelled words, or formatting errors. The plot was interesting and packed full of suspense. It was obvious that the author put a lot of thought into the details of the plot and the character development. The world building was spot on... I found it fascinating. The problem is... I was also bored. The pacing of the story dragged on at a pace that made it hard to keep my interest. The tension was missing for me, and the romance, with the exception of some pretty steamy sex scenes, was lukewarm. The characters barely knew each other and fell in love at a pace that seemed unrealistic given the obstacles to their relationship. Overall, the book was a bit of a mixed bag. I loved the characters, the suspense, and the mystery. I loved the world building, the detail, plot, and setting... I just wasn't enthralled by the writing. This didn't feel like a romance. It felt like a dark suspense/mystery with a side element of romance thrown in as an afterthought--and that's wonderful if that's what you want to read, but it's not what the book promised. I ended up giving this book 3 stars. I didn't really like it, and, to be honest, I could have put it down several times and been okay with that decision. It wasn't an awful book, it just wasn't what I thought I was getting, and in the end, it just wasn't to my tastes. If you're a fan of dark, suspenseful paranormal plots, you're probably going to like this book. If you're looking for a paranormal romance though, you may not enjoy this book as much as you were expecting.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mirrored Time (A Time Archivist Novel #1); Author: J.D. Faulkner; Genres: history, young-adult, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Honestly, this book was a bit of a mixed bag for me.--which is something I don't often say in 4-star reviews. The premise of the plot, with the archives and the time travelers and an ancient evil locked away in a black mirror, was fascinating and drew my attention to the story. I liked the characters (except the awful janitor who was your typical evil sidekick), and the book contained a lot of beautiful imagery and fantastical settings that kept me engrossed. However, I wish the book had taken itself a little more seriously. The humor and jovial attitude of the book made it seem a little like a cheesy SyFy channel show. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I was looking for. I wanted more tension, more drama, and instead I got a playful, fast-paced romance between two very different characters thrown together by the archives. Was it bad? No... but it wasn't my thing. Overall, I thought the book was interesting. The characters, plot, and settings were great--I just wasn't fond of the execution as a whole. Still, it was an entertaining read, and if you're looking for a fast-paced, light-hearted romance with a supernatural feel, this book may be the one you're looking for.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: You're Never Weird on the Internet; Author: Felicia Day; Genres: history, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction; Review: I don't usually read or review non-fiction, especially not memoirs, but I'll admit it: I'm a huge Felicia Day fan. I've been following her work since she was on Buffy The Vampire Slayer, all the way through The Guild, and the very beginnings of the Geek & Sundry Channel. She is my geeky, gamer girl hero. I regularly participate in her Romance/Fantasy book club, Vaginal Fantasy... so when I heard that she was writing a book nearly a year ago, I was already planning ahead to add it onto my early Birthday list. I repeatedly reminded my family for several weeks that August, and my birthday were fast approaching, with not-so-veiled hints that the book's release date was soon approaching just two weeks before my B-day. Needless to say, I not only received the book as a birthday present, I was allowed to access this present early, and devoured it the same day it was bought. For someone who hardly ever reads non-fiction let me say: this memoir was everything I hoped for. Felicia's writing was hilarious, filled with awkward stories of childhood, adolescence, and her many geeky endeavors. The book was easy to read and from a technical standpoint, pretty flawlessly executed. I didn't notice any grammatical errors or awkward sentences, and the candid photos and photoshopped meme-like additions were an amusing touch. I found Felicia's story both relatable and inspiring. As an awkward girl growing up in the first vestiges of the internet myself, I found something nostalgic and endearingly familiar about her stories of naive attempts to find a niche in early games and forums. I too lived through those times, and did some of the same questionable things that I still can't believe my parents let me get away with (anyone else live through one of those awkward early-internet meet ups fueled by parents desperate to see us gain relationships outside our family? Yup. Been there.) Her adventures in being homeschooled and being the awkward almost-too-old-for-her-age type of kid reminded me a lot of my own homeschooled daughter, and I immediately decided that at some point, my daughter too would have to read this book, if for no other reason than to show her that: Hey, it's okay to be yourself. It's okay to be weird. In a lot of ways, Felicia and her stories of being an anxious, awkward, geeky girl reminded me a lot of myself, and when I read about her determination to follow her dreams and the struggles with shutting down her inner critic--well, it struck a cord. I think a lot of us struggle with our inner anxiety... I certainly know I have. Reading about her procrastination, the endless excuses and self-doubt, I wanted to close the book and get to work on all the stuff I've been putting off for ages. I'm there, in that place right now. I didn't put the book down in the end--because I wanted to finish the book--but I promise you, the procrastination and second-guessing is going to come to an end. Thanks, Felicia. If you ever; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sparked (Independence Falls, #1); Author: Lily Cahill; Genres: history, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Going into Sparked by Lily Cahill, I wasn't sure how much I was actually going to like it. The synopsis was interesting, but a little odd. I'd never heard of the author previously, and it's one of those books that came across my inbox with a deadline date that was still a month or so away. I thought, "Well, I'll give it a chance." and half an hour later, I was completely engrossed. I'll admit, my first impression wasn't great. The sentence structures at the beginning of the book were choppy and ill-punctuated. I'm one of those people who can't stand a misused conjunction, and when the sentences become uniform and bite-size because of a misused conjunction? Forget it. It's a particular pet peeve of mine. I didn't give up, however. I am happy to say, that other than two minor typos, the rest of the book was free of any large grammatical or punctuation mistakes. The text was easy to follow and well executed. I love the main characters, Clayton, and Cora. As a couple, the two were an appealing mix of steamy, romantic, and determined. They had their share of misunderstandings through the book, but they never came across as overly dramatic, whiny, or unreasonably moronic. I loved them together, and I loved them equally as much as characters independent of one another. They were a good combination, and I wanted to cheer them on from the very beginning. Overall, I really liked the book as a whole--but there were a few things that stood out that made me question a five-star rating. The secondary characters of the book were pretty 2-D. They were all a little overwhelmingly stereotyped. The abusive dad and equally as abusive and cruel son, the father and mother that were all about social class, and quick to blame their son for not having his head on straight... the ex-girlfriend that tried to tear them apart, even the doctor who chose to keep their secrets despite having no logical reason to do so. It made for a very interesting story--don't get me wrong--but I wish there had been a little more depth and unpredictability to the secondary characters. Another thing that I couldn't quite get a grasp on was the world-building. The story was set in the 1950's, which though quirky and interesting, didn't seem to have any impact on the story. There didn't seem to be a particular reason that the story was set in the decade it was--the plot would have been the same had it been set in a more modern time period. I expected there to be some reason, some identifiable point where I could say "That! That is why this was set in the 50's! They couldn't have written this event otherwise." but it never happened. Maybe it will happen in a subsequent book in the series, but frankly, I have no idea. It was also never explained where the purple fog--the arbiter of the super-powers that brought the main couple together--came from. Other than a few wild guesses by the; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Independence (Significance, #4); Author: Shelly Crane; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Meh. That about sums up my feelings about Independence by Shelly Crane. I adored the previous three books in the series--absolutely loved them. So, going into Independence, I was certain that I was going to love this book equally as well. I didn't. In fact, I'm not even sure I liked it (hence the meh.) This book took me weeks to finish. For someone who reads 1-2 books a day, that's a little crazy. I just couldn't get into it. The format had changed from the previous books. Instead of one POV (Maggie's), the book was written in a strange back and forth of Maggie/Caleb, that in my opinion, didn't work. Caleb's POV chapters were boring, and his voice was honestly a little irritating. Maggie's were okay, but the narrative seemed to skim. A lot. Events were barely touched upon, and conversations that should have been delved into, were peeked at and set aside. The whole thing seemed incredibly rushed, and it made it very hard to follow. By the time I was half way into the book, I was over it--but I pushed on. By 80%, I was done. I wanted desperately to set the book aside (and did, for three weeks), but I kept thinking "I'm almost done. You can do this." I pushed on. Honestly, I can barely remember what the book was about at this point. Nothing seemed to happen. The tension and mystery of the previous books was sadly lacking from this one, and the narrative was overly sappy and lovey-dovey throughout. There were two epilogues (2 1/2 and 5 years after the story), neither of which added anything new to the story except the typical "and they lived happily ever after with children" ending that is so stereotypical of the romance genre. Am I glad I read this book? Yes, because it was the last book in the series, it wrapped things up in a nice, neat little bow, and I was genuinely curious to see what was going to happen to the characters from the previous three books in the series. Did I like it? Not really. I don't know what happened between the last book and this one. The previous three books were so good... but this one just.... lacked. It lacked engagement, tension, an in-depth plot... If this hadn't been the last book in the series, I probably wouldn't have gone on to read the next after this one. It just didn't resonate with me.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Trapped on Draconica; Author: Dan Wright; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, young-adult; Review: I wish I had liked Trapped on Draconica by Dan Wright more than I did, but honestly... It just wasn't for me. The narrative style of the story was as if the reader were watching a cartoon, or reading a comic, rather than a novel. The story, characters, and dialog were dramatic and grand in an almost over-blown sort of way that probably would have worked well for a children's book or a cartoon... but the content was more young adult/adult, and I don't think the combination of melodramatic writing fit the older audience. It just didn't work for me. The writing was clear and easy to follow, but there were some questionable moments with the punctuation, spelling, and tense. It wasn't too distracting, and it didn't make the narrative difficult to read, but it is worth mentioning. The dialogue, however, was hard to push past. The characters spoke in a very melodramatic and scripted way that didn't seem natural. There were some pretty cliche'd moments where the characters said things that made me cringe. ("Nice doggie..." for instance). Overall, I just found it hard to be engaged with the story. It wasn't necessarily bad, but I don't know that the style in which the book was written fit the age group it was catering too, and personally, I didn't care for the style as a whole. I think in other formats it would have worked well, and I'm sure there will be readers out there that will be totally engrossed in the plotline. Personally, I couldn't get past it. I picked it up, set it down, picked it up again. For months I struggled to get into this story, but in the end, I had to tap out. There's only so much you can push yourself to read before you just have to admit defeat. I truly wish I had liked this more, but I don't think I was the right audience for it. If you tend to like really dramatic writing that's easily to follow, full of colorful characters and a fun, quirky sort of world building, I'd recommend you give this a try. If you tend to like more gritty fantasy that takes itself a little more seriously, you may want to let this one pass. It isn't going to be for everyone.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Aisuru; Author: Anma Natsu; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Aisuru by Anma Natsu was a bit of an odd experience for me. I'm a huge anime drama fan, and I'm a huge romance novel fan as well--and it isn't often that those two things cross as they did in Aisuru. As an anime, this book would have been excellent. It was jammed pack full of the Japanese culture and language, and felt like it had been well researched. The writing style very much fit the Japanese stereotypes of the genre (and I don't mean that in a bad way). The problem is, that didn't always work in novel form. Technically speaking, the book was well written. The narrative was clean and easy to follow. I ran across 3 typos in the whole book, and only one that made me pause and re-read a sentence. That's pretty fantastic for an Indie book. The world building was interesting, and not so complicated that I felt lost, and I really liked Sakura as a main character. Unfortunately, not all was puppies and rainbows. Despite my genuine affection for the character of the book, they were pretty 2-dimensional as a rule. For an anime, it worked... for a book? Not so much. There was no real reason for most of the characters to even exist--the love story could have been told with out them (especially Karasu. (Gomen!) Worse yet, they were all pretty stereotypical and familiar. White-haired, handsome Yokai are a dime a dozen in popular Japanese culture (Inuyasha? Kamisama Hajemashita? Anyone? No? Just me? Okay then.), as are fictional female characters that are frail and kind, and on death's doorstep. The plot and characters of Aisuru have all been done before, and I found the book predictable overall. Does that mean I didn't like the book? No, actually I really enjoyed it--but I think I would have enjoyed it more had it had more depth to the characters and plot. Overall, I'm glad I read the story. It was entertaining, and it made a quick read. Would I go out of my way to recommend it to others? Eh... only if you really like Anime maybe. It didn't blow my mind. On a side note: This book is marketed as YA, but YA readers should be aware that there's a pretty explicit sex scene contained within the book, and a little bit of murder/suicide/gore. Most of the book is clean though.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Five Weeks in the Amazon; Author: Sean Michael Hayes; Genres: history, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, mystery; Review: I don't often read memoirs or other non-fiction works. They are a difficult genre to review. I can't rate a memoir like a fictional story, the characters involved are as they are presented and can't be judged on their complexity or the pleasantness of their personalities. So going into this review, keep in mind that I'm limited on what I can rate on a book such as this. As far as the technical aspect of this book goes, the book was decently written. There were a few typos, missing lines, and added words, but mostly these were inconsequential. The book did drag for me in the second half, but I realize that there is only so much that can be done about pace when the topic of the book is mostly the existential wanderings and philosophies of self-awareness being described by a man on a drug-induced vision quest. To be honest, the book wasn't what I expected, and certainly not what I thought I'd picked up. It may be my own fault for not reading the description thoroughly, but I thought I'd be reading a book about a man who went into the Amazon jungle looking for adventure and didn't come out for five weeks. That both is, and isn't what this book was about. I expected tales of being lost, surviving on foreign wildlife, maybe some near-death moments of adrenaline... instead, I got a tale about a deeply depressed man who met all sorts of strange people, did a lot of drugs, and who spent the better part of five weeks self-analyzing himself while hallucinating. Though interesting, the book wasn't what I'd expected, and I don't think I was in the right mindset to enjoy it as thoroughly as I may have had I been looking for what this book actually was. I got bored at parts. I couldn't relate to the drug use. It just wasn't something I was interested in. Still, it made me think, and even if the book wasn't what I was looking for, I do think it taught me something and I am glad that I read it. I think if you are looking for a little self-introspection, you should give this book a try. If you're looking for an adventure story about the Amazon, you may want to keep looking. This was an adventure, and yes, it did take place in the Amazon, but not in the way you are probably expecting.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ukiyo (Blud, #1); Author: Mela Ciano; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. It was with a heavy, and somewhat disappointed heart that I set this book aside at 20% in. To be clear, I didn't finish the book--that doesn't mean that I hated the book... only that I couldn't finish it. Let me explain. Ukiyo by Mario Saincic started off strong. The first few chapters were riveting--full of action and atmosphere and I found Ukiyo a fascinating and easy to like character. I was sucked into the story right away, and I thought "man, this is going to be awesome." The plot was interesting, the scenes were detailed--the story seemed to be heading in a very good direction. Unfortunately, as I delved into the story, my inner editor began to cringe. The writing was good. Solid. Though the style wasn't my usual preference--3rd person with some occasional omniscient asides and a slight penchant for being extremely detailed, and a little poetic here and there--I didn't find it distracting. The problem for me lie with finer details of the story. There were a lot of moments where I stopped to question what I was reading. A few times, the characters acted in ways that didn't seem logical. They sometimes made leaps and assumptions or seemed surprised by things that should have been obvious. The tense was off here and there... sometimes words were used that didn't seem to fit what was being said (though most of these I chalked up to the difference in language/culture between the author and I). There were a few times I found missing words, awkward sentences, and instances where reactions were placed before actions in the narrative. One of the largest sticking points for me, however, was the confusion surrounding Ukiyo and her heritage in general. From what I read, I gathered that she was half Chinese, half African American, with hazel eyes. We won't get into how unlikely it is for Ukiyo to have hazel eyes, but it did seem odd. Whatever. The thing is, it was later explained that she was raised in Germany because "the Germans were more accepting of interracial relationships and mixed children" which, let's face it, sounds rather odd considering Germany's history. I can push past it. Despite growing up in Germany, Ukiyo refers to herself as British... and speaks with British colloquialisms. At this point, things were getting kind of confusing. Even odder? Ukiyo's name isn't Chinese, African-American, British, or German. It's Japanese. You may see why my frustration levels were getting rather high. In short, I don't think this was a badly written book, but I do think that it was poorly edited. The bits and pieces of the writing that frustrated me should have been questioned by a copy editor or proofreader at some point in the process. I tried to push on and continue this book because I did like the plot, the characters, and the world building... but when I started picking up awkward sentence structures, tense problems, misspellings, and poor logical; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Shadows (The Rephaim, #1); Author: Paula Weston; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. To be honest, when I first picked up Shadows by Paula Weston, I wasn't sure I liked it. It's hard to put my finger on the exact problem, but I think some of it had to do with the slow start and the author's penchant for over description. I'm not saying the description is bad, but there comes a point when it can be distracting, and I feel like the story hovered right on the border of having too much when I first delved into the story. Luckily, things improved. From a technical standpoint, and other than the over-description, the book was pretty flawlessly written. There were one or two typos (an incorrect word, a missing space), but nothing too jarring, and certainly nothing distracting enough to pull me from the story for more than a split second. Though the book started off a little slow, the narrative hit a nice pace after the first few chapters and stayed steady throughout. I didn't feel rushed or bogged down. I did have some difficulty with the language, but that could be attributed to the book taking place in Australia, rather than America like I'm used to. There were times I didn't understand the slang, and it took me a little while to catch on that the book was taking place in another country, but once I figured it out, things went smoothly. Most of the time I could guess, or skip over the slang that I didn't understand, and it didn't cause me any problems with the story--though I did get to learn a few new words! As for the characters and the plot? I loved them. The story was interesting, the characters were dynamic and well fleshed out, and the questions the author presented for both the main character, Gaby, and the reader, kept me reading. I desperately wanted to understand what was happening, just as Gaby was, and I was equally wary and stunned as she figured out the answers. I loved every minute of it! Now, other than the over-describing of the beginning, there was one other aspect that did give me pause: the story is familiar. Nephilim, demon hunters.. sanctuary in churches--excuse me, monastery... this isn't a fresh story. There're a million and one YA Paranormal Fantasy books with the same theme, which is fine, but it was a bit uncomfortably similar to a particular series that was noted in the book's synopsis across the internet (I've left it out here) in several ways--including sharing an enamored, but somewhat geeky kid named Simon. I'm not saying this was a clone. It wasn't--at all, believe me... there were so many differences that made this clearly unique!--but these details and the author's note in the description recommending it to fans of that particular series didn't go unnoticed. That being said, I honestly loved the book. Had it not been the niggling little details about the familiarity and the slow beginning, this would have gotten a resounding; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Last of the Firedrakes (Avalonia Chronicles, #1); Author: Farah Oomerbhoy; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Honestly, this book was tiring. The cover was gorgeous, the writing itself was decent as far as the technical aspects go... but the plot was so terribly cliche and filled with poor character decisions that I slogged through in the end. There were no surprises, no fresh takes on old tropes--the whole thing felt familiar and a bit campy, and the main character Aurora was predictably a painfully special snowflake. Not all was a disappointment, though. I did like most of the characters (though Aurora wasn't one of them), particularly Rafe, Kalen, and Vivienne. There weren't a lot of technical errors and though a bit bogged down by needless description at times, the narrative moved at a reasonable pace. I didn't hate the book though I think perhaps it would have been better suited for a middle grade reader base rather than the YA crowd. It just wasn't up to the standards I expected it to be, particularly concerning the plot. It seemed like the book was full of cliche ideas, that may have worked had the book been intended to be humorous, but didn't when it was obvious that the characters were taking everything so seriously. Overall, I gave the book 3 stars. It wasn't badly written, but it was a bit of a push to get through the predictable plot, whose main character frequently made rash and often dangerous decisions on a whim. If you like fantasy stories with familiar fairy tale plotlines, you may really enjoy this book. It just wasn't my cup of tea, and I don't feel like it fit the intended audience well.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A SEAL's Temptation (Uniformly Hot SEALs, #9)/Hard Knocks; Author: Tawny Weber; Genres: romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. I realize that formulaic romance isn't everyone's cup of tea. Personally, I think there's something to be said for picking up an easy romantic read and enjoy over a relatively short period of time. Sure, more complex romances are great--but sometimes your brain just needs a break, and when those times happen, I have no qualms about picking up a sure-read romance like A SEAL's Temptation by Tawny Weber. Technically speaking, the writing was pretty spot-on. It was fast paced, well structured, and easy to sink into. There were a few relatively innocuous typos, but nothing that pulled me out of the story--and seeing as my copy was an ARC--I'm not going to complain about it too loudly. Having 2 or 3 typos in a full-length novel is fantastic compared to a lot of the editing I've seen. As far as the plot and characters went, it wasn't anything genre breaking. It was a formulaic romance where two people who weren't really looking for love found it anyway. Lark was adorably artsy, and Shane was charming and sexy.... and at times a little naive about love. Together, they made a really sweet, sexy couple that I was happy to while the hours away with. There was a lot of steam to this story--a welcome change to my reading lately, but without the raunchiness that sometimes associates some romance novels. Overall I enjoyed it. It was nice to spend an afternoon sinking into a story without having to think too hard about the plot or the editing. Did it wow me and break the genre? No... but I enjoyed it, and I'm glad I read it. If you're looking for a tidbit of juicy romance to enjoy over the weekend or a sunny afternoon, you wouldn't go wrong to pick this up.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: CHASE (The Unforgettable Billionaire Brothers, #1); Author: Violet Walker; Genres: romance; Review: Anyone who's read my reviews before knows that I am not a huge fan of novellas, particularly those in the romance genre. They're often too short to convincingly portray romance competently, and nearly always feel rushed. That statement applies to this book as well. To be honest, I picked this book up because it was free, the cover was put together well, and I saw an open plea for reviews. I needed a quick book to fill a review spot on my blog, and so I thought, "why not?" As far as the actual writing goes, it was okay. I did run across a handful of errors (missing words, a lack of commas when they were warranted, etc), but nothing that was too distracting from the text. In a longer book, this would have been great... but at only 32 pages... that's quite a few errors in a short period of time. The plot itself was pretty standard: rich father declares that his sons will lose their right to inherit the family company if they don't get married within a set period of time. Luckily, there's a hot secretary that is conveniently and inappropriately in love with her boss, so it's all good. It's a pretty common trope in formulaic romance. No surprises there. The problem for me, lie with the believability of the characters and their dialogue/actions. Despite being advertised as a romance, this was really more of an erotica. The sex scenes were a bit crass in their descriptions, and pretty straight forward. It was obvious from the very beginning of the story that the characters were lusting pretty heavily over one another, and despite the heroine's reassurance that she'd been crushing on Chase for the past five years, I saw the bare minimum of material to back it up. Instead, Brooke came across as a naive secretary lusting after her boss, and Chase came across as a horn-dog playboy. I didn't see the romance. The dialogue, particularly concerning the "romance" was predictable and dramatically overblown to the point of almost being laughable. "You taste so good." (...) "So damn good." (...) "Okay you feel good too baby." It was a bit like a badly scripted porno. I did get all the way through the story, which I guess is something, but honestly, I can't recommend it. It wasn't terrible... but I didn't enjoy it. It's not something I'd read again, and it hasn't sparked any interest to read the following books in the series. If you're looking for a quick erotic read about the relationship between a secretary and her playboy boss... you may enjoy this novella. If you're looking for an actual romance.. keep walking.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Chef's Mail Order Bride (Wild West Frontier Brides #1); Author: Cindy Caldwell; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: The Chef's Mail-Order Bride by Cindy Caldwell was a sweet little gem of a read. The plot was fun and emotionally complicated in a way that only historical books can be. Relationships back in the days of carriages and strict societal propriety rules were often driven by motives other than romance, and it often lead to situations that could be heartbreaking when they eventually went wrong. Luckily, things, though not perfect, went very right in this story. I adored the characters, especially the strong willed and hard working main character and her unexpected beau, Tripp, who was a bit arrogant and stubborn, but also endearingly sweet and thoughtful. The two characters were alike in many ways, but that didn't keep them from butting heads. The conflict in their relationship really drove the plot and made the story fun and engaging. I do wish that there had been more sexual tension (or heck, any at all) between them, but I realize that this was meant to be a sweet, clean read, so I can't fault the author for that. Technically speaking, the book was well written. There was only a handful of errors, and nothing so serious as to distract from the plot The text was clean and easy to read and the pace moved along steadily. I didn't get hung up on awkward dialogue or unbelievable character decisions. Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a fun, quick read with a sweet romance, and a fun western feel. I'd recommend it for anyone looking for a clean historical romance to read over a short weekend.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Devil and the Deep (Ceruleans, #4); Author: Megan Tayte; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I'm still in a little conflict over how I feel about Devil and the Deep by Megan Tayte. Don't get me wrong, I loved the book... but it wasn't my favorite out of the series. The front half of the book felt a little slow to me. Not a lot happened. I read the book 20% at a time, and I didn't feel like I was itching to get back into the book each time I put it down... If I'd put down the book halfway through, I would have shrugged and moved on--but, I am glad that I continued to read because the second half of the book was much better. Technically speaking, the book was well written. The pacing was steady, the writing was fluid and easy to follow. I ran into a few minor typos, but nothing that distracted me from the text, or would have made me put the book down. Once again, I loved all the characters.... even Evangeline. It was a solid addition to the series as a whole up until this point. But, like I said, the first half of the book just didn't engage me like I'd expected. The ending was great. There was drama and chaos and lines were being crossed, and I was engrossed. When that last line hit, I bemoaned the end of the story. I wanted more. Overall, I really liked the book. Was it the best book in the series? For me, no. Was it enjoyable? Definitely. Would I recommend it? Yes. If you've enjoyed the previous books in this series, you'll probably enjoy this one too. I can't wait for the fifth book!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beyond the Fortuneteller's Tent (Beyond, #1); Author: Kristy Tate; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: What a strange, but entertaining book. I picked up Beyond the Fortune Teller's Tent by Kristy Tate on a whim after spotting it on Amazon for FREE. I'm a huge fan of time travel, and the book seemed to be right up my alley. I wasn't wrong. As far as the technical side of things goes, the book was well written. There were one or two typos, but nothing that distracted me from the story for more than a split second. The writing was clear and easy to follow, and I was engaged with the story from the very first page until the very last. I adored the characters--particularly Emory, but also Mary, Anne, and Garret. I'll admit I had my doubts about Petra--no offense to the teen, but there were times when she made really stupid comments/decisions that made me want to roll my eyes. I understood why she made them, though. She was definitely a fish out of water in the 1600's. My biggest complaints were the loopholes and tiny unfinished bits throughout the book. They weren't enough to make me not enjoy the story as a whole, but they were distracting from time to time. One minute Petra was convinced she was dreaming, the next she knew exactly what year she was in without ever having to ask. She went from not knowing what to do in her relationship with Emory, to suddenly being in a genuine relationship with very little transition. I sometimes just had to step back, take a breath, and say "okay, so, that's a thing now." and move on. Overall, it was a good book. Was it the best time travel romance I've read? No. I wish there had been a little more world building--but it was still a decent read, and it fit the YA genre well. It was a fun little adventure, a sweet romance, and I'm happy to have read it. If you like YA fantasy Romances, particularly delving into time travel, I recommend you give this a try.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Yellowstone Fugitive (A BBW Menage Bear Shifter Romance) (Beasts of Yellowstone, #1); Author: Saige Silver; Genres: paranormal, fantasy; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is one of those books that hit me at an odd time. I don't general seek out Menage or BBW Romance fiction. I don't necessarily have a problem with the genres, they just don't specifically interest me, so when I was contacted by the author for an honest review, I'm not sure what made me pick up the book and say "Sure, I'll give you an honest review!" Oddly enough, I kind of liked the book. Technically speaking, the book was pretty well written. There were less than a handful of errors throughout the book - which is pretty spectacular for an Indie read. The writing flowed well, kept a decent pace, and I never felt lost or confused throughout the narrative. And despite the problems I did have with the book, I still continued to read the book, and for the most part, enjoyed it. My biggest problem with the book came with the categorization. This didn't feel like a true Romance novel. It's not that there wasn't romance in it (because there was), but the romance really took a back seat to more prominent Erotica tone that was all through the book. The book was filled with extremely steamy sex scenes on a pretty regular basis, and the language used to portray those scenes was... blunt, I guess is the word I'm looking for. It was obvious to me that the way in which the scenes were written was in itself a form of 'dirty talk' meant to bring up very specific feelings in the reader. The erotic tone was very deliberate. For an Erotica, this would be fantastic. For a Romance? I was expecting something a little more Romance-driven, and a little less in my face as far as the sex went. That aside, I liked the plot, the voice of the narrator, I even liked the characters (for the most part). My only other complaint is that the dialogue at times could be incredibly cheesy. I think the book was meant to be a little more light-hearted and fun than I took it, but that kind of silliness just isn't to my personal taste. Overall, I'd give the book 3 stars. The book didn't fit my tastes well, and I think it was categorized wrong, but it wasn't awful. I didn't hate it. I don't think it's a bad book.... it's just not my favorite. I give it a "meh" rating overall. I'm glad I picked it up and gave it a try. I liked a lot of it, just not all of it. If you're looking for a fun, quick erotic read involving grizzly bear shifters and a BBW heroine, I'd suggest you pick it up and give it a try. If you're looking for something a little more romance driven, you may want to give this one a pass.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Witch Hunter (Witches of the Woods #1); Author: Steffanie Holmes; Genres: history, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I'm actually a little surprised to say that I really enjoyed this book. I'm not huge on BDSM or dungeon play in my romance. I don't particularly have a problem with it, but I don't actively seek it out, and it's always left me feeling a little uncomfortable when it pops up in my romance reading, so when I went into Witch Hunter by Steffanie Holmes, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about that aspect of the plot. Surprisingly, I was completely fine with it--though I know there will be some people out there that won't. So before I get much further into this review and waste your time, let me say that there are quite a few scenes held within this book where the main female lead is strapped into or onto torture devices. She was in pain... BUT she was also consenting and enjoyed herself. If that isn't your thing, then feel free to move on. That being said, even though there was a fair bit of somewhat torturous BDSM involved, I never felt like Ulrich was being intentionally cruel or harmful to Ada, even when she was in genuine pain. I never questioned that she was happy to be put in the situation she was in and she enjoyed it. The situation was tricky, though. She was, after all, in a real dungeon dealing with a man who "tortured and burned witches at the stake" for a living, and I can understand how some more sensitive readers may find this book a little much to handle. To each his own, right? Personally, I thought the story was fabulous. I loved Ulrich as the dark and brooding anti-hero and Ada as the sadly naive newbie witch. The characters were colorful and distinct, and though I didn't like all of them (I'm looking at you Bernadine), I felt they were necessary to the plot and well written. Now, I was holding onto an ARC copy, so there were a few typos here and there (all of which I turned into the author/publisher), but none of them were distracting or particularly detrimental to the story. For the most part, the writing was clean, easy to follow, and well paced. My only nitpick was one particular scene where Ada had been held in a dungeon for days on end before she was ravished by Ulrich, and I just kept thinking "omg... I bet she smells so bad right now." She'd had rotten food thrown at her, she'd been locked in a damp cell with little food or water, and she certainly hadn't had a bath... and I'm sure the guy loved her dearly...but... ew. Overall? I really enjoyed the book. It was a great romp into medieval paranormal fantasy. If you're a fan of Dark Romance, give it a try. You may really enjoy this book! If BDSM/Dark Romances are your thing, you may want to look for something a little fluffier...but you'll; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Poison (Wind Dancer, #1); Author: Lan Chan; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed Poison by Lan Chan. The first book in the series, and my first foray into Lan Chan's writing, I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I picked up this book, but I soon discovered the amazing action-packed adventure of Aurora Gray. As far as the technical side of the narrative is concerned, the book was extremely well written. I ran into no more than two or three errors in the entire book (which is pretty damn good considering this was an ARC from NetGalley). The sentences were well structured and easy to follow, the narrative kept a steady, fast pace, and I didn't stumble over awkward phrases, tense, or POV problems. Setting wise, Poison forayed into a unique dystopian world, set in a far future Australia. The world building was easy to pick up and detailed in a way that seemed expansive without bogging me down with too much terminology or explanations. I was engaged with the story from the very beginning and had trouble putting it down. It was that good. The characters were both complicated and unique, and though some of them weren't particularly nice, I can't pick out any that bothered me or irritated me in any way. I liked even the characters who avidly worked to thwart Aurora in her quest to reach and then survive the Citadel. I think out of all the characters, though, Aiden and Aurora were definitely my favorite. There was a chemistry between them both as rivals, friends, potential lovers, and enemies that I ate up with a spoon. Even when they were bickering I loved the dynamics of their relationship--and honestly, I'm still not sure which side Aiden stands on... Aurora's, or the Seeders. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and I'm extremely glad that I picked it up on a whim. It was everything I love about YA Dystopians without any overly whiny characters. If you're looking for an action-packed YA Dystopian that's heavily situated in fantasy and world building (and NOT zombies for once), I'd highly recommend that you give this book a try. It isn't heavy in romance, so if you're looking for a book with more story and less teenage angst, this may be the book for you. I know I'll definitely be heading on into the rest of the series. This one is going on my keeper shelf.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dragon Romance: Rising Inferno; Author: Lucile Wild; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I honestly don't know what I was thinking when I picked this novella up. I was asked to give it a review, and I thought "why not, I've never read a dragon romance before!" What ensued, was a very strange 15-30 minutes where my face was continually stuck in "WTF" mode. Even now, I'm still kind of laughing at the absurdity. Here's the thing... the description, the tags on GoodReads, and the very title on both GoodReads and amazon (BBW Menage) are a lie. This is not a menage. There is no evidence of anything BBW. The cover shows a disproportionate Asian guy with feathery wings--but let's be clear, the man in the novella actually has bat wings--and in no way does the main character, Skye, ever try to fight her growing attraction for Raiku. What this book is, is a very short 33 page encounter between a naive country bumpkin from Texas (who couldn't be more stereotypical. I live in Texas, and no one talks like her or dresses like her here.) and a very quiet and somewhat shy 'shifter' whose only claim to being remotely dragon-like is his ability to produce fire with his hands and a set of bat wings. He does not actually turn into a dragon. The novella is incredibly short and very sweet, but to be honest, it has its problems. There were a few typos--too many for something this short, and a lot of stereotypes were used. The characters were pretty one dimensional and sweet as cotton candy in a dumb-blonde sort of way. The "romance" between the two main characters was kind of endearing... but wasn't very substantial. The events in the novella span about three days, so the characters barely know each other, and while drawn to one another, I don't know if I'd call it a true "romance". Unfortunately, it wasn't really an "erotica" either. The story ends in the shortest dry-hump "sex" scene I've ever read. I don't even really consider what the characters did sex. They were like two virgin teens playing at sex and failing miserably. That isn't to say the story was all bad, though. Despite its many flaws, I actually kind of liked it. Though the characters had all the depth of a puddle, they were adorable together in a shy "let's hold hands and smile" sort of way. I liked them. Also, despite the time jumps and location switches (as has to happen in all shorter fiction) I didn't feel like the story was rushed. It felt like a complete encounter from beginning to end. The writing wasn't bad... it just wasn't great. Overall, I liked the story, but at the same time, it had a lot of flaws. More importantly, it is not what it is advertised to be. I give this one three stars. It was okay. It made 15-20 minutes of my life more interesting, and I'm glad to have gotten a taste of the author's; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Depths of Lake (The McCain Saga, #3); Author: Keary Taylor; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Although this was an endearing, sweet romance, the style in which it was written made it a less than engaging read for me. Technically speaking, the book was well written. It was grammatically correct, well punctuated, and with the exception of one glaring typo where a word was omitted, it was generally well edited overall. The problem for me lay in the flow of the narrative. Riley's voice was written in a very detached, often abruptly structured way that felt almost robotic at times. She lacked warmth and it made it hard to follow her point of view at times. I didn't have a problem with her personality--on the contrary, I quite liked her--but still, it wasn't always easy to follow her narrative, especially near the beginning and ending of the book. Despite this flaw, I enjoyed the book for the most part. The characters, though not overly deep, were sweet and likeable. The setting was strong, and the romance seemed natural. I liked it. It wasn't perfect--it lacked some of the engaging quality I'd expected, but it wasn't a bad book. I'd recommend it as a light weekend read for anyone who might enjoy a contemporary romance between two broken protagonists.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Spirit Legacy (The Gateway Trilogy, #1); Author: E.E. Holmes; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I liked Spirit Legacy by E.E. Holmes, although it did have a bit of a familiar feel to it. Technically speaking, the book was well written. There were no obvious typos, grammatical errors, or misplaced punctuation. The text read fluidly and cleanly and I felt engaged by the plot and characters. There was, however, one thing that made this a 4 star read rather than a 5 star. The plot was cliche. Teen sees dead people? Been done. Crazy teen sees dead people? Also been done. A Goth character that meets a ghost and doesn't realize he is one? Again, been done. It was all very familiar. I wasn't wowed by any particular part of the story because the plot was the same as hundreds of other books in the genre just like it. There were no surprising twists or big revelations. Does that mean I didn't enjoy the story? No. I did enjoy the story. I liked the characters (mostly), the writing/voice of the book--and sure, the plot was cliche, but I was still entertained. Overall, I liked the book a lot despite its flaws. If you like teen ghost stories or paranormal mysteries, you'll probably like it too. I'd recommend you give it a read. Although it wasn't new or surprising, I look forward to seeing how this story continues further along in the series--who knows, maybe there are surprises in store.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love Beyond Reason (Morna's Legacy, #2); Author: Bethany Claire; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Ah, yet another addition to the Morna's Legacy series. I can't tell you how thrilled I was to discover that the second book in the series revolved around Arran and Blaire, and their complicated and often tragic love story. I fell in love with the two characters during the first installment to the series and was excited to delve into their story. Technically speaking, the story was well written. The narrative moved along at a steady pace, was easy to read, and engaging. There weren't any noticeable typo's or punctuation problems, nor any awkward sentences or grammatical foibles to stumble over. I was sucked into the story right away and felt compelled to find out what would happen to the characters as I read. I couldn't have asked for more! Like the first book, however, the story wasn't without it's problems. Though a little slower paced that the first book, the plot was far more complicated. Problems seemed to be thrown at the various characters right and left--dire problems that should not have easily been overcome... unfortunately, they were usually fixed with little trouble. Many of the issues that arose for the characters were resolved almost before they knew about the problems to begin with, or very easily thereafter. It seemed like fate and luck were on their side, and because of it, it was hard to believe that there was any real danger of the characters not getting their happy ending. I really wished that the tension had been dragged out a little more, and the almost insurmountable problems hadn't been so easily solved. I can't complain too much, though. Despite the all-too-easy way the plot was handled, I did enjoy the story. The characters have evolved and begun to develop more since the first book in the series, and the author stayed true to their voices. Overall, I'm glad I picked up the book. Despite it's negatives, I feel the positives far outshine them. I'm interested to see how the series progresses in the next few books.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love Beyond Hope (Morna's Legacy, #3); Author: Bethany Claire; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I adored this book--much more so than the second in the series. Mitsy was one hell of an intelligent, spitfire of a heroine, and I loved every moment spent with her. Technically speaking, the book was well written. Other than one misused word (Shuttered should not be the equivalent of Shuddered), the writing was practically flawless. I didn't run into any typos, awkward sentences, incorrect grammar, or improper punctuation. The writing was clear and fluid and moved at a good pace. I was sucked into the story from the very beginning and didn't stop until the book was over. I felt the characters were well characterized, and I especially loved Mitsy, Baodan, and E-o (it's okay Mitsy, I can't pronounce or spell his name either). Though Niall was a little too black-hat for my tastes (what I wouldn't give for a cleverly characterized villain who is neither good nor evil, but a delightful shade of gray), he served his purpose... though I still don't entirely understand what his motives were. My only true complaint, once again, is that the romance moved a little too quickly for me to be comfortable. I understand that Mitsy and Baodan fell in lust at first sight. The guy was hot, and she was a quirky redhead. Who wouldn't love her? But, in what seemed like a few short days, they were ready to tie the knot. There was never any tension between them, no obstacles in their way to drive them together or apart as the book wore on. Their relationship was easy, and never in question. I only wish there'd been more drama between them. I like the series so far, but I will admit that it seems to be a running theme that the characters all get pretty easy happily ever after's. For whatever reason, the complications thrown in their way are almost always solved almost before they even cause a problem for the characters, and just about every character is suddenly falling madly in love despite years of not being interested. It doesn't ring as genuine. For hardcore romance readers who enjoy formulaic romance, this isn't going to be a problem... but if you're more of a fantasy reader who enjoys romance as a subplot, you may find it a little hard to believe--as I do. Overall, I enjoyed the book, and I'd recommend it for someone looking for a heartwarming romance with a sassy heroine.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Conall Christmas (Morna's Legacy, #2.5); Author: Bethany Claire; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I'm not the type that usually enjoys novellas. I tend to find them rushed, and too short to really enjoy, so when I do pick one up, it's usually a miracle in and of itself. In this case, it's a bigger one because I actually enjoyed the novella. I know, I was shocked too. A Conall Christmas by Bethany Claire was well written, and even paced. I didn't run into any typos, misplaced punctuation, improper grammar, or awkward sentence structures. The writing was fluid and clear, and the characters were both familiar from the series and endearing. I don't often find myself reading romance fiction where the couple involved is of an older age, nor do I seek it out, but other than one small mental image I did not need, I didn't have a problem with the romance between Adelle and Hew. The two were adorable together, and I was cheering them on throughout the story. That being said, I can't say that I wasn't a little throwna by the author's use of technology in the historical era. It seems almost too easy for things like stereo's and batteries to be accepted openly by the cast of the Morna's Legacy series, but I'll let it slide, because it really was an endearing little story. Overall, I enjoyed the novella, and it really would be a wonderful read for the holiday season--if I had actually read it during the holidays. If you're looking for a quick read to enjoy a little closer to Christmas and you enjoy time travel romances, I suggest you pick this one up and give it a try. It has puppies.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wrong Bride (Highland Weddings, #1); Author: Gayle Callen; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I received The Wrong Bride by Gayle Callen via a Goodreads Giveaway, and as someone who adores historical romance as a genre, I was excited to delve into the book right away. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed. Though the book was what some might consider a formulaic romance, where a love-hate relationship between the main couple spurs on the majority of the story, and everything, of course, ends with a happy ending--that didn't diminish my appreciation for the book. Technically speaking, the book was well written. I ran into one typo (a missed word) somewhere near the end of the book, but other than that, the editing was flawless. The characters made reasonable decisions, had believable dialogue, and the narrative flowed smoothly. I was engaged in the story from the very first paragraph. Enraptured by the sometimes hilarious and tension-filled relationship of Riona and Hugh, I quickly fell in love with the characters and was pulled back into the book time and time again each time I set it down to do something else (like laundry. A girl's gotta live!) Ultimately, I don't have anything to complain about. I enjoyed the book, and though formulaic romance isn't everyone's cup of tea, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone out there that does enjoy the genre.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Gentleman's Surrender (Surrender #2); Author: Mariel Grey; Genres: history, biography, romance, historical fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. A Gentleman's Surrender by Mariel Grey was a bit of a mixed bag from the start. The author obviously put a lot of time into researching the period and the world that Monique inhabited (and yes, I did my own research to figure out that although it sounds more modern, Monique was a French name sometimes used in this time period.. though I can't speak as to how popular it was or why no one seemed to be curious about why this obviously English woman had a very French name)--right down to the shade and brand of makeup she used... but that was also part of the problem. Technically speaking, the writing was decent. There were a few errors here and there, but nothing too jarring. The narrative flowed well in all but a handful of passages (most notably the one, painfully stiff sex scene), and the characters were well portrayed. However, the writing lacked polish. By just a few chapters in, I had already guessed all the main dramatic points of the story. There were times when the author chose to ramble on about the particulars of the period (like the very specific list of makeup that Monique wore, or the current events the characters paused to discuss) that felt all too much like the author was trying to prove their research. It felt out of place and pulled me from the story each and every time it occurred. The story wasn't bad, just a bit formulaic, but these small pieces of the writing where the narrative was less than polished stuck out and dragged down the overall rating of the book. In the end, I gave this 3 stars. It was an entertaining, enjoyable read, but it wasn't a book I'd feel the need to re-read again and again. If you enjoy formulaic historical romance you may really enjoy this book, but be aware that it isn't perfect and it isn't going to be for everyone. If you're looking for something new and unique, this probably isn't going to be your read--this one's going to fit the casual lazy-afternoon reader more than the avid historical romance reader.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Before The Dawn (The Ending Series, #4); Author: Lindsey Fairleigh; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I can honestly say that I was somewhat surprised by this book. I'll admit, the third book in the series was probably my least favorite, and reading the third and fourth book in the span of just a few days had me a little burned out. I went into the fourth book full of trepidation that it was going to be yet another long drag through a narrative where very little happened. Luckily, that wasn't so. Let me first say that the writing in Before The Dawn was pretty damn flawless. I didn't notice any obvious typos, awkward sentences, or grammatical errors. Not a single one--which is pretty amazing. The narrative flowed smoothly at a nice pace throughout, and other than a few short moments at the beginning of the book (Anna's sections of the book weren't my favorite), I didn't feel the need to skim. The characters were unique and complex, and though I sometimes had difficulty throughout the series telling Dani/Zoe and their respective J-named boyfriends apart by tone, I enjoyed their company. Their world was rich, fraught with danger and uncertainty, and unlike the previous book, had some pretty great action oriented moments. This was probably one of my favorite books in the series thus far--it may even be my favorite. The story felt wrapped up by the end, and though it had it's stab at an HEA ending, it wasn't perfect--which kept it from falling into the familiar romance genre trope that often ends with everyone pregnant, married, and all the bad guys defeated. Okay, so maybe there's a smidgen of trope involved, but it was pulled off really well. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and I think it was a fantastic ending to the series. I would highly recommend it to anyone who's been following the series thus far--including those who, like me, may not have enjoyed the third book quite as much.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shadow: The Hoods MC; Author: Heather West; Genres: thriller, crime, romance, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I'm a little up in the air on this particular book. I thought it was going to be a bad boy romance, but it ended up almost being more of an erotica--which is fine if that's what you're expecting and what you're looking for--but it wasn't what I thought I had when I opened it. Technically speaking, the book was pretty well written. There were a few problems with word choice and a typo or two, but nothing too distracting or that broke my immersion in the story. I've certainly seen a lot worse in the genre--so I tip my hat to the editor. The pacing was steady, the narrative flowed fairly well, and the characters had distinct voices with which they narrated their story. The sometimes steamy and even raunchy sex scenes fit the characters, and though they sometimes felt like they came out of left field, they mostly fit into the story. It took some getting used to at first to get comfortable with the differences between the language and tone of the sex scenes vs the normal narrative--but I did get used to it eventually. The premise for the book was interesting though riddled with a handful of plot holes. It was a little hard to sink into, though because I found it difficult to believe that a guy (Shadow) could get together an entire club full of people, his father, and his girlfriend and have them on board with the idea that he was going to murder pedophiles. Yes, pedophiles are awful... but it's dangerous and stupid to tangle with them while also trying to avoid the law. There was no sort of concern for being caught really, and it struck me as difficult to believe. Overall, the story was interesting. I liked the characters (for the most part--I'll admit that Sky came off a little air-headed at times, and Shadow was a bit domineering for my tastes), the interesting plot, and the writing was excellent. I did find it a little hard to engage with--but I think most of that comes from the fact that I wasn't expecting it to lean so heavily towards Erotica vs. Romance, and I wasn't a huge fan of the crime aspect of the book. Still a decent read overall. If you like steamy bad-boy romances with an erotic bent, you'll probably enjoy this book. There is a large portion of the plot dealing with pedophiles and some domineering, but if you're comfortable with it, read on!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jubilee Year (Erelong, #1); Author: Gerard O'Neill; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I had such a hard time qualifying this book when it was time to sit down and give it a review. I guess I should start off by saying that I didn't finish the book. Going in, the premise sounded interesting and right up my alley as far as genres go. I was excited to delve into it--but at the same time, my end of the TBR list has been looming and with only half of December left to finish a 10-book list, I was looking forward to reading through this book quickly and getting it out of my way along with a handful of others. Unfortunately, that isn't what happened. Technically speaking, the book was fairly well written. There were only a few typos that I ran across--and I was reading a copy that hadn't yet been fully edited--so that was understandable. The errors weren't distracting, and overall, it felt like the narrative was well put together. The characters and the settings were interesting, and I had no trouble following the story... but by the time I hit the 5th chapter, I was ready to set the book aside. The pacing was slow in the first five chapters, and scenes that felt as if they should have been engaging and filled with active tension didn't quite hit the mark. Characters described items and actions that weren't important in the current moment and drama, and by the time each scene had played out, I found myself skimming. Honestly, I was bored. It wasn't any one thing that I can point out and say "this is bad" because the narrative was well written... it just didn't capture my interest as quickly as I wanted it to. If I didn't have a book deadline looming, I'd probably have set this aside, given it a week or two to rest, and then picked it back up to try again... but at the same time, I have a belief that books should capture your interest from the first page and not let up until the end.. and however well written this book was, it just didn't do that for me. Overall, Jubilee Year just wasn't my cup of tea--but if you're a sci-fi apocalyptic story fan, I'd recommend that you pick this up and give it a try. I have no doubt that there are going to be a lot of people out there that enjoy the book much more than I.. I just don't have the time to dally with it right now if it isn't going to hold my interest, and it didn't.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Flight of the Wren; Author: Atthys J. Gage; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, young-adult; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Another great book by author, Atthys J. Gage. I read Flight of the Wren alongside my 12-year-old daughter, which, I'll admit, probably wasn't the brightest idea. Parents: There is kissing, sex, and profanity in this book. You've been warned. That being said, we skimmed over the questionable content, and still managed to greatly enjoy the book together. As far as the technical side of the book goes, the story was, for the most part, written well. There were some typos, some poorly constructed sentences that we had to re-read once or twice, but overall, the pacing was solid, the main character was interesting, and the narrative had some genuine laugh-out-loud moments. Was it perfect? No... but it was still good. Obviously, things weren't all rainbows and puppies. The romance was fairly superficial. Girl meets guy one night, and before you know it, they're having sex and dating. It wasn't convincing, and honestly, I wasn't rooting for the couple as I should have. I didn't feel invested in their relationship, and in the words of my daughter "those parts were boring." I probably wouldn't go that far, but I do agree that overall, I just wasn't interested in Wren and Stonechat's relationship. It was a minor part of the plot that tried very hard to be the majority of it.. and I think the story probably would have been better off without it. There were a chapter or two that were for the majority, monolog's of one character (Parnell & Raven) explaining things to the main character, that were long, and I probably could have done without. I'm not a huge fan of having to have a majority of the plot explained to me by a character. I just feel there are more interesting ways of handing over the information. To be fair, though, there was a lot of information that the reader needed to know in a very short period of time, so I kind of get it. The last point of contention both I and my daughter had was the ending. It was depressing. There was so little explained in the book--so many open ended questions that had no answers, that when the book ended without even the tiniest sliver of hope to cling to, we were both left sitting there wondering why the book had just ended on such a sour note. It felt as if the author had skimmed over all the interesting parts of the world building--the wind sprites, the orb, who the next keeper might be, what really happened to mistral and stonechat, why Wren was found the way she was near the end of the book--all these tiny bits of interest that weren't played out or explained that could have been. Instead, we got a sad ending shot of a depressed girl reciting poetry. Neither of us enjoyed the ending. All of that aside, however, I have to make this clear: we enjoyed the book. For all of the; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Lady's Submission (The Warriors of Ar'mora #1); Author: Frank Carlyle; Genres: history, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. You know that phrase "I can't even.", that's how I feel about this book. I didn't get past the first sentence before I realized this was going to be a very difficult read. The wind whipped viciously back and forth across the land ever strengthened by the rising tempest of the ocean and beat against the rocks of the foundation of the last of the Sea People's fortresses. This pretty much summed up the entirety of what I read from that point forward (and I didn't make it far). The writing was excruciatingly verbose and complicated in structure to the point of being clunky and muddled. Run on sentences, a formal tone with a lack of punctuation, and strange word choices made me cringe. The story didn't flow, and the dialogue was easily just as formal and unnatural sounding as the narrative. I thought him beyond speech as he lay staring up into my eyes with all the love of a father that I had yearned to watch grow old and enjoy playing with the offspring of my loins. I pushed, really pushed to get past the first chapter of this story several times, and finally, I decided the book wasn't for me. The writing -maybe- would have held up in a high fantasy, but as a historical erotica, it was just... poorly written, and needlessly complicated... and I don't think it should be a chore to read a book. I couldn't get past the language to enjoy the characters or the plot, and it was frustrating and tedious. Eventually, I gave up and declared this a DNF. There may be someone out there that enjoys this kind of writing... but for an erotica novel, where the sex is basically the entire reason for reading the book... the language of the narrative and characters just wasn't appropriate, and I wouldn't recommend it.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Midnight Burning (The Norse Chronicles, #1); Author: Karissa Laurel; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. To be honest, I'm not sure how best to categorize Midnight Burning by Karissa Laurel. Going into the story I didn't know a lot about the book, and at first, I was under the mistaken impression that this was going to be a werewolf-oriented paranormal romance. Don't ask me why. It was so much more than that. The book was part romance, part paranormal thriller with a whole lot of Nordic mythology thrown in. The plot was interesting and complex, filled with healthy doses of danger, a smoldering love triangle and supernatural powers woven together with a new spin on a very old mythos. I was engrossed from the very beginning. The book was well written, fast paced, and I never felt the need to pause, re-read, or put the book down until the very end. The characters were complex and distinct (with the exception of some of the minor Valkyrie characters, but who cares?). Honestly, my only real complaint about the book at all is that I was kind of perturbed by the abrupt ending. It seemed like just when the romance was about to break through into something juicy, the book ended. My inner fangirl died a little as I was really looking forward to seeing where the relationship between Solina and Thorin might go. Instead, the situation was left open-ended. On one hand, I understand. I'm sure (read: I hope) there will be further books in this series that will delve further into the romance, but on the other hand, my romance-reader heartfelt unfulfilled. Either way, it was a good book. I loved the mythos, the danger, Solina's ever-growing and out of control powers...and I can't really argue the ending because although it wasn't what I wanted, it was intriguing. I enjoyed my peek into the work of this new author, and I can't wait to see how this story will evolve as the series goes on. If you're looking for a solid paranormal thriller with a bit of romance and mythology mixed in, I'd highly recommend you check this book out.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Journey Through War and Peace: Explorations of a Young Filmmaker, Feminist and Spiritual Seeker; Author: Melissa Burch; Genres: history, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. My Journey Through War and Peace by Melissa Burch was a strange adventure through the life and career of a young war journalist. The story explored the ups and downs of this young woman's life, her career in journalism, her experiences with feminism and sexuality, and ultimately her spiritualism. I found it to be an interesting story of disillusionment, understanding, fear, and ultimately a sort of peace as she worked her way through her early career and relationships and tried to ultimately come to terms with who she was and what she wanted out of the different aspects of her life. It wasn't an easy tale--there were many terrifying moments, questionable choices, and compromises that were to be made, but it was certainly interesting. To be frank, it wasn't the type of story I normally read. I very rarely delve into non-fiction and certainly not memoirs, and I can't say that it's something I would pick up and re-read, but I am glad to have read it. If you're interested in autobiographical memoirs dealing with some pretty heavy topics, I think there's a good chance you might find this a really interesting read.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Spark; Author: Atthys J. Gage; Genres: paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I have the oddest feeling walking away from this book that I'm not sure I can even begin to describe. Spark by Atthys J. Gage was not what I was expecting, and yet it hit the bullet points of everything it promised. Even now, half an hour after finishing the book, I sit here and marvel at what I just read in a strange state of confusion. Technically speaking, the book was very well written. I ran across two typos in the entirety of the book, but the narrative was otherwise clean, easy to follow, and lacked grammatical mistakes. The dialogue felt natural, and the characters felt real. I liked them. All of them--even the mean-spirited sarcastic best friend. I was pulled into the story from the get-go, and never felt the need to skim, put the book down, or re-read. Francy, strange name aside, was a compelling and likeable character, and Spark, her light-ball sidekick was a curious--dare I say, "interesting"--little creature that kept me hooked until the very last page. (See what I did there, fellow readers?) The plot itself... well, that's where some of my confusion comes in. Don't get me wrong, I -loved- this book. I really enjoyed it and was thoroughly entertained... but there were parts that were hard to follow. The pocket universe was, well, weird to say the least. Even having finished the book I'm not sure I understand what all was happening throughout those sequences even when I understood the concept of entropy. Frankly, my dissatisfaction (and why this didn't get a full five stars) came down to the ending. The book felt unfinished. There was this sense of increasing tension throughout the book with the murders, the appearance of spark, and the pocket dimension that begged for a huge mind-blowing reveal and ultimate battle to save Francy's world... and I felt the ending fell short of that. I won't get into too much detail because SPOILERS--but it fell a bit flat for me. I was expecting more.... and then the end o the book came and went, and I sat back and went "Oh. That's it?" Does that change how much I liked the book? No. I enjoyed it, and I want to read more from this author... but on the same token, I'm seriously hoping for a sequel to help explain and further iron out what happened in Spark. It doesn't feel done to me. Overall, I loved the book. It was both better, and odder than I expected, and I was entertained. Spark is perfect for young teens on up, and I'd have no problem handing it over to my twelve-year-old to read. If you like YA fantasy or science fiction with a little bit of romance and a whole lot of strange, I'd definitely suggest checking this out.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Splintered Souls (Flames of Time, #1); Author: Erica Lucke Dean; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Why did this book have to end? That's what I shouted when I closed the cover of Splintered Souls by Erica Lucke Dean. It was that good. From the very beginning, the book drew me in with its rich narrative voice and complex characters, and by the time the romance kicked in--well... I was done for. The plot was engaging, and the characters were equal parts complex and heartbreakingly perfect. The pace moved at a steady jaunt and didn't let up even as the book ended. Honestly, I can't think of a single problem to complain about. I loved this book. Maddox, Laith, and Ava were only a few of the amazing cast of characters, and I can't even begin to pick which was my favorite. If you like New Adult Romance, particularly with a bent towards the paranormal and time travel, I would highly recommend that you pick up this book. I can't wait to read more into the series. Now excuse me while I go look up everything the author's ever written.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Desert Sheikh vs American Princess (Jewels of the Desert #2); Author: Teresa Morgan; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. This was an amazingly fun, light-hearted read filled with snarky imaginary friends, a pirate princess, lost treasure, and loads of sexual tension. When I picked up Desert Sheikh vs American Princess, I wasn't sure what I was getting into. I expected your usual formulaic girl meets foreign prince sort of story that has been done a thousand times, and in some ways, that's what it was--and that's fine. I like formulaic romance. It's cosy and familiar, and when all you want is to sit down and read a book that's going to make you feel good, it's a great way to fill that need.--but that isn't all that this story was. There was humor, sexual tension, romance, friendship, and daring escapades. The characters were fantastic--I loved each and every one of them, especially Bonnie Read, the 11-year-old imaginary friend of the lead character. It was fun to get to see Noelle's inner child reach out and try her hardest to remind her of who she was (and also get her into a ton of trouble). The sheikh held dominance without being domineering, and though a little slow to warm up, was an all around great guy, and the perfect male lead for Noelle. Noelle herself was equal parts Bonnie--adventurous and rebellious--and her father's daughter... clever and business savvy. I loved all of them, even the minor characters, and those that were meant to be enemies. The writing was fluid, clean, and easy to read with the exception of a few minor typos I found here and there, but nothing too jarring as to distract from the story overall. The narrative was fast paced and gripped my attention, and before I knew it, the book was over in a matter of a few hours. I have to say, overall, I loved the book, and I didn't expect to. I thought it was going to be yet another formulaic read--nothing special. Instead, I found a hilariously funny read filled with steamy sex, endearing characters, and a fun pirate adventure waiting for me. I couldn't be more pleased. If you're looking for a fun, fast-paced romance I would highly recommend that you pick this book up and give it a try.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Masquerade with a Marquess (Regency Romp #3); Author: Cerise DeLand; Genres: history, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I tried so hard to like this book. I am generally a sucker for historical romances, particularly from the Regency era, but regardless of how may times I picked up and set down this book, I just couldn't get into it. Technically speaking, the book was well written. I didn't run into obvious typos, illogical behavior, or grammatical mistakes. The pacing, however, was extremely slow, even tedious at times. It seemed as if the book focused less on the romance aspect of the plot, and instead spent more time on the historical aspect of the time period. The narrative slogged through the complexities of the dialogue and character thought processes--often focusing entirely on the intrigue of the art theft and little else. At 50% into the story, almost nothing of significance outside of small talk between the characters seemed to happen and there came a point when I picked up my Kindle, read a paragraph, and said, "That's it. I can't continue reading this. I'm bored." And I was. So incredibly bored. This isn't the type of book I'd normally DNF. As I've said, historical romance is one of my favorite genres to read; I usually know that no matter the content of the book, I'm going to fall in love with it. I didn't love this. I'm sure there will be people out there who eat this story up with a spoon. It is a story of passion, intrigue, and drama... but it just wasn't for me. I expected a little more romance, a little less intrigue than what I got.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Emerge (Mer Chronicles #1); Author: Tobie Easton; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Emerge by Tobie Easton is one of those books I could easily dismiss as a 5 star read because it's a YA book and call it a day. "It's meant for kids" seems to be a popular mantra when it comes to explaining away plot holes and inconsistencies. I'm not going to do that, though, because as good as this book was--and don't get me wrong, it was good--there were certainly some world building problems that dragged this down to a 4 star read for me. First, though, let's get the technical bits out of the way. The book was exceedingly well written/edited. I didn't run into any obvious typos grammatical mistakes or inconsistencies. The narrative flowed well and at a steady pace throughout. I was engaged by the narrative voice from the very beginning all the way to the end of the book. The cast of characters was colorful and for the most part, likable (except for Mel and her father) and overall, well characterized. In fact, except for the way the mermaid's anatomy and their homes were handled, I don't have much to complain about. I know it's easy to dismiss the mermaid aspects of the story because it's a YA Fantasy novel... but I wasn't buying it. The mishmash of fantasy and uncomfortably awkward way the mermaid's transformation was handled made for a strange chunk of world building. I found it hard to follow along with how the mermaid architecture and the how the intricacies of underwater life worked. Maybe I'm being a nitpicker, but it didn't work for me. That aside, I loved the book. I loved almost everything about it, and I'm glad I read it in the end. I think it'd make a great addition to any mermaid lover's bookshelf, and let's be honest here... who doesn't love mermaids?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Immurement (The Undergrounders, #1); Author: Norma Hinkens; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. There's so much that I want to say about Immurement by Norma Hinkens that it's been hard for me to take it all and bundle it up into an organized review. On one hand, the book had a lot of problems--some of them big problems--but on the other hand, it was a very solid read, and depending on how much certain aspects of the plot bother you, this may be a fantastic read, or a very "meh" one for you. Technically speaking, the book was well written. There were maybe two typos in the whole book (missing words in sentences mostly), but nothing so big as to make me pause for more than a second. It was still easy to understand the narrative and what was happening, even with the errors. The narrative itself was well paced, the sentences flowing easily, and I liked the main character. She was interesting and placed in a very stressful situation that had me wanting to read more to find out how she was going to handle everything the author threw at her. The book was action-packed and kept me reading straight through in just a handful of hours. But there were some pretty serious problems with the book as well. This was by no means a new plot. I saw bits and pieces of plot ideas thrown in from an array of dystopians I've read before--and I'm not saying that's necessarily bad. I love dystopians, and there are very few original ideas out there anymore...but by the same token, I wish there had been more to this particular book that had made it stand out as something new to the genre. I won't point out other series or authors, but I can say that the plot of this book was extremely similar to another dystopian series I've read, just minus a space-related central theme. The familiarity made me sit back and go "oh. okay." rather than "wow! what's going to happen next?" One minor problem for me was the lukewarm romance sub-plot between Sven, Jakob, and Derry. There was no sexual or romantic tension in this love triangle, and although the author kept reassuring the reader that Derry had feelings and chemistry with Sven and Jakob... I wasn't feeling it. It just didn't seem genuine. Another minor problem was the obvious casting of the dog, Tucker, as a plot device. I know, I know. It's a dog! So cute! But it seemed like he knew an extraordinarily absurd amount of commands and hand signals for a dog that belonged to a pair of teenage suburbanites. When Derry got lost, the dog jumped in and showed her the way. When Derry couldn't decide if someone was good or bad, the dog would give his opinion. Other than chime in to keep the plot moving by solving complications for Derry, the dog didn't seem to exist for any other reason. To be honest, some parts of the book left me; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Whatever It Takes (A Saratoga Falls Love Story, #1); Author: Lindsey Pogue; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Whatever It Takes is the first contemporary new adult romance I've read by Lindsey Pogue, but certainly not the first book of hers I've delved into. I wasn't initially sure how I was going to feel about a change of genres from the author because some authors simply don't write well in several genres, so while excited to read another book by a favorite author of mine, I went into this book with a healthy dose of trepidation. Luckily, it was unwarranted. This was a solid romance read. The characters were full of depth and likable, the narrative was well-written and only contained a few typos (though to be fair, I got this book as an ARC pre-publication, so there's a chance those typos are probably fixed by now). The pace was steady, the sentence structure flowed well... I have nothing to complain about. It was a good book. If I had to pick out one thing I questioned about this all around well-balanced read, it would be the ending. I don't know what I was expecting (okay, that's a lie, I was expecting the usual trope-y romance ending where the couple got married and had a pregnancy prolog)--and for a while that seemed like what I was getting... but it wasn't real clear. The book ended with a strange extra scene between Mac and Sam that was obviously meant as a teaser for the second book in the series, but to me, it felt a little out of place. It wasn't a big deal. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I wasn't sure I'd like it. I'm a huge romance reader, so when an author switches from dystopian to a flat out romance genre book, I'm a little nervous that it isn't going to meet my expectations, but I liked it. It turned out well, it met my overall expectations, and I'm happy that I read it. I did knock it down 1 star because of the strange vague ending but don't let that discourage you. If you like contemporary new adult romance, I recommend you give this a try.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Resthaven; Author: Erik Therme; Genres: young-adult, thriller, children, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Resthaven by Erik Therme was not exactly what I was expecting when I opened the front cover, and yet, was everything it promised. A good old-fashioned YA Thriller set in a creepy, abandoned retirement home, the pages of Resthaven were filled with terrifying moments, a vivid atmosphere, and ever-present danger. The book was thrilling, scary, and engaging in a way that kept me reading as I devoured the story of Kaylee and her group of angsty teenage friends. Okay, so they weren't really friends in the strictest sense of the world. In fact, as far as I could tell, none of the teens even liked each other. Jamie was a wreck of a spoiled trust-fund teen who drew in broken people around her and continually told them how lucky they were to even be in her presence. Personally, I couldn't stand her. For the most part, the characters were selfish, cowardly, and at times very close to being considered crazy. Kaylee though not perfect, seemed to be the most stable of the bunch. My favorite character by far, though was Corbin, the deaf, dinosaur-loving kid who lived in little more than a closet. Without him, this story would have been vastly different. He really helped to solidify Kaylee as the protagonist and kept the plot moving. Honestly, I liked the book a lot, but I wasn't a fan of the characters. I found it hard to identify with them, and the story leading up to the scavenger hunt at Resthaven seemed flimsy. Did I enjoy the book? Yes. It was engaging, well edited, and the danger was exciting... but I don't think it was as good as it could have been. In the end, I gave it a solid 4 stars because even though it wasn't perfect, it was still an engaging read, and I'm glad to have read it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Escape (Alliance, #1); Author: Inna Hardison; Genres: young-adult, children, poetry, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wanted to like Escape by Inna Hardison, but to be honest, I had to push--really push--to get through it. As far as the technical bits go, the book was pretty well edited. I only ran into one error in the entire book--which is pretty damn amazing. The characters were complex and interesting, the plot, while not a new concept, was well-detailed and engaging. The world building was well thought out, and the pace of the narrative was pretty steady throughout. ... but the narrative voice lacked soul and a sense of fluidity. Regardless of how much I liked the plot, the world building, and the characters, I just could not get past the oddly detached way that the narrative was written. It was like the author had sucked out every sense of genuine emotion or fluid language and replaced the narrator with an alien creature that had only the barest understanding of how human's see the world. The story was told, events happened as they should, but every bit of beautiful prose, colorful description, and tension was shoved into a box and hidden in some dark recess out of sight. And the worst, most unbelievable thing happened... the escape scene that I can only assume this book was named for, was completely left out. One minute the characters are plotting their escape, and the next, they've already escaped and are on the run. I could only sit back and wonder how on Earth the most important scene had been skipped over. Honestly, it was exhausting to read through. I did make it to the end of the book, and I can tell you that I liked the story and the characters... but I don't know that I'd read it again, and I probably won't continue on with the series. I'm just not a fan of narrative that dry. If you like dry, maybe even quirky dystopian, you may appreciate this book, but I don't think it's going to be the right book for every dystopian reader.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: My Best Friend's Bear: (Wild Ties Book 1); Author: Eva Thorne; Genres: paranormal, fantasy; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. My Best Friend's Bear by Eva Thorne was a bit of a mixed bag for me. There were some definite positive qualities to the story... but by the same token, there were a lot of negatives as well. The book was... well, poorly written if I'm honest. There were numerous typos, one or two tense problems, and a few formatting errors. They were a little distracting, but not to the point of absurdity--it just made me wonder if the editor that looked over this book really took enough time to properly look over the book. The typos were pretty blatant, and not easily skimmed over, so I feel like even though I received a copy of this book pre-publish date (by about a week), they really should have been cleaned up before hand. Technical issues aside, the writing seemed a bit rushed, even clunky at times. The sex scenes especially were awkward, sort of skimmed over, and littered with an array of replacement words, as if the author had tried hard not to say the same thing the same way more than once. Look, there's only so many ways you can describe the same body part... and the more attempts an author makes to rename that body part on one page, the more obvious it becomes that they're trying too hard to do so. Coupled with the fact that the "romance" was little more than thinly veiled erotica... well, it made the sex scenes sound awkward and not genuine. Don't get me wrong though, for all the nitpicky roll-my-eyes moments that the book gave me, it was actually an entertaining read. I really liked the main character and her strange, talkative and humorous voice. She made the narrative fun and surprising, and it was nice seeing a book of this particular genre trying to throw in some humor. I also liked that the main character was a bit of an underdog, and though she wasn't a skinny, beautiful, sex-bomb like her roommate, she was able to hold her own and eventually learn to appreciate herself--even if she wasn't perfect. While not the end all, be all of a romance novel, this was a short, easy read that kept me entertained--and there's not much more I can ask for. It certainly had it's fair share of problems, but I'm willing to give it a little leeway because this is a new author. It'll be interesting to see how the author's work will evolve as time goes on. Though the book isn't going to be for everyone, it makes a great light read for someone looking for something fun to devour in a few hours... just try not to take the typos seriously.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Descended from Dragons (Moonlight Dragon, #1); Author: Tricia Owens; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Descended From Dragons by Tricia Owens was so much more than I expected. I'll be honest; I get a dozen or more review requests a day from hopeful authors, so as you can imagine, I'm fairly picky about what I accept. This was one of those books that I saw and thought "meh... it's going to be hokey probably, but what the hell. I haven't read anything like it in awhile." and I picked it up on a whim. Thank goodness I did. I loved it. The characters were colorful and unique, the writing was fluid and easy to follow. I ran into no typos or mistakes in the narrative.... it was a joy to read--and it was funny. I so rarely get humorous romance books, so I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The idea of the magical pawn shop that Anne oversees was genius. I found it incredibly interesting, and what I wouldn't give to be able to peruse the shelves! If I had one (okay two) nitpicks, they'd be 1. I wish there was more romance... because it was adorable. and 2. I wish the book had been longer because I honestly didn't want to put it down. If you're a fan of urban fantasy / paranormal / romance with a hint of humor, I would highly recommend you pick this up and give it a try. I'll definitely be looking forward to reading further into the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Story Prompts That Work; Author: Carly Berg; Genres: non-fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Though this wasn't my usual read, I love getting books on writing, and I love reviewing them just as much... because it's always easy to tell if the author has written something genuinely helpful, or if they've jumped on the bandwagon of regurgitating information for profit. This, I'm pleased to report, was the real deal. The prompts were diverse and offered up a variety of ideas and suggestions for multiple lengths and genres of writing. Though I'd like to point out, the author did tend to lean more readily towards odd, even humorous flash fiction. There were enough prompts, I felt, to provide multiple ideas for just about any author, often with examples of story starters. The book was well edited, clean, and casual in tone, and I found it an easy read. For those looking for story prompts or ideas without being handed specific, hand-crafted topics, I'd definitely suggest this book as a place to start. The prompts are written in such a way as to make you think and imagine your own stories, often giving inspiration or advice on ways to think up your own topics. I found it very useful.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Relentless Pursuit; Author: Ella Jade; Genres: romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I don't usually read books that delve into BDSM. It's not that it makes me uncomfortable (to each his own, right?) I just have no interest in it personally, so usually, I try to avoid books I know have BDSM in them - but when I was given the chance to pick up Relentless Pursuit by Ella Jade, I thought "why not?" I like to read new things now and then, and honestly, I'm glad I gave it a chance. As far as the technical side of the book went, it was fairly well written. There was one typo that stuck out to me, which is pretty negligible in the grand scheme of things. Overall, the book was clean, flowed well, and the dialogue didn't sound incredibly hokey. I have no complaints. The only truly niggling little thing that bothered me, was the premise of the book. Here's the thing: there were a lot of aspects of this book that were new to me. The club was something I hadn't particularly seen in another book. The best friend's kid sister thing... well, I've seen that in other romances, but not in romances like this one. However, there was this correlation between the majority of this book and another very popular 'BDSM' book that made me a bit uncomfortable. Similar circumstances with the characters. Similar scenes. A similar order of scenes. Even similar occupations. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but the similarities were so striking that at times it made it hard for me to sink into the book. I started looking for those similarities, and I found a lot of them. BUT, and it's a big 'but', I think this book did it better. Where the other book-that-shall-not-be-named lacked in strong characters, consent, and proper BDSM practices, this book brought it's A-game. This is what the other book should have been, and sadly fell devastatingly short of. So, I'm all right with it - and I'm going to leave it at that. Was this the type of book I'd search out to read? No, but that's just my personal preference. Was it entertaining? Yes. Did it keep my attention? Yes. Was it well written? Yes. Did it live up to the synopsis? Sure. I can't fault this book for what it was. If you're looking for a light BDSM themed romance/erotica to sink into - something that may be an introduction into BDSM literature, I'd suggest you start here. It's a solid read, and not so heavily BDSM that it's going to scare away the average reader who wants to dabble into reading the genre.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Smoke and Mirrors (Blackhollow Academy #1); Author: Jess Haines; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. This book couldn't' have come through my inbox at a better time. I was looking for a good, solid romance that I could effortlessly sink into for an afternoon... and staring at me was a long list of books I'd been asked to read that I wasn't sure fit into that category. I couldn't have been happier that this was the book that I picked up. Technically speaking, the book was flawless. I didn't catch any obvious typos or grammatical errors. The narrative and dialogue flowed smoothly, and at a good pace that was neither too fast nor too slow. I never came across a moment where I had to re-read or roll my eyes at what the characters were saying or doing. Though there weren't a lot of characters to the cast, the ones I got to know were well fleshed out and for the most part, likable. Kimberly was a great main character, and although I wish the romance between Kimberly and Cormac had been a bit more solid, it was easy to see why the surly dragon was so drawn to her. I think, for me, there just wasn't enough of a build up to the romance between the two main characters. Obviously, there was an attraction between the two - but there was also a lot of distrust from both ends, and I just didn't see them falling in love as quickly as they did. Despite that, their romance was entertaining, so I won't fault it too much. The world building by far was one of my favorite aspects of this book. It was an interesting mix of Harry Pottery meets Lost Girl, meets Dresden - and it worked. I liked that there were familiar aspects of urban fantasy (such as a magic academy, magical creatures living in a real life setting, and prejudices against certain types of magical creatures) that I'd seen in other series, but they were put together in a way that was new, and entertaining. Overall, although the romance was an aspect of this book, I don't think it was the strongest point. But it didn't need to be. The story stood up in a lot of other ways, and all together, it made for a solid read. Would I read it again? Yes. Will I continue on with the series? Definitely. If you like Urban Fantasy with a little romance and a hard working heroine that delves into some pretty serious topics without getting too dark or gritty, this is something I'd recommend to you.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spirals (Mary Hades #0); Author: Sarah Dalton; Genres: paranormal, fantasy; Review: I didn't know a lot going into this short foray of fiction. I didn't know who Mary Hades was. I didn't know that this was part of a larger series of fiction. I didn't know that this was a novella. So understandably, my view of this story is a little different than most people picking it up. On the one hand, I had an unbiased, fresh look at how this book stood on its own two feet. On the other hand, things I normally would have let slide because this was an origin story, are also what, in the end, didn't make the story work for me. Technically speaking, the book was well written. Though perhaps a little predictable, I liked the characters, I enjoyed the plot, and the writing itself was pretty flawless. It flowed nicely and wasn't encumbered by a multitude of grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. The paranormal aspect of the plot threw me off guard and drew me into the story as I wondered what the significance of the zombies was and how their appearance would impact or even predict the turns of the plot. But, just as I was getting engrossed in the story, it ended. I wasn't expecting a novella, and the abrupt ending left me feeling unsatisfied. Why was Mary seeing zombies? I have no idea. It was never explained, and as an introduction to a character that goes on to star in a much longer series--I kinda get it. This was almost a prolog of sorts to a more detailed story--But, as a stand-alone story? It didn't cut it. The story ended as a tragedy without any real explanation of some of the major plot points. I think if you're going to read this story as part of the larger series, then this short origin story may be a tiny bit of flavor that further expands the world of Mary Hades, and you may really enjoy it--it was well written. But, if you're like me, and you pick it up as a stand alone? Well, it's an interesting read, but don't expect to have your questions answered. You're going to be left wondering how everything tied in together, and there just aren't going to be any answers in it for you.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Devil’s Cove (Tortured Souls, #1); Author: R.C. Matthews; Genres: history, romance, thriller, comics, crime, paranormal, graphic, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Devil's Cove by R.C. Matthews was a little outside what I normally read in historical romances. I can honestly say that this is maybe the first Gothic Romance I've ever read--and I got quite a kick out of it. The characters were interesting and unique, the plot was wholly different than what I'm used to in a historical romance, and there was a dark edge of danger to the plot that I found fascinating. Technically speaking, the book was well edited. I ran into a few typos, but nothing that pulled me out of the narrative. The writing flowed easily, the dialogue seemed fairly natural, and I greatly enjoyed the plot. The only real problem I had with the technical side of the book, was perhaps the language. There were definite moments when I doubted the words used and if they were appropriate to the historical theme of the book, and on the opposite side of the spectrum, there were a lot of moments when I saw true historical bits throw in, but they were done so in a way that made me stop and go "oh. the author wanted me to notice that they did research." There was no need for it, and it was a little clunky. That aside, I greatly enjoyed the plot and the romance. Devlin and Grace were dynamic characters and though vastly different in nature, melded well. Their backgrounds, though often painful to read, were interesting and provided genuine context to their personalities. I really enjoyed them! Josephine seemed to be a character straight out of a horror film, and as seductive and evil as she was presented, I couldn't help but love her as well. She wasn't a cardboard villain in a black hat--and I loved that about her. She was a real person with real motivations, and she was both dangerously evil, and sweet at the same time. And as a side-note... I was so thrilled to see Neptune's Ballroom included in the story because it is a fantastic site that I've seen and heard about in previous instances and always thought was a fascinating place! I squealed with joy when I realized where the ballroom was--almost as soon as Devlin pointed out that no one had found it. I just -knew- it was going to be where it was, and was overjoyed to be proven right. Well done! Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The kind of ill-handled historical aspects of it aside, I thought it was a wonderfully colorful book full of great characters and an interesting plotline, and if you're looking for a fast gothic romance to enjoy, I would highly recommend you pick this up!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: His Hostage; Author: Anna Adler; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, non-fiction, romance, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I'm going to give this book the benefit of the doubt and give it 4 stars - even though realistically, it was more of a 3.5 for me. Technically speaking, the book was well written. There were no obvious typos, grammatical errors, or punctuation problems, and the narrative and dialogue flowed smoothly throughout. Zero Problems. But, here's the thing: There were moments in this book that stuck out to me as red flags. As steamy and even sweet as the romance between Evie and Hal was at times, there were definite moments when Hall threatened Evie with bodily harm and even rape.... and he was serious. I had genuine concerns at times that Evie wasn't safe, and in real life, she would have been in serious danger - despite the couple's attraction to each other. On the other side of the coin, however, I know this is fiction. It is erotic romance, and for the most part, I think this book caters to readers who may share the fantasy of being kidnapped and seduced by a handsome, dangerous stranger. I get it. I do. Everyone has a dark fantasy or two in the deep recesses of their brain. That's okay... but it didn't keep me from wanting to cringe. As far as the sex went, this book was steamy. There were a few tip of the hats to voyeurism, anal, oral, rough sex, and kidnap/restraint fantasies, and if that's your thing... you're going to enjoy this book. If, however, you are put off by anything mentioned above, you may find this book a little too hot to handle. Overall, I liked it. There were some questionable moments that made me cringe, but for the most part, it didn't stop me from enjoying the story as a whole, even if it wasn't entirely to my liking.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beautiful Chaos; Author: Alex Tully; Genres: children, young-adult, romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Beautiful Chaos by Alex Tully was such a sweet read about the first love between two teens leading completely different lives. The characters were interesting and realistic and lacked the usual melodrama and over-the-top flair of many YA characters. Their choices were logical and realistic--even when it lead to heart-breaking consequences. It felt like a real story with real people. As for the technical aspects of the story, the book was well written. I ran into one typo in the entirety of the narrative, and it was easily passed over. The writing was simple, easy to follow, and flowed at a pretty steady (if at times slow) pace.My only complaint really, is that I almost wish there had been a little more melodrama, because as much as I liked the story and the characters, I didn't feel gripped by the book--just pleased. Overall, I liked the book. Was it thrilling or fraught with drama? No... but it was a nice story about a boy and a girl, their messy attempt at figuring out their first true romance, and their adventures in figuring out life amidst that chaos. Recommended for teens looking for a sweet, heart-warming romance.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ignition (Escaping Demons Saga Book 2); Author: Stacy McWilliams; Genres: paranormal, fantasy; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. This book was a mess. Yes, a mess--and I'm being generous. I had some hopes after the first book that maybe this book would be better. Maybe the author would explain things, maybe Nate would somehow beautifully and tragically save Jasmine as to redeem their relationship in some matter. Anything... but what I got was an even bigger tangle of absurdity than with the first book. The book was littered with typos. Missing words, improper grammar, misspellings, omitted words, even lack of clarifying punctuation. There were too many mistakes for a book that had a professional editor. On the plus side, the writing, for the most part, remained clear despite these problems and flowed along reasonably well. My biggest problem with this book was the egregious amount of plot holes, obvious plot devices, contradictory phrases, and just the plain absurdity of what the characters were saying, doing, or thinking at any time. I literally broke down into hysterical laughter after about the 15th time the male demon love interest, Nate, shed a tear and Jasmine noted that she'd never seen him break down and cry before. REALLY? I cracked up laughing and exclaimed "Where have you been? He never stops crying!" Nate was constantly sobbing, breaking down into tears, or shedding a tear over everything. Their relationship was in a never ending loop that went something like this: "Baby, I love you more than anything, more than my life!" "I hate you. I never loved you." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I was protecting you! I love you! Please forgive me!" repeat ad infinitum. I lost track of how many times this cycle of love/hate repeated itself, but it was painfully predictable. Also painfully predictable, was the number of times Jasmine tripped, fell into something, or got a head injury. The girl should have serious brain damage. More worrisome perhaps, was the author's penchant for softening the blow of all the tensest moments by going meta and explaining what was about to happen. "I didn't know then that..." became a common theme. As the book wore on the writing got more and more absurd. Bits of information were thrown in to move the plot along that reasonably, the main character should have never known. She somehow learned magic and how to identify wild herbs out of nowhere when it was needed, even though she'd been orphaned and in the foster care system since she was little. When she needed to drive, it mentioned that she had taken a few driving lessons a few months before. When? When did this happen? She'd been living in the demon household for over a year at that point, and I really can't imagine that they let her out to take driving lessons. She suddenly identified a witch trap even though until that moment, witches had never been mentioned in the books. She identified an obscure Japanese mythological creature by name even though she didn't know they existed until; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Inarticulate; Author: Eden Summers; Genres: romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed Inarticulate by Eden Summers. In fact, it is probably one of my favorite romances that I've read this year, and being that it's now November, that should give you a pretty good idea of how much I enjoyed it. As far as the technical aspects of the book go, the narrative was well written. There were a few minor typos, but nothing that stuck out enough to lesson my enjoyment of the book or to distract me from it in any way. The pace was steady, the sentences flowed well, and the dialogue seemed genuine to the characters. I can only imagine how difficult it was for the author to write a book where one of the main characters is mute, but I think the author pulled it off incredibly well. The characters were well fleshed out, well characterized, and I fully enjoyed the sexual heat between the main couple. This was a fantastic read from beginning to end, and I am so happy that I got to experience this author's work. I highly recommend this book to romance readers look for a steamy tale with a bit of a different spin. You won't be disappointed!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lie to Me; Author: Angela Fristoe; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. There is so much I want to say about Lie To Me by Angela Fristoe. There was so much to the book that I wasn't expecting, but in some ways, there was also a lot less. As far as the technical aspect of the book is concerned, it was well edited. I only ran into one noticeable typo in the entire book, and that's pretty amazing. The narrative was easy to read and was paced well. I never felt rushed or bogged down. I got sucked into the book right away and I was entertained by what I found there. The characters themselves were an interesting mix of barely-there stereotypes (like the angry, popular ex-girlfriend) and the amazingly complex (like the main character). Phoebe was a very interesting character in particular. Going into the story I'd read a few negative character reviews of Phoebe--and I kind of get it. She could be a bit of a loose cannon at times, and yes, she could be a bit bratty... but I saw more to her than that. Phoebe lived in a strange, dynamically volatile household. She was stuck with an overprotective father, a sister that was constantly trying to take all of her very real, but negative feelings away, another sister who could see her future--and often used that information against her, and a grandmother who pried into her past constantly through her 'gift'. Frankly, I could understand Phoebe's discontent. She lived in a war zone where she was constantly being bombarded by her family and they gave her very little privacy or consideration. I'd be angry too! As the main character, I found Phoebe flawed, but in a believable and interesting way. Unfortunately, there were some parts of the story that lacked. Nathan, as a love interested just didn't cut it for me. I think because there was so much going on in the story outside of the romance, he often got treated as a bit of a side character, and I feel like I didn't get a chance to really know him as well as I wanted to. Also, there were so many unanswered questions about Phoebe's sisters, her friends, and her gift that were never really delved into. I'm sure there will be more about all of those further into the series, but I still can't help but feel like I missed out on some important information. The entire paranormal aspect of the book was used frequently in the story to spur on the action and drama of the plot, was fairly glossed over in every other way possible. Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was more complex than I'd expected, and although not perfect, I'm glad I read it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Longest Con; Author: Michaelbrent Collings; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I would--but oh how I'd hoped I would! The Longest Con by Michaelbrent Collings was a quirky mix of Comedy, Urban Fantasy, and Detective Mystery. It's full of hilarious, often snarky comments from the main character, and strange colorful characters that range from ex-succubi, mafia-like nerds that seem to rule conventions, and Kevin Bacon look-alike brownies. Technically speaking, the book was well written. There were a few minor typos, but nothing book-breaking. In fact, the only real complaint I have about the writing throughout the entirety of the book is that sometimes the comedy of the narrative style and the main character tended to overshadow the plot of the book. There were lots of asides and quirky comments that made me laugh out loud, but it did tend to distract from the mystery. That aside, I loved the book. The author has a definite talent for humor, and the strange and unique characters I encountered kept me interested in the story. If you want something fun to read, and you enjoy conventions and general geekdom, I would highly recommend you pick up this book and give it a try. It was a spectacularly fun adventure, and I am most definitely a fan.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: An Intriguing Proposition (The Defiant Hearts Series, Prequel); Author: Sydney Jane Baily; Genres: history, biography, romance, historical fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I nearly didn't make it through this book, which is an odd thing to say about something I ended up giving 4 stars to. The beginning was slow, the main female lead came across as weak and demure, and there was something about the opening sequence that just didn't sit well with me. Maybe it was the contradictions in the way we were first introduced to the main characters, maybe it was the fact that my pet peeve over having a character commit actions out of sequence (reaction before action) that had me all riled up. Regardless, I never put the book down. But I didn't. By the time the love interest and Elise's situation came into play, I was engrossed in the story (though I admit, I was hoping for a twist to the romance plot that sadly didn't happen). The romance between Elise and Michael was sweet and adorable. I do wish there had been a little more sexual tension or tension at all in their relationship... I think it could have been dragged out a little more, but overall it was lovely. The only thing that really bothered me about the plot is that the one gay character also happened to be the 'bad guy'. Yes, I do understand that at that time it was generally frowned upon, but did he have to be gay to be the bad guy? No. Other than that, the book was pretty well written. I only ran into one typo. The book flowed well, and it was easy to sink into. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a sweet historical romance with a tiny bit of sultry spice to it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Fair Assassin (Paranormal Misfits, #1); Author: C.J. Anaya; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Though perhaps a bit short, I enjoyed My Fair Assassin by C.J. Anaya. The book was well written--I spotted maybe one typo in the entire book, which is pretty fantastic for any book, traditionally published or otherwise. The writing was clear, easy to follow, and moved at a decent pace. I will admit that the characters struck me as a bit under-developed though. It didn't feel as though Crysta was a genuine 17-year-old, and given her upbringing, she seemed a bit too well-adjusted to be believable. She felt fabricated at times because of this, and older than she was meant to be. Jareth on the other hand came across as, well, a bit dumb to be honest. I understand that he was meant to be simply ignorant of the idiosyncrasies of human culture and language, but between his complete lack of understanding of the nuances of a language he seemed quite fluent in and his penchant for bowing to Crysta's will, he came across as a bit of a pushover, and maybe even a little air-headed. Also, despite his proclivity for speaking Gaelic, we never actually heard him even hint at using his professed favorite language. Outside of the two main characters, we barely saw any other characters in the story, and the ones we did see (Crysta and Jareth), didn't seem well developed. That being said, I did enjoy the story, and despite the flaws, I found with the characters, I did end up liking them both. It was hard not to enjoy their relationship. The world building, though not heavily delved into, was interesting, and I especially liked the plot. Overall, it was a quick, fun, read and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a shorter story that isn't too heavy or gritty with its world building. It'd make a great sunny afternoon read for someone looking to while away a few hours. I do wish the book had been developed a bit more, and I think if it had been, the book probably would have easily made a full-length novel, but for what it is, I found it entertaining and enjoyable.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Resurrecting Ghosts (Kings of Chaos Book 4); Author: Shyla Colt; Genres: romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I just could not get into Resurrecting Ghosts by Shyla Colt, and I tried--I really did. Technically speaking, the book was well edited. There were only a handful of typos, grammatical issues or punctuation problems to speak of. Unfortunately, I went into this series having not read the first three books, and this was one of those books that started mid-relationship, so by the time the story began, I already felt as if I'd missed part of the story that probably would have gone a long way towards endearing the characters to me. Instead, the pacing often felt rushed, and so I found it hard to connect to them. Their relationship seemed, well, terrible to be honest. Skull seemed to pay little consideration to Ruthie, often steamrolling over her decisions and doing things that decent men normally wouldn't even consider under those circumstances. Other than the chemistry they insisted they had, I didn't see much that endeared me to either character or their romance. To be frank, I didn't like the characters--any of them. They were foul-mouthed and a bit dim-witted, often prone to making rash, even dangerous decisions. They were often crass with their language and actions. Couple that with the raunchy sex scenes, and I was just turned off by the book in general. This isn't the first biker romance I've read, but it was the first I felt the need to back away from. It just wasn't for me, and not something I'd actively look for as a romance. Overall, I just didn't like the book. I think if you enjoy raunchy biker erotica full of foul language and gun waving, you may enjoy this book more than I did, but it isn't going to be for everyone--it certainly wasn't for me.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Into The Flames (Firehouse Fourteen #4); Author: Lisa B. Kamps; Genres: romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I love a good romance read--it's one of my favorite genres--and this, by no means, was any exception. The book was wonderfully well written. I didn't run into any grammar problems, typos, or other technical errors. The narrative was clean and flowed smoothly from beginning to end at a nice pace that was neither too slow nor too fast. I have no complaints. The characters were interesting and dynamic, though I'll admit, Dale was by far my favorite of the two main characters. Melanie, though artistic and spunky, just wasn't my cup of tea. I couldn't get a real handle on her strange penchant for seeing... well, I guess the closest thing word would be "aura's". She saw people's moods as colors, and while it fit her artistic personality... I guess I kind of viewed her as a bit spacey and odd. Dale, on the other hand, was a solid character. He had some definite baggage and issues to work through, but despite those problems, he never came across as needlessly brooding or angry as I'd expected. The romance between the characters was steamy, and complicated, and full of humorous moments that made it a pure joy to read. I loved the use of the nicknames for the characters, and how those little endearments soon became part of a complication for the couple. Overall, I loved it. It was a solid, quick read, and I have no major complaints about it. If you like Steamy romance with some humor thrown in, you're probably going to enjoy this book. I definitely did!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Heart's Desire (Barrett #1); Author: Andrea Kane; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. My Heart's Desire by Andrea Kane, was yet another solid historical romance - although I'll admit, it does fall a bit into the formulaic side of romance--but I'm okay with that. Overall, the writing was nearly flawless. I did run into a typo or two, but nothing that pulled me out of the narrative or otherwise halted the flow of the story for me. The typos were minor, and easily skimmed over, and other than that, the writing was clean, clear, and flowed a nice pace. Though there was a tough of the simpering maiden to the main female lead, Alexandria, for the most part I found her character better described as stubborn, head-strong, and caring. She had her moments of fit, where she lost her head, but for the vast majority of the story, she did what she thought was best. I liked her as a lead character quite a bit. As for Drake... well... he was often arrogant, and easily as headstrong as Alex, and I understand completely why she lost her head with him at times--he could certainly be infuriating--but like Alex, he usually kept his head. He was strong, and intelligent, and had a softer side that he tried to mask, but didn't always succeed. The romance between Alex and Drake was steamy and filled with tension, and kept the story going. Overall, I loved the book. I liked the characters, the easy world building, the plot and it's many conflicts... the only trouble I ran into was that although warranted in order to tie up all the little bits of the plot, the ending did seem a few chapters too long. I'd expected it to end long before it did, and that may have been a bit of a pacing issue. Regardless, I enjoyed the story, and I was entertained. If you enjoy historical romances, you are certain to enjoy this one.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Menagerie; Author: Kristy Tate; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was so excited to read another book by Kristy Tate, and Menagerie didn't disappoint. Much. Technically speaking, the book was well written. I ran into one or two typos, but that was pretty much it. The book flowed well, was fast-paced without feeling rushed, and I enjoyed the colorful characters and unique world-building behind Menagerie. I didn't give this book five stars, however. Here's the thing: the book started with a strong, interesting main character with a very mysterious past and living situation. I was sucked into her odd tale, and I loved how strong she was as the main character... but it felt like the author set up the story for this fascinating, magical narrative... and then a few chapters in, the secluded girl who spoke to animals and was drugged by her mother anytime they had visitors to their small island ended up in a high school house party like any other teen drama I've read. I felt like the book had been set up for something spectacular, and it was a bit of a let down to fall back on the usual tropes and not spend more time exploring the oddness of this girl. It fell a little flat. Does that mean I didn't like the story? No. I liked it a lot, enough that I gave it four stars--I just wish more had been done to accentuate the bits of this story that make it stand out from every other YA Romance. In the end, if you like YA Fantasy or YA Romance, you're probably going to love this book. It's well-written, and the characters are interesting and endearing... but it did end rather abruptly, and I do feel like more could have been done to push this to be the five-star read I'd hoped it would be. Either way, it's still worth a read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Samantha (Barrett #2); Author: Andrea Kane; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: After reading the first two books in the Barrett family saga, I can honestly say that I'm a huge fan of Andrea Kane's writing, and more importantly, her heroines. Samantha was a spunky, headstrong young woman who didn't allow society (or her family) dictate how she lived her life. As one of the characters said, she is a tempest. I absolutely adored her as the main character Likewise, the brooding hero, Remington, was a notorious rake, but also a highly devoted man who fought for his country at the expense of his reputation. Together, the two main characters pursued each other throughout the story like a passionate dance. The story was funny, filled with endearing moments, and passionate encounters. I loved every moment of it! The writing was clear, easy to read, and lacked any obvious technical errors. If you enjoy historical romances filled with colorful characters, you'll be sure to love this!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Never Dawn - Young Adult Dystopian Trilogy; Author: R.E. Palmer; Genres: thriller, crime, young-adult, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. The Never Dawn by R.E. Palmer was so much more than I ever expected. The writing was clear, concise, easy to follow, and flowed at an easy pace. There were quite a few typos in my copy, but I'm honestly not that upset about it. None of the errors were enough to jolt me out of the story. The characters were interesting and at times, painfully naive, but their naivete is also what made them so fascinating. The world Noah and his dorm-mates inhabited was so well crafted, and the characters so well defined, that it was impossible not to get sucked into their monotonous life. There was a lot of mystery surrounding the Ark and the lives of the people there and it kept me reading. In fact, I liked it so much that at the end of chapter 12, I put the book down and restarted reading the entire book with my 13-year-old daughter--and when we stopped reading at 50% so she could go to bed... I sneakily read the rest of the book on my own. I then read the second half of the book a second time with her the next day. If you like post-apocalyptic, dystopian, YA, or mysteries, I would highly recommend you invest in this book. I can't wait to continue with the series! My daughter lamented last night that she'll probably never find a book as good as this one again--it has replaced her favorite book. I am blown away that this author has gone relatively unknown for the past four years.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Journal of Curious Letters (The 13th Reality, #1); Author: James Dashner; Genres: young-adult, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: What a gem! I picked up this book for my 12-year-old daughter and we ended up reading it together. I'm glad to say that I honestly found this to be a joy to read. The book was exceptionally well written and full of colorful characters. There were funny, heartwarming, action-filled, and even creepy moments throughout the book as Tick worked to solve the mystery of the 13 clues he received from one very odd Master George and his companions, Rutger and Mothball (who was definitely one of our favorite characters). One of my favorite aspects of the book as a parent, though, was the relationship Tick had with his father. Where most children's books seem to either omit the parents, or fall into the trope of having the parents not believe their children, James Dashner crafted The Journal of Curious Letters in such a way that not only did Tick turn to his father with his worries, but Tick's father believed his son--and helped him! It was a great moment to witness in a children's book, and I and my daughter had a great talk about how important it was for kids to talk to their parents about their worries, and for parents to listen to them and take them seriously. Overall, we found loved the book. It was exciting, funny, and full of interesting characters. It's a bit of a long book, but I'm not complaining--we never wanted to put it down, and often read 5-10 chapters together a night until it was finished.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I Was a Bitch: A Romance Mystery Book; Author: Emily Ruben; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This book was so much fun! I'll admit, there were a few pretty blatant typos--the grammar especially seemed to be a problem in the dialogue, but although it stood out, it didn't keep me from enjoying the story as a whole. As for the characters--I liked them. Some, like Derick, or Lacey's two popular best friends, were a bit one-dimensional, but Lacey and Finn were full of depth. As a couple, they were at times sweet, funny, and even steamy. So steamy, in fact, that I'd caution that although this is a YA book, I probably wouldn't hand it to my 13-year-old. It's bordering on NA. The only true problem I had with the story was the ending. There was a cheesy, very Mean Girls moment of social confrontation and apology, and I get it... it was an ideal teen drama moment--but.... it was very cheesy. Overall, I really liked the story. I think it could have used a little polishing, but I'm glad to have read it, and I'd probably read it again. If you enjoy teen romance stories full of mean girls, amnesia, and popularity drama, you'll probably like it too.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dirty Like Me (Dirty, #1); Author: Jaine Diamond; Genres: young-adult, graphic, comics, romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I got a kick out of Dirty Like Me by Jaine Diamond. It was everything I look for in a hot contemporary romance. The book was flawlessly written. I didn't run into any typos, pacing issues, or grammatical errors. I was sucked into the book from the very beginning, and before I knew it, it was 2 AM and I was squealing in delight as I hit the last page. The characters were interesting and dynamic, and the chemistry between the two main characters Jesse and Katie was fantastically steamy. I adored them as a couple and as the story wore on, I couldn't help but root for them. Rockstar romances aren't usually something I pick up to read, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and will most definitely be looking for further books from this author. If you enjoy sizzling contemporary romances with a bit of a bad boy vibe, I highly recommend you give this book a try.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Water (Water Series, #1); Author: Emory Gayle; Genres: paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, Water by Emory Gayle was a bit of a mixed bag for me. On the one hand, it was a very interesting story, but on the other, the execution sometimes lacked. As far as the technical side of things went the book had some pretty obvious flaws. There were a lot of typos. I found problems with tense, spelling, omitted words, and even improper grammar. They were obvious mistakes that could have and should have been cleaned up before publication, and since the author e-mailed me specifically to make sure I had the up-to-date edited copy, I was kind of surprised by how many technical errors I still found. That aside, there were times that the pace of the book, especially concerning the romance, that seemed rushed, and I think that because of it, there were times when the narrative voice and dialogue of the characters came off as overly dramatic and unrealistic. that isn't to say that it was all bad, though. I liked the characters, the world building, the plot.... so many parts of the story. I got sucked into the book and read the entire thing in a matter of a few short hours. I was entertained, and overall, I did like the book. I just think it was in desperate need of another round with the editor. I think that if you tend to enjoy YA fantasy or romance, you will probably enjoy this book - just be aware that it is lacking a bit in the technical department.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Darkchylde: The Ariel Chylde Saga; Author: R. Queen; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have been a huge fan of the Darkchylde comic series since it first came out years ago, so understandably, when I learned that a book had been written based on the comic series, I was ridiculously excited. The core of the Darkchylde saga was essentially the same as in the comic series and I was glad of that. I've always liked Ariel as a character, the dark gritty world building was phenomenal and different than what you find in most YA novels. The dreamscape Ariel visited was certainly the stuff of nightmares... but that's about where my love of this novel ends. Honestly, I didn't like the style the book was written in. It was distinctly poetic, vague, and overly descriptive in a way that bogged down the pace and made it hard to follow. Even when I read everything presented, I felt like I was reading the book while only partially paying attention. I just couldn't keep interested. I think in this instance, the story was better represented through visual media than it was in written form, and I don't think the style of the writing fit the intended YA audience. Overall, I'm glad I gave this book a try, and I'd love to see it as a movie.... but I remain disappointed by the novel as it stands. I think the style did the story a great injustice by making it more difficult to read than it needed to be, and by slowing the pace to a painful crawl.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Nothing But Trouble (A Saratoga Falls Love Story, #2); Author: Lindsey Pogue; Genres: romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Nothing But Trouble by Lindsey Pogue was yet another solid romance, and a sweet Christmas read. Colton and Mac weren't your normal romance couple--almost having switched the tradition romance roles, with Mac being the dirty-mouthed, outgoing tomboy, and Colton being the quiet, more reserved single-parent. Their relationship was fraught with numerous misunderstandings and deeper past prejudices, and it led to a sometimes awkward and off-kilter relationship as they worked to sort things out. Technically speaking, the book was well written. There were less than a handful of typos, and nothing I found jarring enough to pull me out of the text. The characters were at times sweet, funny, infuriatingly stubborn, and silly, and I enjoyed their odd dynamic. My only true complaint as that the first half of the book was rather slow--but that may be in part due to the fact that I'm in a bit of a time crunch to finish up some books/reviews before the new year, so I'm not comfortable laying all the blame on the writing. I think if you're looking for a sweet holiday read, this may be the perfect book for you to pick up in between the chaos of the holiday season.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bentwhistle the Dragon in a Threat from the Past; Author: Paul Cude; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I tried to get into this book. It sat on my TBR list for two years while I picked it up, set it aside, picked it up again, set it aside... again. I just couldn't get into it. I'm not a huge fan of high fantasy, to begin with, but it was clear from the outset that I was going to have a problem mostly with the way the book was written. To be honest, the writing was weak. There was a lot of the author telling his readers what was happening, without putting any effort into showing them the world so they could come to their own conclusions. The narrative was written in an extremely passive manner and was littered with cliche phrases. In spite of its size the dragon was clearly agitated, roaring occasionally, scraping the large claws on its feet along the top of the rubble on either side of it, and banging its tail into the ground intermittently. Why "in spite of its size"? That has nothing to do with the fact that it was agitated. Why are you telling us that it's agitated, to begin with? Why not show us with the roaring and the scraping and let it speak for itself? As the apparently inevitable drew closer, the sprinting knight managed to find a little more speed and at the spit second before hitting the tip of the flame, dived headlong towards the cobbles. Why "apparently inevitable"? There were so many instances of "apparently" and "seemingly" just in the first chapter that I grew frustrated with each new reiteration. "For all intents and purposes, yes," said the knight. Why not just say "Yes."? "I require no reward. I'm sorry for the loss of life and damage to your city," the knight replied in a heartfelt manner. "I have companions who as we speak are making their way there with great haste to assist with what has happened this day, among them healers and engineers. I ask that they are allowed to help out as best they can, and also that you not address me as Sir, as I have not yet earned that title, but by my name: George." The lack of appropriate punctuation aside, the dialogue was heavily crafted and monologue-esque. It didn't feel real. I kept pushing, but by the end of the first chapter, it was clear that the entire book was going to be written in this way, and I just couldn't push myself to keep reading. When I start a story, I want to be gripped by it. I want to be pulled in and several hours later find myself staring blankly at the last word of the story wondering how I got there so quickly and why it had to end. I didn't have that with this. There may be a reader out there somewhere (probably a middle-grade reader) that will absolutely love this story, but It isn't for me. I'm setting it; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Luminosity (Escaping Demons Saga Book 1); Author: Stacy McWilliams; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I'm not sure what to say about Luminosity by Stacy McWilliams. I liked it. The plot was a somewhat new idea, I was curious as to what was happening, and for a few short hours, I was thoroughly entertained--but that doesn't mean that it was necessarily a good book. The book was riddled with typos--and I mean a lot of them. There were missing words, spelling problems, even words that were used in the wrong context. Although the writing was fairly clear and easy to read, the plot left me baffled. Half the time I didn't know what was going on and there were no explanations forthcoming. The "romance" between Nathan and Jasmine was painfully contrived and woefully neglected for the first half of the book. It felt like I spent the majority of the book watching this poor, orphaned kid getting smacked around by basically everyone she met.I lost count of how many head injuries she received, but I'd bet you it was over half a dozen--and she barely stuck up for herself, tried to run away, or otherwise defended herself in any manner. She never even actively tried to figure out what was going on around her, even though she knew something very strange and very bad was definitely going down. Jasmine was a punching bag. So why did I like it? I'm not sure. I guess I liked it because I keep hoping that there's going to be more explanation. I keep hoping Nathan's going to do something risky and beautiful to save Jasmine's life. It's all hope. I'm going to keep reading the series, and who knows? Maybe something will be explained in the second book. This definitely isn't going to be for everyone, but if you're looking for something different and dark, and you have a high tolerance for confusion, you may be interested in this book. Just be aware that this one needs a high trigger warning for people who've suffered emotional or physical abuse. It's going to make you mad.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Millie Marotta's Curious Creatures; Author: Millie Marotta; Genres: non-fiction; Review: This is not my normal review--I so rarely venture outside the fiction or at least narrative categories, and this definitely doesn't fit into either of those. Curious Creatures by Millie Marotta is a delightful adult coloring book that my family bought for me and hid in my X-Mas stocking--and I couldn't be more delighted with it. The book is filled with large, intricate representations of animals, both from on land and in the sea, made up of dazzling patterns, flowers, and other organic shapes. The designs are gorgeous, and even uncolored, extraordinarily beautiful. A few of the pages are even left less patterned so you can make up your own designs. Adult coloring books like this are meant to be geared towards people who not only enjoy the creativity of coloring but also as a relaxing meditation of sorts. My only complaint what so ever about this beautiful coloring book is that the patterns are very small, and if you have any form or arthritis, you will find it extremely painful to color (even my hand got tired after awhile) so you'll definitely want to work in short bursts. I would recommend picking up a nice set of colored pencils to work with, as the designs are generally too small to color with a crayon or larger coloring implement. If you're looking for an adult coloring book to pick up in order to relax or just to do something creative, I'd recommend picking up one of Millie Marotta's coloring books.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Caged (Caged, #1); Author: D.H. Sidebottom; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: I should have done way more research on my reading choice before I picked up Caged by D.H. Sidebottom. It looked like a bit of a dark romance when I picked it up and based on the description, I had hopes of an interesting if somewhat dark read. This went far beyond that. Technically speaking, the book was well edited. There weren't a lot of noticeable typos, grammar issues, or sentence structure problems. The writing was easy to read and follow, and I sunk into the story easily. Does that mean the book was written well? No--but we'll get into that. The book was dark--some would say depraved. So if you need a trigger warning, this is it: There is a lot of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse in the book. There is torture, murder, stalking, kidnapping, dog mutilation, and rape. There are M/M/F, M/M, and M/F explicit sex scenes which for the most part includes anal, both consensual and non-consensual to the point of actual bloody harm. This is not going to be a book a lot of people will enjoy. Still with me? Good. So here's the issue with this book: if you like horror and dark thrillers, you may get some sort of perverse pleasure out of reading this book. It's a bit like watching a train wreck because you're curious to see the dead bodies. It is an interesting book if you in any way enjoy the dark thriller tone. It is not, however, a well-written book. The characters are unrealistic and shoddily slapped together. Kloe was supposed to be a personal therapist for heavily damaged people, and at first she was set up to be just that, but not too long into the book she clearly steps over the line with her patient, Anderson, and it seemed totally at odds with how her character was set up until that point in time. Anderson functioned too well, too quickly for a man that spent 20 years abused, raped, and chained in a basement. Halfway through the book, the story changes into an entirely different one as four years have passed, and Kloe suddenly becomes the kidnap victim of Anderson, and Anderson is now a fairly well-adjusted cage fighter. It's like the author wrote two books with the same characters, mildly tied together and decided to just make it one. It was weird and clunky, and I didn't like it. The book was a mess. Overall, it wasn't a book I can easily recommend. If you enjoy very dark thrillers or horror, you may enjoy this book, but it certainly isn't going to be for everyone, or even most people. Read the trigger warning beforehand.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Captured by the Alien King - The Complete Series (Captured by the Alien King, #1-5); Author: Lisa Lace; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I honestly thought this book was going to be something different than it was. The title is a flat out lie--I'll just say it. The main character is never "captured" by an alien king. It simply doesn't happen. Going into this book, I didn't know that, and it threw me off--because I kept waiting for something to happen that never did. It's hard for me to qualify this book because, on the one hand, I did enjoy it. it was a fast-paced, easy to read book, with likable characters, some fresh ideas, and an intriguing plot. The romance between Dar and Kenna was at times endearing, and at other times, incredibly steamy. I liked them as a couple and I was rooting for them throughout the story. There's a lot I could say in favor of this book. I was thoroughly entertained. But... There was also quite a bit about this book that was less than stellar. There were some pretty obvious typos, most commonly where words were entirely omitted from sentences, or extra words were left in. There were several times I had to re-read passages to make sure I wasn't imagining the fact that they didn't make sense--and I didn't imagine it. The characters, though likable, lacked much depth, and in some cases, their motivations seemed fairly shallow. In other instances it became very apparent that the world building was only skin deep--and this was one of the most frustrating parts of the story for me. Here was this imaginative story about aliens from another world and the tentative relationship between two races... but the aliens looked just like us, talked just like us, had the same motivations as us...and spoke like us. They often used slang and phrases that I can't imagine would naturally occur on another planet so readily. The world building had very little substance to it--and it could have, and indeed should have. It felt... lazy, and I expected more. Was it a bad book? No. Like I said, I thoroughly enjoyed it... but it was only an "okay" book in the end because I think a lot more could have been done to make it better than it was--obvious, simple things. I gave this book three stars because it was kind of in the middle. It wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible either. If you're looking for a fast-paced, kind of fluffy romance read with some steamy bits and lots of action/adventure, I'd recommend you give this book a shot. You may enjoy it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Silver City Seductions: A Western Cowboy Mail Order Bride Romance:; Author: Laura Fletcher; Genres: romance; Review: Silver City Seduction was a sweet, short novella by Laura Fletcher, but it was not without its problems. The book, for the most part, was well written. I only ran into one typo that made me pause. The writing was easy to follow, clean, and reasonably paced. As with most novellas, there were some time skips, but the story didn't feel too rushed, expect maybe the romance, but we'll get to that. I liked the story. It was sweet and interesting. What it wasn't, was a mail order bride romance. There was no mail order bride. None. Victoria was never sent away for. She never received any sort of advertisement or letter imploring that she arrive on Samuel's ranch. She found the job through a friend--and ladies and gentlemen, that is not what a mail order bride romance is about. That aside, the characters were a bit flimsy. Samuel was, well, a little creepy. he was constantly staring darkly at Victoria, but then hardly ever talked to her. The three troublesome ranch hands, other than being slobs, didn't really present themselves as troublesome (which supposedly was why they'd run off so many housekeepers before Victoria)--certainly not enough for the exasperating way her predecessor quit. Rae barely made an appearance in the book. Lester was the typical black-hat villain with psychopathic tendencies that are overly done and frankly, uninteresting in their lack of complexity. In fact, the only character with even a little depth was Victoria herself, and she was, for the most part, just a naive, simpering girl with a penchant for making cookies. I gave this book three stars because even though it was a fun little afternoon read, it wasn't well developed. The plot barely existed and upon further investigation, would have fallen apart. The characters were 1-dimensional and weak. The romance sped along with the barest of mentions until suddenly they realized they loved each other out of nowhere. It just felt like there wasn't enough time or enough effort put into this story. Will it entertain you for an hour while you're in a waiting room somewhere? Sure. I'd recommend it if you're just looking for a short, sweet read, but it isn't going to be something you can truly sink into to while away a few hours.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Moonlight (Moonkind Series Book 2); Author: Ines Johnson; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Moonlight by Ines Johnson was nothing like I expected. I've read many werewolf themed books over the years, but this one genuinely surprised me. It was interesting to see a plot where werewolves not only had a new lore behind them but to also have werewolves generally accepted in everyday life by humans. It was something I've seen done in many vampire novels, but not in one about werewolves. The main Couple, Pierce, and Viviane were endearing, steamy, and unsure in their budding relationship, and I thoroughly enjoyed both characters immensely. Editing wise, I ran into one or two typos, but nothing so obvious as to pull me out of the narrative. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet werewolf romance with some pretty unique characters and lore.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tormented By Ghosts: True Life Experiences; Author: Lynda Bogert; Genres: paranormal, fantasy; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Think what you will, I've been a long time believer in the supernatural--though I still consider myself a skeptic. Because of this, I am a huge fan of ghosts stories, but I also like to view ghost stories with a healthy amount of skepticism. I want proof. Evidence. Unfortunately, the way Tormented by Ghosts by Lynda Bogert was written it was very difficult to believe that these were true stories--and maybe they were--who am I to judge? My hesitance is not so much a product of the stories themselves, but the way they were presented. Honestly, the book was not well written. The narrative rambled from topic to topic with no clear format or breaks to delineate what was happening. The writing wasn't fluid or clear and concise, but instead hard to follow. The dialogue was about as believable as a Carebear's scripted speech and throughout the narrative, the author threw in big bad thesaurus words like stymied and invidious that really didn't fit the context or style of the writing. I tried to get through this book and stick to following the story, but I just couldn't. I didn't like it, and I don't know that I could recommend it. It needs another strong round with an experienced editor. Lines like "I've never vibrated this much in my life." Should never have made it into the final copy.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Legacy of Lies; Author: Jillian David; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed Legacy of Lies by Jillian David. It was a strange and fresh new concept of a contemporary rancher-romance juxtaposed with elements of paranormal and thriller, which isn't something I've run across in the past. Technically speaking, the book was well written. There were no obvious or jarring typos. The narrative was clean, flowed easily, and for the most part, the dialogue was believable and natural. The main characters were flawed, interesting, and adorable in their strained romance--but I also think they were possibly the weakest point of the story. I liked them--I did, but there was this weird back and forth with the two main characters where they loved each other, but kept self-doubting their way out of the relationship. The way they kept backing out of the romance was irritating, frustrating, and honestly, didn't make a lot of sense at times. It came across as a bit contrived. That aside, I still greatly enjoyed the book. The plot was new and interesting, I liked the characters and their development. Had it not been for the constant self-doubt of the main characters, this easily would have gotten 5 stars. I was entertained, and I got sucked into the book. There's not much more I can ask for. If you enjoy rancher-romances or enjoy contemporary paranormal or romantic thrillers, you'll probably really enjoy this story. I'd suggest giving it a try.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Forgotten Girls (Stevens & Windermere, #6); Author: Owen Laukkanen; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wanted to like The Forgotten Girls by Owen Laukkanen more than I did, but honestly, I'm not sure I was the right audience. The cover was gorgeous, the description sounded interesting--the plot kept me involved with the story... but I tend to prefer character-driven fiction, and even though I do enjoy thrillers and mysteries, I had a hard time connecting to the characters in this story. The first part of the story was built around Mila, a girl who's best friend has gone missing, and then part way through the book, the majority of the story switches to the killer. It was a strange dynamic to get so involved with one character and then switch to another. That aside, there wasn't a lot of time put into getting to know any of the characters deeply, and because of this, I found them rather interchangeable. I didn't feel upset over any of the deaths, I was only mildly irritated with the killer, and by 70% into the book, I'd completely lost interest. I did finish the book, but it was a slog to get through the ending, because I just didn't care about the characters, and the murders were so briefly touched upon that I didn't have a macabre fascination to keep me interested in what was happening. Was it a bad book, though? No. It was well edited and well written. I didn't get hung up on the sentence structure, vocabulary, or any other sort of technical error. The story moved smoothly and cleanly from one event to another, and I never got confused or lost--but there was a lack of tension that I felt should have been present, and because of that and my lack of interest in the characters, I found it hard to push through the slow pace of the story. I think if you like mystery books that aren't too complicated and don't have too much gore, you may enjoy this book quite a bit--like I said, it was well written, but if you're like me and prefer character driven fiction or gripping thrillers, this may be a little bit off the mark for you. I gave this book 3 stars because it was a bit of a "meh..." read for me. It wasn't great, but it wasn't awful either, it just didn't interest me as much as I'd hoped.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Beastly Lights; Author: Theresa Jane; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I'm going to give this book the benefit of the doubt. I'll admit, when I picked up Beastly Lights by Theresa Jane, I didn't immediately like the main characters, particularly Freya. My first impression of her was that she was jaded, pessimistic and a bit of a complainer. The way she narrated the story made it seem as if she was generally unhappy and unkind to those around her, often making negative in-head comments about her friends and relatives. It didn't put this book off to a great start. The main male lead, Liam, wasn't much better. He was constantly drunk, jaded, and pretty much treated all his friends (and Freya) like trash. In fact, a lot of the characters were not only imperfect, but downright awful people, and it was hard to get past that for the first couple of chapters. But (and that's a big but), the story improved. As the story continued I found myself enjoying the stubbornness of Freya and the little disputes between here and Liam. There were moments when I genuinely laughed at her strange snarky comments and the way she handled Liam's off-putting manner. This was a character, that although heavily flawed and marked by her past, was more than willing to stand up for herself and challenge the people around her. She didn't let this rock star walk all over her. Freya didn't bend for anyone--and not only did she not bend, she often pushed back. Over time, I grew to really enjoy her character and the dynamic relationship between her and Liam. Although there wasn't actually much maid-work going on throughout the story (make no mistake, that part of the plot was quickly dropped), the overall story was very reminiscent of some Korean drama's I've seen. It was an interesting mix of dark drama, light-hearted comedy, and a bit of a power war between the main couple that made it really fun and interesting. Although the book wasn't a straight home-run for me--there were definitely some parts of the story that I felt could have used a little more polish, or at least been a little less obvious--I do think this was a promising start from a new author, and I ended up really enjoying it overall. I only ran into a few typos (not bad for an ARC), and I think overall, I enjoyed the book. If you're interested in a fun contemporary read with a dynamic relationship at its core, I think you'll probably really enjoy Beastly Lights.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Vanish: A Sweet Romance with a Fantastical Twist; Author: Becca J. Campbell; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I have sort of an odd relationship with Vanish by Becca J. Campbell, in that I read it twice, and not because I loved the book so much that I wanted to read it again, but because I read two different version of the ARC, several months apart. Because of this, I have a somewhat screwed view of the story. I remember parts of the book that are no longer in the final copy--some of those bits I liked a lot, others no so much, but I'm going to try to stick mostly to the current version (as I assume, fellow reader, that this is the version you will be reading as well). Here's the thing: I went into this book having no knowledge about what it was about. I was given a two line teaser and signed an agreement that I'd read the book within a narrow 3-week period. I didn't know the genre, the premise of the story... nothing. What I found, was a rather contemporary urban fantasy with some paranormal and romance thrown in. There's quite a bit that happens in the story before the reader is introduced to the story--and I'm not a huge fan of stories that do that. Because the main character's friendships, relationships, and initial disappearance (and subsequent 10-year absence) happened before the story started, I felt like I'd missed a huge part of the action and tension in the story. What I was left with, was a short, sweet story that spans about three days in its entirety. Technically speaking, the book was exceedingly well edited. The narrative flowed well and pulled me into the story from the very beginning. There were no obvious typos or grammatical errors, and the actions and dialogue of most of the characters rang true. I say most, because the antagonist of the book, a former classmate, and ex-girlfriend of the male lead, was a rather lackluster character. For no real obvious reason, she was obsessed with Tait in a very stalker-ish way, even though they hadn't seen each other in a decade. Her actions in this and other parts of the story came across as terribly contrived and unrealistic. Her motivations and the way she handled the paranormal aspect of the book just made no sense--and worse yet, fell apart easily once the characters began to stand up for themselves. She was like the evil popular girl in any teen TV show, but this wasn't a teen book. This is an adult romance... which is probably why it sat so poorly with me. That wasn't the only issue, though arguably the biggest. There were mentions throughout the book of other special people like Eva, who also had super powers, but most of them were mentioned in passing and never shown. The relationship between Eva and her former boyfriend was forced upon the reader as something it wasn't, and then immediately switched out for another romance with Tait, that seemed to pop; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Configured (Configured, #1); Author: Jenetta Penner; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, young-adult, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed Configured by Jenetta Penner. Although it was yet another dystopian in an already saturated market, there were aspects to Avlyn's story that were very new. As far as the technical aspects of the book are concerned, Configured was exceedingly well written. The narrative flowed well, there were no obvious technical mistakes, and I easily got sucked into the story from beginning to end. The characters were interesting and likable. Avlyn and her love interests were, of course, my favorites--complicated would be an understatement. The romance was one of the draws of the book for me (I'm all about that romantic tension!) Overall, it was a good, solid start to the series, and I greatly enjoyed it. If you're a fan of Young Adult Dystopian reads, this is definitely a book you're going to want to pick up. I honestly don't have anything to complain about with Configured, and I can't wait to delve further into the series!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sinful Vices: A Dark Romance; Author: Heather West; Genres: romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Sigh. I can't even with this book. I wanted to like it--I really did--and I did manage to finish it... but this is what I'd call a fluff book. It had plot, characters, conflict... but entirely lacked any sort of grounding. As much as I liked the main characters, their romance and the overall arch of the story, the dialogue, actions, and decisions of the characters were so ridiculously unbelievable that it ruined the book for me. The worst perpetrator of this was the father of the main female lead, who talked like an old mob-boss. He was so over-the-top dramatic all the time that he made me want to roll my eyes. His dialogue was some of the most unrealistic I've ever read. I don't know if the author just rushed through this book in order to get it published as quickly as possible, or what--but it was definitely sub-par to the sort of care and craft I generally look for in a romance. If you're just looking for a fun, quick read to while away the time, this book is probably fine... but it's not something I'd pick up if there were any other romance book within arm's reach. I expected more.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Remnants (Brandon Fisher FBI, #6); Author: Carolyn Arnold; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Remnants by Carolyn Arnold is not the type of book I would normally pick up. Although I love murder mysteries and suspense stories, I'll admit that character-driven fiction is the main basis for my love of most books--and this book wasn't character driven. We'll get to that in a minute, though. Technically speaking, Remnants was well written. It was easy to follow along, there weren't a lot of grammatical or punctuation mistakes, and the pace of the book was steady throughout. It was effortless to sink into the story and follow along with the story--I have nothing to complain about. The crime was interesting and thrilling, and like the characters, I had a hard time puzzling out who the perpetrator was until near the very end. My only true nitpick is that I didn't feel like I really connected with any of the characters. I didn't relate to them, I didn't particularly like them, and aside from the murderer, I didn't find them all that interesting. Maybe it's my penchant for character-driven fiction--I don't know--but It did drop this book down a star for me. That doesn't mean I didn't like the book though. Overall, I enjoyed the book for what it was, and if you love crime fiction, this is a solid choice. I only wish I'd been a little more drawn to the characters than I was. It would have been nice to get sucked into the personalities of the FBI agents a little more.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Protected By the Mountain Wolf (Mountain Wolf Protectors, #1); Author: Emilia Hartley; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Protected by the Mountain Wolf is the first book I've read by Emilia Hartley and I'm happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The book was well edited and easy to read. I didn't run into any glaring mistakes or structural issues. The narrative moved along quickly. I will admit though, that the quick pace of the book was also one of the drawbacks for me. Personally, I like to sink into my fiction and live there for awhile, and I felt like I couldn't necessarily do that with this book. Also, perhaps because of the pace, the sex scenes seemed to lack some of the sexual tension I was expecting. That being said, I adored the characters, the romance, and the danger of the plot. It was a good story, and if wishing a book were a little longer is its only flaw--that's a pretty good flaw to have. If anything, I wish there had been more to the story. If you're looking for a fast paced, easy paranormal romance to read through over the weekend or an afternoon, this would probably be a solid choice for you. I look forwards to reading more by this author in the very near future.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: About a Dog (Bluff Point, #1); Author: Jenn McKinlay; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. About a Dog by Jenn McKinlay was a heart-warming, sexy read from start-to-finish. This was one of those books that I like to label a "sure read". The book falls back on some common contemporary romance tropes, but the familiarity of those tropes is one of the reasons why the book works so well to begin with. This is one of those books that you pick up, and you know you're going to get the warm fuzzies. Technically speaking, the book was well written. The narrative flowed well, moved at a good, steady pace, and I didn't run into a lot of typos or grammatical errors that would have brought me out of the story. The characters were interesting, distinct, and likable for the most part (okay, maybe not Mac's underwhelming "boyfriend". It's real hard to like that guy. The humor and witty dialogue really made the story engaging. Overall, it was a solid read. So why'd I give it four stars, and not five? Well, honestly, I think there could have, and even should have, been more to it. This was an incredibly quick read, and I wish I'd had longer to really sink into the relationship between Mac and Gavin. Their romance was so adorable and steamy at times, that I was really drawn to the main couple, and it was kind of disappointing that my time with them was over so quickly. Yes, I am complaining that this book ended too soon. That's not all though. There were a few opportunities in the book when I felt like there could have easily been more tension added to the plot--especially between Mac and Gavin. It felt like there were these secrets and lies built up throughout the story that didn't really go anywhere. The conflict was just kind of glossed over in the end, and everyone forgave everyone else, and they lived happily ever after--and I have no problem with happily ever after... I just expected more of a journey to get there. All that aside, I really did enjoy the book. It was cute, and if you like contemporary romance and you want a sexy, feel-good book, this is a safe bet.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The One Memory of Flora Banks; Author: Emily Barr; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I have mixed feelings about this book. The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr was a bit of a slow paced read. It started slow, and it continued to remain at that slow pace throughout the book. Part of this can be attributed to Flora's voice. She is often confused and inside her head through most of the story, and it tended to slow the pace down. Not only that, but her natural voice for the narration of this book is very dry and lacking in any overt personality. This is probably one of the biggest factors of why I dropped my rating for this book down to a 3.5 or 4 stars. I had a hard time telling if Flora's dry, vegetative voice was a byproduct of her medication, her damaged brain, the author's inability to write young characters, or a case of over-editing. It kind of sucked the life out of the book, and for some people, this is going to be the reason they set this book down. That being said, I did enjoy this book quite a lot. Flora's medical condition, though used before in fiction, is still a relatively fresh idea, and very much a fascinating one. It creates all sorts of problems in Flora's life and became a captivating twist in the narrative as the reader is swept along with the mystery of Flora's life. The plot was one of the biggest draws for this book, and it kept me enthralled as I followed Flora along on her adventure. Another positive point was the characters. I liked them--nearly all of them--and despite the relatively small amounts of time we got to spend with most of them, they seemed well fleshed out. There were some parts of this story that were definitely hard to stomach. The way Flora's parents and others treated her sometimes enraged me. It was heartbreaking to see so many people avidly lying to Flora and abusing her trust. On the other side of the coin though, there were also a lot of really great characters that were kind to Flora. It balanced out well, and even if I didn't particularly like how Flora was being treated, it lead to a provocative narrative. If you enjoy contemporary YA fiction, and you're looking for a book that will make you think, this may be a good pick for you. This is a slow read, and Flora's narrative voice isn't going to be for everyone, but the core of the story is thought-provoking and captivating, and if you give it a chance, you won't be wasting your time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Haunted Manor (Power And Love, #1); Author: Emilia Hartley; Genres: history, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is the second book from Emilia Hartley that I've read in the past week, and honestly, I'm underwhelmed. I wanted to like this book--it has everything I enjoy: it's a historical romance that deals with the paranormal. What's not to love? Apparently... quite a bit. Here's the thing: In the past year I read a book that was almost identical to this one in plot. Guy takes over a dilapidated manor, finds out it's haunted, asks the local wise woman/town witch to help him out in getting rid of the haunting...they fall in love, things are resolved... and they live happily ever after. The one big difference is the other book was written better. Judging solely on the two books I've read from this author, she has a tendency to rush through her narrative. The pace in The Haunted Manor was quick to the point of making the events absurd. Despite societal rules and barely knowing each other, the main couple falls in love almost instantly, and within a handful of days, are ready to change their entire lives for each other. It's a bit much to believe. Another problem was the characters. They were all pretty 1-dimensional. The main male lead, Lord Michael Baird, was snobbish, entitled, arrogant, and weak-willed. The entire reason he decided he couldn't be with the woman he loved... is because he thought it beneath his station to get his hands dirty. I did not like him as a character, and I found his attitude towards the other characters condescending. His voice came off as feminine--but trying not to be. The funny thing is... other than Michael not wanting to step below his station, almost all other historical societal conventions of the time period were completely ignored. As for the technical aspect of the book--it wasn't bad. It was relatively clean and easy to read, although I did find a misused word, some doubled words and a few punctuation problems. It wasn't what I'd consider egregious. Overall, I was underwhelmed. I expected more out of this book, and I was disappointed by the rushed, lackluster manner in which it was written. I think it could have been better with a bit of polishing and some critical beta readers. In the end, I just didn't like it. If you like fluffy, short reads, you may enjoy this book, it just wasn't for me.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: As We Know It; Author: Carrie Butler; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. What a fantastic read. Honestly. I'll admit, I was a little thrown off by how this book began. I opened it up, and for a few short minutes, I sank into what felt every bit to be a contemporary romance. I forgot for a moment that the cover looked apocalyptic, and then BOOM, everything changed--much like, I imagine, it changed for Elena and Vincent. As We Know It by Carrie Butler was a gripping survival tale that I felt, portrayed a natural disaster situation in a reasonably accurate light. The situation felt not only real, but plausible every step of the way, and I was sucked into the harrowing world of Elena and Vincent for a few hours. The book was wonderfully well written. I only found a couple of typos, and nothing jarring enough to pull me out of the story. The characters were complex and imperfect, but genuine. The romance was surprisingly sweet, and the banter between the two lead characters was compelling and dynamic. I honestly don't have anything to complain about with this book. I absolutely adored it. It was tense, gritty, believable, and heartwarming all at once. If you're looking for a gripping adventure story, look no further.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mind Waves (Mind Hackers, #1); Author: Amanda Uhl; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. To be honest, Mind Waves by Amanda Uhl isn't my typical pick for a romance. Sure, it has all the elements I love in fiction: Suspense, Romance, Paranormal... but I don't often look to combine all three. However, I find that I enjoyed this book regardless. There was a lot of tension in this book and a sense of imminent danger. The romance was equal parts dangerous, sweet, and sexy. The only thing that didn't quite sit right with me was the mind-reading bits (and I'll admit that's a pretty significant part of the book). I couldn't get over the weird in-mind visuals of the guys fighting with long whip-like arms, the constant referral to "portals" and "happy place". It came across as a bit cheesy. Although I can't quite put my finger on it, it felt almost... dated... reminding me of similar books I read in the late 90's. I'm sure it's probably just a personal hang up... but I just couldn't get over it. I also wish the sweet and sometimes sexy romance between the two main characters had been a little more sexually charged. The couple spent so much time doubting and arguing with each other that I sometimes forgot they were in love. It would have been nice to see a little more sexual tension thrown in, and a few more endearing moments to round it out. That being said--it wasn't all bad. I found the plot compelling. I liked the characters (even the evil ones). The writing was impeccable; the pace moved along steadily and I never ran into any jarring grammatical issues or structure hang-ups. Despite my rather tepid feelings towards how the mind-reading was handled, I did enjoy the book quite a bit. Which why I gave it four stars. I'm sure there's going to be a lot of readers out there that enjoy certain aspects of the books more than I did, and I encourage you to give this book a try if it sounds like something you might be interested in. I'd say it leans a little more heavily towards the suspenseful side of the plot than the romance, but there's still a good measure of romance to it. Give it a try.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Belgrave Legacy (The Belgrave Legacy, #1); Author: Zara Hoffman; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, young-adult; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I could not finish this book. I wanted to. In fact, I made it further into this book than I normally do when I DNF. Chapter 19. 67% into the story. Let me explain what happened. This book started off slow. There were tedious bits of over explanation of things the main character probably should have already known before the start of the story. The author had a habit of introducing new things into the story by simply dropping them in rather than leading up to the reveals or intertwining bits of information slowly throughout the plot. This lead to several jarring moments where I had to sit back and readjust my world view of the book before continuing on. The writing itself was for the most part, technically correct. There were a few missing words and weirdly structured sentences, but nothing I couldn't have pushed past. It was simply the way that information was imparted to the reader and the dramatic way the characters acted within the narrative that made it painful to follow along at times. It lacked a sense of depth to the worldbuilding and storytelling. As the story progressed, I worked my way past these speedbumps. I found that I quite liked the characters and the romance between the main couple (even though their romance sped along exceedingly fast). The story seemed to be leading up to a big moment, as stories do, and that moment came - and things were resolved. They beat the bad guy in a manner of speaking. The romance hit a rough patch - but was working towards being resolved... everything was shaping up for the end of the book--and I thought, "that wasn't so bad."... and then I looked at my progress in the book, and I was only halfway through. It felt strange to hit a section of the book that seemed to be "the end". It sure felt like The End... but then it didn't happen. The story kept going, skipping large amounts of time. Events were happening with no lead-up, again just being dropped into the story. There was a training montage... and It got to where I was 67% in the book and sat back and wondered... when is this going to end? I was bored, and not a lot was happening. It felt like the book had completed and then there was this really long, really tedious epilog to go through.. that just happened to take up half the story. So, I put it down. I didn't hate the book. I don't even think it was a bad book. The cover is gorgeous. The title was fitting and mysterious. The characters were likable... the plot was really interesting... but the execution fell flat--and that's all there is to it. There are going to be a lot of people out there that enjoy this book more than I did... and that's great. I just didn't have the patience to sit through; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Something (Wisteria, #1); Author: Shelby Lamb; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. DNF. I wanted to like this book--the premise certainly sounded interesting, but unfortunately, the execution fell drastically short. I have to be honest: I didn't like this book. At all. The story started with a huge section describing the character down to her moles. She was a predictable emo-hipster complete with pastel pink hair and piercings, constantly listening to dated Evanescence songs while she whined about her absent boyfriend, friends, and well... just about everything. Frankly, I didn't like her. She was depressing to listen to, and the way she was set up made it painfully obvious that she was just like every other dramatically written emo teen; painfully special in her sad, cliche way. The narrative voice was filled with poetic description about things that weren't relevant to the story, and after just 4% of the book--I was bored. I know there are people out there that love this book--I have seen the 4 and 5-star reviews--and I applaud them for their dedication in reading through this entire book. Really, I do. It just wasn't for me, and honestly, I can't recommend it. I don't think it was well written. I am incredibly disappointed.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Alpha Kaden (Alpha#2); Author: Midika Crane; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. I have mixed feelings about Alpha Kaden by Midika Crane. From the synopsis, I assumed this was going to be a very dark romance tinged with bits of insanity--which is something I don't often read, but I do find fascinating... but that isn't really what I found. In fact, let's be clear: the synopsis is incredibly misleading. There were definite elements of darkness and insanity to the story (and a whole lot of romance) but not in the way I expected--and I'm not sure how I feel about that. At first, the romance between Kaden and Mara was everything it promised. There was this element of darkness and insanity that made the situation between the two lovers sultry and taboo...but then part way through the book there is a twist (and not a bad one at that!) that completely changes how we readers see Alpha Kaden. Without giving too much away, he went from being this bad-ass, devilishly charismatic man... to being, well... kind of a wimp. On the one hand, I understand why the author changed his personality mid-way through, but on the other hand, I don't think it was the best way to handle the situation. Kaden is an Alpha... just because the twist happened, doesn't mean he stops being an Alpha. Frankly, I liked him before the twist a lot better than after. Mara didn't agree with me apparently. She went from hating this man beyond words to falling madly in love with him n the course of a page--which was annoying, to say the least. That being said, the chemistry between the characters was steamy, and everything you want from a romance once you get past the initial shock and confusion. The world building was interesting, the characters, though maybe a bit shallow, were compelling enough to carry the story. The writing itself was easy to read and flowed well. I just wish the Alpha hadn't become such a Beta. It felt rushed and sloppy the way it was handled. If you like paranormal romances with suspense and werewolves, you'll probably enjoy Alpha Kaden. Despite its flaws, it was entertaining and definitely worth reading, but this isn't going to be one of those books that you re-read over and over.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dirty Like Brody (Dirty, #2); Author: Jaine Diamond; Genres: young-adult, graphic, comics, romance; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Jaine Diamond is quickly becoming one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. Dirty Like Brody was another great addition to the Dirty Series. The characters were complex and vivid. They were complicated and realistic, even though they lived in this larger than life world of modeling and rock stars, motorcycle clubs, and drug addicts. It was so easy to sink into their world and be drawn in by their drama. The book was exceedingly well written. I didn't feel bogged down by the narrative or distracted from the overall focus of the plot--and with a book that had so much conflict and backstory, that was rather amazing. I didn't run into any typos or structural errors that pulled me out of the narrative. The romance between Brody and Jessa was equal parts sweet, broken, and steamy. The sex scenes were hot and very well written. They didn't feel rushed or exaggerated in the way I find a lot of sex scenes to be written in romance books at times. It was the perfect balance of romance and raunchy. I loved Brody and Jessa as a couple. They had a good balance of sexual tension, hatred, and undying love that made you want to root for them. The author did an excellent job of dangling the unknown drama of Jessa's past in front of us, making us wonder what her big secret was, without teasing the reader to the point of frustration. I think the book was very well handled, and I was thoroughly entertained for the couple of hours it took me to get through it. If you enjoy contemporary romance with an undertone of "bad boy" drama, a whole lot of conflict and tension, and steamy sex scenes, this book is going to be right up your alley. I highly recommend you give it a try.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Taming Beauty; Author: Lynne Barron; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Taming Beauty by Lynne Barron was such a strange, charming little story. The best phrase I can think of to describe it is vibrant chaos. The characters were complex in the best of ways--often a tad quirky and loud. Lilith and Jasper made a great couple-at-odds, their relationship a tug of war between seduction, flippant banter, and still, endearing moments--and I loved their odd relationship. The writing was steadily paced and easy to sink into--but I'll admit, it could be hard to follow the dialogue at times. The character's voices were written in a genuine, humorous way, full of colorful language and emotion--truly a whirlwind to try and follow. Sometimes that was good, and at other times I had to pause to figure out what the characters were speaking about. Overall, I thought it was a charming read. If you're looking for a quick, funny historical romance to read, I'd suggest you give it a try. I don't know that it was a style of romance I'd normally want to pick up, but it was nice to find something a little different in this story, and I had fun with it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Feel Me Fall; Author: James Morris; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Feel Me Fall by James Morris is perhaps one of the best books I've read yet this year. Part adventure, part thriller, I was sucked into the vivid narrative voice. The book was flawlessly written as far as the technical aspect goes; it flowed at a steady pace, it was easy to read and held just enough description to make the story come to life without feeling bogged down. The characters were full of depth, and even if I didn't like all of them, they were at least interesting. I found the struggle of survival for the teens both disturbing and realistic. Combined with a few twists and turns to the plot here and there, and it proved to be a gripping story. Honestly, I have nothing bad to say about this book. If you're looking for a somewhat realistic story of survival and adventure, I'd definitely recommend you pick this up. I'm excited to pick up more from this author in the future!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success; Author: K.M. Weiland; Genres: non-fiction, fiction; Review: I have to be honest... this book wasn't what I expected it to be. Based on the description, I went into this book thinking this was going to help me outline, figure out how to fill in said outline, structure my scenes and plot, etc.--but that isn't exactly what this book is. 90% of this book was a switch between author interviews where basically every author had the same response (which is fine, they all talked about outlining and why it was useful), and the actual author of the book encouraging the reader to outline. That's fine... but you aren't really going to pick up this book unless you're already planning to outline... so why are you trying so hard to convince the reader that outlining is the way to go? I expected the book to be more helpful, to help me fill out an outline and spark questions about where to go next in my outline. I was hoping for page after page of outlining advice on how to actually figure out an outline and turn it into a workable story... but there was very little of that in this. Don't get me wrong--it was in there... sort of, but it felt more like the book was one big advertisement pushing the reader to try outlining and feel really good about that decision... and like I said, no one's going to pick up this book if they aren't already going to be outlining. In the end, it felt like the small percentage of the book that was actually useful was so small that it could have easily been a single blog post. The rest was just filler to bolster pages and make the reader feel good about their decision to outline... rather than being of any actual help. I gave this book three stars because it was fine. I learned a few small tidbits that will be helpful, but I also feel like I wasted my money on something I could have just Googled, and probably would have gotten more out of in the process. I'm a bit disappointed.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mann Cakes; Author: Mysti Parker; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book direction from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I almost gave this book 3 stars. Almost. I just couldn't do it. I was bored. After the first few pages, I was ready to put the book down. I hung on, and I did finish the book, but I didn't really enjoy it. Very little time was spent on the suspense portion of this book. The murdered friend was mentioned less than a handful of times, and other than one or two incidents in the entire book, there really was no active danger or suspense built up for the characters and reader. There was also very little of the supposed "cupcake war" this book was about. There was maybe an hour in-book time dedicated to the war between the brothers and sisters, and it was entirely one sided and basically, only one character was even involved. Everyone else was just fine. There was no animosity between them. The romances themselves were paced pretty identically between the two couples--so it felt like we were just seeing the same romance in an echo. The romance moved along so quickly that I didn't feel anything for the characters. It didn't feel realistic. The entirety of the book felt like it passed in a handful of days, and before you knew it they were at their HEA's. Overall, it felt like the book lacked any tension or conflict. Everything was a little too easy for the characters, and nothing really happened to move the plot or relationships forward. In the end, the book just wasn't for me.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Road Paved in Copper; Author: Angela Christina Archer; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was a little on the fence with how to rate A Road Paved in Copper by Angela Christina Archer. As I first delved into the book, I was a bit thrown by the style in which the narrative was written. There was a lot of description--beautiful description--but it tended to come off as telling more often than showing. For all the words used to describe Ava De La Vega's world, none of them had quite the impact I wanted to really sink into the world building. As far as the characters are concerned, Ava was a very strong, very competent main female lead, and in contrast, Craig often came off as a bit of a beta male. He had a tendency to sit back and let Ava do whatever she wanted rather than striving to push her into facing her faults. Between the two, I definitely liked Ava a lot more. As for the romance... I had a few problems with it. Ava had a lot of past lovers, which is absolutely fine and didn't bother me in the slightest, but what did bother me is the fact that she had both a relationship with Billy Jack, one of the "villains" of the story, Craig--the main male lead, as well as her foreman. It felt weird and unneeded to have the foreman's relationship with Ava pointed out at the same time that she's dealing with her past with Billy Jack, and her new lover, Craig. It felt like a bit of overkill. That being said, It also felt like Ava's relationship with Craig went a little too fast to be convincing. I think a large part of this is due to the fact that despite seeing the chemistry between the two lovers right off the bat, the majority of their relationship was played out off-screen on the trail back home, which realistically would have taken days, maybe even weeks. It was skimmed over and then they were home, and the readers were supposed to accept their budding relationship and keep moving forward. It didn't feel convincing to me. I wish we'd gotten more time to actually see their relationship develop ourselves. All of that aside, I still liked the book. Despite its flaws, I'd still say it was pretty well written. I liked the characters, the plot, the world building... Tonopah felt real to me, and it was definitely a different twist on an old western trope where the roles of the story were reversed a bit. Ava was everything I'd expect from a strong female lead. In the end, I gave the book 3 stars because it wasn't a bad book, but it also wasn't the greatest I've ever read. It had its flaws and it's great points, overall, I liked it. If you're looking for a historical western-themed romance with a strong female lead, I'd recommend you check this out--that part of the book was very well done. If you prefer Alpha; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Blessedly Bound (An Elemental Witch Trials Novel Book 1); Author: Lucretia Stanhope; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wanted to like this book, unfortunately, the story started painfully slow. The author spent a lot of time "telling" the reader what was happening rather than showing it. The characters spent a lot of time simply doing inane tasks and participating in small talk. By the time the book hit 10%, I was bored. I pushed on, and at 16% in I gave up. The narrative was slow, wordy, and methodical in its descriptions. The characters spent a lot of time in quiet contemplation and simple tasks and yet the story didn't seem to progress. Although the premise was interesting and the characters unique, I didn't feel drawn in by the narrative. Overall, I would say that it could be an interesting book for the right reader, and those out there with a higher tolerance for slow starts might end up really enjoying it, but it just didn't hold my attention. I prefer more tension and quicker paced fiction.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Barely Breathing (Shattered Souls Trilogy Book 1); Author: Katerina Bray; Genres: thriller, crime, romance, mystery; Review: I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I sadly only made it 3% into this book. I just couldn't push myself to read any further. The narrative felt contrived; it was trying too hard to be poetic and mysterious and didn't come across as genuine. The opening sequence was slow with lots of explanation thrown in, and it felt like it took forever to get through. As a Texan, I was irritated by the stereotypical trope of the realtor with the thick Texan drawl (btw, most people in Texas don't have that accent). For all the words used, nothing seemed to be happening of any importance to the story itself in the first chapter, and when I got to the second chapter with Maeson's gratuitous swearing, I was just done. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't have the patience to sit through another chapter. I wasn't drawn into the story. I wasn't interested in where it was going or what was going to happen. I wasn't sucked in by the characters. There may be someone out there that enjoys this book for more than I did, but it just wasn't for me.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Hers, Untamed; Author: Anna Adler; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I'm giving this story a rather tentative 3 stars. Here's the thing: a lot of readers aren't going to like this book. It's firmly in the Erotic Fiction category--not romance as purported. There's quite a bit of king, some taboo leanings, and there's a lot of explicit sex. It's going to be too much for some readers to handle, particularly if they go into the book expecting a romance. If those things don't interest you, you're going to want to move on. That being said, I did have some gripes of my own. Although the level of kink and explicit sex in this book aren't what I'm personally interested in, they don't bother me. I read a lot of books, most of those falling squarely in the romance and erotica genres. What does bother me is the very clear association in this book with slavery and abuse. If this story took place in the real world, it wouldn't be sexy--it'd be horrifying. There are many individuals in the book that are kidnapped, held against their will, mentally broken, and then forced to perform as pets for the wealthy. No matter how it's justified in the book, it's wrong. It's hard for me to appreciate a book that relies on sex and romance to blind the reader to the fact that the main male lead has had his basic rights violated in this manner. That being said, the book was well written. The romance was steamy, I adored the male lead as a character, and it had a happy ending. All of these are good things--but that doesn't completely overshadow how intrinsically wrong the main premise of the story is. Even though I liked the book as a whole, I am very uncomfortable with the slavery aspect of its plotline. Because it's fiction and everything worked out in the end, I'm willing to try to look past the less-than-savory aspects of the plot, but that doesn't mean they don't bother me. A lot of readers are not going to enjoy this book because of it. Another thing I didn't enjoy was the portrayal of the main female lead. Despite her purported intelligence and expertise, she came across as naive, wanton, and rather airheaded. She was clever only when it served to thwart the main male lead, but refused to use her intellect to question her own society and their treatment of outside life forms. She questioned nothing that went against her own brainwashed utopian beliefs--and I find it hard to believe that someone so intelligent wouldn't ask questions. Overall, it was a fun read. There were definitely parts of the story I enjoyed and some I didn't, but throughout, I was thoroughly entertained. This book isn't for everyone. If you're a sensitive reader, I'd recommend looking for something a bit more traditional, but if you enjoy a taste of the taboo, this is a safe way to be entertained for a few hours.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Firefly Serenity Jayne Crochet Peruvian Beanie; Brand: Hot Topic; Review: This arrived on time and looked exactly as pictured. It does fit a bit big, but that's part of the charm. I ordered it a little late before the weather warmed up, but I can't wait to wear it this winter.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Marvel Men's Iron Man 3 Stark Industries T-Shirt; Brand: ; Review: It's perfect! It's soft, fits just like it should, and I love the double takes I get wearing it as people try to figure out what it means (and the smiles I get from my fellow geeks and nerds who get it).; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sophistikitty Velvet wrap bracelet with Rhinestones; Brand: Sophistikitty; Review: I love this bracelet. It's soft and comfortable and looks a lot more complex than it really is. I'll buy it in other colors and I've already bought one as a gift.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: CYZ Comfortable Jersey Cotton Knit Pajama Lounge Sleep Pants; Brand: CYZ Collection; Review: These are so comfy! And they have pockets!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Relipop Women Floral Pleated Knee Length A-line Skirt; Brand: Relipop; Review: Too small and no larger sizes available. Too bad, it's really cute otherwise.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: KTDC Tea County Munnar; City: Munnar Idukki District Kerala; Review: We had a very pleasant 2 night stay at Tea County Hotel during our Kerala tour in September this year. In spite of being right in the middle of town you are suddenly away from the all the noise the moment you enter the premises. The property is spread over a large area with beautiful landscape all around. Since we had asked for a wheelchair accessible room we got a room (no. L05) on the ground floor and the path to the room was manageable without too much problem. The staff was very courteous and helpful and always came forward to help without even having to ask. Our room was fairly spacious and clean with comfortable beds and the toiletries provided were more than what you sometimes get in big hotels. Tea/coffee maker with enough supplies were also provided. The room had a small balcony with a beautiful view of the hills. Wi-fi is available only in the lobby. The food quality was just ok and there is room for improvement. Another disappointing thing was that though the hotel caters to guests on wheelchairs, the restaurant where meals are served is on the first floor with no lift, restricting the guest to eat alone in the room. There is no room service facility in the hotel but for these guests they specially extend this service. Overall it was a nice stay and I will certainly recommend this hotel if travelling to Munnar.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Greenwoods Resort; City: Thekkady Idukki District Kerala; Review: We stayed in this hotel in September 2014. After a scenic drive from Munnar and also having spent an hour at a spice and souvenir shop on the outskirts of Thekkady we arrived at the hotel absolutely famished and headed straight for lunch. The Kerala style food, though a bit spicy and oily, was delicious. The buffet breakfast was also pretty good. The location is excellent since it is very close to the Kalari and Cultural centre, the Periyar Wildlife sanctuary and at the same time right in the middle of Kumily town with plenty of restaurants and shops nearby for spices and tit-bit shopping. The moment you enter the gates you are surrounded with greenery with various fruits and spice trees, just as the name suggests. The hotel organises cultural programmes and cooking demonstration as well. The tree-top tea house near the reception area looked interesting, though I found it empty most of time. Our room was very spacious & clean and the beds were very comfortable. The lighting could have been a little brighter. We had actually asked for a wheelchair accessible room which, we were told was under renovation at that time, but the friendly staff made our stay very comfortable and was always available for any help we required. I would give special score for the smiling and helpful staff at the hotel and would love to go back again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Zuri Kumarakom; City: Kumarakom Kottayam District Kerala; Review: This resort on the banks of Vembanad lake in Kumarakom is absolutely stunning. We stayed here for one night in September and once we entered the hotel we did not step out till check-out time. Spread over acres of land with beautifully maintained gardens, the artificial lagoon in the middle of the property, a beautiful swimming pool – everything is a feast to the eyes. There are jogging and cycling paths, paddle boats and cultural programmes to keep you occupied and golf-carts to take the elderly guests to different locations within the property. One can also take a boat ride on the lake at an additional charge of Rs. 350 and/or rejuvenate in the in-house Maya spa. The wi-fi (on one devise) was available within the entire premises. We had booked a wheelchair accessible room which had a veranda facing the artificial lagoon with a beautiful view. The room was big, very clean and had tea/coffee maker and the bathroom came with toiletries, hair drier and had all the necessary facilities required for a wheelchair guest. Check-in was smooth and quick. The staff was courteous and professional but not the kind who would go out of the way to make you feel pampered, something we noticed in the 3 other hotels we stayed in during our Kerala tour. The buffet breakfast and dinner were pretty good catering to different cuisines, but my ala-carte order of pasta for dinner took very long to arrive. The quality of complimentary evening tea requires an upgrade. In spite of these minor shortfalls I would rate the hotel as excellent and would love to come back again to just chill and relax.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Taj Malabar Resort Spa Cochin; City: Kochi Cochin Ernakulam District Kerala; Review: This was our final stop in Kerala and everything in this hotel was WOW. It is a beautiful property on Wellingdon island and overlooking Cochin harbour. The check-in could not have been smoother – just gave our names as we entered the door and we were ushered straight to our room, without any formalities at the reception desk. The staff – at all levels – were exceptionally nice, friendly and were ready to go all the way to make you feel special. In fact one of the managers came right up to our car to see us off when we were finally leaving for the airport. Our wheelchair accessible room on the ground floor was very spacious and clean and the bathroom had everything, including moveable/adjustable fittings as per the requirements of wheelchair bound guests and a very wide door. The view from our room was not all that great as it had the driveway and porch right in front, but we didn’t miss much as we spent most of our time in the beautiful garden overlooking the backwaters. A complimentary boat ride at 5 pm and classical dance performance every evening comes with the tariff. The breakfast served was of top quality and had a huge choice from South Indian, North Indian to Continental – in fact the best of the 4 hotels that we stayed in during our Kerala tour. The complimentary evening tea also offered variety of sandwiches, pies, muffins, cakes etc. We did not eat any lunch or dinner as we used to be out and therefore ate in town. Only drawback here was the lack of wi-fi connectivity in the rooms or lobby and the charges at the business centre was very high. Better to go with a 3G plan. Another word of caution for those who love to step out and walk around the markets or like to stay in the middle of the town – it is not possible here. There is nothing around and you will need a car every time you want to go to town.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jas Vilas; City: Jaipur Jaipur District Rajasthan; Review: We stayed here for 2 nights a few months back and loved the place. A family run small hotel with a personal touch of the owners made it special. Another unique feature of this property was the beautiful frescos on the walls and ceilings, giving a taste of Rajasthan. Each room had its own identity. The rooms were not very big but very clean and comfortable. Staff was very courteous and helpful. A ramp and rooms on the ground floor makes it friendly for wheelchair users too. The only part that needs a little upgrade is the food quality and the complimentary breakfast that is included in the tariff. Would love to stay there again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Motel One Salzburg Sud; City: Salzburg Austrian Alps; Review: My family and I stayed here for 2 nights during our visit to Salzburg last week. The hotel is around 5 km away from the city centre and the main tourist attractions, but due to the excellent public transport system we did not miss not being in the heart of the city. Bus no. 3 from the station dropped us right in front of the hotel. Remember to buy the Salzburg card for 48 hrs (available at the reception desk) which gives free rides on all public transports + one time free access to almost all tourist attractions. The hotel rooms were very clean but very-very basic - no telephone, no safe, no mini fridge or tea/coffee maker. Even drinking water glasses one had to pick up from the bar near the reception. The buffet breakfast for 9.50 € was not bad and had a fairly good spread - mostly cold cuts. There is a huge supermarket (with a restaurant inside) behind the hotel which is open from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Sunday closed) so either rush back or buy your stuff in the city. Staff was quite friendly and helpful but failed to advise us while we were purchasing the Ho-Ho ticket that the big yellow bus was not wheelchair accessible and in fact not even required. Our Ho-Ho tickets of 18€ each remained unutilised. Overall it is a good place if you are not looking for luxury and want a clean and comfortable place to stay.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Inn Hotel Premium Wien Hauptbahnhof by Quality; City: Vienna; Review: The location is the best part of this hotel. It is 5 minutes walking distance from the central station and therefore very well connected to any part of the city by U-Bahn. The historic city centre is just 2 stops away by U1. The room was pretty big and clean. Since I had taken a wheelchair accessible room we had a regular accessible bathroom but my children, who shared the second room, were not very comfortable with the open bath concept. There is no tea/coffee maker in the room but you can take hot water from their bar. A Spar supermarket + plenty of eateries are available at the station so no problem with food and therefore did not try the breakfast in the hotel. Check-in was smooth and the staff was polite and answered our queries whenever needed. Overall a very good place for the price. Will certainly stay there if ever visited Vienna again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Restaurant Weinhaus Happ; City: Innsbruck Tirol Austrian Alps; Review: Our son's birthday happened to fall during our stay in Innsbruck and we wanted to celebrate with some good local cuisine. On the recommendation of a lady running a souvenir shop nearby we came to this restaurant for dinner. We fortunately found an outdoor seating (just across the Golden Roof) and thoroughly enjoyed the delicious meal, served by a pleasant waiter in spite of the rush and crowded tables. We ordered veal, pork and seafood platters and relished every bite. The portions were pretty big and sadly did not leave any scope for desserts. So be careful while ordering if you are a small eater. Highly recommended for its food, location, ambience and service.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Motel One Wien Hauptbahnhof; City: Vienna; Review: The hotel is located right outside Vienna's Central Station (Wien Hbf) and very convenient for visitors who are travelling to other cities from Vienna. The rooms are spic and span but very very basic - NO phone, safe, mini fridge or kettle. At least a safe and a telephone in the room would have been helpful. We had to go to the reception for any small query and also had to carry our valuables with us every time we went out for the day. We have previously stayed in another hotel at the same cost which provided these basic facilities, including a mini fridge. My wheelchair accessible room and bathroom was quite spacious but our second room and bathroom were comparatively pretty small. The bed was soft and a bit too high for me but after a tiring day we were fast asleep soon after hitting the pillow. Check-in was smooth and the staff at the front office were very courteous and efficient. The hotel has a luggage storage facility which is very helpful. We left one suitcase with them for 6 days during our visit to Prague. Even on the last day after check-out we left our entire luggage and went sightseeing and picked them up only at night before heading to the airport. We did not try the buffet breakfast at the hotel because the railway station had quite a few options and we preferred that. There is also a big supermarket (SPAR) at the station from where one can get food supplies, beverages and other home products. Going to the historical city centre from here is very convenient. It is just 2 stops (Karlplatz) by Metro - Line U1. Overall it was a comfortable stay and I certainly recommend it for short stays.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Atlantic; City: Prague Bohemia; Review: We stayed in this hotel for 6 nights during our recent visit to Prague. The best part of the hotel is its location - just 200 mts. from Republiky Namesty and walking distance from the Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Wenceslas Square and even the Central Station (Hlavni Nadrazi). The tram and bus stops are also just outside the hotel making it convenient to travel to any part of the city. Unfortunately, there was some road repair work going on outside the hotel due to which my wheelchair movement was not very smooth - but we managed. The hotel and rooms were basic but clean and the bed quite comfortable. My wheelchair accessible room was fairly big and had a TV, telephone and a safe - no fridge or kettle. Strangely there was no air conditioning in the room, something we inadvertently did not notice while booking the hotel. It used to be quite hot during the day (thankfully we used be out almost all day) but got quite comfortable by evening. For circulation of air we opened our window the first night but since our room was facing the main road we hardly got any sleep due to all sorts of noises coming from outside. Check-in was fast and the front office staff were very helpful with our queries regarding transportation, sightseeing etc. They even made several local telephone calls on our behalf (specially where language became a barrier) and did not charge us for the calls. They also sent us an in-house technician to fix my wheelchair when it started rattling due to the rough cobbled streets of Prague. One extra star is specially for the staff. The room tariff included buffet breakfast which was pretty good. The spread had a quite a few choices and a little variation in the menu was seen everyday. The hotel has a bar too. For shopping purposes a big mall (Palladium) with stores selling from jewellery, clothing, cosmetics to glassware & crystals is just round the corner. Several restaurants as well as a super market can also be found here. The hotel is certainly recommended if you want to stay at a convenient location.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ibis Styles Budapest City; City: Budapest Central Hungary; Review: We stayed in this hotel for 4 nights during our visit to Budapest last month. The hotel is not close to the city centre but it’s convenient to visit all the places with Tram no. 4 & 6 and the various buses operating from Boraros square which is just across the road. It is quite close to Danube river and a pleasant walk in the evenings on the bank of the river with a great view of lit up buildings is highly recommended. We had taken one standard double and one wheelchair accessible room. My handicapped room which had a double bed was pretty small but it had an adjacent tiny room with another single bed and each room had an attached bathroom - one regular and one handicap friendly. This was certainly very useful. The beds were very comfortable & clean though the carpet looked a little run down. The rooms have a TV & a safe but no fridge or kettle. To operate the safe you need to have a card with magnetic strip - we used our credit card. From wheelchair accessibility point of view I would like to mention that the lifts are really very small and it used to be quite a task fitting my manual wheelchair + one more person inside. Because of this we quite often had to wait for a long time to get an empty lift to go down to the reception. At the hotel entrance a chair lift is installed which the reception staff had to operate for me every-time I went out and returned to the hotel. Fortunately the reception was manned 24/7. Breakfast layout was like most of the regular European spreads which was fine with us. The reception lobby had a tea/coffee machine which was free for all guests staying there. One such tea/coffee station on each floor (like we had in a hotel in Vienna) would have avoided the lobby from getting crowded. The lobby area has a bar too. The hotel had plenty of staff who were generally quite friendly and helpful with our queries that were mainly regarding public transport or sightseeing. Only one particular guy (name not known) used to be busy on his mobile and showed no interest in coming forward to help the guests. Overall, our stay was quite comfortable and I recommend the hotel to all those who are looking for a budget friendly decent place in Budapest.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: AZIMUT Hotel Vienna; City: Vienna; Review: This was my third visit to Vienna in the last three years and on every visit we like to try out a new hotel. For convenience of transportation our favourite location has always been close to the Central Station and therefore this time we chose Azimut hotel which is just 5 minutes away from the station. Our stay was only for two nights. The hotel looks pretty new with a fancy lobby and very clean rooms and bathrooms. My wheelchair accessible room & bathroom was quite big and comfortable. The bathroom was equipped with all the facilities required by a wheelchair user. The bed too was quite comfortable (a couple of inches higher would have been better). Our second room (Standard double), occupied by my children, was comparatively smaller than mine. Though there was no fridge and kettle in the rooms but the tea/coffee station on each floor made our lives very easy. Staff were very friendly and check-in was quick. We did not have breakfast (at 13€ per person) in the hotel and preferred eating at the station where there are multiple options. Overall our stay was very comfortable and certainly recommend it for short or long stays.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Schernthaner; City: St Gilgen Austrian Alps; Review: During our last month’s visit to the Lake & Mountain Region of Austria (near Salzburg) we chose St. Gilgen as our base. For our stay we selected Hotel Schernthaner, a beautiful family run inn in the heart of town. The positive reviews on Trip Adviser helped us in selecting this hotel and we are glad that we did. The location of the hotel is so perfect. We took bus no.150 (costing € 6.80 p/p) from Salzburg Central Station which dropped us just 50 metres from the hotel. Mozartplatz (with quite a few shops, hotels & restaurants), the cable car station as well as Lake Wolfgangsee are all within walking distance from the hotel. A supermarket (SPAR) is also just 10 minutes walk from here. We fell in love with the hotel the moment we stepped in. The bedrooms, breakfast room, balconies everything was colourful and charming giving the place a very country style look. We were a group of 6 and booked 3 double rooms which were on the 2nd floor and each room had a small balcony overlooking the mountains and also gave a glimpse of the lake. The rooms were spic-and-span with comfortable beds and were also equipped with safe, fridge, TV & electric kettle. A piece of Mozart chocolate was kept on each bedside table to welcome the guests. Wheelchair users please note that the bathrooms are small and not equipped with facilities for handicapped persons but are manageable. I quite comfortably managed (room no. 7) using my manual wheelchair. The walk-in shower may pose a problem for some, depending on the level of disability. Breakfast was included in tariff and had an extensive choice - from fruits, cereals, yogurt, cold cuts, cheeses, breads, selection of preserves and pâtés and many more. Having breakfast in that beautifully decorated floral room with matching crockery was a pure delight. Except for breakfast no other meal is provided by the hotel. I would like to specially thank Marcus, the owner of the hotel, for his assistance and for very promptly and patiently replying to my multiple emails with various queries prior to our visit. To my query regarding wheelchair accessibility he sent me a detailed mail giving dimensions of the lift, lift door, bedroom and bathroom doors, step at the entrance etc. which was very-very helpful in the deciding factor. We booked our rooms directly with him on email. Finally, during check-out he handed us small bottles of preserves which gave a very personal touch to our stay. Another wonderful aspect to this hotel was that as soon as you step out of the hotel and turn left there is a tiny yet homely little Turkish restaurant that would be open till late at night and it rescued us from hunger when we returned at night and everything else had shut down (all restaurants in town close by 9 pm). It serves warm doner kababs to pizzas and also a traditional rice and beef dish. A complimentary cake he served us one night was absolutely delicious. The guy spoke no English and; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Austria Classic Hotel Hoelle; City: Salzburg Austrian Alps; Review: As our main destination in the region was St. Gilgen we stayed in this hotel for only one night during our visit to Austria in September this year. The location of the hotel is not very central but bus no. 5 (low floor) took us from the Central Station in just 15-20 minutes. It is in a quiet neighbourhood so if you don’t want to stay amidst the hustle-bustle of the city then this is your hotel. The same bus can be taken to go to Mirabelplatz & the charming old town. The rooms were clean, had a safe, fridge, TV & a coffee machine. Please note that the coffee capsules provided in the room is not complimentary and you have to pay €2.5 for every capsule you use. Wi-fi worked fine. The 2 standard double rooms that my friends and children had occupied were quite spacious and my wheelchair accessible room was even bigger with plenty of space to comfortably manoeuvre my wheelchair around. Besides having a fully adapted bathroom the room had an adjustable bed which could be raised or lowered with the help of a switch. A very ideal hotel for wheelchair users as it has a ramp at the entrance, a decent size lift, convenient room & bathroom and a barrier free breakfast room. Breakfast was included in our tariff and the spread was fairly good. The spread had the usual cold cuts, cheeses, cereals, fruits etc. and this was the first time we saw plenty of smoked salmon served at breakfast. There was a pleasant lady taking care of breakfast arrangements and had a table ready for us even before we arrived. Overall, we had a pleasant stay and fully recommend the hotel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mountain Quail Motel; City: Morni Hills Panchkula District Haryana; Review: We visited this little hilly town of Haryana called Morni Hills in December 2018. A drive of just 6 hrs. from Delhi makes it a great weekend getaway too. The route to Morni Hills (via NH44, Saha & Raipur Rani) is very good. We faced only a small patch of bad road where some construction work was on. The best place to stay here is the Haryana Tourism run hotel - The Mountain Quail. Finding the hotel did not pose any problem since we were accompanied by friends who had already visited and stayed in the hotel before. The best part of the hotel is its location. The views of the surrounding hills from here is beautiful. One can sit either in front of the hotel (near the car parking area) or in the garden behind the building to enjoy the view. Some hotel guests wake up early to see the sunrise from here. It’s a place to just chill so do not expect any action here. The rooms are really spacious with a comfortable bed and enough seating space. We had booked a Superior Room which had a separate sitting room too with comfortable sofas. Upon our request we were provided with room heaters and the rooms became quite cozy. Only drawback was that the walls and furnitures looked somewhat run down and required a fresh coat of paint and refurbishment. The staff were very pleasant and helpful and went out of the way to make our stay comfortable. We had all our meals in the hotel itself. The food was good and very reasonably priced. The cooks even made us some special dishes on order. Though we would have loved to have our breakfast and lunch in the garden but could not do so due to monkey menace. Wheelchair users please note that they do not have rooms with handicapped bathrooms but they are somewhat manageable. Manoeuvring wheelchairs inside the room is easy as they are quite big. The entry to the building is through one step which is also not too difficult. Ask for a ground floor room as the hotel does not have elevators for upper floors. Overall our stay was very nice and I am looking forward to another vacation here very soon.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Heart in Motion; Brand: Amy Grant; Review: This is my favorite studio album by Amy Grant. Heart in motion is an upbeat pop album with very little religious overtones. Only 2 songs seem to talk about God/Jesus and that is "Ask Me" & "Hope Set High." It's a fun album and I wish she did more pop albums like this. I really like the feel of the album front to finish. Tracks that stand out to me are "I Will Remember You," "Baby, Baby" and "That's What Love is For." I don't know far this album went back in the 90's, but I would hope it reached no. 1, cause I feel as if it deserves a high rating. Its musically fun, lyrics flow off the tongue, and it leaves you feeling good.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ; Brand: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis; Review: This album is a good, but its content is a little preachy and a lot of the songs are awkward to play at parties. IF you are going to party, this is not the album. "Thrift Shop" "Can't Hold Us" and "White Walls" are really the only songs that don't feel awkward at parties. I've tried playing the other songs and it just got awkward. Overall the songs are good, it's just not necessarily a full on party album, because a lot of the songs focus on sad things in life and it kind of sucks. "Same Love" is nice, but it is kind of preachy.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pure Heroine; Brand: Lorde; Review: Lorde is apparently the teenage girl version of Rick Astley because all of her songs sound pretty much the same (Rick Astley songs all sound the same by the way). Team stood out the most, but most of the songs blended in together sounding like one long song. Including the song "Royals." Yes the song Royals is good, but honestly the whole album pretty much sounds the same all the way through with the exception of Team, which kind of stands just barely. This is not to say that she lacks talent, she has talent and I love how she just seems to be like taunting us especially when saying "I'm kind of tired of being told to throw my hands up in the air, so there." "I'm kind of older when I rebelled without a care, so there." I like to think of her as like I said a Sarcastic Female Rick Astley.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Deconstructed EP; Brand: Kesha; Review: I just love how raw this music feels. Ke$ha makes a lot dance music and it feels like its wearing a mask, but these songs just feel like they've taken off the mask and showing her true colors. I think Ke$ha should make more albums like this.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Barefoot Blue Jean Night; Brand: Jake Owen; Review: Jake owen kills it with this album most definitely worth the money; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_CDs_and_Vinyl |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Animo Juice; City: Philadelphia, PA; Review: The Specialty Blends at their Juice Bar are on the thick side, so they're more like a well-blended smoothie than a juice. This is a great thing in my opinion. I've been to the Haddonfield location before and liked it a little better than this one, only because this location seems much too small to hold the lunchtime rush. Otherwise, love the food and drink here!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chapterhouse Café & Gallery; City: Philadelphia, PA; Review: Didn't notice it when I've walked by in the past - the name of the place is not displayed prominently on the outside, so keep an eye out if this is your first time! I really enjoy this cafe. It's got many separate rooms for sitting, plus many different kinds of sitting arrangements - bar, armchair, couch, and table. Prices are amazing compared to the Starbucks at the other end of the block.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ultimo Coffee; City: Philadelphia, PA; Review: A bit crowded and cramped, and the menu is a little small. I'd say great if you live in the area and need a quick and easy pick-me-up but no need to travel for this.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mulan Chinese Restaurant; City: Marlton, NJ; Review: No idea why people don't like this place. I live right down the street so I visit for convenience, but I have never had a problem with their food. It tastes good, it's inexpensive, and it's always ready on time. Contrary to a previous review, I've never had a problem with their hours, either, and I think that's a foolish reason to avoid a business.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Extended Stay America - Philadelphia - King of Prussia; City: King of Prussia, PA; Review: I am a college student so I usually look for Extended Stays whenever I need to stay somewhere. It's affordable and I've always been pleased with their service. This particular one is no exception - check in was quick, WiFi is fast, room is clean...no problems there. The reason it gets 2 stars instead of 4 or 5 is because I got a no smoking room, but the bathroom smells wildly of cigarette smoke. The sign on the door says no smoking, and I didn't notice it until I stepped into the bathroom. Not sure if it's coming from the shower curtain, or if someone across the hall is smoking. Either way, this is NOT acceptable to me. I would expect the entire wing to be smoke-free. I very, very rarely give bad reviews, but I have only once stayed in a hotel worse than this one.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: QDOBA Mexican Eats; City: Voorhees, NJ; Review: I made the switch from Chipotle to Qdoba when I learned that they don't charge for guac. This particular location is a favorite - they have a good amount of seating and located conveniently in the mall & across from the library. My favorite part of this location though is the staff! They're always friendly, but there's one guy in particular (I think he's a manager because he wears a different color shirt?) who is always refreshingly upbeat!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tio Flores; City: Philadelphia, PA; Review: The atmosphere is so cool - I've been wanting to stop in for a while simply because of the fun, colorful lights and the metal goat statue that proudly stands outside sometimes (and inside at the door to greet you when it's raining). We got the House Guacamole and some drinks, and I gotta say, that guac is AMAZING, and I'm not even a fan of it usually. The only thing keeping this place from 5 stars is the lack of a drink variation on their menu - they have a HUGE variety, but 60-70% are just beers, when I like everything but.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Room 12 Lounge; City: Philadelphia, PA; Review: They didn't check our IDs or even acknowledge us at the door when we walked in at 12 AM, which could be either good or bad depending who you are. The crowd is definitely for young college students, which is what I am, so that was a plus in my book. I didn't have a problem with the service at all, and it had a pretty good crowd. VERY far from empty! My only issue with the place is that the dance area is small and no one was really dancing - one girl would try to once in a while, a guy would grind up on her, and then they'd stop and chat. So, the dance floor was just full of people talking.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Club Diner; City: Bellmawr, NJ; Review: My family and I ordered takeout from here and overall it was decent but nothing to write home about. Everything was pretty standard. The one exception is the reason for my low rating - I just ordered a corn muffin, and received a muffin that had already been cut in half and toasted. Kind of annoying since I like my muffins untoasted, but I ate it anyway. It was clearly cooked in bacon grease and really nasty. Didn't taste like a muffin at all - all I could taste was weird burnt bacon. Reading the other reviews it looks like I may have just had bad luck but given that this was such a simple order I don't think we'll be going here again.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Quality Inn; City: Kanab Utah; Review: Arrived very late and staff were very helpful, brewing coffee and making us most welcome. Nice clean rooms and smart reception/dining area. also free internet via a computer in the lobby was handy. Great location if you fancy a quck game of golf on a great little 9 hole course which you can walk to. The hotel even gave us a free round. Thought Kanab was a great little town and the Holiday Inn is highly recommended. Will definately stay again if passing.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Volare an Ascend Hotel Collection Member; City: San Clemente California; Review: We had reservations about this as it was very cheap and was right next to the freeway but we loved it ! Hotel was good and clean and we had a sea view room which faced away from the freeway so we heard no noise at all. Air conditioning was broken in gym which rendered it unusable by day however. San Clemente is a great little town with a village feel and the beach is only about 15 mins walk from the hotel down the main street. Shops and restaurants (a great selection) are withing seconds walk from the hotel.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn Richfield; City: Richfield Utah; Review: This is an excellent hotel with great rooms. These Hampton Inn's are by far the best of the 'budget' lodges. Excellent swimming pool and fitness facilities. Well placed for town and freeway. Strongly recommended and if this is typical of Hampton Inns then I will be staying at them more in future. The beds are made up like a five star hotel with cushions galore! Reception/Breakfast area very clean and pleasant and staff were great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grand River Hotel; City: Parachute Colorado; Review: Very clean and well equipped hotel right on Interstate. Great indoor pool. Provides a convenient stop on route. Appears new as all areas are very well maintained. Parachute is a good plaec to sleep, but not a lot there to make you want to stay on !; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Hotel Suites Rochester; City: Rochester New Hampshire; Review: Stayed here for three nights and it is fantastic. used it as a base for seeing the white mountains (North Conway a simple one-hour drive up the road) and the Maine coast (Kennebunkbort about and hour also).Facilities were excellent and staff very helpful and friendly. Would recommend this hotel to anyone wanting a base for touring.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Goldilocks and Just One Bear; Author: Visit Amazon's Leigh Hodgkinson Page; Review: If your kid likes the 3 bears, this is a fun story that somewhat compliments the original story line. I have given as gifts and most recipients seem happy. Keeper book!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In the Small Kitchen: 100 Recipes from Our Year of Cooking in the Real World; Author: Visit Amazon's Cara Eisenpress Page; Review: I got this book out of the library and loved it so much I bought it. There are tons of great recipes and insights. This book is really for an intermediate to expert cook not so much a beginner. Many of the recipes are healthy and easy. I would absolutely buy this for a gift for someone who likes to cook.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lea Dives In (Girl of the Year); Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Yee Page; Review: This series is good for our 7 year old girl. Book 2 in the series was more interesting than book 1. We have not started book 3 but look forward to it. Kids can absolutely learn from the book and I really appreciate the strong vocabulary in the book. Lots to look up and learn (even adults reading along with their child).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Photographic Card Deck of The Solar System: 158 Cards Featuring Stories, Scientific; Author: Visit Amazon's Marcus Chown Page; Review: Wow what a fascinating set of facts and pictures which are beautiful. Wish the box was not so tight and it was easier to get the cards back in order. Took a long time to come. Worth the wait.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rising Above: Inspiring Women in Sports; Author: Visit Amazon's Gregory Zuckerman Page; Review: Great book. While some chapters offer more content than others, every chapter is enjoyable and has a great message. Look forward to reading his first book about men athletes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Ideal Peanut Butter and Jelly Card Game; Brand: ideal.; Review: Cute game in a little lunchbox. Kids have had fun playing it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Funko Friends Joey Tribbiani Pop Vinyl Figure; Brand: FunKo; Review: I got all six of the Friends a a gift for my daughter. I had been waiting to get them since I heard they were making Friends into Pop! figures. She was completely thrilled with them. I haven't seen them myself as they were sent directly to her but she said they were great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zoomer Dino, Jurassic world INDOMINUS REX-Collectible Robotic Edition; Brand: Zoomer; Review: Got this at a fantastic price before Christmas. It was a gift for my 7-yr old grandson. He loved it! It was one of the tops on his list. He played with it often while I was visiting for the holidays. It had a lot of things it could do. It was packaged really well and arrived in perfect condition. Great purchase!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Friends - Monica Geller; Brand: FunKo; Review: I got all six of the Friends a a gift for my daughter. I had been waiting to get them since I heard they were making Friends into Pop! figures. She was completely thrilled with them. I haven't seen them myself as they were sent directly to her but she said they were great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mattel Games Gas Out Game; Brand: Mattel Games; Review: This game made me laugh when I read about it and I had to get it for my grandsons. I just knew the littlest one would love it. They both (age 5 and 7) have had a lot of fun playing it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Marvel Super Hero Mashers Venom Figure; Brand: Marvel; Review: One of my 5-yr old grandson's favorite characters. He was so happy to get this! Interchanges with all of the other Mashers.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Husbands and Wives (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bridget Jones's Diary (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: High Fidelity (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: With a Friend Like Harry (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: American Beauty (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clerks (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Training Day (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Fried Green Tomatoes (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Boxer (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The American President (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Nine to Five (1980); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Defending Your Life (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Hills Cop (1984); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bob Roberts (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Being John Malkovich (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: For the Boys (1991); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Mystery Men (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Center Stage (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Scream (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: This Is Spinal Tap (1984); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Silence of the Lambs (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The English Patient (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Godfather (1974); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Flatliners (1990); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: She's Having A Baby (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Full Monty (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Sixth Sense (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Me Myself I (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ordinary People (1980); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wonder Boys (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grace of My Heart (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Steel Magnolias (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Erin Brockovich (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Postcards from the Edge (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Girl (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sommersby (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Best in Show (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Godfather (1990); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Dead Again (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: St. Elmo's Fire (1985); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Living Out Loud (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Antitrust (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: To Kill a Mockingbird (1962); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mighty Aphrodite (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dr. Dolittle (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Tao of Steve (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Light Sleeper (1991); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Simple Plan (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Stand by Me (1986); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mrs. Doubtfire (1993); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Less Than Zero (1987); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Red Violin (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dirty Dancing (1987); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Apollo 13 (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Eyes Wide Shut (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gorillas in the Mist (1988); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Unbreakable (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Changeling (1980); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Strictly Ballroom (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Soul Food (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Election (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Private Benjamin (1980); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Caddyshack (1980); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: L.A. Story (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ghost World (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Good Mother (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Natural (1984); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love & Basketball (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: As Good as It Gets (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Indecent Proposal (1993); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Gods and Monsters (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Best Friend's Wedding (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Last Emperor (1987); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Apt Pupil (1998); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Brokedown Palace (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Forrest Gump (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Boys Don't Cry (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: After Dark My Sweet (1990); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Beautiful Girls (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bicentennial Man (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: It's a Wonderful Life (1946); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The World According to Garp (1982); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The General's Daughter (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Man from Snowy River (1982); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: You Can Count on Me (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cast Away (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: South Park: Bigger (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bugsy (1991); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Waterboy (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Beetlejuice (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mary Reilly (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: City of Angels (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Notting Hill (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dangerous Liaisons (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ocean's Eleven (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 1969 (1988); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Traffic (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bulworth (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Graduate (1967); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Gift (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Crouching Tiger (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Brighton Beach Memoirs (1986); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Few Good Men (1992); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Corrina (1994); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Magnolia (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Titanic (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: When a Man Loves a Woman (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tootsie (1982); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Clueless (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Joy Ride (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Others (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Walking and Talking (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Real Genius (1985); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Insider (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Show: Season 1 (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Saving Grace (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eat Drink Man Woman (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All the Right Moves (1983); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Planes (1987); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Braveheart (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Heathers (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cousins (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Three Men and a Little Lady (1990); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Ghost (1990); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Kids (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Karate Kid Part II (1986); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Christmas Carol (1984); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Almost Famous (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Memento (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Snatch (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sister Act (1992); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: East Is East (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fatal Attraction (1987); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rebecca (1940); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Barcelona (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rambling Rose (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Henry V (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Finding Forrester (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Turner and Hooch (1989); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: U-571 (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Scrooged (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Keeping the Faith (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Pulp Fiction (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American History X (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Diaries (Widescreen) (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Temp (1993); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Three Men and a Baby (1987); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Accused (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Henry & June (1990); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Swingers (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Out of Sight (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gladiator (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Every Which Way But Loose (1978); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: I Dreamed of Africa (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Crush (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park (1993); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: What the Deaf Man Heard (1997); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: 12 Monkeys (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tomb Raider (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Blair Witch Project (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Leaving Las Vegas (1995); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Fletch (1985); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ruthless People (1986); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Man Who Wasn't There (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Summer of Sam (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Forces of Nature (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Chocolat (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nurse Betty (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eye for an Eye (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Shakespeare in Love (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sleepless in Seattle (1993); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Show: Season 2 (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Armageddon (1998); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Top Gun (1986); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Independence Day (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Go (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Quills (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Blade Runner (1982); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Three Kings (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Network (1976); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Chuck & Buck (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Bride (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Silkwood (1983); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chasing Amy (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Perfect Storm (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Jaws (1975); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Bodyguard (1980); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Threesome (1994); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Limey (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Trainspotting (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Hills Cop III (1994); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Not Without My Daughter (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: When Harry Met Sally (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: From Hell (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Moonstruck (1987); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Ice Storm (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 10 Things I Hate About You (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: 200 Cigarettes (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Wizard of Oz: Collector's Edition (1939); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: House of the Spirits (1994); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hollywood Shuffle (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: An Officer and a Gentleman (1982); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Doc Hollywood (1991); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Broadcast News (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: What Lies Beneath (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Days of Heaven (1978); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rocky (1976); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Basketball Diaries (1995); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Jagged Edge (1985); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Smoke Signals (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rear Window (1954); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Hills Cop II (1987); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Picture Perfect (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Road Warrior (1981); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Home for the Holidays (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Apartment (1960); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hannah and Her Sisters (1986); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Citizen Kane (1941); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Good Will Hunting (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Arthur (1981); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: L.A. Confidential (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Die Hard (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Flirting with Disaster (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Groundhog Day (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Four Rooms (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: How to Make an American Quilt (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Airplane! (1980); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Contact (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: In the Line of Fire (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Presidio (1988); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: White Men Can't Jump (1992); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Pleasantville (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Scream 2 (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rebel Without a Cause: Special Edition (1955); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Working Girl (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Abyss (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bullets Over Broadway (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Red Heat (1988); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Wall Street (1987); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Terms of Endearment (1983); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Office Space (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Basic Instinct (1992); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Playing by Heart (1998); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Killing Zoe (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lone Star (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Raising Arizona (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Made in America (1993); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Firm (1993); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Sense and Sensibility (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Killing Fields (1984); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Big (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Amadeus (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Mask of Zorro (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Father of the Bride (1991); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Parent Trap (1961); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Unforgiven (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Last of the Mohicans (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Andre (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tombstone (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Kingpin (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Meet the Parents (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Reversal of Fortune (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Children of a Lesser God (1986); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In the Bedroom (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Virgin Suicides (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Rob Roy (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Harlem Nights (1989); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Grumpier Old Men (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Son in Law (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rushmore (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Johnny Dangerously (1984); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Nutty Professor (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Sling Blade (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Some Kind of Wonderful (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pretty Woman (1990); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Annie Hall (1977); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sliding Doors (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Married to the Mob (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Kramer vs. Kramer (1979); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Birthday Girl (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Miracle on 34th Street (1947); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Say Anything (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Return to Me (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Face/Off (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Class (1983); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Deep End (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Annie: Special Anniversary Edition (1982); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: No Way Out (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nine Months (1995); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Crocodile Dundee 2 (1988); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Little Shop of Horrors (1986); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Pump Up the Volume (1990); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask (1971); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Benny and Joon (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Malice (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pet Sematary (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: School Ties (1992); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Kalifornia (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Ninth Gate (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Amelie (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Some Like It Hot (1959); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bottle Rocket (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fight Club (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Happenstance (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Saving Silverman (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Omen (1976); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: American Psycho (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ghost Story (1981); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Rock (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: House on Haunted Hill (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Frailty (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Usual Suspects (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sexy Beast (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Truman Show (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Waiting for Guffman (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sleepy Hollow (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Thousand Acres (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Beautiful Mind (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Out of Africa (1985); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Cousin Vinny (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Saturday Night Fever (1977); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Edward Scissorhands (1990); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: About Last Night... (1986); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Singles (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Royal Tenenbaums (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Little Women (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Kissing Jessica Stein (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bull Durham (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Deconstructing Harry (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: To Gillian on her 37th Birthday (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Cocktail (1988); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Everybody's Famous (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mona Lisa (1986); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Vanilla Sky (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Stir of Echoes (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Reservoir Dogs (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Midnight Cowboy (1969); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: On Golden Pond (1981); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beaches (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wonderland (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Terminator (1984); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Hunt for Red October (1990); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Do the Right Thing (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sophie's Choice (1982); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Fish Called Wanda (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Five Senses (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hell House (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Unfaithful (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Minority Report (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Big Lebowski (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: American Movie (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Under the Sand (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Undercover Brother (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: All About My Mother (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: One Hour Photo (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Croupier (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Insomnia (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Good Girl (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Thelma & Louise: Special Edition (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Legally Blonde (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: New York Stories (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Moulin Rouge (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dead Man Walking (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Oliver! (1968); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Auto Focus (2002); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Ringu (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Devil's Playground (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Igby Goes Down (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Muriel's Wedding (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Coupling: Season 1 (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Amores Perros (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Road to Perdition (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Happy Gilmore (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Taxi Driver (1976); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Godfather (1972); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dogma (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Poseidon Adventure (1972); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Piano (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: While You Were Sleeping (1995); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: I Shot Andy Warhol (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: All the President's Men (1976); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Roxanne (1987); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Get Shorty (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Prelude to a Kiss (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Something Wild (1986); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Bridges of Madison County (1995); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Fisher King (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Exotica (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Boogie Nights (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Deliverance (1972); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Heavenly Creatures (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Peggy Sue Got Married (1986); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mrs. Brown (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holy Smoke (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Carrie (1976); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Smoke (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Much Ado About Nothing (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Housesitter (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: White Oleander (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Valmont (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wings of the Dove (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A River Runs Through It (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 25th Hour (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Tall Guy (1990); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Kentucky Fried Movie (1977); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Mallrats (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Richard III (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rosemary's Baby (1968); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Il Postino (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Elizabeth (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Apocalypse Now (1979); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Manhattan (1979); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Joy Luck Club (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Player (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Last of the Mohicans (1920); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Any Which Way You Can (1980); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: sex (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fantasia (1940); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Punch-Drunk Love (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Talk to Her (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: About a Boy (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Roger Dodger (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Drumline (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 8 Mile (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Signs (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Psycho (1960); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Frequency (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Camille Claudel (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Red Dragon (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 24 Hour Party People (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Adaptation (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Made (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Hours (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: He Loves Me (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mississippi Masala (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Far from Heaven (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: La Femme Nikita (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Laurel Canyon (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Kate & Leopold (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Heaven Can Wait (1978); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Notorious C.H.O. (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Thomas Crown Affair (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Boyz N the Hood (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Grifters (1990); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Rain Man (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Blood Simple (1984); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Grand Canyon (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1987); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Babe: Pig in the City (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In the Company of Men (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Primal Fear (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Breaking the Waves (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Field of Dreams (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Contender (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grumpy Old Men (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Pie (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Another Stakeout (1993); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Orange County (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Show: Season 3 (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bowling for Columbine (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gangs of New York (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: There's Something About Mary: Special Edition (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Independent (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Long Good Friday (1979); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Chicago (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wayne's World 2 (1993); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: 28 Days Later (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Zoolander (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Henry Fool (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Identity (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Office: Series 1 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Scarface: 20th Anniversary Edition (1983); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Klute (1971); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Italian Job (1969); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Matrix (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Green Mile (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Old School (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Anger Management (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Dolores Claiborne (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Commitments (1991); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: O Brother (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Boys on the Side (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shag: The Movie (1989); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Galaxy Quest (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hairspray (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Birds (1963); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lolita (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Born on the Fourth of July (1989); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stevie (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Coupling: Season 2 (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jacob's Ladder (1990); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Empire of the Sun (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Dancer Upstairs (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Rogue Trader (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Like Water for Chocolate (1992); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Full Bottom: Not Another Half-Arsed Release (1991); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Cinema Paradiso: Director's Cut (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: National Lampoon's Vacation (1983); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lethal Weapon (1987); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Mighty Wind (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Don Juan De Marco (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Big Chill (1983); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Capturing the Friedmans (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Perfect (1985); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Remains of the Day (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Evita (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A League of Their Own (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dunston Checks In (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Rocky IV (1985); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: City Slickers (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Wedding Singer (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Look Who's Talking Now (1993); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Following (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jungle Fever (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Johnny English (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Freaky Friday (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Pianist (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Bourne Identity (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monster's Ball (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kids in the Hall: Tour of Duty (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Secretary (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Ring (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Spanish Prisoner (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Better Off Dead (1985); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Desperado / El Mariachi (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Sure Thing: Special Edition (1985); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Thirteen (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Biggie & Tupac (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Donnie Brasco (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Magdalene Sisters (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sex and Lucia (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Queer as Folk: Season 1 (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Father Ted: Series 1-2 (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Missing (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Runaway Jury (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Right Stuff (1983); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dirty Pretty Things (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Office: Series 2 (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gothika (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Elephant (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Christmas Story (1983); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Camp (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: In America (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Scary Movie 3 (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 21 Grams (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mystic River (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Monster (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: French & Saunders: Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders (1990); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Secret Lives of Dentists (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: True Lies (1994); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Dangerous Minds (1995); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Professional (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sixteen Candles (1984); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Six Degrees of Separation (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Last Seduction (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Opposite of Sex (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forever Young (1992); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Italian Job (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jennifer 8 (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sleeping With the Enemy (1991); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: To Die For (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Awakenings (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Pelican Brief (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Final Analysis (1992); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1990); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pacific Heights (1990); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Major League II (1994); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Splash: 20th Anniversary Edition (1984); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lost in Translation (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Jerk (1979); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: National Lampoon's Animal House (1978); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Funny Farm (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Mom (1983); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Crow (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mulholland Drive (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Trainspotting: Collector's Edition (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Batman (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: One Fine Day (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Pretty in Pink (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: What About Bob? (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Courage Under Fire (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Drugstore Cowboy (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Exorcist (1973); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Passion Fish (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lock (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bound (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Freshman (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Devil in a Blue Dress (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fearless (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Touching the Void (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rounders (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Pieces of April (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Year of Living Dangerously (1983); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shallow Grave (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Quiz Show (1994); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Copycat (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jerry Maguire (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Babe (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dave (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Something's Gotta Give (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Brothers McMullen (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The School of Rock (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Witness (1985); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Manchurian Candidate (1962); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bubba Ho-Tep (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Big Fish (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jackass: The Movie (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Breakfast Club (1985); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Weird Science (1985); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love Actually (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Seabiscuit (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Triplets of Belleville (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Cheaper by the Dozen (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Seven (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kurt & Courtney (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Natural Born Killers (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Reality Bites (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All About Eve (1950); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blazing Saddles (1974); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dances With Wolves: Special Edition (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation: Special Edition (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Starsky & Hutch (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Legends of the Fall (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Ben Stiller Show (1992); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Along Came Polly (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: What I Want My Words to Do to You (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Father Ted: Series 3 (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gandhi (1982); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Butterfly Effect: Director's Cut (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Michael Moore's The Awful Truth: Season 1 (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Before Night Falls (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bring It On (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Super Size Me (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Shining (1980); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grease (1978); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Hunting of the President (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Shawshank Redemption: Special Edition (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Uncovered: The War on Iraq (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Derrida (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Control Room (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GoodFellas: Special Edition (1990); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: City of God (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pushing Tin (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: 9/11 (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The House of Yes (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dead Poets Society (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dazed and Confused (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dangerous Beauty (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mean Girls (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cold Mountain (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Taking Lives (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Bonnie and Clyde (1967); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tommy Boy (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Vertigo (1958); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Company (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Exorcist 3 (1990); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Saved! (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Big Night (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Fog of War (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Room with a View: Special Edition (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Splendor (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Elf (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Freaks & Geeks: The Complete Series (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Collateral (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lovely & Amazing (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Manchurian Candidate (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ghostbusters (1984); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monty Python's The Meaning of Life: Special Edition (1983); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Misery (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Play Misty for Me (1971); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Session 9 (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Incident at Oglala: The Leonard Peltier Story (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Ladykillers (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dawn of the Dead (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Life of David Gale (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pumping Iron (1977); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Spaceballs (1987); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Naked Gun (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Halloween (1978); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Maria Full of Grace (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Napoleon Dynamite (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Brother's Keeper: 10th Anniversary Edition (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shaun of the Dead (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chappelle's Show: Season 1 (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ray (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Garden State (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Storytelling (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sense and Sensibility (1981); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Goonies (1985); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Sound of Music (1965); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Finding Neverland (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cool Hand Luke (1967); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bad Santa (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: What the #$*! Do We Know!? (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Unconstitutional: The War on Our Civil Liberties (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Footloose: Special Collector's Edition (1984); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Murder in the First (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Closer (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Swimming Pool (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sideways (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Motorcycle Diaries (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Billy Madison (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Corporation (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 12 Angry Men (1957); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ethan Frome (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Vera Drake (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Nobody's Fool (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Baadasssss! (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter Jr. (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Happiness (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Afterglow (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: In Good Company (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Show: Season 4 (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Circle of Friends (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Party Girl (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Own Private Idaho (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Cook (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: I'm the One That I Want (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Donnie Darko: Director's Cut (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Glengarry Glen Ross (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Raw (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Office Special (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Team America: World Police (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Story of the Weeping Camel (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Salem's Lot (1979); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Before Sunrise (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Waiting to Exhale (1995); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Da Ali G Show: Season 1 (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Chappelle's Show: Season 2 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams' Appalachia (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: If These Walls Could Talk (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In the Realm of the Senses (1976); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Baby Boom (1987); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: White Palace (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Citizen Cohn (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Close Your Eyes (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Places in the Heart (1984); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Truth About Jane (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bush's Brain (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Donnie Darko (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Body of Evidence (1993); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Lover (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Full Metal Jacket (1987); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Deadwood: Season 1 (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Rings (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The L Word: Season 1 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crash (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Very Long Engagement (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gone with the Wind: Collector's Edition (1939); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Code 46 (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Citizen Kane: Bonus Material (1941); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Ring Two (2005); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: I (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Crying Game: Collector's Edition (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monster-in-Law (2005); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Moulin Rouge (1952); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tarnation (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Crash (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Da Ali G Show: Season 2 (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: My Left Foot: Special Edition (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Arachnophobia (1990); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Planet of the Apes (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Ghostbusters 2 (1989); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Just Cause (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dark Days (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The L Word: Season 2 (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0 | netflix |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: 14 Bad Habits You Can Break Right Now to Live Your Best Life; Abstract: Whether you constantly check your email outside of work hours or hit the snooze button way too many times every morning, nobody is perfect; Category: health
Title: Divers Find Giant Mysterious 'Egg' Floating In Ocean; Abstract: A team of divers set off to explore a sunken World War II ship off the Norwegian coast, but what they found was something far more mysterious. While making their way back to shore, Ronald Raasch, Nils Baadness and Brynjar Aarnseth came face-to-face with a giant floating orb. The bubble hovered 17 meters (56 feet) below the surface and appeared to be see-through. The divers turned their flashlights on it and realized that the sphere was filled...; Category: lifestyle
Title: I visited the new American Dream megamall on its opening day and it was eerily empty; Abstract: The American Dream megamall opened to the public last week. Here's what to expect from one of the largest malls in the US.; Category: travel
Title: Regis Philbin Lists Longtime Connecticut Estate at a Loss for $4.6 Million See Inside!; Abstract: Regis Philbin Lists $4.5 Million Connecticut Home See the Property; Category: tv
Title: What It Was Like Inside the Homes of the Pilgrims; Abstract: There's a lot of folklore surrounding the first Thanksgiving, and plenty of lively debate. When did it actually occur? Was this meeting with the Wampanoags truly amicable? Did they really eat turkey? Despite, or perhaps because of, this murky history, we continue to be fascinated with the Pilgrims and life in 17th-century America. While we all learned about the Mayflower, the Pilgrims, and that first Thanksgiving way back in elementary school, what do we really know about the day-to-day lives of these English settlers? Here are a few things that may surprise you about home life in early America.; Category: lifestyle
Title: This $12 million 'mansion yacht' is made entirely of stainless steel and it's a first for the industry. Take a peek inside.; Abstract: The towering yacht was one of the most buzzed-about vessels at the 60th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.; Category: travel | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Assassination Option (A Clandestine Operations Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's W.E.B. Griffin Page; Review: Great book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harm's Way; Author: James E Bassett; Review: Different from the movie, but explains more.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Oxford Bookworms Library); Author: Andy Hopkins; Review: Very dark, depressing, and plodding!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monogram Models (Schiffer Book for Collectors); Author: Visit Amazon's Thomas Graham Page; Review: This book takes me back to when I was a kid!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: N-1: For the Moon and Mars A Guide to the Soviet Superbooster (English and Russian Edition); Author: Matthew Johnson; Review: Good book, good read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Weapons of Mass Destruction: Specters of the Nuclear Age; Author: Visit Amazon's Martin Miller Page; Review: A really good read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alpha and Omega (Division One); Author: Visit Amazon's Stephanie Osborn Page; Review: I am reading it now, it's a great read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Missiles: The Complete Smithsonian Field Guide; Author: Visit Amazon's Brian D. Nicklas Page; Review: A very good quick referance when you need it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Missiles: The Complete Smithsonian Field Guide by Nicklas, Brian D. (2012) Hardcover; Author: ; Review: A very good quick referance when you need it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Monster at the End of This Book; Author: Visit Amazon's Jon Stone Page; Review: This is such a fun book. Our 4 yr old and 2 yr old giggle every time we read it. It is definitely one of our favorites. We have bought one for each of our cousins.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nurtured by Love: The Classic Approach to Talent Education; Author: Shinichi Suzuki; Review: This book is a must-read for all parents and educators. Especially for those dealing with ages 0-5. Suzuki's sincere and genuine love for children really comes out in this book as he opens our minds to the amazing capabilities of their young minds. When children are taught well there is no limit to the things they can learn: languages, music, etc. Very inspiring and an easy enjoyable read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A simple, effective way to banish clutter forever; Author: Marie Kondo; Review: This is the best book on Decluttering I have read. I happened to pick it up at a good time in my life when I was really motivated to get my house in order. As with any book, timing is everything. If your heart is ready you will find this book life-changing. There really is magic in repurposing things, being organized, and giving thanks. I had organized my clothes before I read it but then again after I read it, the 2nd time using the authors method. I can tell you that her method was far more effective for me. I got rid of much more and my closet looks amazing!!! I suggested this book for my book club. All but one lady loved it and even she was inspired after hearing about our experiences. This would make a great gift book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: By Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (Unabridged CD) [Audio; Author: ; Review: This is the best book on Decluttering I have read. I happened to pick it up at a good time in my life when I was really motivated to get my house in order. As with any book, timing is everything. If your heart is ready you will find this book life-changing. There really is magic in repurposing things, being organized, and giving thanks. I had organized my clothes before I read it but then again after I read it, the 2nd time using the authors method. I can tell you that her method was far more effective for me. I got rid of much more and my closet looks amazing!!! I suggested this book for my book club. All but one lady loved it and even she was inspired after hearing about our experiences. This would make a great gift book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stand Up for Freedom: Teachings on Liberty; Author: Ezra Taft Benson; Review: Just what I was looking for, a handy compilation of all President Benson's teachings about Liberty and freedom.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: CLEP Human Growth & Development Book + Online (CLEP Test Preparation); Author: Patricia Heindel PhD; Review: This study guide will help you pass the CLEP test but not necessarily ace it. I got a scaled score of 70. I practically memorized the book. In addition, I reviewed a few concepts using a Life Span college textbook I borrowed from a friend, and used Google search to find out info on a few more topics like Gardners personality- career types, Hierarchy of Needs, Big 5 Theory, and Gifted Children studies. I couldn't have studied anymore than I did but there were some questions covering topics I had never heard of. That said, if you study this book well, apply some common sense, and supplement with a few online searches, you should do well on the test, and passing is what counts.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: La Casa Verde Eco Guest House; City: Banos Tungurahua Province; Review: We stayed at this hostal with our 3 grown up children as part of a 3 week visit to Ecuador. Rebecca and Doug were so welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. The beds are comfortable and our rooms had everything we needed (although there is nowhere to hang clothes) including a hot shower. Breakfast was good with home made bread every day with a selection of preserves as well as cheese, avocado and tomatoes. There was also fresh fruit and granola etc. It is a little way out of town but taxis are readily available in the town and are cheap. Taxis can be booked from the hostal if required but we tended to walk as it's not that far - about 20 minutes. Banos is a relaxing destination in Ecuador, and felt safer than other places we visited. If you are a light sleeper you may want to take an eye mask as the curtains are light. There is a small TV with a huge selection of DVD's that are available to watch in the sitting room.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Terrabambu Restaurant Lodge; City: Mindo Pichincha Province; Review: We spent three nights in this lovely hotel. The manager, who speaks good English, and his staff were very helpful and friendly. We had 2 bungalows for 7 of us and we were very pleased with the accommodation. Breakfast is excellent, with delicious fruit, eggs and rolls as well as delicious juice which was different every day. We enjoyed a very good meal on our first night there. Mindo is a lovely place and we enjoyed the chocolate tour very much. There is much to do in MIndo and I would definitely return to this wonderful place. Just be careful driving on the road to the hotel. We had a 4x4 vehicle and we were pleased we did!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cabanas Isla del Sol; City: Same Esmeraldas Province; Review: We booked our stay at Isla del Sol before reading the previous review. With some trepidation we decided to go ahead. When we arrived we were reassured that additional security measures were in place, and, indeed, a CCTV system has now been installed. We found Eric and his staff to be welcoming and helpful. Breakfast is good with beautiful fresh fruit, eggs etc. The other meals we had there were good but they stop serving early so it pays to let the staff know if you want a meal. Our rooms were all comfortable (we had 4 rooms). Sometimes the water is hot but as the weather is so hot there we were not bothered about having cool showers! It is very upsetting to think of nasty things happening when on holiday. This place is not Fort Knox but provided they keep up the security measures they have put in place I would definitely recommend it. Ps don't travel to Ecuador without adequate travel and health insurance.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Casa de Hacienda La Jimenita; City: Pifo Quito Pichincha Province; Review: This hotel is a wonderful place to stay on arrival in Ecudor. After a long haul flight this is just the place to relax. We only had one night here but would happily have stayed longer if our schedule had allowed. The staff could not have been more friendly and helpful. We enjoyed the meals we had there and breakfast was excellent. The rooms are very comfortable with enormous beds. Although the planes do fly overhead we were not disturbed by them and all had a very good night's sleep. I would definitely visit this hotel again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ard na said; City: Edinburgh Scotland; Review: We stayed at Ard-na-said during our recent trip to Edinburgh. Our room, Rankin, which is on the ground floor with french doors onto the garden was lovely, very quiet, comfortable twin beds and very well appointed. The breakfast is good with plenty of choice including a full Scottish breakfast or porridge with fruit. Our host, Steven, was particularly helpful during our stay particularly with late arrival and holding our luggage due to a flight late in the day. We would definitely stay at Ard-na-said again if we return to Edinburgh.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Aragon; City: Bruges West Flanders Province; Review: We stayed with a group of friends in this hotel. The beds are extremely comfortable and the rooms well appointed and perfectly clean. The breakfast is very good with a comprehensive choice. The service in the restaurant at breakfast was excellent. I would definitely recommend this hotel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: INVELLOP Screen Protector for Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (Crystal Clear); Brand: INVELLOP; Review: the screen protector isn't large enough (width and length) so there is a bubble around all of the edges which is over my front facing camera. not to mention it isn't protecting the entire front screen because of the 1-2 cm around the edge of the front of the phone that is not covered by the screen protector. it seems like the company that made it didn't fit it on an actual note 4 before they started selling it.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Spigen Neo Hybrid Galaxy Note 4 Case with Flexible Inner Protection and Reinforced Hard Bumper Frame for Samsung Galaxy Note; Brand: Spigen; Review: This case is great except you cannot talk with the case on unless it is on speaker. the engineers who made this must not have actually tested it before producing it also wider aux cords will not plug in.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Speck Products CandyShell Grip Case for Samsung Galaxy Note 4 - Retail Packaging - Black/Slate Grey; Brand: Speck; Review: Nice case. If you 're trying to be unique, everyone in the world seems to have this case. The grips are very useful! The white plastic gets scratched pretty easily.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Screen Protector + Full Body, Skinomi TechSkin Full Coverage Skin; Brand: Skinomi; Review: This screen protector has cracked and chipped in many different places on my phone without even a drop, I was confused. It also didn't stop the very-most upper right of my screen (where the screen protector happened to end) from somehow cracking... It also is not phobic of oils and dirt, the last protector I had was and worked well for that while this one gets dirty very easily. I would recommend paying a few more dollars for a better glass screen protector.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: ZAGG InvisibleShield HDX Screen Protector- HD Clarity + Extreme Shatter Protection for Apple iPhone 6 Plus; Brand: ZAGG; Review: Nice Screen protector; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: ZAGG InvisibleShield HDX Screen Protector - HD Clarity + Extreme Shatter Protection for Galaxy Note 5; Brand: ZAGG; Review: Nice protector; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: SUPTMAX Note 5 Screen Protector Privacy Highest Quality Galaxy Note 5 Glass Screen protector [Scratch; Brand: SUPTMAX; Review: It fits the screen perfectly, which is great, full screen coverage. But, it claims it's oliophobic, repels oil- it does not. it actually seems to suck the oil from my hands and go onto the screen which is a bit annoying considering the privacy screen's darkness makes this stand out much more. There is a small halo on the sides of the screen where it may be because of my slim case. Also, the privacy screen makes the phone's screen much dimmer, even when you're straight on viewing the phone. There are also very thin lines through the screen (must be how they make it privacy, this is my first privacy screen).I think I will try a different company who claims to be oil phobic and also non-privacy.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Cell_Phones_and_Accessories |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Il Giardino di Ballaro; City: Palermo Province of Palermo Sicily; Review: Highly recommend staying in this beautiful B&B, it has been restored to perfection. Everything is so tastefully done and after spending a day or two in the chaotic city of Palermo, its like a little piece of heaven and tranquility. The room we had was the Giardino room, over looking the garden and it was stunning, everywhere so clean and fresh. The staff were all so helpful and very friendly, something I didn't find so much in the rest of Palermo!! Its a great location for all the interesting sights and of course the Balaro market. Well done for getting everything so right...my only disappointment was that we only booked for only night! Thank you for a lovely stay. Lisa and Fabio UK and Italian; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Balcony Chiang Mai Village; City: Chiang Mai; Review: Stunning hotel, tastefully designed and decorated in traditional Thai Lanna Style, using only the highest spec materials. This place was our favourite hotel since travelling Sourh East Asia, over 3 months. Everything was catered for, I can't think of one thing missing from the room. The rooms were huge and just so wonderful to come back to after a day in the hectic city. What made this hotel very special was the staff, they were all so attentive and genuinely caring. The pool is refreshing and you can eat lunch or snacks by the poolside too. There's also an amazing cafe on site, serving fantastic coffee etc, I would actually rate this hotel as 5 star but the location is at little far from the city but only 15 mins by scooter or taxi. We had an upstairs room which was perfect. We loved it there and miss it already. Thank you for a wonderful 4 days.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nest Sense Resort; City: Ko Chang Trat Province; Review: If you're visiting Koh Chang then I highly recommend that you stay at this hotel. We just had the most wonderful 10 days there. The location is perfect, so quiet and peaceful, but yet near to the village and beaches, the sunset over the infinity pool is just stunning and the staff are all wonderful. Pop and Aof really went out of there way to my our stay very special and Nat, Jom and Sami too were brilliant. The reception staff were always polite and professional and the lady chef cooks the most incredible food, you MUST make sure you eat here. The cocktails too are excellent. We stayed in a villa with a sea view, which was just amazing, really big and tastefully decorated. Waking up to the sound of the sea was just perfect. I can't fault this hotel and the staff that run it. Thank you for such a wonderful stay.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Away Koh Kood Resort; City: Ko Kut Trat Province; Review: This place is literally located in paradise, with views to die for and in my opinion the best location on the island, close to a handful of restaurants and bars. ( I say a handful as Koh Kood is extremely quiet with only a few places to go) The gardens and grounds at Away are also so beautiful and immaculately cared for. This does make up for the rooms - as they are not luxurious as advertised. They are in fact a bit tired looking in places, especially the bathrooms. There are three types of accommodation Duplex bungalows, which in my opinion are basic bungalows that have sadly been a little neglected, they also have sea view bungalows which I didn't stay in and then there's the Ocean front view villas, these were lovely, again not in the luxurious classification but very comfortable and with the most incredible views. We were very well looked after by a lovely member of staff called Maew after we had a few issues with our room, she made a real special effort to make sure our experience and time there was rectified in a positive way. The staff here are all lovely, perhaps some could learn a little more English as communication is quite limited. The breakfasts were not particularly great. The hot food needs to be covered and more choice offered. It never really looked very appetising, apart from the fruit and salad. It is however such a relaxing place to stay with great beach side amenities, kayaks, sup boards etc. It just needs some renovation and modernising in the rooms. I would definitely go back despite these issues but to stay in the ocean front villas.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Koh Kood BED s; City: Ko Kut Trat Province; Review: We have just spent, 11 amazing days at Koh kood Beds. It’s our 3rd time on the island and this place is now our favourite. Jay the owner has created a magical place, and has worked so hard towards his dream. He is truly inspirational. The place is new and all rooms, are large, bright and immaculately clean. With an espresso coffee machine, kettle for tea etc which is great for the mornings. The beds are large and comfortable with lovely linen and pillows. The location is perfect, set amongst palm trees, in a peaceful area, close to Bang Bao beach -(which is stunning) and many local restaurants. The best option is to hire a moped to see the island. Which you can hire onsite at a great rate. WiFi is available at the reception area, which worked perfectly. Jay is extremely helpful & full of knowledge about Koh Kood and you can also use the beach side facilities of his brother in law place on another beautiful beach. We really didn’t want to leave and I highly recommend Jays place as a perfect place to stay. Can’t wait to return. Thank you!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: MIA Women's Anastacia Over-the-Knee Boot; Brand: MIA; Review: I bought these boots for my Mom for her Birthday. She is sooo Excited about them. She thinks she's ALL THAT.... LOL They are a Great pick and very good quality also.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Noroze Womens Check Hood Plus Size Duffle Coat; Brand: Noroze; Review: My Mom loves this jacket. This was also one of her Birthday Gifts. Fits her Great. Thanks Much !!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MG Collection Lydia Vintage Victorian Brooch Beaded Clasp Clutch; Brand: MG Collection; Review: Love it. This bag went lovely with my dress that I wore to a Ball this week end gone. Love It... Excellent Quality to. Thank you... :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rampage Women's Kaylor Wedge Sandal; Brand: ; Review: These are a Must Have. Ladies These shoes are so comfortable and you can wear them with anything. These are great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alilang Womens Antique Golden Tone Peacock Bracelet Bangle With Turquoise Blue Gems; Brand: Alilang; Review: This is the perfect Bracelet. Love it. Came on time and fits just right around my wrist. Very Pretty and Sexy too.!!!! :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Women Summer Dress 2014 Tank Top Ankle Length Long Maxi Dress Ladies Celebrity Party Casual Dress Vestidos (L, Army; Brand: Freeflying; Review: Very nice dress but wished that I ordered a size up. I ordered a large should have ordered a XL.. Nice color though and came on time..; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Womens Strap Roman Gladiator Sandals; Brand: Shoes8teen; Review: Very comfortable shoes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vince Camuto Women's Paxton Dress Sandal; Brand: ; Review: These Shoes are not only 'Sexy' but they are- Comfortable' as well. Bought my dress right out !!! Looks just like the photo..I've just received them and wore them last evening. They don't hurt your feet at all and i've always been the one to complain about sore feet! I was a PRO last night... :); Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Age of Cryptocurrency: How Bitcoin and Digital Money Are Challenging the Global Economic Order; Author: Visit Amazon's Paul Vigna Page; Review: Very fascinating read! Enjoyed it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble; Author: Visit Amazon's Dan Lyons Page; Review: Excellent read. Very disturbing depiction of our VC community the .05% er's.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It; Author: Visit Amazon's Chris Voss Page; Review: Excellent; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Flash Boys; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Lewis Page; Review: Great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Makers and Takers: How Wall Street Destroyed Main Street; Author: Visit Amazon's Rana Foroohar Page; Review: Enjoyed this book. Blockchain technology and Bitcoin is the answer to our financial issues.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: HILLBILLY ELEGY- PB; Author: Visit Amazon's J. D. Vance Page; Review: Excellent book. I read it in two sittings!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Undoing Project: A Friendship that Changed the World; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Lewis Page; Review: Interesting but not very exciting.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers; Author: Visit Amazon's Timothy Ferriss Page; Review: Enjoyed. Very inspirational.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life; Author: Visit Amazon's Mark Manson Page; Review: good; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon; Author: Visit Amazon's Brad Stone Page; Review: Enjoyed; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Black Edge: Inside Information, Dirty Money, and the Quest to Bring Down the Most Wanted Man on Wall Street; Author: Visit Amazon's Sheelah Kolhatkar Page; Review: Great read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are; Author: Visit Amazon's Seth Stephens-Davidowitz Page; Review: Interesting; easy read but I did not appreciate the left wing bias.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Al Franken, Giant of the Senate; Author: Visit Amazon's Al Franken Page; Review: Bought as a joke for a friend. He said he would throw in the trash; so I tried to read it and threw it in the trash.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Buy Side: A Wall Street Trader's Tale of Spectacular Excess; Author: Visit Amazon's Turney Duff Page; Review: Enjoyed; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Contagious: Why Things Catch On; Author: Visit Amazon's Jonah Berger Page; Review: Easy read; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Creativity Inc.; Author: Amy Wallace (author) Ed Catmull (author); Review: Great book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Upstarts: How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley Are Changing the World; Author: Visit Amazon's Brad Stone Page; Review: Very informative, enjoyable.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Four: The Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google; Author: Visit Amazon's Scott Galloway Page; Review: Great read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influenceand How You Can, Too; Author: Visit Amazon's Gary Vaynerchuk Page; Review: Kick in the butt; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: By Yuval Noah Harari - Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (MP3 - Unabridged CD) (2015-02-25) [Audio CD]; Author: Visit Amazon's Yuval Noah Harari Page; Review: Very interesting.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Eco Living Friendly Evolon Allergy Mattress Protector | 9" Queen Zippered Mattress Encasement | Dust Mite, Bed; Brand: Eco Living Friendly; Review: This product is the cheapest non-vinyl cover mattress I could find for bed bug protection. The cover has a paper like feel to it, but it doesn't make any annoying sounds when sat upon. I have used vinyl covers before and they get torn off pretty easily. This one has lasted for some weeks and I think it will go on for at least a year or so.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SafeRest Premium BOX SPRING Encasement - Lab Tested Bed Bug Proof, Dust Mite Proof and Waterproof -; Brand: SafeRest; Review: I was a bit skeptical about spending $35 on a box cover (considering I have used vinyl covers before), but after I opened the box, I felt that this product is in a different league than vinyl. It felt soft to touch and pretty strong when I stretched it. Also, the cover opens up fully for very easy installation on box covers. Now if this product lasts for even 2-3 years, it will be give me my money's worth (which I think it will). Update: 2 years have passed and the cover is still going strong.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Messermeister Pro-Touch 5.25-Inch Vegetable Knife; Brand: Messermeister; Review: I have been using this for over 6 months now. I use it for chopping all commonly used vegetables like potatoes, onions, turnips, gourds (hard vegetables) and tomatoes (soft vegetable). It is pretty sharp and I don't have to struggle with cutting any of the aforementioned veggies. To top it off, I cook multiple times a week, so I have used for several times now. The price is pretty much unbeatable. Totally satisfied.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Messermeister Pro-Touch 6-Inch Cheese and Tomato Knife, Back; Brand: Messermeister; Review: I have used this knife only for a few times, but it is pretty sharp and grips on to the surface of tomatoes pretty well. I have also tried cutting potatoes with it and chopping them with this knife is a breeze. I haven't owned it for more than a month, but my other Messermeister knife is still going after 6 months, so I think that this one will be like that too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Snapware 7.3-Cup Rectangle Airtight Food Storage Container, Small; Brand: Snapware; Review: A fairly cheap airtight container. I use it to store food grains. So far, the lid's flaps have stayed strong and it seems they will hold for at least a couple years.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kyocera Advanced Ceramic 6-1/2-inch Ceramic Grater; Brand: Kyocera; Review: This is a very good grater. I use it only for ginger grating so far and that is a breeze with this product. Sure, there can be fibres of the ginger root that accumulate, but you could simply cut those off, discard them and resume grating. You do need to be a bit careful when reaching the end of the ginger root piece, or you can injure your fingers. The silicone base is good at keeping the grater stable on the counter top while grating. I am very happy with this purchase.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Weigh Scales Black Blade Digital Pocket Scale, BL-1KG-BLK 1000 by 0.1 G; Brand: American Weigh; Review: This is a neat little gadget for weighing food stuff when you want to add measured quantities to a recipe or just want to eat a set amount of something. The accuracy with pretty much spot on as tested with a calibration weight I bought. It is pretty cheap too. I would recommend this scale.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Oster Reverse Crush Counterforms Blender, with 6-Cup Glass Jar, 7-Speed Settings and Brushed Stainless Steel/Red Finish; Brand: Oster; Review: This is a fairly powerful blender. It is pretty good at grinding different stuff like a full jar of leafy vegetables or a small quantity (not full jar) of nuts. At the highest setting, the motor can really shake up the contents in the blender so that they can be churned into a fairly smooth mixture. So far, I am pretty satisfied with this product.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ninja Food Chopper Express Chop with 200-Watt, 16-Ounce Bowl for Mincing, Chopping, Grinding, Blending and Meal Prep (NJ110GR); Brand: SharkNinja; Review: This mini blender can make purees with ease. I have used it to blend tomatoes and onions, along with peanuts and this thing does the job nicely.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mandoline Slicer w/ 5 Blades - Vegetable Slicer - Food Slicer - Vegetable Cutter - Cheese Slicer; Brand: LiBa; Review: The slicer is sharp, but it would be nice to provide it with a guard for the V-shaped blade. When stored, the blade is exposed and is a potential hazard.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Smith; Brand: Smith & Wesson; Review: Very pleased. Fits very nice in my hand. I hook it in my pocket, and with the flat handle, it doesn't stick out much.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Erickson 05292 5/16" x 250' Replacement Bungey Cord Roll; Brand: Erickson; Review: I Got tired of buying bungey cords that were either to short or to long. Now I can make the size I need.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LEM Products 1/2-Inch Hog Rings; Brand: LEM; Review: Works great to make new bungee cords that serve my purpose. 1/2-inch is a little small for the cord I am using 1/4-inch or 5/16-inch, but can be bent slightly to fit . Very pleased; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DEWALT DWD112 8.0 Amp 3/8-Inch VSR Pistol-Grip Drill with Keyless All-Metal Chuck; Brand: DEWALT; Review: Very high quality product. 8 amps may be a little over kill though. It will rip right out of your hand if the bit catches on something. I think 6 amps is enough.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Galaxy Tack Cloth, 12-Pack TC12; Brand: Galaxy Products; Review: Larger than what I have purchased at stores in the area. Seems to be stronger material too. Very pleased with everything about it, including the price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: VHT SP650 Gloss Black Epoxy All Weather Paint Can - 11 oz.; Brand: VHT; Review: very nice paint, goes on and looks great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ergodyne Chill-Its 6665 Evaporative Cooling Vest - Lime, Large; Brand: Ergodyne; Review: This may work in hot dry climates, but I would not recommend it in hot humid areas.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Radians MR0110ID Mirage Sleek Design Lightweight Men/Women Glasses with Distortion Free Clear Lens; Brand: Radians; Review: nice looking glasses, but they do not go over prescription glasses. So my fault for not checking first.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: 10pc Mixed Saw Wood Bi-metal Precision Pack Oscillating Multitool Quick Release Saw Blades Fit Fein Multimaster Porter Cable Black and; Brand: Platinum Blades; Review: Great blades at a great price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LED Headlamp with Rechargeable Batteries and Car Charger and Ac Charger and USB Cable Adjustable Zoomable 3 Modes Super Bright; Brand: Futtop; Review: I have to say I don't know how I ever got anything done with out this light. No more cords to pull around and no more cordless lights that never stay put.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Tools_and_Home_Improvement |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: BIC Round Stic Xtra Life Ballpoint Pen, Medium Point (1.0mm), Black, 10-Count; Brand: BIC; Review: Very good product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BIC Round Stic Xtra Life Ballpoint Pen, Medium Point (1.0mm), Red, 12-Count; Brand: BIC; Review: Very good product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sharpie 38201 Permanent Markers, Chisel Tip, Black, 12 Count; Brand: Sharpie; Review: Very good product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sharpie 15001 Box of 12 Sharpie Pro King Size Chisel Tip Permanent Markers; Brand: Sharpie; Review: Very good product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sharpie Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Purple, 12-Pack (30008); Brand: Sharpie; Review: Very good product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sharpie 37001 Permanent Markers, Ultra Fine Point, Black, 12 Count; Brand: Sharpie; Review: Very good product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Uline H-150 2-Inch Hand-Held Industrial Side Loading Tape Dispenser; Brand: ULINE; Review: Very good product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SunnieDog Office Chair Caster Wheels (Set of 5) - Heavy Duty & Safe for All Floors Including Hardwood; Brand: SunnieDog; Review: Love this set of wheels, a lot easier to move around in office. Recommend for everybody; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TOP74830 - Second Nature Recycled Pads; Brand: Tops; Review: Standard note pads; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: M&G Office Retractable Black Gel Ink Pens, 0.5mm Fine Point Roller Ballpoint Pens bulk, 12-Count, (K35); Brand: M&G; Review: really nice, love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Office_Products |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Anker USB 3.0 eSATA to SATA External Hard Drive Docking Station for 2.5/3.5 inch HDD and SSD, 4TB Max; Brand: Anker; Review: This Uspeed USB 3 & eSATA hard drive dock works as described. I have not had any problems during the two weeks I've had it. File transfer speed on my Windows 7 is ~65 MB/sec with USB 3 and ~46 MB/sec with eSATA. On XP, the transfer speeds were 40 MB/sec with eSATA and 24 MB/sec on USB 2. My XP does not have USB 3 so it is backwards USB compatible. Nice product at a very reasonable price. You push the hard drive on and pull it off. I really like having an on/off that's easily accessible on the front or top. On this model, the on/off switch is on the top. On mine, the on/off button switch leans a little to one side so one side not flat or level with the rest of the housing that it's in. But the on/off button works with a solid click when pressed and the switch works fine. There are two lights: one just under the on/off switch that stays lit when it's on; the other, also on the top, changes from blue to pink/red when the drive is being accessed. The specs say the maximum storage it supports is 3 TB. I don't have a 3 TB hard drive to test that limit on. Overall, great value for a product that's worked for me for the last two weeks.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kensington Pro Fit Full-Size Mouse USB (K72369US); Brand: Kensington; Review: This mouse stops in its tracks and continues wherever the current location of the pointer is. It happens so regularly that I'm returning it. For example, if I'm dragging a file or directory to be copied or moved, while dragging, the mouse stops and the next time it starts to move, it continues where my mouse pointer happens to be. If it's a left click drag, then I've just moved items to the wrong location! I have not experienced this kind of mouse behavior before. It might be because it has so many features that it's poling them before continuing. Whatever the reason, it is not satisfactory.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Belkin 3-Button Wired USB Optical Mouse with 5-Foot Cord, Compatible with PCs, Macs, Desktops and Laptops, Black - F5M010qBLK; Brand: Belkin; Review: Works great! Fast response. Center wheel is silent and reliable.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crucial 2GB Single DDR3/DDR3L 1600 MT/S (PC3-12800) Unbuffered SODIMM 204-Pin Memory - CT25664BF160B; Brand: Crucial; Review: This 8 GB RAM card works perfectly in my Lenovo E545. No memory errors were detected after extensive testing. It is also the 1.35v low voltage type for this laptop. Before purchasing, Crucial confirmed it was for this model laptop.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Miccus 160ft LONG RANGE Bluetooth Transmitter or Receiver| Adapter to add wireless; Brand: Miccus, Inc.; Review: I connected the Miccus in transmitter mode to the headphone output jack of my stereo receiver system and paired it with AmazonBasics Large BT speaker. It works as hoped and sounds great and pairing was no problem. It is hard to turn off unless the power is turned off. Then it stays off until turned on again. Originally I connected it to the stereo receiver system's line output but the signal was too strong with audio distortion even when the speaker volume was lowered and there is no way to decrease the output of the Miccus transmitter volume. Connecting it to the headphone output jack allows me to adjust the volume output to minimize the hum and maximize the speaker sound quality. Sounds great when properly adjusted. Great Transmitter Distance: This Miccus transmitter lets me use the AmazonBasics BT speaker outside about 40-50 feet without dropouts. Another brand transmitter with a 30 foot distance had lots of audio dropouts even at a shorter distance and I returned to Amazon. Audio Lag Noticeable: There is an audible audio lag time when compared to the wired speakers connected to the stereo receiver. With the wired speakers on and the Miccus transmitter connected to the BT speaker, the audio lag from the BT speaker is very noticeable. But the purpose of using the BT speaker is to listen to music away from the wired speakers. So the audio lag is not a problem for my use. The audio lag time might be annoying for an audio-video application where you watch a TV image and listen to the audio with a noticeable lag time. Good Customer Service: The original unit that I purchased from Amazon and sent by Gadgetsville was dead on arrival. It simply would not work even when I used my own substitute power adapter and cables. I wrote Gadgetsville ("Ask Product Question" button) to tell them that the unit would not turn on and they immediately sent me a replacement with a prepaid return envelope. The replacement worked perfectly so I cancelled my return request to Amazon. Bottom Line: I would recommend the Miccus in transmitter mode for audio-only applications (without a video). The distance is great, there is no adjustment for transmission strength,; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Diskeeper 2.0 Anti-Static Record Sleeves (50 Pack); Brand: Sleeve City; Review: Does the job of covering standard 12" LPs and you can see the label through it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AmazonBasics Large Portable Bluetooth Speaker; Brand: AmazonBasics; Review: It sounds great for what I wanted, i.e., to listen to my stereo receiver audio system (CDs and tapes) away from the wired speakers. There is plenty of bass and treble for my tastes. The left and right speaker mix works just like they're supposed to when I turn the balance knob on my stereo receiver. The key to it working as I intended was to choose the right BT transmitter and being able to adjust the transmitted signal strength to optimize the volume for the speaker. The Miccus BT transmitter with a 150 feet signal strength did the job. Connecting it to the headphone jack of my stereo receiver enabled me to minimize the hiss and maximize audio volume quality. Sounds great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bluetooth Headphones Over-The-Ear Wireless Headphones with Mic by HomeSpot Hi-Fi Stereo Wireless Headset,; Brand: HomeSpot; Review: This unit worked OK as a Bluetooth transmitter, but the signal distance and strength is limited. There were dropouts if I took the BT speaker in another room with a wall or outside about 40 feet away. There is no external antenna. One good feature is the High - Low transmitter signal switch. When I connected it to the line out of my stereo receiver system, the signal was too strong for my speaker. The Low signal setting worked fine. But I returned the unit because of the dropouts and bought the Miccus BT transmitter-receiver with a distance of 150 feet. It works through walls and works at least 50 feet away.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: C2G 40639 1/4 Inch Stereo Male to 3.5mm Stereo Female Adapter, TAA Compliant, Silver; Brand: C2G; Review: This adapter fits securely in my stereo receiver and does the job.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Delstar DS1007 Pocket-size 7-Band AM/FM Shortwave Radio, Silver; Brand: Kaito; Review: AM radio ("MW") tuning dial did not work. Changing the tuning dial did not change the digital display of the frequency when "MW" or AM was selected. When the FM setting button was pressed, the tuning dial did work, however it did not pull in the NPR station that all my other radios could tune in. No instructions are included about how to set the clock, though I figured out how. I returned it.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Azena Motel; City: Christchurch Canterbury Region South Island; Review: We stayed one night here, great sized room & very warm & comfortable, everything that was needed was very close. Would recommend it to anyone; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Vita Nova Motel; City: Christchurch Canterbury Region South Island; Review: We stayed one night, great service from staff, lovely room & comfy bed. Would reccomend this place to anyone; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Novotel Queenstown Lakeside; City: Queenstown Otago Region South Island; Review: Fantastic location, friendly staff & quiet comfterble rooms. Awesome views if you get lakeside rooms like we did. The only down side is you have to pay for valet parking. I would stay here again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Novotel Queenstown Lakeside; City: Queenstown Otago Region South Island; Review: This is the second time i have stayed at the hotel when in Queenstown. The location can not be beaten. Staff are lovely & the rooms are always very clean. Its a quiet hotel with little outside noise & comfortably warm. I will be back!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Studios2Let Serviced Apartments Cartwright Gardens; City: London England; Review: I stayed here for 10 days last year. I found the beds comfortable, room size good & very well situated to shops, bars and most importantly Kings Cross station. I would recommend it for the price range, ticks many boxes; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Travelodge Hotel Sydney Wynyard; City: Sydney New South Wales; Review: This location is amazing, walking distance to all the best spots in the CBD. The Wynyard train/bus station so close, 50 meters max close, access to anything further away was very easy. I was after a clean and nice place that is reasonably priced, Travel Lodge provides exactly that. Note, there is City noise so be mindful about that when booking. I was on the 18th floor and it could be heard. It did not disturb my sleep.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Lexmark # 36 XL High Yield Black Print Cartridge (18C2170); Brand: Lexmark; Review: I like being able to order this from Amazon, but one would expect the XL cartridge to deliver more than 175 pages - especially for the cost. And, yes, I always use the "toner saver" mode.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Avery Shipping Address Labels, Laser Printers, 100 Labels, Full Sheet Labels, Permanent Adhesive, TrueBlock (5165); Brand: Avery; Review: Our secretary didn't see any difference in these & the labels we used to get from a big box store.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: United Facility Supply 44HD007 Reinforced Gummed Kraft Sealing Tape, 3 x450 ft, 10 Rolls per Carton; Brand: United Facility Supply; Review: This tape just doesn't get the job done. We've had to apply 2 layers to get it to stick, which of course means we use more than we should have to. We'll be trying another brand next time.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Adding Machine/Calculator Roll, 2-1/4"x150 ft White 12/Pack, UNV35715; Brand: Universal; Review: Really good price for these. The package will last me over six months at least (I'm a bookkeeper, so use an adding machine daily). Nice bright white color, too - I've bought some in the past that were almost like newspaper...ugh!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Compatible Sharp Electronic Calculator Ribbon Twin Spool Black and Red Ribbon - Fits All Twin Spool Models; Brand: Generic; Review: This is the same kind of ribbon I can order from a well known catalog for about the same price. However, I needed it ASAP and as I'm a Prime member, I could get it faster from Amazon.com. I really expected to see a better price on these, though...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Generic 1 Pack Compatible TN450 TN 450 TN-450 TN 420 TN420 TN-420 Black Toner Cartridge For Brother HL-2280DW HL-2270DW HL-2240; Brand: Generic; Review: Was NOT compatible with our printer. I noticed quite a few "bad" reviews but decided to give it a chance. The printer wouldn't even recognize it. It went back today.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Brother Genuine Toner Cartridge, TN420, Replacement Black Toner, Page Yield Up To 1,200 Pages; Brand: Brother; Review: Ive been using a Brother HL2240 printer for 7 years. This last toner I ordered barely lasted for 1000 pages & less than 2 weeks. I used to go for several months on one replacement. I see some others have posted some tips & tricks for extending the number of pages. I greatly appreciate them and will try to see if I can get more pages to print. For the money, if you only need a black & white laser printer, Brother is the best, IMO.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Office_Products |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Kaytee Silent Spinner Exercise Wheel , Colors May Vary; Brand: Kaytee; Review: Mouse droppings collect in it and get tramped into much that needs to be rinsed out regularly, and it does make a noise if the surface isn't completely flat and somewhat padded. It rattles against the surface. But the wheel itself is 99% silent. My mice love it. Even when they sometimes knock it over, it still works flat and that provides a little variety for them! :-); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tetra Whisper Unassembled Bio-Bag Filter Cartridges; Brand: Tetra; Review: I've used these before. I need to change my filter a lot because i accidentally grew three big goldfish in a 10 gallon tank, and this is a very economical way to do it! Super fast delivery!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Majesty's Flex Wafers; Brand: Majesty's; Review: The horse loved them but sadly we never had the time to find out whether they were helping.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Majestys Kalm Plus Wafers; Brand: Majestys; Review: The horse loved them but sadly we never had the time to find out whether they were helping.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Boshel Dog Dematting Comb – Double Sided Cat And Dog Grooming Comb With Safe Rounded Blades – Cat; Brand: BOSHEL; Review: It works somewhat on one of our long-haired, fluffy cats, but doesn't work at all on our Shih Tzu, which is what I bought it for. The company gave me a complete, no-hassles refund, so THEY get five stars, but not the brush itself.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: PetSafe Drinkwell Original Cat and Dog Water Fountain, Filtered Water for Your Pet, 50 oz. Water Capacity; Brand: PetSafe; Review: It's a little noisy... hums and there's water noise... but the cats love it. They used to want to drink straight out of the half-bath faucet all the time, now they hardly ever do. I put a drop or two of colloidal silver in it to keep it fresher.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Greenies Pill Pocket Soft Dog Treats - Chicken; Brand: Greenies; Review: These make giving our picky little Shih Tzu her daily 1/4 tablet of Temaril-P FUN! She goes bananas for them they are SOOO easy to use, and they don't choke her like the other brand of soft treats I had been using sometimes did. Also, Amazon's price is close to half of a grocery store's!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Royal Canin Canine Health Nutrition Mature 8+ in Gel Wet Dog Food; Brand: Royal Canin; Review: We have a picky Shih Tzu. This is one product that she will always eat. She's about 7 or 8 years old (she was sort of a rescue), so I'm glad this is for mature dogs, and it does seem to stimulate her appetite. The first time we gave her some she finished it and went right to her (very special) dry food and ate that, too. She hadn't been eating that at all.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Slumber Pet Cool Pup Mat; Brand: Slumber Pet; Review: My dog won't use it. I've been trying for weeks if not months. She prefers the carpet or, if at the barn, the grass or the dirt floor.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Mini Mature 8+ Dry Dog Food; Brand: Royal Canin; Review: My dog AND CATS love it so much that I have to hide it from the cats! lol; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Frontline Plus for Dogs Small Dog (5-22 pounds) Flea and Tick Treatment, 3 Doses; Brand: Frontline; Review: Our little dog and three cats have really been tormented by fleas this year. This helped, but the dog still has a few fleas on her face, etc. We used different products on the cats, and they still have a few, also.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Newman’S Own Organics Beef Dinner For Dogs, 12-Oz (Pack Of 12); Brand: Newman's Own; Review: Our picky, adopted Shih Tzu loves this, though it's a bit too runny when it's first opened. It's easier to serve to her after it's refrigerated. And I'm glad that I'm not adding to her itching with chicken or grains. (I have recently learned that chicken allergies are more common then corn allergies in dogs!); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Feline Greenies Smartbites Cat Treats; Brand: Greenies; Review: Our cats (and also our dog, inconveniently) are crazy about these. I can't tell if they're working, though... one cat licks parts of herself bald from nervousness, and she still left a big "triple" hairball on the carpet while on these. UPDATE -- I've upped her dose from 10 every other day to 10 per day, and she doesn't seem to have had any hairball trouble since. It is amazing how much she likes them! Another thing: two other brands do not list the petroleum jelly that this one does. I think it works better. UPDATE -- no longer lists petroleum jelly as an ingredient. NEW INFO -- the price just shot up and I refuse to pay the new price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vet's Best Flea and Tick Home Spray for Dogs and Home, USA Made; Brand: Vet's Best; Review: We like the way it smells, but we can't tell whether it's working or not. I've only used it on our w/w carpeting and the pet beds.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: PetSafe Drinkwell Replacement Pet Water Foundation Filters,Carbon Filter for Dog and Cat Fountains; Brand: PetSafe; Review: Good value, glad to find replacements for the filter that came with our cat fountain.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: NewmanS Own Premium Canned Formulas For Dogs; Brand: Newman's Own; Review: I just wish it had easy-open tops like their beef & liver grain free formula does. My dog loves it, though, and the cats even like to nibble on it around the edges while she eats!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Newman’S Own Premium Canned Formulas For Dogs; Brand: Newman's Own; Review: I just wish it had easy-open tops like their beef & liver grain free formula does. My dog loves it, though, and the cats even like to nibble on it around the edges while she eats!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pet Naturals of Vermont 30 Count Calming Behavioral Support Soft Chews for Dogs and Cats; Brand: Pet Naturals; Review: My nervous cat won't eat them.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Kitty City Pop-up Cat Cube, Play Kennel, Cat Bed, Jungle Combo, Collapsible Cat Cube, Cat Bed, Tunnel, Cat Toys; Brand: Kitty City; Review: So glad to have found this affordable replacement for the one we'd had for years, which was in tatters. Our cats love it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 0CTL9 Castor & Pollux AS-2350402-2 Chicken & Potato 4 lb (Pack of 2) Organic Grain Free Dog Food; Brand: Organix; Review: It's OK, glad it's organic, but let's face it, cats aren't built to eat rice. And only one of our four cats eats it, anyway, so I'm going to buy only the one they ALL eat from now on (a whole-prey, biologically appropriate kibble) plus wet food to prevent bladder trouble in our indoor neutered male.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: SmartyKat Value Pack Cat Toys; Brand: SmartyKat; Review: a bit pricey, but these are the kind of mouse "coats" our 2 playful cats prefer (to play fetch!); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wellness Core Signature Selects Natural Canned Grain Free Wet Cat Food Shredded Chicken & Beef; Brand: Wellness Natural Pet Food; Review: Our cats like this better than any other wet cat food I've tried so far.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: K&H Pet Products Crate Pad for Pets - Self-Warming, Odor Control or Memory Foam; Brand: K&H Pet Products; Review: My little Shih Tzu doesn't seem to be getting or staying warm on it. I'll keep trying. And I should have paid more attention to just how small the one I ordered was! Good thing my dog is so tiny.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Farm Innovators Model R-19 Economical 1-1/2-Gallon Round Heated Pet Bowl, Blue, 60-Watt; Brand: Farm Innovators; Review: Works perfectly for our 3 barn cats. Now if only I could find a way to get visiting raccoons to quit dirtying the water...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wellness Petite Entrees Natural Grain Free Wet Small Breed Dog Food, 3-Ounce Cup (Pack Of 24) Mini Filets Chicken; Brand: Wellness Natural Pet Food; Review: Our Shih Tzu doesn't like it as well as the chicken casserole flavor. One of our cats does, though! And it has good, non-garbage ingredients.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: My Busy Dog Water Resistant Dog Shoes with Two Reflective Fastening Straps and Rugged Anti-Slip Sole; Brand: My Busy Dog; Review: They didn't seem to be made for my Shih Tzu's feet.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Sheba Perfect Portions Pate Wet Cat Food Trays; Brand: Sheba Wet Food; Review: Our cats didn't like some of the flavors, but it was a good deal.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pedigree Dentastix Dog Dental Treats Original Flavor; Brand: Pedigree; Review: I doubt the ingredients are very good for her, with all of her skin trouble. But they DO help get her to come to me to treat her dry eye problem! They're "eye drop treats" around here... haha; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Pet_Supplies |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Performance Tool W30935 7pc 7 Piece Socket Adpater and U-Joint Set; Brand: Performance Tool; Review: and yet another great addition to my tool set.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bosch DCB618 6-1/2 In. 18 Tooth Daredevil Portable Saw Blade Corded/Cordless Fast Cut; Brand: Bosch; Review: Great for my cordless saw.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Craftsman 4 Piece 3/8-Inch Extension Bar Set, 9-43282; Brand: Craftsman; Review: a great addition to my craftsman toolset.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stanley TR150HL SharpShooter Heavy Duty Staple Gun; Brand: Stanley Hand Tools; Review: My original stapler dies after 10yrs. I replaced that one with this Stanley Stapler. Idoes wonders; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TEKTON 4971 1/2-Inch Drive Impact Extension Bar Set, Cr-V, 3-Piece; Brand: TEKTON; Review: A great addition to my tool box; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TEKTON 4957 Impact Adapter and Reducer Set, Cr-V, 4-Piece; Brand: TEKTON; Review: Great addition to the tool box; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SE SD76PH2 10-Piece Set of 6” Phillips #2 Long Screwdriver Bits, Made from S2; Brand: SE; Review: These really helped me replace a battery. Love them; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SE LF02 Professional Quality 5" Mini Long Nose Pliers,Sona Enterprises,LF02" />; Brand: SE; Review: I just love these cutter just the right size.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TCP 60W Equivalent, 9W LED A19 Light Bulbs, Non-Dimmable, Daylight (6 Pack); Brand: TCP; Review: These led bulbs are well worth the money. they really light up the house.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: eTopLighting (2 Pack) T3L-120V-500W, J Type Double Ended 118mm Halogen Light Bulb, 120 Volt 500 Watt T3 Halogen Light; Brand: eTopLighting; Review: work great as ordered and advertized; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Tools_and_Home_Improvement |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: bearbear bedding Camel Microsuede Body Pillow Cover With Double Sided Zippers (20"x54"); Brand: bearbear bedding; Review: fast deliver--great prodcut; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: White Standard 4" Hems Set of 2 Pillowcases 300 Thread Count; Brand: American Pillowcase; Review: fast deliver--good product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: C&F Home Natural Shells Seahorse Pillow 18x18; Brand: C&F Home; Review: beautiful--fast deliver--recommend; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tropical Beach Print on Canvas, Seascape Canvas Art Prints, Beach Wave Canvas Print, Framed and Ready to; Brand: Vibrant Canvas Prints; Review: fast delivery--beautiful product-highly recommend; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: B-COOL Rosette White Table Runner rosette floral tablecloth banqute table decor 12"x72"; Brand: B-COOL; Review: fast deliver--love it--beautiful; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hampton Inn Suites Palmdale; City: Palmdale California; Review: Hotel is nice. Location is a bit akward near Lowes and in shopping center. Would probably be great for business travelers or families. Fun zone for children is next door. The only issue was that room set up was very akward with bathroom door and room door placement so close to each other that you needed to be careful when opening either door. Very clean. Good free breakfast and snack bags included in cost. Very friendly front desk. Convenient parking; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn Suites Palmdale; City: Palmdale California; Review: What a difference from my April stay! Recent stay from 6/3 to 6/5/17. No kleenex in room. Front desk staff stated: “Entire Hotel is out of kleenex- on back order??? Don’t know when it will arrive.” Hard to understand why a member of the Hyatt group of properties could run out of supplies?! When we opened the pull out couch, we discovered that the pull out couch had used / dirty linens in place: WHICH WE HAD TO CHANGE OURSELVES BECAUSE HOUSEKEEPING WAS GONE FOR THE DAY! No help from front desk or compensation was offered ! Carpet in breakfast area not cleaned/ vacuumed from prior to our stay thru our stay - still same crumbs, pieces of food on carpet from our arrival to when we checked out. No to go breakfast available - staff stated – “we ran out of thing to put in breakfast/ snack bags - so they are not available.” Also Per front desk: "We could not order supplies until June 1- so we don't know when they will be delivered." So guests are not offered snack/ breakfast to go because calendar date does not allow supplies to be delivered? Also cabinet doors around frig were loose on hinges and almost fell off when opened. Last april I had a great stay at this property and wrote trip advisor with a great review!!! What is going on that made this property fall into such poor condition and RUN OUT of supplies?!! Very disappointed with this hotel during this stay. And disappointed that Front desk staff had no resolution to any of these situations when I spoke to them. Wrote the corporate office because my family was so disappointed!!; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Homewood Suites by Hilton Los Angeles Redondo Beach; City: Redondo Beach California; Review: Stayed at the Homewood Suites Los Angeles Redondo Beach June 1-3, 2017. Apparently the Grand opening was 1 week prior to our stay. Hotel is very nicely decorated, wide hall ways. Staff are very friendly and outgoing. Met the Manager every day. Pool is somewhat small. Rooms are nice, clean, spacious. Perfect is you are traveling with family. We had 2 beds and a pull out. Requested a pack n play- however it arrived with a broken leg.. which none of staff was aware. Now for the mixed review: we returned for a second stay June 5-6, 2017. Multiple housekeeping issues. When we opened the pull out couch the sheets that had been used and were not changed from previous use!!!Ugh!!. This time we were also given a broken pack n play... which was replaced by a very courteous staff member after a 1 hour wait...but second pack n play also had broken leg on bottom??? If this is a new hotel, how can the pack n plays be old/ broken??? Also no wash clothes were in room - only towels. Handle fell off when we opened closet door because screw had not been placed properly. So the edges are a little rough and there are some issues this hotel needs to work on. Still found the staff at check in and at breakfast to be very courteous and helpful!!! And breakfast was great... So I will recommend this hotel but ALWAYS check the pull out couch for clean linens when you check in!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn Waterloo Cedar Valley; City: Waterloo Iowa; Review: Recent stay August 3,2017- check out August 6, 2017. We booked 2 rooms to visit a family member in Waterloo. We were not aware that this was a very busy weekend in Waterloo due to hockey camp and Irish fest. The Hampton makes on line check in very easy. You can pick your room before arrival, which allows for changes in arrival time. Since we booked 2 rooms, and wanted to be close together, we used the online check in. We also had a change in plans and arrived 3 hours later than expected… and all we needed to do was pick up the room key at the front desk. Highly advise to use this feature whenever possible!! Hotel parking lot is along rode that surrounds a shopping mall, which makes running an errand very easy. No noise issue during the evening or night from the mall area. Now to the hotel. Room was spacious and clean. Room even had a mini fridge and microwave, which we did not anticipate. Front desk staff were very welcoming. Free breakfast was good. Different entrees daily including scrambled eggs with cheese, French toast, etc. Breakfast area and sitting area were very clean. A special needs employee assisted with the breakfast clean up and he was a very out going, happy gentleman. Free coffee in lobby all day/evening was a plus! Indoor pool area was clean. Our grandsons joined us for swimming each night. Only drawback is that pool is not heated and temperatures dropped to 50’s the nights during our stay. We experienced a small housekeeping issue. I went to the front desk and spoke to the desk clerk, who happened to be the Assistant manager. She was receptive and resolved the issue to our satisfaction. I sat in the lobby reading one evening, and overheard people requesting last minute rooms. The 2 front desk clerks actually called surrounding hotels to assist these (potential) customers to locate a place to stay!! Applaud that kind of great customer service! Highly recommend this hotel as a great value and nice place to stay!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Country Inn Suites by Radisson Atlanta I 75 South GA; City: Morrow Georgia; Review: We have stayed at Country Inn and Suites in different locations many times. This one is an extreme disappointment. At check in: no cookies. Per front desk, hotel was recently sold to new owners, and there hasn't been cookies for several months. The evening front desk is Krystal. She is amazing. she was checking in guests, answering phones, assisting with directions, and taking down lobby Christmas decorations all by herself. And she was always smiling. She was the highlight of the stay!. Hotel is in need of a face lift. Room Doors were painted 2 shades of brown, lots of scuffed paint in halls and marks on wallpaper. Room was clean. Mold on ceiling of our bathroom. Caulking in bathroom needed a good cleaning. Hall carpets needed vacumning. We were there during a cold spell and the heat worked great. I walked the second and third floor. Poor lighting made it look kind of creepy!!! Breakfast was just OK, nothing special. Pool and exercise room were closed until Spring 2018. Would probably not stay there again; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Homewood Suites by Hilton Lexington Hamburg; City: Lexington Kentucky; Review: Overnight stay 1/8/18-1/9/18. This is a very nice place to stay. We were in a suite on the first floor. Very quiet, even thought there was construction going on across the street. No travel brochures of local area were available. Very clean and modern. Breakfast was great. Evening managers reception was an added plus. Enough food for dinner. Beer available. Unfortunately, one of us likes wine, which was not available. I walked the hallways on all floors, exercise room and laundry available. Very nice lobby. Would definitely stay again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Courtyard Waterloo Cedar Falls; City: Waterloo Iowa; Review: What an interesting hotel. The building was a former John Deere factory. The original support columns and thick walls are still in place. The rooms are large and there are suites available. Lobby is large, staff are very friendly. Pop up starbucks is open in the morning and a bar is open in the evening. Hotel hallways are wide and long and open with seating areas scattered on each floor. Pool is only 2 foot 11 inches deep and is on the 6th floor, which is a little different. There is a workout room available. Very eco friendly. Stairs and hallways get brighter if they sense movement. Room have a fridge that shuts off every few hours to conserve energy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lakeside Inn; City: Lakeside Berrien County Michigan; Review: Stayed for 2 nights in Feb 2018. Weather gave us a unexpected warm day, then next day entirely rainy. Used Room 14, which had a whirlpool tub. This is an Inn with a Historic feel. Many rocking chairs in common area and large porch with chairs overlooking the lake. small private beach, which we accessed by a flight of stairs. Neighborhood around Inn is great for taking walks. No TVS, no food available on weekdays. Fireplace in lobby. Do not expect a modern facility! But if you enjoy historic and relaxing, this is the place for you.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Country Inn Suites by Radisson Cedar Falls IA; City: Cedar Falls Iowa; Review: Visited in June for John Deere's 100th anniversary. Stayed 2 nights. Room clean, beds very comfortable. Very friendly staff. Breakfast is included in room cost. Menu varies daily. Real plates and silverware. Breakfast room can be a little loud when crowded. Pool is nice. Temperature was in upper 90's during our visit. Room air conditioner worked great, but hallways were warm. Good value for price, will stay again. Convenient to many activities. Large park including Waterpark across the street.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hilton Chicago; City: Chicago Illinois; Review: 2 night stay over Memorial Day weekend, May, 2018. Parking lot is adequate, but elevators to ground floor are small and difficult to maneuver. Parking is a separate cost from room. We had bicycles for Bike to Drive ride on Sunday morning, which made the elevator seen even smaller. Large historic looking lobby. Snack shop and Irish bar in building. Room was recently updated and very modern. Comfortable size room. Building is in 2 towers, with distinct elevators to each tower. Large indoor pool area, with 2 smaller whirlpools. (Very crowded that weekend). Outdoor deck next to pool that faces buildings. Front of building faces Grant park. Very convenient to walking downtown to eat and site see. Doormen are available and always offered assistance. No other interactions with staff during our stay No way to avoid Leather convention down the block when walking around. Many many scantily dressed men outside of neighbor hotel. Apparently this is held every Memorial Day weekend, so be careful if you have young family members with you.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Drury Inn Suites Memphis Southaven; City: Horn Lake Mississippi; Review: 2 night stay to explore Memphis. As always, Drury hotels are very clean with large rooms. Staff are very helpful. Indoor pool and whirlpool (full of families in the evenings) Lobby/ kickback/ breakfast area small for the size of the hotel and very busy. Located along a very busy stretch of road with a lot of road noise. We had a poor sleep for 2 nights due to the noise. I did speak to front desk, but no alternative room was offered.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hilton Garden Inn St Augustine Beach; City: Saint Augustine Beach St Augustine Florida; Review: We stayed for 2 nights in Feb. This was our first stay at a Hilton Garden Inn. what a disappointment. Lobby is clean and comfortable. Hotel is across the street and down a path from the beach. Our room was large. We kept finding long dark hairs on our socks while in the room. (I am blonde and my spouse is bald, so looks like the housekeeping was not running the vacuum) Front desk staff a bit snobby! Breakfast is available at an extra charge even though there is a place to eat across the parking lot. Parking is free. There was a large fan running all day on first floor, and a strong smell of gasoline. Business center is under construction - even though there is a sister property ( i was told same owner) across the street, there were no alternatives given by staff to assist me with the need to print 1 page. Worse of all: Room guide states pool and whirlpool are open until 9pm. After a long day of sight seeing we went to pool area thru workout room at 6 pm. Within 4 minutes we were told pool and whirlpool were closed at dusk: no exceptions!! Check in is at 4pm, pool and whirlpool close at dusk (approximately 6 pm in Feb. ) We were pointed to the 1 small wall sign stating pool closes at dusk. Was told that the Hampton across the street is same owner and also closes the pool very early. Will not recommend as a place to stay!; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: La Tourangelle Roasted Hazelnut Oil, 16.9-Ounce Unit (Pack of 3); Brand: La Tourangelle; Review: I never had walnut oil before and now use it all the time. Gave some to family and they can't get enough of it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: La Tourangelle Roasted Walnut Oil 16.9 Fl. Oz., All-Natural, Artisanal, Great for Salads, Grilled Fish and Meat, or Pasta; Brand: La Tourangelle; Review: This is a great new oil for my collection. Love to roast veggies with it. Great in salads. It has a great taste.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Earth's Best Organic Sesame Street Toddler Fruit Yogurt Smoothie, Mixed Berry, 4.2 oz. Pouch (Pack of 12); Brand: Earth's Best; Review: The kids love this. Very easy to travel with. Quick snack and easy clean up. Word of advise...if you don't want to wear this make sure you put it in their mouth before they get hold of it. Enjoy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ball® Pickling Salt - 32oz (by Jarden Home Brands) (2-Pack); Brand: Ball; Review: Product is good but the packaging is poor. Got the first order and the bag was ripped and the salt was all over the box and everything inside it. Not to mention all over my front porch and floor. Amazon replaced the salt but they wanted me to send them back the ripped bag. In the original box. What a waist of time and money. The box was big because that was not the only items I ordered. I thought that was silly but I sent it back salt falling out of the box. Oh we'll. I did get the replacement and it was fine.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Raw Shelled Pumpkin Seeds - Pepitas, 2 Pound; Brand: Green Bulk; Review: Very good; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fiddyment Farms 5 LB. In-Shell Lightly Salted; Brand: Fiddyment Farms Gourmet Pistachios; Review: Can't go wrong with 5 pounds of nuts. Very good value for the amount you get.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Grocery_and_Gourmet_Food |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Kettlebell Simple & Sinister; Author: Visit Amazon's Pavel Tsatsouline Page; Review: My rating by attributes Content - 5 - I love the instruction and miscellaneous thoughts and tips throughout Images - 4 - nothing great but nothing wrong either Program - 5* - its a great program and I am feeling results already BUT it is very early so time will tell Readability - 2 - I have read and reread the instruction and the program many times to make sure I got it. Simple? Sort of, but there is variation as you progress and those changes are weaves throughout... but not clearly So far I am loving the book, I just wish it bad a plan laid out like a workbook or some sort of sample plan for a moderate man/woman (like they do by showing starting weights); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Investing in Real Estate With Lease Options and "Subject-To" Deals : Powerful Strategies for Getting More When You; Author: Visit Amazon's Wendy Patton Page; Review: The book has lots of examples with very little meat. Give us the outline of a successful execution model, not a handful of success stories. A foundation is key, this is lacking. Then after a quick synopsis of concepts we get a few stories, not a repeatable process.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Secret History of Twin Peaks: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Mark Frost Page; Review: Fun read but doesn't give you a ton of insights (Intentionally I am sure); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Set for Life: Dominate Life, Money, and the American Dream.; Author: Visit Amazon's Scott Trench Page; Review: I knew going in that I was probably a bit past the target audience/timeframe/experience level of tbis book but bought it so I could lend to some of my younger coworkers. It has good content and may even apply to older people that maybe haven't already been married, had kids and bought a house (plus their own investment props) but i would suggest that the sweet spot is that 27-32 year old that is just starting to make decent money and has the family ahead of them; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moon West Coast RV Camping: The Complete Guide to More Than 2,300 RV Parks and Campgrounds in Washington,; Author: Visit Amazon's Tom Stienstra Page; Review: It's not a great book. Doesn't really give you mich on the RV sites and the ratings are only for scenic value.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier; Author: Visit Amazon's Mark Frost Page; Review: First, I love Twin Peaks. Love the show, the movie, new season, Secret History...yep, all of it....until this. I guess this is meant to be some sort of closure but it is very high level and comes across cheesy. There is nothing new here, no depth. Again, after Season 3 it feels unnecessary; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: El Conquistador Resort A Waldorf Astoria Resort; City: Fajardo Puerto Rico; Review: We read some reviews a week before our trip that were not so positive about El Conquistador... After staying there for five days we left saying "what were they thinking?" We LOVED El Conquistador. The location and scenery is unmatched by any place we have ever been. The staff couldn't have been any nicer. The amenities are great. The kids loved the pools, the water park, and Palamino Island (the resort's private island where you can sunbath, swim, horseback ride, snorkel, rent watercraft, etc.). We kept wondering how El Conquistador managed to provide so much. The only place where there was room for improvement was with the dining experience: A). We wish the lunch/bar menu had a few more choices (especially on the healthier side) and B). the service could have been a little faster (though, truth be told, the slower service seems to be consistent everywhere we went on the island. Once we expected slower service we actually got out of Boston/fast,fast,fast mode and relaxed. You have to tell yourself - "it's service 'island style' ". All in all -- great place.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Hotel Suites Latham; City: Latham New York; Review: Based on other reviews listed - this seems to be a trend with this hotel... The hotel is OK - it's a Holiday Inn Express - but it has the worst customer service I have ever seen.--- Four hours after check out, we called to report that we had left some items in our hotel room. I won't drag the story out but I will tell you -- we called and e-mailed over 12 times over the next two weeks. We NEVER got call backs. When we did finally speak to to people they were rude and uncaring. The manager, Victoria said it was our fault for leaving the items there (technically true but a hotel doesn't have a system for items that are left behind????). I was told that these Holiday Inn Expresses are franchised - I called and e-mailed the owner 4 times - I never heard back from him. We never got our items back, we never heard from anyone. If you choose to stay here - I sure hope you don't have a problem that needs resolving later.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Tranquility Bay Beach House Resort; City: Marathon Florida Keys Florida; Review: We were very happy with our stay at Tranquility Bay. It is a beautiful resort in a premier location. I still don't understand the ownership structure - but I think it contributed to a laid-back, quieter type of resort (people own the units but can't stay there more than 3 weeks at a time?). We didn't have to fight for space at the beach, the pool, or the beach-side Tiki bar. That is a major plus over some nicer resorts that we have stayed in and it puts TB ahead of other resorts in my mind. The views and sunsets throughout the property are postcard perfect. The facilities are very well maintained and the staff is first-rate and friendly. Cons? -- 1. The bedrooms are small and closet/bureau space is next to nothing. 2. A personal pet peeve was the lack of recycling. Tranquility management-- please designate an area to bring recyclables for those guests who want to recycle. You are in the Keys - protecting the environment should be really important to you. It killed us to see the cleaning staff throw cleaned recyclables in the trash. (I would have given you 5 stars if you had this). 3. The contents were pretty bare-boned (4 forks, 4 glasses, very few utensils-- we had to hand wash after every meal). Those are my constructive criticisms for Management to improve- but overall, it is a really great place and we would absolutely go back again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Avignon Grand Hotel; City: Avignon Vaucluse Provence Alpes Cote d Azur; Review: Clean. Spacious. Near the train station. Across the street from the bus stop. Has AC. We had a suite and plenty of room to stretch out in. The hotel is convenient to the main tourist are if Avignon. The staff was friendly and helpful. My only nitpick is that there could be more chairs near the pool. We had a very good stay here.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Becquer; City: Seville Province of Seville Andalucia; Review: We stayed for only one night but we were very impressed with this hotel. You just know when people are going the extra mile - and this hotel does. - free walking tour of the city - free use of an I-pad - free coffee in the lobby - lots of free toiletries in the very large bathroom. The hotel was very clean, near the river, and the staff was tremendous. I was so impressed when we were walking through the lobby, the staff was addressing us by our names. That has never happened anywhere we have ever stayed. The only 'complaint' is the shower door is a half door and a lot of water gets on the bathroom floor. Other than that, this is a great hotel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Open: An Autobiography; Author: Visit Amazon's Andre Agassi Page; Review: Excellent. I admire his after life of tennis; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sarah's Key; Author: Tatiana De Rosnay; Review: beyond great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Mother Was Nuts; Author: Visit Amazon's Penny Marshall Page; Review: Her brother took her to the water and she drank it all up. Bumps along the way, but most enjoyable. You could see her comedic genius starting to seep through. Love her; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Long Snapper: A Second Chance, a Super Bowl, a Lesson for Life; Author: Zondervan; Review: Excellent for all even if you don't like football; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Once We Were Brothers; Author: Visit Amazon's Ronald H Balson Page; Review: Still so interested in the fall of the Natzi's. Sub human beings/cowards abounded and crushed. YES!!!! A pleasure to read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: All the Light We Cannot See; Author: Visit Amazon's Anthony Doerr Page; Review: Well written; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Dinner; Author: Visit Amazon's Herman Koch Page; Review: don't waste your time.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Leaving Time (with bonus novella Larger Than Life): A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Jodi Picoult Page; Review: Even as a child I hated seeing elephants(and all animals)chained up, and doing unnatural things for human amusement. This book really put into perspective what I was hoping to be true. Thank you Judy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Nightingale: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Kristin Hannah Page; Review: drop everything and read this book. hurry up and do my chores. i couldn't wait to get back to reading this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile; Author: Visit Amazon's Julia Fox Page; Review: a bit too wordy for me; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Japanese Lover; Author: Visit Amazon's Isabel Allende Page; Review: I read Nightengale before The Japanese Lover. Hard to top The Nightengale. It was good though.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Life After Life: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Kate Atkinson Page; Review: Interesting concept. Too wordy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Agent Garbo: The Brilliant, Eccentric Secret Agent Who Tricked Hitler and Saved D-Day; Author: Visit Amazon's Stephan Talty Page; Review: One has to admire his persistence in getting accepted even at the cost of losing his family. It's like he had a send sense. Brilliant mind.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dad Is Fat; Author: Visit Amazon's Jim Gaffigan Page; Review: I laughed out loud many instances. Real life stuff. Many times too familiar w/my family; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dad Is Fat; Author: Jim Gaffigan; Review: I laughed out loud many instances. Real life stuff. Many times too familiar w/my family; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Woman in the Photo: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Hogan Page; Review: From a prissy little snot to a wonderful human being. Resilience and pride got the Elizabeth through the war of life.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Karolina's Twins: A Novel (Liam Taggart and Catherine Lockhart); Author: Visit Amazon's Ronald H. Balson Page; Review: It's a hard book to put down. Still the atrocities of this war haunt millions of people. God bless all of those people living or dead.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Elephant; Author: Visit Amazon's Vicki Croke Page; Review: I loved this book. Elephants are my favorite. This is a must read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: tapestry; Author: BELVA PLAIN; Review: Just love Carole King.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Mark Sullivan Page; Review: This cat has more than 9 lives. From the 1st page I was hooked. Pino is a true hero of the highest order; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beneath a Scarlet Sky (Center Point Large Print); Author: Mark T Sullivan; Review: This cat has more than 9 lives. From the 1st page I was hooked. Pino is a true hero of the highest order; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Hingson Page; Review: This was a remarkable book. Both Mike and Roselle are incredible characters. The world needs to know about being blind.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: And Then You Loved Me; Author: Visit Amazon's Inglath Cooper Page; Review: A nice easy read. Liked the Now and Then aspect of the book. Interesting family characters that molded into a nice story.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Mbizi Game Park; City: Harare Harare Province; Review: Just back home after a lovely day trip to Mbizi. We wanted a day out near to town that would give the three of us a break. We had a super day at Mbizi. After paying $10 per person entry fee, we were very warmly welcomed by the diminutive Takura, who was keen to advise us of what to do and also to show us the cottages, even though we were not staying overnight. We peeped into the cottages, which looked cosy, clean and comfortable... but very pricey at $90 per night per person, even if it was for dinner, bed, breakfast and lunch. The 'rock pool' is super, with an amazing view, but beware if you have young kids... it's on the very top of the kopjie (20m high, we were told) and the 'fence' is... errrr... symbolic! But was great for us and just one 11 year old... would have been nervous if we had a younger child... or a group to keep an eye on! Off then for a picnic which we had brought. Lovely picnic site under shady trees - plenty of tables and braai stands with super views of the dam. Canoeing was next on the agenda ($15 per hour for a three man canoe) The canoe was in good condition and although the paddles were homemade, were very adequate. We were amused to see that the obviously new 'life jackets' were clearly labelled inside by the manufacturer as being 'not suitable for boating' ;) ... just as well we were in a canoe and not a boat! Back on shore we had great fun trying out the smaller obstacles in a fun obstacle course, including a great zip line for our lad. There were several other HUGE obstacles, but these are only available to groups doing team building, when we assume they are supervised. An elderly and very pleasant attendant called 'Agree' told us all about the safety lines that they use for the large obstacles. A final splash up in the rock pool refreshed us before our drive home. Super day... not overwhelming, but very, very pleasant - will definitely return sometime. We chose not to do the game drive... we felt it to be very overpriced at $15 per adult considering they only have four species of plains game - all of which we can see at Mukuvisi for $2!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sierra on Main; City: Randburg Greater Johannesburg Gauteng; Review: Stayed for a conference and then for meetings in Johannesburg. Rooms were super clean, and bed was comfortable. However, the two chairs were rickety and the 'desk' far too high to be comfortable to work at. The internet connection is useless in the rooms and patchy in conference room. For two full days there was no internet at all. There were no power plugs near the bed which is inconvenient. No hot water until about 06:00 in the morning, so a delayed start each morning for me. Staff were friendly. Food was OK, but very little variety generally - and if you are vegetarian NO variety at all in the salad area (same salads every. single. day. - and all vegies were plain and overcooked.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sunbird Lilongwe; City: Lilongwe Central Region; Review: Stayed here for a week in one of the newly renovated rooms. The room was lovely - very comfortable bed, spacious and nicely decorated. Food at the restaurant in the evenings was delicious - and I was especially pleased to see several vegetarian options. Breakfast was simple, but more than adequate and tasty.The lunch options however, were rather more pedestrian, and as a vegetarian the 'traditional food days' provided no choice at all. However, I am sure if I had asked the staff would have made something simple for me - and with a smile on their face! All staff were friendly, efficient and helpful and I look forward to my next stay! Conferencing facilities were very adequate, with microphones available if required.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Arthotel ANA Gala; City: Vienna; Review: Super place to stay, where nothing is too much trouble for the kind and professional staff. Well thought out and comfortable rooms (no view though!) with plenty of space. Wonderful breakfast buffet - on my last visit I counted 12 different types of cheese! Free wifi and hairdryer in each room. Very close to two metro u-bahn stops, busses and trams.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Namib Naukluft Lodge; City: Sossusvlei Namib Naukluft Park Khomas Region; Review: What a lovely place to stay! We had actually booked to stay at the Soft Adventure camp affiliated to the Lodge, but were upgraded for no additional charge for no discernible reason! Super in many ways, but it meant that my travelling companion and I shared a family room rather than having separate rooms. The double bed was reportedly comfortable, but the single beds had thin mattresses and hard pillows - possibly OK for kids, but a little uncomfortable for an adult. Still - a free upgrade is a free upgrade and it didn't spoil our stay at all! Delicious vegetarian option for food was appreciated. Great location and environment. I would love to return and explore more of the 25,000hectare habitat!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Casa Africana; City: Windhoek Khomas Region; Review: Stayed for a week while in business. Very comfy bed and pillows. Great bathroom unlimited hot water and good pressure in the shower. Small fridge in room and tea and coffee facilities. Nice outside areas to sit as well as dining room with lovely views. Delicious food. Breakfast is good, but not terribly varied. Staff very helpful and friendly, especially Anneline. Very quiet but very convenient. Would certainly stay here again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Protea Hotel Windhoek Furstenhof; City: Windhoek Khomas Region; Review: We had a small four day conference. Very pleasant staff especially the techbicsl/it guy and Claudia. Room was comfortable and well laid out. Data projector available, though we used our own. Projection screen clean. Great WiFi. Lovely food that was always on time. We'll recommended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ibis Styles Nairobi Westlands; City: Nairobi; Review: Although comfortable the cheapness of finishes spoilt the room. The inbuilt molded plastic everything feels as though you are in a giant public toilet that will be hosed down when you leave... Which is OK of it is a cheap hotel... But prices were high. Had a disgustingly dry 'sandwich' and a small mango juice from the 'grab and go' which cost nearly usd8. Staff friendly and efficient... Certainly very poor value for money imho; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Arthotel ANA Katharina; City: Vienna; Review: Lovely spacious room with plenty of power points. Comfy bed and large window that opened. Friendly and helpful staff. Very attractive breakfast buffet - including make your own waffles - delicious. No complimentary water - but as this is Austria, you can drink water from the tap so no problem :); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Villa das Mangas; City: Maputo Maputo Province; Review: Warm welcome on check-in and I was grateful for the help with my case as I was in a first floor room and there are no lifts. The room was compact, but comfortable and clean. Sliding glass door of Rm 27 looks out onto their delightful pool area, with lots of tropical plants. My room was clean. I was a little baffled by the presence of a kettle, but no tea/coffee/milk of cups, but maybe these would have been available on request. Nights were a little bit noisy, but not overly so, considering the hotels location. The hotel restaurant serves as a bistro in it's own right. It looks super! Loads of atmosphere, choice of eating indoors with a view onto the verandah and then the street, or of sitting outside on the verandah. Breakfast was 'OK' fairly pedestrian , but OK for the four mornings that I stayed. However, evening meals as a vegetarian were DISASTROUS. I had informed hotel I was vegetarian on booking and was informed that they had veggie meals on menu and chef could also assist if I would like anything else. First night - neither of the two veggie meals on menu were available. Waiter offered stir fry - fair enough. The chef was unavailable, but waiter promised me a veg curry and rice following night. After waiting over an hour, rice was cold and dried out. No curry taste in veggies - just very salty. Complained but was so hungry had to eat as I had a meeting to go for an meals had been pre-paid by my company. Chef arrived just as I was leaving. Apologised and blamed whoever had cooked my meal. (The waiter, meanwhile, had blamed the chef. Chef informed me of all his credentials and assured me the following evening he would create me a pasta alfredo, but without meat. I accepted and told him when I would like to eat. Again, I had another meeting. After 40 mins past the time I had expected to eat, I was served half a bowl of cold spaghetti, swimming in oil, with a few sliced mushrooms and five whole cloves of almost raw garlic on. I asked to speak to the chef who agreed that it was not a pasta alfredo, but this time blamed the owners for not buying him the correct ingredients. He 'promised' me one of the meals on the menu for my final night, a mushroom risotto. Once again, I told him what time I would like to be served. One and a half hours later, during which time I was refused bread to help my appetite, and I had made complaints to waiters and hotel management and sent messages to the chef who was 'too busy' to see me, I was served a very average mushroom risotto. As I finished, the chef came to my table, singing the praises of his amazing risotto. When I explained that it was not 'amazing'... it was cold, served on a cold plate, over salted and dry, he this time blamed the; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: TFS Ingenuity: The Terran Fleet Command Saga - Book 1 (Volume 1); Author: Tori L Harris; Review: Great story and precisely writen as if you are reading a naval action report.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Victory: Book 3 of The Legacy Fleet Trilogy (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Nick Webb Page; Review: A great combination of military action and political intrege.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Call to Arms: Black Fleet Trilogy, Book 2 (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Joshua Dalzelle Page; Review: This is a great read especially if you are a naval warfare fan in three dimensions.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TFS Theseus: The Terran Fleet Command Saga - Book 2 (Volume 2); Author: Tori L Harris; Review: Well written. This story pulls you in with its ingenuity and stirs your imagination as where it will go next.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TFS Navajo: The Terran Fleet Command Saga - Book 3 (Volume 3) by Tori L Harris (2016-09-30); Author: Tori L Harris; Review: Even though it was a bit predictable, it was well written and the characters were interesting.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TFS Fugitive: The Terran Fleet Command Saga - Book 4 (Volume 4); Author: Tori L Harris; Review: The story celibates human ingenuity, optimism and cunning, the best of our traits. Buy it is worth it. If you have not read the previous three books you are missing out.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Tactical Universal Fit Drop Leg Pistol Holster For Colt SIG Beretta S&W Ruger Hk; Brand: TGS; Review: I had looked at holsters priced over $100 before I saw this one for $10. I could not be more pleased with it. It holds my 1911 securely, but does not keep it from being withdrawn when needed. The front sight does not hang on the holster as described by another reviewer, even though the slide does protrude slightly from the bottom of the holster.No, it is not a quick draw holster, but that was not my intent. I intend to use it when hunting. It is easy to release and draw quickly when needed, and can be adjusted to fit. It is also very easy to remove.The magazine pouch, adjusts well to .22, .40 or .45 caliber mags.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GunVault NV100 NanoVault with Key Lock, Fits Sub-Compact Pistols; Brand: GunVault; Review: I bought this to put under the driver seat in my car to put my Ruger LCP in when I have grandchildren in the car or when the car will be parked for a while. It is the perfect size for the LCP and a couple of magazines but could hold a larger pistol. For the price it is a very sturdy and secure box.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ghost Inc Glock Armorers Tool 3/32 Punch; Brand: Ghost; Review: If you don't have a 3/32 punch or would like to have one in your Glock bag, this is okay. The butt end of it is handy for pushing pins back in place. If you already have a 3/32 punch and don't need another, don't both with this one.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pachmayr Grips For Colt 1911 and Copies (with Deluxe Pacwood); Brand: Pachmayr; Review: I love these grips, but one of the medalions came yesterday at the range. Maybe it was just my particular grip that had a loose medalion, but you might want to check yours if you get these.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GEN 4 Slug Plug Glock 17 19 22 23 31 34 35 *Fits only Generation 4*; Brand: Sure Plug; Review: I installed by Glockmeister Grip Plug in my Gen 14 Glock 17 last night and it fits very nicely and looks like it belongs. It fits securely, so you will need to press firmly on the tab to get it in.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pachmayr Grips For Colt 1911 and Copies (with Deluxe Pacwood); Brand: Pachmayr; Review: I love these grips, but one of the medalions came yesterday at the range. Maybe it was just my particular grip that had a loose medalion, but you might want to check yours if you get these.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 1911 Pistol Recoil Buffer Pack of 10 Also work for Ruger Mini 14 (see picture); Brand: GRG MFG; Review: The installation is really easy. I can't really tell of any change in feel or recoil, but it can't hurt and it is holding its shape well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 1911 Mat Ext Slide Release; Brand: Wilson Combat; Review: This is a plus for the 1911. The fit and finish are excellent and it performs very well. There was no need to adjust anything else to make it fit and the blueing matches my pistol very well.My only disappointment is the price. It is kind of steep for something that should have taken very little time or money to develop, and that should be in very high demand, especially with all the 1911s that were sold last year.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 1911 Mat Ext Slide Release; Brand: Wilson Combat; Review: This is a plus for the 1911. The fit and finish are excellent and it performs very well. There was no need to adjust anything else to make it fit and the blueing matches my pistol very well.My only disappointment is the price. It is kind of steep for something that should have taken very little time or money to develop, and that should be in very high demand, especially with all the 1911s that were sold last year.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A-Zoom 9Mm Luger Precision Snap Caps (5 Pack); Brand: A-ZOOM; Review: I really like the A-Zoom aluminum snap caps. I use them in all of my guns to absorb the strike of the firing pin. (I don't care that some manufacturers and dealers say that dry firing is not a problem. The shoulders are still slaming into hardened metal every time.); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Glock Gunsmiths Pistol Cleaning Bench Mat; Brand: Beck Tek; Review: I have used my bench mat numerous times since aquiring it. It is all that I wanted it to be. It has absorbed CLP and gun grease and shows no signs of it. The lettering and diagrams are 100% intact.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GHOST Maritime Spring Cups for Glocks; Brand: Ghost; Review: I read the description of this product and thought, "Why not?" The fit my Glock 17, Gen 4 perfectly, so no problems. What I don't know is whether they will perform better than stock because I am not going to subject my pistol to the conditions these were designed for. If I ever have to fire my Glock after dropping it in water, I will give an update. Until then, I don't know.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 7.62 x 54R Caliber Cartridge Laser Bore Sighter for Mosin Nagant Rifles Boresighter; Brand: GRG; Review: The laser bore sighter worked perfectly for me. I tried rotating it to insure the alignment was correct and at 50 yards it was dead on each rotation.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gunvault MV500-STD Microvault Pistol Gun Safe; Brand: GunVault; Review: I hide this little beauty under the bed. If someone comes into the house, Iwill just roll off the bed onto the floor and enter the simple code. The lid pops open and I am armed. No need to see the lock. It can all be done by feel in the dark. My grandkids cannot get into it. Period.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: NcStar Marlin Lever Action Weaver Scope Mount (MMLIN); Brand: NcStar; Review: The screws were too long for my Marlin 336. I had to file them off to keep them from reaching the bolt.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tapco Intrafuse T6 Rubber Butt Pad; Brand: Tapco; Review: I bought this because the price was right. It was delivered earlier that expected and is a perfect fit for my butt stock. I could not ask for more.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Squirrel Daddy Ar15 / M16 Lower Receiver Magazine Vise Block Made In Usa; Brand: ; Review: How can a manufacturer ask $35 for a block of molded plastic? Who is paying that price?So, okay, at $12 it looks like a deal. It is still just a block of plastic that does not have to meet any tight tolerances or move or be industuctible. It just has to occupy space.I would give it 5 stars for performing its job, but $12 is a bit steep for what it is.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GDT AR15 AR 15 Front and Rear 45 Degree Rapid Transition BUIS Backup Iron Sight; Brand: ; Review: Like the fold down sights I reviewed earlier, these fit very snuggly on the rail and have a high quality finish to them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AR15 AR 15 Front and Rear flip up 45 Degree Rapid Transition BUIS Backup Iron Sight; Brand: FieldSport; Review: These sights are just right. They are well made and have a good quality finish. The are snug on my rail, not requiring any finese to get lined up.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Plano Pillared Take Down Gun Case; Brand: Plano; Review: Other reviewers warned about the hard obstacle in the middle of the case, but I bought it anyway. It would be nice if were not located right there, but my AR with the 16" barrell and collapsible stock fits perfectly without breaking it down.I would not use this for air travel, but it works great for taking it to the range. I can thrown in some extra magazines with no problem.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: ITOYA 18 inch x 24 inch Original Art Profolio Presentation Book/Portfolio- for Art, Photography, and Documents; Brand: ITOYA; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Itoya Art Profolio Portfolio 5 x 7 inches Storage Display Book, 24 Sleeves for 48 Views; Brand: ITOYA; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ITOYA OF AMERICA IA-12-4 Art Profolio 4X6In. Bk Photo Size; Brand: ITOYA OF AMERICA; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LG Tone HBS-730 Wireless Stereo Headset - Black; Brand: LG; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fujifilm FinePix XP200 16MP Digital Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Yellow) (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Fujifilm; Review: Product was exactly as described. Good underwater pictures.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ITOYA OF AMERICA IA-12-8 Profolio 8 12 X 11In. Bk Art Size; Brand: ITOYA OF AMERICA; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Itoya PU-24-8 Art Profolio Professional Polyglass 8.5x11in. Art 24 Pocket Pages for 48 Views Black; Brand: ITOYA; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: JBuds J3 Micro Atomic In-Ear Earbuds Style Headphones with Travel Case (Jet Black) (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: JLAB; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Legrand - Wiremold CMK40 Corner Mate Cord Organizer Kit; Brand: Wiremold; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Articulating LCD LED Tv Wall Mount Bracket Full Motion Swivel 22 24 26 32 37 40 Great for Corners; Brand: Impact Mounts; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: PowerCube [Newest Version] Extra Extended USB, Surge; Brand: PowerCube; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AmazonBasics USB 2.0 Extension Cable - A-Male to A-Female - 9.8 Feet (3 Meters); Brand: AmazonBasics; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sabrent 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub with Individual Power Switches and LEDs (HB-UMLS); Brand: Sabrent; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dell D2015HM 19.5" Screen LED-Lit Monitor; Brand: Dell; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AmazonBasics HL-007350 HDMI to DVI Output Adapter Cable - 25 Feet; Brand: AmazonBasics; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Memorex White CD-R Labels 3202-0412, 50-Count; Brand: Memorex; Review: Product Was Exactly as Described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nikon LC-52 Snap on Front Lens Cap; Brand: Nikon; Review: Product Was Exactly as Described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Avery 75263 Two-Sided CD Organizer Sheets for Three-Ring Binder (Pack of 5); Brand: Avery; Review: Product Was Exactly as Described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: iMBAPrice 12 Feet Professional Quality Nickel Plated 3.5 mm Male/Female Stereo Audio Extension Cable; Brand: iMBAPrice; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Saicoo USB 3.0 4in1 Digital Memory Card Reader/writer - with a 13cm flexible USB cord and dual SD; Brand: saicoo; Review: Product was exactly as described. I did have to trouble shoot it to get it to work but that was because I was using Firefox. Most DOD sites that I use require me to using Internet Explorer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Xtenzi Power Cord Harness speaker Plug For Pioneer Receiver CDP1665,SPHDA120,AVH4100NEX,AVH4000NEX AVH-4100NEX AVIC-6100NEX; Brand: Xtenzi; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wart Remover,Corn Remover,Foot Corn Remover Pads,Plantar Wart Removal, Corn Callus Remover, Penetrates and Removes Common and Plantar; Brand: UOKOO; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: RM PRODUCTS Military Triangle Protractor; Brand: RM43; Review: Product was exactly as described.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Hangman's Companion; Author: Visit Amazon's Joseph Flynn Page; Review: I am really enjoying this series. Love the political background some ideas are really good. Would recommend this series to everyone.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The K Street Killer; Author: Visit Amazon's Joseph Flynn Page; Review: This was a great series you must read the entire series in order. Lots of good political ideas. Hope he writes some books in this series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: For the Roses; Author: Visit Amazon's Julie Garwood Page; Review: You also need the read pink - red- white roses and come the spring to finish out all the brothers.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Devil's Bridge (An Alexandra Cooper Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Linda Fairstein Page; Review: Love Linda Fairstein and all the characters in this series. Read this book in 2 days.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Memory Man (Amos Decker series); Author: Visit Amazon's David Baldacci Page; Review: can't wait to read the next book in the series; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Obsession in Death; Author: Visit Amazon's J. D. Robb Page; Review: Love all the in death series can't wait till Feb 2016 new book involves Dr Mira's husband Dennis.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Tom Clancy's Net Force #3: Night Moves CD; Author: Edward Herrmann; Review: Coming from the author who wrote Hunt for the red october, this book is down right pathetic. Dont waste your time reading this book. Also, there are horrible inaccuracies in this book. One example:"Moksha" is translated as "enlightenment". Moksha actually means "release from the cycle of life and death".; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: State of Fear; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Crichton Page; Review: This is undoubtedly the worst book by Michael Crichton so far. So, it is unfortunate that it is also his fattest book so far? I must confess Crichton lost my sympathy completely, when I noticed that he was trying to preach that most environmentalists fake their data to support their argument. Other than the incumbent US president, I doubt whether this point of view has any buyers. May be the data with which environmentalists are soothsaying doomsday are not conclusive. But then, Crichton and his protogonists have equally inconclusive data to prove other wise. Do not waste your time reading this book, unless you are a SUV user who needs some therapy to overcome the guilt of burning so much gas every time you get your donut.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: State of Fear; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Crichton Page; Review: This is undoubtedly the worst book by Michael Crichton so far. So, it is unfortunate that it is also his fattest book so far? I must confess Crichton lost my sympathy completely, when I noticed that he was trying to preach that most environmentalists fake their data to support their argument. Other than the incumbent US president, I doubt whether this point of view has any buyers. May be the data with which environmentalists are soothsaying doomsday are not conclusive. But then, Crichton and his protogonists have equally inconclusive data to prove other wise. Do not waste your time reading this book, unless you are a SUV user who needs some therapy to overcome the guilt of burning so much gas every time you get your donut.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: State of Fear; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Crichton Page; Review: This is undoubtedly the worst book by Michael Crichton so far. So, it is unfortunate that it is also his fattest book so far? I must confess Crichton lost my sympathy completely, when I noticed that he was trying to preach that most environmentalists fake their data to support their argument. Other than the incumbent US president, I doubt whether this point of view has any buyers. May be the data with which environmentalists are soothsaying doomsday are not conclusive. But then, Crichton and his protogonists have equally inconclusive data to prove other wise. Do not waste your time reading this book, unless you are a SUV user who needs some therapy to overcome the guilt of burning so much gas every time you get your donut.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy; Author: Visit Amazon's Ramachandra Guha Page; Review: The story of how secular democracy of India was built and how it was held together by the first generation of India's leaders has been told so absorbingly by Guha. This book definitely made me realize how fortunate India was to have Nehru as the first prime minister. What makes the story so fascinating is the recurring theme in which the country seems to pull itself back just in time from what appears to pundits (Indians or otherwise) to be the brink of collapse and then finds itself at the edge of another precipice. The author is very objective in his narrative, but being an Indian, he is happy and relieved every time he reports the rescue of the country (at least for the time being). It is a bit unfair to label this as "nationalistic". Modern India can not fail itself or the world. Its cause is too important for the world. It looks like the blessings of its founding fathers and their legacy of values will never let it happen. Jai Hind! (Even if many people out there may scream "nationalistic"); Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Bound to Please; Author: Visit Amazon's Lilli Feisty Page; Review: This kept me guessing. I like it because the story was not the traditional beautiful silly young girl with a drop dead handsome alpha male. The heroine is older and keeps up with a young stud. YOU GO GIRL! Good read and a page turner!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Perfection: A Neighbor From Hell Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's R.L. Mathewson Page; Review: This is a sweet story with a happy ending The characters are believable and not mega rich or super models. I enjoyed it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence; Author: Visit Amazon's Sarah Young Page; Review: This book is amazing. It speaks to me daily. If you love the Lord and want to hear his voice daily purchase it. It is an easy read and well worth the money.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wethering the Storm; Author: Visit Amazon's Samantha Towle Page; Review: I thought the first one was great but this was so much better. Love love love Jake and Try. A wonderful romance that ties it all together.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Revealing Us (The Inside Out Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Renee Jones Page; Review: It does answer some of the questions about Chris but you're introduced new people and we still don't know where Ella is. So this is not a trilogy it continues.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: This Love's Not for Sale; Author: Visit Amazon's Ella Dominguez Page; Review: This is such a sweet read. Great alpha male and wonderful heroine. Not a series thank goodness so you get your HEA. Loved this story and would recommend it if you like books like 50 shades.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Enemies and Playmates; Author: Visit Amazon's Darcia Helle Page; Review: I think it was a little unrealistic. An abusive father that continued to get more and more ridiculous as the novel continued. There was an alpha male and a HEA but it just didn't seem real to me.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Taming the Storm ((The Storm Series)) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Samantha Towle Page; Review: This is a great love story. We learn more about Tom and see that he is a really sweet person under all the layers. You also get to catch up with Jake and Try. Great ending to the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Blurex Slim Leather Portfolio Case With 2 Tier Stand for Blackberry Playbook; Brand: Blurex; Review: I spent more time searching and reading reviews of various covers for the Blackberry Playbook, than I did for the actual research on the Playbook. I can say without hesitation that this product does everything it is designed to do and with great flare. All controls and connection points are accessible - it is hard to believe that some covers have to be removed in order to charge the Playbook - but not this one, regardless of the position you are in - the Playbook can be charged. The ease to which this cover opens and closes would make one think that it will come open during handling and possibly allow the Playbook to fall out - but that is not the case. The tabs that hold the Playbook in as well as the tabs that hold the cover shut are tensioned perfectly - not too tight and not too loose. I could probably go on for some time as to how nice this cover is, but I will not - I will just say one more thing. You will get this great cover and it is not going to cost you a ton of money - and that just adds to the overall rating. Great product for a great price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7" Screen Protector (2012), Skinomi TechSkin Full Coverage Screen Protector for Amazon Kindle Fire HD; Brand: Skinomi; Review: My review of the Skinomi TechSkin for my Kindle Fire HD (7") can be broken into three categories: 1) Installation, 2) Wear and Tear and 3) Customer Support 1) Installation: As with all of these style protectors the key to installation is "Take Your Time" and do not worry that it appears to be foggy immediately after application - that will clear up in a few hours. The biggest problem is just make sure that you evenly cover the "Sticky" side with the fluid provided and also spray your fingers - that way you will not leave fingerprints on the film. Remember - "Take your time" and it will be fine. As for Bubble free - well, I did have 2 bubbles in the middle of my viewing field and in an attempt to slide those to edge for removal the film was slightly dented - that is the main reason for taking 1 star away. 2) Wear and Tear: I have used this product on a couple other knidles and I find they are extremely durable; however, if you do get a scratch in them - that's it - there is no buffing it out. I have had some other products that seemed to allow minor scratches to be buffed out. But overall - if I did not like the product I most certainly would not keep buying it. 3) Customer Support: ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE - tried calling and either always busy line or sent to voice mail and calls NEVER returned (tried 8 times - 3 messages left). Then I tried the email route and more than a week has gone by with no responses. Just hope you DO NOT have problems because if you do, I doubt you will get anyone on the phone to help you.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: ArmorSuit Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" Screen Protector Max Coverage MilitaryShield Screen Protector For Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9"; Brand: ArmorSuit; Review: As with most people, I have a number of devices that need a screen protector and a number of devices ago - I tried an ArmorSuit screen protector. I was immediately impressed with packaging and supplies provided - the obvious, soft cleaning cloth as well as a nice piece of rubber for smoothing out the bubbles - AND - a container of fluid. I have not switched to any other protector since - heck my son and I took an old cell phone to the range and when I put two (.223) bullets thru it - the ArmorSuit Screen Protector remained on the phone and held all the little pieces together - now that is "PROTECTION"!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Logitech Performance MX Wireless Mouse (DISCONTINUED and Replaced by MX Master 2S); Brand: Logitech; Review: I have over 7 items from Logitech and I must say this is the first that I am not so sure I can give a 100% rating to. I needed a mouse that could work on any surface (well maybe any other than glass) - being that I am a consultant I never know where I will be using my laptop (oh, I hate touchpads :)). Well, currently I have a leather type pad on the desk (executive style) and I am having all sorts of problems with mice working on this surface. I know, I know - get a mouse pad - well, I should not need to worry about that - mostly in today's technology based world.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TiVo Roamio Pro 3 TB DVR (Old Version) - Digital Video Recorder and Streaming Media Player; Brand: TiVo; Review: I have owned a TiVo of one model or another for close to 10 years - except in a few situations with a Digital Card - all has been great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Logitech M570 Wireless Trackball Mouse – Ergonomic Design with Sculpted Right-hand Shape, Compatible with Apple Mac and Microsoft Windows; Brand: Logitech; Review: First, I would like to state that I have had nothing but Logitech products for years - at work as well as at home (I am Senior Software Engineer for 30+ years). With that stated - I was very disappointed with this product from multiple aspects. The primary one was the lack of fine control with such a small thumb ball - regardless of the settings in Windows 10 and the Logitech SetPoint tool, the fine control was lacking - I just could not get the ball to track while I was in a couple Development Environments. The next issue I had was how sticky the ball traveled within the socket - I have used many trackballs in my career and have found that if they start a little rough to move (as in if you try to spin/roll the ball and it is sticky) then as things get older they get worse and will not clean to make them move easier. Finally - The trackball just felt cheaper than normal Logitech products, the micro switches under the buttons just did not feel as good as my Performance MX Optical mouse (from Logitech). Just was disappointed - I returned the trackball.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: TaoTronics Bluetooth Audio Transmitter; Brand: TaoTronics; Review: Although I have had this for only a little while - it has performed horribly. It does pair fairly nicely but it constantly drops signal for a split second or two - at first I thought it may be the headset so I changed to a newer headset and had the same experience. I am about 12 to 15 feet from the unit - well within the specified 33 feet range limit - I notice that if I move about in my chair the signal is lost for a bit and then re-syncs - of course if I stay perfectly still then it seems fine. Again, as stated I have tried two headsets and both are doing the same thing with this unit and not with other Bluetooth devices. UPDATE (Mar - 5 - 16): Well, now after using it for roughly 3 months - I have come to the ultimate conclusion that this device is simply pathetic. The pairing is now spotting and as before the actual distance of use seems to come and go. If it is briefly unplugged then you have to re-pair it again - it would not have been that difficult to put in a small battery to retain the pairing of the devices - at least in my opinion. Maybe it is just faulty - but I personally would stay away from buying it - there are others out there that are better.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: TiVo Roamio Pro 3 TB DVR (Old Version) - Digital Video Recorder and Streaming Media Player; Brand: TiVo; Review: I have had one model of a TiVo or another for the past 12 years and I am always pleased with the new models that come out, including the Roamio Pro. It is very nice to be able to record up to 6 shows at once, of course if it did 8 then I am sure I would find that limit :) Adding on a few Minis and it makes the entire house a great place to watch anything anywhere. Of course, now I need to upgrade to the newest model :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Samsung OEM Original AK59-00149A Blu-Ray Player Remote Control For SAMSUNG BD-F5100 FM51C BD-F5700 FM57C BD-H5100 HM51 BD-H5700 HM57C BD-H5900 HM59C; Brand: Samsung; Review: Controls the TiVo and other devices as expected.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TiVo C00260 Roamio Slide Pro DVR Remote; Brand: TiVo; Review: Controls the TiVo and other devices as expected.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MegaGear "Ever Ready" Protective Leather Camera Case, Bag for Canon PowerShot SX720 HS (Black); Brand: MegaGear; Review: Not too bad - the snaps are kind of weak and as such the fron cover keeps falling off in stead of staying attached.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: TiVo Slide Pro Remote with Dongle - For TiVo Premiere/Mini; Brand: TiVo; Review: Controls the TiVo and other devices as expected.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Canon PowerShot SX710 HS - Wi-Fi Enabled (Black); Brand: Canon; Review: It is not a bad camera - lots of features to offer - the biggest thing is the manual flash that can become a pain as well as a display that cannot handle bright shots - it gets over powered and the display goes dark; however, the pictures appear to come out fine.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Edifier R1700BT Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers - Active Near-Field Studio Monitors - Powered Speakers 2.0 Setup Wooden Enclosure; Brand: Edifier; Review: I previously had given these speakers a rating of 2 stars - I spoke to a few people who had these speakers and rated them with 5 stars. One of them had a bad experience with their first pair and had them replace and the second pair have worked great for them. So, since I could not locate a pair of speakers that had the features I needed - I re-ordered a replacement pair. I set these up the same way I did the previous pair and they worked immediately. Thus far, I am impressed - I do have one bone of contention - the volume knob has no start point, it just keeps going round and round - I personally feel that turn all the way to the left, stopping at some point would be nice so you know that the volume is all the way down and the same for turning the volume all the way up. With that stated, and the fact that I had issues with the first pair - I decided to give these a 4-star rating. I will return in a month or two and update the review. Update The sound is pretty good, the physical weight of the speaker makes makes them such that they do not resonate/vibrate on deep sounds. However, I noticed that the Bass seems a touch flat - I cannot put my finger completely on the issue - it almost seems that the Bass is being clipped. It does not drastically affect the playback; however, if you are one that has ears so tuned that you can hear the ever so slight difference in tone shifts - then you may be bugged by play backs on BluRay DVDs. Update (4/14/17) OK folks, it has been almost 60 days using these speakers daily and pretty much nothing has changed - I have watched regular TV shows where the audio is typically - well, let's just say "Not So Impressive" to really test a set of speakers. Hence, my thoughts (and they are my experiences, you may experience something different depending upon your hearing) are that these do make a great set of speakers for pretty much anything where you need good-to-great performance without dropping a ton of money. There is one design flaw I have discovered - it has to do with the remote. The bloody thing is so small (and black) that I have lost it to the Chair Monster a few times. And it would be great if when a button on the remote is being pressed, a LED shines either on the remote or on the main speaker - just to let you know that the button action is being received. I will do one more update and if the speakers continue to perform as they are now - I will bump the start to 5 - a full thumbs up.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Oakley Women's Caveat Aviator Sunglasses; Brand: ; Review: These aviators look fabulous and look expensive. I think they would flatter any face shape. Extremely pleased! I will never buy another pair of cheap sunglasses.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Teva Men's Toachi 2 Sandal; Brand: ; Review: These sandals are awesome! You feel like you are barefoot... they are THAT comfortable! I am trying to purchase teva waterproof boots.. but they are almost impossible to find them available. Let me know when the boots are available... I amhooked on Teva!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Softwalk Women's Carson Platform Sandal; Brand: SoftWalk; Review: Feel like I am walking on air. Will recommend to anyone!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Glamorise Women's Full Figure Wonderwire Front Close Stretch Lace Bra #9245; Brand: ; Review: Very comfortable; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Columbia Women's Ice Maiden II Insulated Snow Boot; Brand: ; Review: Sooo comfortable and lightweight. I would highly recommend. ...; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam; Author: Spencer Robert; Review: The first sections starts out with author presenting verses from the Koran and picking up the narrative from what some prominent Muslim leaders have said in the past and how this relates to each other which appear loose and some times even out of context. He goes on to give an analysis on what he thinks is right or in this case why politically in correct the general analysis on Islam had always been by always doing a comparison with Christianity rather an do a generic analysis based common religions. The huge historical references in the book don't do much justice to this analysis either which were presented in unreadable way. How ever the book tends to get interesting from Crusades section on and presents a more believable picture of why Crusades were necessary and what would have happened if they never took place. By far the best part of the book is its explanation of Islamic Jihad in the last section about what Jihad groups really and want is Islamophobia? Why the west is not as critique of the religion as it should have been. Again it picks up rhetoric in the conclusion part based on Christianity. At the end I believe the author intended to present an analysis of Islam and not to portray the already standing image of Christianity vs. Islam in this book but it certainly end up in sections based on authors biased out look. All though this book tries to present the other side of Islam, the huge comparison with Christianity, cherry picked verses and out of contexts do no justice to this. While this book can be read for some interesting sections and facts it should only serve as a starting point and would require further reading.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: American Conspiracies: Lies, Lies, and More Dirty Lies That the Government Tells Us; Author: Visit Amazon's Dick Russell Page; Review: I picked up this book thinking it would be a regular conspiracy theory book, amazed it turned out to be such a great read. It did contain know conspiracy theories like JFK assassination etc, even those had been written with a different angle and with some completely new material. What is more interesting is the introduction of a completely new set to the mainstream like the Lincoln's assassination; I had never known that Booth was not the only person involved or that there was another plot to over throw FDR during great depression. Besides all the above what keeps the interest in the book going is the analysis of current events like the financial melt down and changes to current laws, introduction to newer bills that threaten the privacy of individuals. This book is not just for people who are interested in conspiracy theories but any body who want to know a different angle to what's going on in today's world, while every one might not agree or believe in all or any of the theories this certainly helps to understand things much better if you are open to different ideas. This book is just that, it doesn't over indulge in conspiracy but tries to give an over all picture, gives some very interesting facts not theories that make up some of these topics. The author uses simple verbiage, with out provocative and common rhetoric normally associated with this subject. An amazing, interesting and truly a must read for any person interested in facts that go behind the theories.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mandela's Way: Lessons on Life, Love, and Courage; Author: Visit Amazon's Richard Stengel Page; Review: I picked up this not knowing much about Nelson Mandela after being suggested in the book of the week on a popular current affairs show on TV. The book turned out to be an amazing read, kind of what I was looking for, it mostly talks about Nelson Mandela's leadership qualities and how he picked them up besides some personal ones. The is a kind of a bridge between authors earlier work with Nelson Mandela while he did his autobiography and principles tactics that he follows to be a good leader. Most of it seems to come from notes, journals, interviews, interactions, time he spend with him over a few years on the autograph project. The world knows how a great leader, person Nelson Mandela is but what this book captures is that he's just like any other person with normal fears, aspirations, pressures, the books captures the principles he follows to keep him going through and succeed all with illustrated anecdotes from Mandela's life. Some of these lessons and good common sense values are very helpful can also applied to day to day life not just political leadership. The book is extremely simple in presentation most importantly honest, balanced with foibles in portrayal, easy to read. A must read for any body wanting to know Nelson Mandela's life principles he formatted during the course of his struggle to end apartheid and in turn become a leader in a very concise book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: War is Boring: Bored Stiff, Scared to Death in the World's Worst War Zones; Author: Visit Amazon's David Axe Page; Review: I stared to read this, got bored,dejected and thought why in the world did i pick up this book. Soon I realized if reading a book about a Journalist first hand accounts of war can be so thought shifting, what it would feel really to be there in those situations seeing the blood, gore in person. This account illustrates the effects of war on ones thoughts and feelings specifically of those people who are not directly involved in these conflicts. The protagonist keeps going back to war reporting calling normal life to be boring but mostly importantly war as less boring, he keeps looking for answers as to why he is going to war reporting if its personal or he has any other motive. Its a great book if you like to read or understand Post-Traumatic Stress of wars elegantly put up as only a graphic novel can.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 1939: Countdown to War; Author: Visit Amazon's Richard Overy Page; Review: If you had always thought that the deceleration of war against Poland by Germany was the start of WWII and did not know much about what lead to that situation this is the book for you. The book describes what was happening in the months,weeks and days in Europe politically taking backing to the year before to 1938 when Munich Agreement was signed and its ramifications to 1939. This book also most importantly tries to gauge the minds of the more important political leaders at the time about to be involved in the largest conflict the world had ever seen. It tries to piece together different thoughts that moved back and forth to finally lead to the war. I also liked the references of thoughts of regular people in contrast to there leaders which were also supportive. It not only does so in a efficient but also concise and to the point way,the writing style is simple to follow with out going too deep into specifics and sticking to the main objective of telling what lead to the world's greatest war; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Planetary: All Over the World and Other Stories; Author: Visit Amazon's Warren Ellis Page; Review: Even though this is first in the graphic novel series it steers up a great enthusiasm, the introductions won't stop you from understanding the personalities of characters in the novel. The short stories which go individually with out much connection with each other are also great. An amazing start to a great character set.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stephen King's N.; Author: Visit Amazon's Marc Guggenheim Page; Review: I Liked the story, its very interesting and especially very curious like the kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that is portrayed in novel. The story revolves around the idea of a kind OCD with a mix of even numerology transmitting not by inheritance or insanity but through subjects visiting a common geographic location. Sound blizzard but the story balances this weird combination in a well mannered way to keep the interest going. What makes the book a must read are the graphics by Alex Maleev they are stunning the dark shades, the depth,photo realism gives much needed sense of intrigue,the slow turn of events that transpires over 100 years of lurking evil. Even though it won't scare the living hell of you its an excellent Graphic Novel and a must read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cowboys and Aliens; Author: Scott Mitchell Rosenberg; Review: The idea of Aliens and Cowboys in single fiction graphic novel format intrigued me; the story starts out with European settlers getting to Silver City AZ for a new life at the dislike of local Apache Indians. They hire two promising cowboys (one cowgirl) to protect their carriage from the Indians just in time for the whole area to get into a battle with Aliens commanded by Dar of the House of Dar, what follow next is packed with action, romance, betrayal and comedy among others. But what is more interesting is the idea of cowboys, settlers, Apaches and even an alien switching sides working to save there city and ultimately the planet it gives a nice message of unity when Armageddon is upon us. The story is not complex, believable and contours to realistic alien invasion genre but would have been better with better art. Highly recommended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Devil Dog: The Amazing True Story of the Man Who Saved America (Pulp History); Author: Visit Amazon's David Talbot Page; Review: This is my first take on not only this series but also any biography; I was pulled into this book cause of the cover which resembles a good graphic novel. The book describes General Smedley Butler's US marines career spanning decades fighting different wars starting from boxer rebellion all the way up the plot of over throw FDR government, including his bravery, valor with great graphics and pictures. Anybody can talk about how wars are fought for economic interests of Wall Street and banks but not all have distinguished service record like Smedley Butler, the book describes how he came to the staggering conclusion that the US armed forces have been used time and again by the Wall Street to better their interests while solders died a miserable death in vain. The book doesn't over indulge to make this point and always keeps the readers interest going with great snippets, graphics and original pictures in a very small readable material. I wish every biography comes in this format highly readable.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything; Author: Visit Amazon's Joshua Foer Page; Review: I decided to read this book thinking it's a self-help book about improving memory after I heard about the author winning the memory championships, while I came to know in the first few pages that it wasn't the case it got me more curious to read further as I progressed more. It covers the importance of memory in daily lives the fact that we don't acknowledge this even though we use it over and over again will be reiterated in the first four chapters which looks at people who have incredible memories to people who can only just remember the last few minutes of their lives. The books covers also how people become experts in their fields and what is really being an expert mean? Which again attributes to use of memory? It does cover a few but very important techniques used by memory experts to win memory championships, all of this mind bending story telling is all done in a well to read format with interest going throughout the book. The only critique I have with the author is when explaining the possibility of savants also using memory techniques he uses a so called savant and reveals his name while he is still claiming to be one who got his powers from an epileptic seizure he suffered as child, while I think the basic argument holds good and most likely the savant is a phony guy still naming him in a non-controversial nonfiction book is a little out of the line. But still the book is exceptional in every way and would make you look memory in a totally new way.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Time Travel in Einstein's Universe: The Physical Possibilities of Travel Through Time; Author: J. Richard, III Gott; Review: The best part of the book starts out in the first chapter which gives over all view of time travel in the real world but has references to various science fiction movies which was very fascinating and gets you started with right interest. Over the next few chapters the momentum is lost not only due to lack of the simple explanation that should have followed the first chapter but also as the author tends to have moved away from the main theme, at some of the places the book tends to move lighter with the explanation but at other places it gets thick...as we move along to the last it get lighter movements only when author tends to give his personal opinion as well as probably talking more about himself than the theme. Over all a decent book, could be used in congestion with other books in the same area of interest.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Marvel's Iron Man 3 The Movie Prelude; Author: Will Pilgrim; Review: A great comic book as a refresher to part 2 of the movie before going to Part 3 of the movie, but don't expect much to be given out about the movie, i also liked the fact that it also explains what and where War Machine was doing in the last sequence of Avengers. The additional material in the end was also great.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Why Does E=mc2? (And Why Should We Care?); Author: Visit Amazon's Brian Cox Page; Review: I have read a few books on this topic written for mortals like me & this has been by far the best book that explained the topic to most part. The idea behind the book is that this very complex and intriguing topic would be explained in simple terms with the reader being asked to understand Pythagoras theorem only. The idea of clocks moving slowly is explained really well with this approach but the best explanation in my view is the concept of absolute space, while I did not feel the same about space-time, even though the author had made immense effort to do so. While I understand the topic is too complex without fundamental understanding basic algebra the premise of knowing only Pythagoras theorem is very short lived in the book, also I would have liked to more about Newtons view of space and time than what is made available in the book, still I commend the author for writing such a great book and recommend this book as best starter on this topic.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: William Newton's Complete Guide to Watercolour Painting; Author: Visit Amazon's William Newton Page; Review: This book starts out with regulars in any painting book like types, kinds of brushes, paints but what differentiates this book from others I have tried is authors simple approach to this marvelous medium, he insists on using minimal numbers of colors for most compositions which is where most beginners and even some experienced painters struggle. He not only tell you this simple instruction but most importantly show and proves his approach in different step by step guides to get great looking water color paintings in later part of the book. While this book scores strong in above said area, the books name is kind of misleading as it doesnt start out with basics and techniques, certainly not complete guide as it may sound, certainly not catered to beginners. This book is more geared towards mid-level or other painters from different mediums, other than these two important back draws this is an excellent book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell; Author: Visit Amazon's Paul Dini Page; Review: Its my first read about about these two great characters from DC, the art work was amazing, coloring superbly done with exceptional page and panel layout. The action sequences doesn't get any lower than better than real action movie. The only down side is the story could have been slightly more complex. Over all an exceptional work from Joe and Dave.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Lily Nail Spa; City: Tucson, AZ; Review: I've been going there for years with my mother. They are very good and helpful. Going beyond in helping my mother be comfortable and making sure she gets a great massage. Great place!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SweetCheeks Wax Parlor; City: Tucson, AZ; Review: Kelly (owner) is the best! Very punctual. Clean and friendly. Must sometimes wait for call back to make appointment.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fiamme Pizza; City: Tucson, AZ; Review: One of the best pizza's I've had. Really delicious with chewy thin crust and fresh toppings. Scott is the Best! Must try. Hope he soon has a brick and mortar place so I don't have to follow him around town.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rincon Market; City: Tucson, AZ; Review: Best market for fresh fish. Yuri, the fishmonger, is the best! Really only reason except for salad bar that makes me stop at Rincon Market. Groceries and fresh produce is poor but Yuri at the fish counter makes it all happen. Who knew you could find good fresh fish in the desert? He orders it daily and gives you advice on how to cook it! Delicious.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain; City: Marana, AZ; Review: We recently went to the pool restaurant and I ordered a chopped salad with shrimp. The salad consisted of some baby lettuce leaves with some corn and a couple of whole scallions and the shrimp. There was nothing whatsoever chopped in the salad. When I asked if they had mistaken my order the waiter said no but would double check with the chef. He returns and tells me that is what they call a chopped salad. Quite disappointing and though the shrimp was very good, I left quite hungry and this cost me over $20.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Time Market; City: Tucson, AZ; Review: Excellent place and best bread ever! Great lunch place. Also one can find fantastic frozen broth that really tastes 'from scratch'!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Cherokee Women's Infinity Low-Rise Straight Leg Drawstring Pant; Brand: ; Review: Fits great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: PEOPLE SOCKS Mens, Womens, 4 Pairs Anti microbial Small Medium Merino Wool Crew Socks Made in USA; Brand: People Socks; Review: Great item for the price; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: U.S. Polo Assn. Juniors' Short-Sleeve V-Neck T-Shirt; Brand: U.S. Polo Assn.; Review: Great item for the price; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: LEE Women's Relaxed-Fit Bermuda Short; Brand: ; Review: Great item for the price; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cherokee Women's Infinity Mock Wrap Top; Brand: ; Review: Great item for the price; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cherokee Women's Infinity Low-Rise Straight Leg Drawstring Pant; Brand: ; Review: Great item for the price; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TWINTH Loose Fit Tunic Top High Neck Longsleeve Pleats Plus Size; Brand: TWINTH; Review: Too big but cute top; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Barbra Lingerie Barbra's Invisible No-Show Seamless Small to Plus Size Healthy Panties; Brand: Barbra Lingerie; Review: Great item for the price; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crocs Women's Lina Ballet Flat; Brand: ; Review: Great item for the price; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Paskmlna Border Pattern Double Layered Reversible Woven Pashmina Shawl Scarf Wrap Stole; Brand: PASKMLNA; Review: Excellent; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Just Intimates Racerback Sports Bra Bras for Women (Pack of 4); Brand: ; Review: No support; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: TAIYCYXGAN Elegant Retro Monokinis Boy-Leg One Piece Ruched Swimsuit; Brand: TAIYCYXGAN; Review: Very awkward fit; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Cherokee Women's Infinity Mock Wrap Top; Brand: ; Review: Great item for the price; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Active Research Women's Compression Pants - Athletic Tights w/Hidden Pocket; Brand: Active Research; Review: Excellent; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Allegra K Women's Cowl Neck Long Sleeves Buttons Decor Ruched Top; Brand: Allegra K; Review: Cute top!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Come Together California CTC Womens Round Neck 3/4 Sleeve/Short Sleeve High Low Tunic Top - Made In USA; Brand: Come Together California; Review: Too big; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: adidas Boys Key Item Short B 884jx 95; Brand: ; Review: Great item for the price; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BEST WEAR Basketball Shorts for Men with Side Pockets; Brand: BEST WEAR; Review: Excellent; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Yonovo Fabric Men's Patterned Cotton Socks (5 Pack in Gift Box) Shoe Size 7-10; Brand: Yonovo Fabric; Review: Great item for the price; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: RF ROOM OF FASHION Women's Slouchy Knee High Hidden Pocket Boots; Brand: RF ROOM OF FASHION; Review: Perfect; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cherokee Women's Infinity Round Neck Top; Brand: ; Review: Perfect; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Tourister AT Pops Plus 3pc Nested Set 21 25/Spinner 29, Orange; Brand: American Tourister; Review: Perfect; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 925 Sterling Silver .8MM Box Chain - Italian Necklace - Super Thin & Strong - FREE Gift w/Order 16"; Brand: Designer Sterling Silver; Review: Perfect; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sequin Masks with Sticks (1 Dz); Brand: RIN; Review: Perfect; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: G2 Chic Women's Printed Patterned Smocked Lengthy Tunic Top; Brand: G2 Chic; Review: Perfect; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DEL MANO Multi-Compartment Satchel Bag; Brand: DEL MANO; Review: Perfect; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Vixen Women's Elbow Sleeve Surplice with Tulip Skirt; Brand: Star Vixen; Review: Perfect; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: VESSOS Women's Short Sleeve V-Neck Crossover Banded-Waist Skater Dress; Brand: Vessos; Review: Perfect; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: RCA ANT1650F Flat Digital Amplified Indoor TV Antenna; Brand: RCA; Review: Ordered this antenna and was pleased with it upon it's arrival. Easy to set up and use. Worked well, as well as any indoor antenna could, I received 12-16 channels depending on the atmospheric conditions. Unfortunately the included 10db power amp quit 3 days after my return window closed. All channels pixtillated and froze intermittently. Wall wart for the antenna amp was warm so I knew it was powering the amp, checked the connections, no change occurred. Replaced it with a equivalent 10db rf amp that I had bought several years ago for another application and TV reception was restored to scintillating HD. Item is currently under review from Amazon and I can see why. The included power amp lasted only a little over 30 days. I wouldn't buy the 1650 again. Buy the 1600 and get your own power amp if needed. I've ordered a 15db low noise amp to pair the antenna with, that amp has a 5 year warranty. I'm betting that 25 dollar amp will last longer than 30 days. A replacement 1450 antenna amp is about 22 bucks from Amazon. In my opinion it's not worth taking the risk that the replacement RCA 1450 amp will offer the same reliability as the 1650's since they appear to be the same amp. I'll pay the extra 3 bucks. I'm thinking of trying out the Mohu Leaf and perhaps I won't need a power amp.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: KOMPUTERBAY 512MB SDRAM DIMM (168 Pin) 133Mhz PC133 DESKTOP MEMORY; Brand: KOMPUTERBAY; Review: Memory worked fine in an old pc that I rehabbed to use while I was cleaning up and repairing my laptop and installing Linux Mint. I needed more memory to run XP on it than I had needed with Windows 2000.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crucial CT25664BA1339 2GB 240-PIN PC3-10600 DIMM DDR3 Memory Module; Brand: Crucial; Review: Installed in my wife's computer to give her the OEM 3 gig. Works like a champ. Is compatible with the cheap OEM never-heard-of-before memory stick left on the motherboard.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sabrent 3.5 Inch/5.25 Inch Aluminum USB 2.0 IDE/PATA CD/DVD Enclosure with Cooling Fan and Audio Ports (EC-525K); Brand: Sabrent; Review: I ordered 2 enclosures. Once delivered, I installed 2 Asus cd/dvd burners in them from an older computer and plugged them into my new slimline computer. Worked fine. Only one problem. One enclosure is dead silent, the other one has an EXTREMELY annoying and loud buzz. Something like that described by other annoyed purchasers. Before sending the buzzing enclosure back, I decided to look it over and see if I could find the cause of the noise. Turns out that the fan attached to the back enclosure bezel is attached by melting the tops of 2 posts sticking up through the fan attachment holes. The poor job of melting the tops allowed the fan to bounce around on the back of the enclosure for about 1/32" - 1/16". This created a very annoying buzzing sound. I got out my low temp glue gun, plugged it in and dropped a little hot glue on top of the posts to secure them in the fan case. Then I dropped small beads of glue on all 4 sides, just enough to discourage movement but not enough to make it too difficult to replace the fan if I have to. Buzzing cured. Now the second drive case is as dead silent as the first. The only sound I hear from them is the sound of the air blowing through the fans. I like. As an aside, the power delivery could be done better. The cable from the power supply to the enclosure is only about 24" long. The 110 volt power cord going to the power supply is only about 36" long. Not nearly enough reach for a neat installation. Actually having a 24" cable to the enclosure is absurd. I'll have to add about 36" to the 110 side of the power supply, or mount a power strip on the wall. That wasn't well thought out by the manufacturer. For the price, however, I got my money's worth. Except for the need to fix one of 2 enclosures so it was usable and the fact that they have annoyingly short power cables, these would be 5 star items.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Panasonic Headphones On-Ear Lightweight with XBS RP-HT21 (Black & Silver); Brand: Panasonic; Review: I've been getting these for about $3.50 shipped. I've been using them as gifts for birthdays, Christmas, etc. I know people think I shelled out more than that. When listening to music and especially Celtic Woman videos the sound comes across so clear, vibrant and full I am awestruck. I've owned more expensive headphones. My current "good" set cost 20X that on sale and they are better in every way than these. Except in weight. My "good" set has very linear response that is awesome too and the HT-21 is base heavy. That's not always a bad thing. I can hear the drums and the base line without blowing my eardrums out with the rest of it. I like that. The cord is also nicely long, substantial and has an angle plug. It just doesn't get any better.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crucial 2GB Single DDR2 667MHz (PC2-5300) CL5 SODIMM 200-Pin Notebook Memory Module CT25664AC667; Brand: Crucial; Review: I upgraded my Acer AOD150 from 1GB to 2GB because XP was spending too much time with the pagefile when running complex tasks. Cut the pagefile usage by half and appears to have sped up my machine 10-30% depending on what program I'm running. It's only a netbook but I can run a sector test on an external 1TB usb drive (about 12 hours), have Firefox or Opera open with 8 or 9 windows and skype or run Thunderbird without noticing any lag. It lets my older netbook do what I need it to do. Doesn't get any better than that.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crucial 2GB Single DDR3 1066 MT/s (PC3-8500) CL7 SODIMM 204-Pin Notebook Memory Module CT25664BC1067; Brand: Crucial; Review: I haven't used this yet but I've used many Cruical memory sticks in the past and I have no qualms about this one. I ordered an Acer AOD 255 which takes DDR3 memory and recieved a Acer AOD150 which takes DDR2. Since the 2 chip types are not physically compatible, you can't use DDR3 ina DDR2 machine. I will eventually upgrade to a dual core machine and this stick will do the trick.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 100 CD Double-sided Plastic Sleeve Green; Brand: mediaxpo; Review: Slim and tough. Seems like it will last a long time, like the single pouch sleeves I used to get from a big box store. Easy to read through the plastic. Good value.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BiXPower LC90B Right Angle 90-degree 7.4 X 5.0mm Male to 7.4 x 5.0mm Female Connector Converter for Dell and Hp; Brand: BiXPower; Review: We have several laptops, garnered over the years, all Acer's. Acer power plugs are all 90 degree angle plugs, I hadn't ever run into the idiot what works at Hewlett Packard that designed a straight plug for their laptop power suppply. I suppose that the human engineering department at HP felt that if they just made the plug straight, it would increase the strain on the power socket and power plug line and lead to more sales after their units failed. Wrong. BIXPower came to the rescue. This adapter unit is higher in quality than the orginal power supply. I am pleased with it and am beaming fondly at it as I write this review on my wife's G7. Now I understand after having bought a HP computer why HP isn't prospering. It's the little things. The laptop's good, but every time we put it on the kitchen table to get a little work done, it cleaned off whatever was around it as it was being moved. Water glasses, coffee, the cat, etc. What idiot will craft a decent computer but not make it a delight to own? This product provides what was lacking, delight.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pioneer Electronics USA Retail Slim BD Writer BDR-XD04S; Brand: Pioneer; Review: Works like a champ, just like my Samsung portable DVD burner does. It's just that this one burns Blu Ray's too. I use it for archiving stuff and other than it only moves at 6X at the fastest, unlike my faster internal DVD burner's it is a Gem. I haven't tried to play Blu Ray movies yet, still have to acquire a couple programs for that, but it's purchase was primarily to burn archival disks and it does that very well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The MiniDrive | microSD Adaptor | MacBook Air/Retina/Pro; Brand: TheMiniDrive.com; Review: Works well in my wife's Acer S3 Ultrabook. When you insert a SD card into the expansion slot of her computer more than half is sticking out. Can't leave it there. I wanted something to add storage with and provide ReadyBoost and I already had a 32GB SanDisk souper dooper microSD card. This works great, only a slight portion is left sticking out and I don't feel like if it's bumped it'll break off. My hat's off to the MiniDrive.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Panasonic RPHV21V In-Ear Earbud Heaphones with Built-in Clip (Violet) (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Panasonic; Review: I love these earbuds. They're the only cheap ones that adequately duplicate the lows in Celtic music. Too bad they're discontinued.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: HAYATA [Best Laptop Cooler] LPC-03 Air Extracting Laptop Cooling with Vacuum Fan - USB Powered, Wind Control, Quiet; Brand: HAYATA; Review: Small, quieter than my old Cool,Cold that I was replacing. Plugged it into my laptop, turned it on to verify that it worked. Picked out the silicon shroud that best fit my laptop, got it all arranged, then turned it on again, ran it up to max, throttled down to low, then was in the process of setting the dial half-way when the cooler died. Silent. No workie. I tried a different USB to mini cord and a USB wall wart. It's dead. Worked nicely for the 60 seconds or so it functioned. Trash now. My Cool,Cold is over 2 years old, big, noisy but it's still chugging along. There should probably be a half star or no star option for reviews. I'd give the HAYATA zero stars if I could.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Women in Technology; Brand: White Town; Review: It's a shame this album did not enjoy very widespread success because the songs on it are truly original, innovative and emotional. The song "Your Woman" alone is enough to warrant the purchase of this album. Be forewarned, however, if you are buying this album thinking all the song will be as catchy and immediately-enjoyable as Your Woman, your in for a surprise. The rest of the songs go beyond that and are far deeper. You have to really listen to the lyrics to truly appreciate them. When you do that you will see their meaning and beauty and hopefully you will enjoy them as much as I did. All in all I would like to see more albums like this to break away from the mold. This album is a great example of what music is SUPPOSED to be: art.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Enjoy the Silence; Brand: Depeche Mode; Review: The song Enjoy the Silence is, simply put, one of THE greatest songs of all time, and it comes very close to being the greatest. This "single" is extremely worth its low price. Not only do you get Depeche Mode's ultimate song, Enjoy the Silence, but you also get numerous remixes and B-sides. Each of which are basically entirely new songs of the same caliber as Enjoy the Silence. Sibeling and Memphisto are magnificent. If you like Depeche Mode in ANY way, or music for that matter, buy this CD. You will be EXTREMELY glad you did.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Violator; Brand: Depeche Mode; Review: The album Violator is, by far, the best Depeche Mode album to date. I would have to say that they attained perfection when they made this album. Even if you are thinking "I already have all those songs on other albums," buy it anyway! The rare song "Halo" is a gem and you cannot find it anywhere else but here. It is a major shame more attention is not drawn to it. The other songs, "Sweetest Perfection," "Waiting for the Night," "Blue Dress," and "Clean" are all superb as well. Plus, you get the original version of DM's best song of all time, "Enjoy the Silence." This CD is a magnificent buy. It's like you are buying nine golden eggs for the price of one (album). Buy this. You cannot go wrong with Violator! It's the "Sweetest Perfection."; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dead Man's Party; Brand: Oingo Boingo; Review: This CD is great! It's so fun to just sit and listen to the quirky and extremely memorable lyrics. You can't help but smile. Original and very creative, this is one of the best albums of the 80's. You will not be bored with this CD; just listening to it puts you in a good mood. Dead Man's Party comes very highly recommended. Even if you've got other Oingo Boingo CDs, this is, by far, their best release. Buy it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Adicion+; Brand: Moenia; Review: This has got to be one of the best albums I have ever heard! It is SUPERB. Every single track on here is magnificent. Mnia is like a Spanish Depeche Mode, and that is great. Depeche Mode is, by far, one of the greatest groups of all time, and Mnia is just like them, but for the next millennium. There is so much emotion and energy packed into each track that you are in heaven while you listen. It is even more enjoyable to get a pair of headphones and turn it up loud to hear all of the little things embedded into each track. Tracks #1, #6, and #9 are some of the best songs I have heard in my life. Please listen to me and buy this album; you don't have to speak Spanish to understand these songs. Adicin is sure to be a classic.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Greatest; Brand: Duran Duran; Review: What can I say about this album? Whether you are an 80's music lover or a Duran Duran fan, or you just like good music, you must have this album. It is by far one of the best compilations ever released. You get all Duran Duran's biggest hits in one nice package. To be honest, if you buy Greatest you do not really need any other albums by Duran Duran, you will have their best songs right here. The only other album that you should consider is Rio. I personally think Electric Barbarella is the best song on Greatest (I've never even heard it on the radio,) but all of the songs on here are great! Duran Duran's album Greatest is just that, the Greatest. Definitely five stars!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Global Underground: 008 Brazil; Brand: Nick Warren; Review: This album has got to be one of the best Global Underground releases to date. The tracks are so energetic and infectious. All of the sets are wonderfully done and are so unique the minute you hear any one of them you will immediately know it is Nick Warren. GU:008 Brazil and GU:013 Ibiza are my two most highly recommended releases from the Global Underground series-and that is saying something because all of the releases in the series are high-water marks. If you like Trance, Techno or electronic music in general, you should buy this album. You will love it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Genetic World; Brand: Telepopmusik; Review: I am sure many of you know of this group from the Mitsubishi commercial. If you are interested in Tlpopmusik because of the superb song Breathe and simply want that song, I would suggest buying the Breathe single instead of Genetic World. The album itself will be disappointing to those who had Breathe's unique energy and great beat catch their attention. The best way to describe the majority of songs on Genetic World would be as a cross between Eiffle 65, Daft Punk, and a little Chemical Brothers mixed in. That combination in itself may be alright at first, but at times it gets rather boring and lacks the originality and energy that Breath alone has. They just aren't on the same level as Breathe. If you've heard Breathe on the radio, or just know it from the commercial, and want to own it, I would highly recommend buying the single instead of the album; you'll save yourself a few dollars, and in the process you'll avoid having to own a boring album just for one excellent song. Also, you will get some great remixes.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_CDs_and_Vinyl |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hotel Le Village St Barth; City: St Jean St Barthelemy; Review: We stayed at the Hotel le Village St. Jean on the hill overlooking Saint Jean beach-having just escaped NYC and Hurricane Sandy!. The gardens were magnificent and the views of the bay, distant Saint Martin, and clouds were spectacular! Each night we looked up to a star-filled sky as we sat on our terrace. The terrace cottage Superior was like a small open air apartment. The large bed had plenty of room for us and the bath was enormous and light-filled. Our living area was partially covered to protect from the sun, and then extended out to an open sun-bathing area. We loved the kitchen as we like making our own breakfast and lunches, saving up the calories for the great food found in many of the nearby restaurants. It's a family owned place that we have returned to annually for the past 15 years: the pride of ownership and attention to guest needs and to the general Saint Barth experience is wonderful. They have a fitness center with a separate serene massage room where the local French experts provide world class massages-afterwards, you walk out into the flower-scented air and wonder why you live anywhere else than Saint Barth! We highly recommend this place and want others to note that it represents the best of Saint Barth: French, family-owned, and comfortable for those who want a relaxing visit. It's a 4 minute walk to the beach at Saint Jean-what could be easier! Shoulder season is a great time to go: the beaches were magnificent, uncrowded, and the water was in the low 80s', perfect for those who like to swim as an exercise. The hotel also booked us a small SUV at Hertz and got us a better rate than going direct. Lastly, down the hill is the family owned Kiki and Mo, a great place to eat a casual lunch or dinner, or take out beautifully prepared foods. Of course, they will make all reservations for massages, manicures (on site!), dinners, sailing etc. We will return there sometime next year and know exactly what to expect: a great experience that causes us to forget our all our worries and relax!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Andromeda Villas; City: Imerovigli Santorini Cyclades South Aegean; Review: We stayed in the Andromeda Villas while visiting Santorini for 4 days this May. White washed stucco rooms clung to the cliff and cascaded down towards the water in an asymmetric manner. Blue was all around us-the domes of the churches, the Mediterranean, and the swimming pools of the hotel. Our luggage was ably handled by the wait staff so we didn’t need to try the stairs with heavy bags! For the record, check-in time in Santorini is 2 PM and no matter how you request it, you won’t check in until 2 PM-it’s just an island thing. So while waiting for our rooms, we sat poolside and ate a very nice lunch of seafood dishes, while our university graduate age nephew had a lamb burger. The views are stunning with all rooms facing out towards the sea and the extinct volcano-it would be difficult to be displeased by the scenery. Our room was a superior double suite, which means that you have a small terrace with two lounge chairs in front of your room for your exclusive use. Because the whole hotel complex is connected by outside stairs and passageways, don’t be disconcerted if other guests walk by your terrace-it’s the only way to reach the pool and restaurant. Our room was very large and the bath was done in the traditional marble, though a little worn, which we found charming. Each room has air-conditioning for the hot summer days, though we visited in the shoulder season of May and experienced what I would term perfect Northern California weather: cool in the morning, a little mist in the sky, and then crystalline blue skies and warm weather from 11 onward. We also contracted for the buffet breakfast in their small restaurant when we made our reservations-we think that this is the easiest and most cost-efficient way to manage breakfast. A full of array of fruit, yogurt, eggs, and pastries were served with coffee being served at your table. As always, we left a few Euro at the table each day for the wait staff. It’s the nicest custom and serves to guarantee that the breakfast servers make a fair wage. Appreciation is always shown by the staff. The hotel has a main pool, near the entrance area. It’s a European pool-good sized but not an Olympic pool. Our only issue here, and with the situation, was that a few people brought small children who generally were very noisy. We certainly don’t blame the children, however, we think that the management needs to decide if the hotel is for adults/couples or for full families. We retreated to the second small upstairs pool and stayed there on the lounges. This was a minor annoyance, not a showstopper, and something that the management should consider. The location is splendid: a footpath takes you on a 30 minute walk to the town of Fira and there are many nice restaurants on the way, cascading down the hills. I would recommend leaving the fashion shoes at home and wearing flats, or hip sneakers, as they are; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Herodion Hotel; City: Athens Attica; Review: We stayed at the Herodion Hotel, the 4 star sister of its larger, more expensive hotel, the Philippos. They are in the same neighborhood and the level of service appears to be equal. The Herodion is a very clean, modern, cost-effective choice for those who want to stay within walking distance of the Acropolis and the recently opened Acropolis Museum. Everything is reachable with a very short walk-this is a convenient hotel! The lobby has a retro ‘70s look which is very “in” at this moment. Our superior double room (which I recommend) looked out to the Acropolis, from the 3rd floor. One ought to be aware that a private school with playground backs up to the Herodion and during the day, young children play in the fenced in yard. We didn’t find this to be a problem as we were out sightseeing all day. The fourth floor has beautiful superior rooms with small terraces that look out towards the street and over the city-these are an excellent deal. Either are fine as the neighborhood, compared to my Manhattan neighborhood, wasn’t too noisy. The breakfast buffet is very complete with fresh breads, cheeses, egg dishes, full service, and all the usual things. I highly recommend purchasing the breakfast option-it is a very good deal. Each day we left 3-4 Euros on the table as tip for the 3 of us-it was much appreciated. More Americans should try to understand this custom-the morning wait staff does a lot of work for little money. The concierge/front desk was incredibly helpful and arranged very reasonably-priced transportation for us on very short notice. The front desk called and followed-up on everything we requested. Like all European hotels, the rooms are smaller, though not as small as some Paris or London hotels I’ve stayed at. The bathrooms are very modern and full size. Our nephew needed a large amount of ice to ice his recently operated on knee (basketball injury!) at the end of the day and the bar supplied an enormous amount of ice at no charge, running it up to the room when requested. Just up the street are a number of very good, real Greek restaurants with reasonably priced higher-end food. We would stay there again on a trip to Athens-the location is tremendous, the price is reasonable, and we received 5 star service.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Pont Royal; City: Paris Ile de France; Review: Hotel Pont Royal in the St. Germain district of Paris is a perfect Parisian boutique hotel. Housed in a late 19th century stone Belle Époque building that has been beautifully, and completed restored, it sits in the very fashionable, and convenient St. Germain area. The location is perfect for culture lovers for as it is on the Left Bank, (the other side of the Seine river), it is a 12 minute walk to the Louvre Museum, an 7 minute walk to the Musee D’Orsay, a 15 minute walk to the Rodin Museum, and a 7 minute walk to the Aristide Maillol Museum. Additionally, there is a metro station 100 feet from the hotel. Lots of good cafes and bistros that French people eat at (!) are less than 5 minutes away. We stayed there for 7 nights and made daytrips around Paris, as well as staying in the city. The hotel is smaller than the very large Parisian hotels and is very cozy and intimate with dark wood paneling in the lobby and photographs of all the famous literary greats who ate and drank there in the past. In fact, it calls itself a “literary hotel”. While the historic detail and atmosphere remain 100 % intact, the interior was completely renovated a few years ago. Practically speaking, this means very good central air conditioning and heat, soundproof windows, new baths with strong water pressure, good Wi-Fi, and sound proofed interior walls. We chose a Superior room, which is slightly larger than the standard room. For all Parisian travelers, you should accept that rooms in Paris can be smaller-mostly due to the original construction. Our room was good-sized and very “workable”. The hotel is quiet and fully modern in its services. The guests are a mix of tourists and business travelers. We saw a number of fashion and media executives during the week, conversing in the bar and common areas. Hotel Pont Royal is a true 5 star hotel: the linens are changed frequently, there is a nightly turndown with fresh towels, the concierge desk (Christophe was great!) is run by full-time professionals who know everything and can get you in almost anywhere-their follow-up and attention to detail was outstanding), the small bar is intimate and well-serviced, and they loan you unlimited full-size good quality umbrellas at the desk if it’s raining!. Joel Robuchon has a nice restaurant attached to the restaurant on the main floor, for those serious about their eating. We were more casual and ate at the numerous bistros and cafes in the neighborhood. Their breakfast buffet is highly recommended-it’s the best way to go, reserving it as part of the room package for a small additional cost. Everything was fresh, including the traditional scrambled eggs and sausage, as well as healthier fare. My one comment is that they could put out a little more fresh fruit-other than that it is perfect. Just a note to travelers on tipping: while France’s service people seem to be decently paid by law, a small tip of 5-10% for good service is recommended; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Altis Avenida Hotel; City: Lisbon Lisbon District Central Portugal; Review: The central location of the Altis Avenida is really convenient for travelers who want to see the sights of Lisbon. The executive rooms are the most spacious and worth the small premium charged. Decoration is a sort of retro early '70s Deco which is appropriate to the building. The rooms were very quiet and the AC worked perfectly. The buffet breakfast is worth purchasing as part of your reservation. The food is plentiful and the service excellent. It's a very good deal. The staff go out of the way to please you and hail cabs for you and anything else you want. If you want to be in the center of it all, this is the place.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Jesus: First-Century Rabbi; Author: Visit Amazon's David Zaslow Page; Review: Certainly a commendable attempt in the spirit of ecumenicalism by a new-age Rabbi to bridge the gap between Judaism and Christianity; however his insights and comparisons between the two are often unusual (and inaccurate) and appear to lack any references to/from the Catholic Church or endorsements by Catholic scholars; many of those he references or those who comment on the book jacket are female ministers for example, sort of new-age like him. I am not sure which audience he is writing for--the majority of Jews, who are secular and cultural Jews only, tend not to be interested in their own religion, let alone Christianity, and I doubt they will read it. I think I can speak for Catholics, that the Church clearly DOES recognize, understand, respect, and celebrate its roots in Judaism, certainly in present day. It is hard to go to a Catholic church now and not hear a reference to Judaism. If you are interested in serious intellectual discussions pertaining to the major Abrahamic religions, I'd highly recommend Karen Armstrong, who certainly has done a lot to focus on what we all have in common, but on a much higher intellectual and scholarly level. I found this book too simplistic and some of the comparisons are a bit of a stretch.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Toss the Gloss: Beauty Tips, Tricks & Truths for Women 50+; Author: Visit Amazon's Andrea Q. Robinson Page; Review: Lot's of good advice that I mostly agree with, HOWEVER, I tried a few of the recommended "drugstore" makeup brands and I did not like ANY of the products I tested as compared to my own expensive counterparts--specifically I will not skimp on mascara, foundation, or lipstick, and therefore will not give up Lancome (lipstick/mascara), Armani (foundation/mascara), or La Prairie (foundation). I also do NOT get what lipliner does. This is the third time I have tried it and I swear my lipstick " bleeds" downward from my lower lip MORE with the lipliner, which I have found to be dry, no matter the brand. Otherwise I found it to be an inspiring book for us "women of a certain age" and it mostly confirmed that I have been on the right path for a few years now, as far as clothes, makeup, hair, and skin. (Definitely with all those anti-aging B.S. products the sales people love to lure you into buying.); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Confessions Of an Art Addict; Author: Visit Amazon's Peggy Guggenheim Page; Review: Well actually, I just visited her museum/palazzo in Venice and bought the book there, thinking I would learn something about Modern Art. It is definitely NOT worth the read--it appears to be a rambling, poorly written account of a wild spoiled rich girl's life; I have only read 100 pages and I am ready to toss this into the dumpster, particular after reading some of the more accurate reviews here. What trash. I don't even like Modern Art much and have not been impressed with either the artists of Peggy's era or those, like Peggy, who promoted this B.S.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Simple Machines; Author: Visit Amazon's Manuel Carreon Page; Review: An extremely well-written narrative which could only have been authored by someone who walked this walk. It is difficult to fathom what war does not only to the victims but to those who survive. This book should be mandatory reading for the testosterone-filled hawks in our government who have no clue as to what our brave men sacrifice because of our government's decisions, which are often impulsive to say the least. War is brutal and unless we are defending ourselves against a direct threat to our security, we have no business engaging in combat. Worse is the fact that these courageous men and women come back broken, mentally and physically, and our government is ill-equipped to fix them, especially when it comes to adequate funding for veterans and VA hospitals. Manuel Carreon is to be commended for bringing a story to life and raising awareness of what it really means to be a soldier in today's wars.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Story Of The Lost Child (The Neapolitan Novels: Maturity, Old Age: Thorndike Press Large Print Basic); Author: Visit Amazon's Elena Ferrante Page; Review: I have traveled often to many different areas of Italy over the last 25 years and consider Italy like a second homeland to me. I was naturally attracted to reading Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan tetralogy. The first three did not disappoint and I am about to start the fourth. I generally have no interest in modern fiction, but these novels are outstanding. So well-written (and well-translated) that you can picture the entire story. Ferrante truly knows how women think and I think a lot of women will find pieces of themselves within these pages. I imagine Elena as looking like a Kate Winslet-type and Lila like a Keira Knightley-type. I look forward to the HBO series. Ladies, if you need a distraction from the world as we presently know it, including the Trump presidency, read these novels!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Felicity Huffman Is Scheduled to Be Released from Prison on October 27 After Serving 13 Days; Abstract: Felicity Huffman's Release from Prison Set for Oct. 27; Category: news
Title: Subtle Signs You May Have Clogged Arteries; Abstract: These surprising clues can point to clogged arteries and underlying heart disease.; Category: health
Title: Opinion: Zion Williamson's knee injury deflates Pelicans, NBA season before it begins; Abstract: New Orleans' growth will be stunted because Zion Williamson, the most touted rookie since LeBron James, is a key figure to their present and future.; Category: sports
Title: Singer stands up to heckler who told her to take shirt off; Abstract: After being heckled on stage and told to "free the nips" at a concert in Texas, singer Maggie Rogers voiced her anger about the harassment.; Category: video
Title: Michael Jordan: Steph Curry is not a Hall of Famer yet; Abstract: Michael Jordan thinks that Steph Curry isn't worthy of the hallowed halls of Springfield, Mass just yet.; Category: sports
Title: Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea Marries Designer Melody Ehsani; Abstract: The two tied the knot over the weekend!; Category: music
Title: California residents face another blackout (and then another after that); Abstract: A second round of electricity blackouts could begin Wednesday and yet another massive shutdown could be needed next week.; Category: news
Title: Inside Megyn Kelly's Fight Against NBC Amid New Matt Lauer Allegations; Abstract: Inside Megyn Kelly's Fight Against NBC Amid New Matt Lauer Allegations; Category: tv
Title: Elton John Has Not Seen 'Bohemian Rhapsody' And Refuses To Watch It; Abstract: John and Mercury were just too close for him to handle the film.; Category: music
Title: Dangerous Diablo winds fueling Kincade fire with wind gusts up to 76 mph; Abstract: Forecasters had been warning for days that dangerous Diablo winds were coming. Now, those conditions have rapidly spread a monster fire in Sonoma County. The Kincade fire was burning out of control, consuming 10,000 acres in just a few hours. Officials expected fire conditions in the Bay Area to improve Thursday afternoon, but smoke issues across the region will worsen Friday. A second round of extreme fire weather will return to the region on...; Category: news
Title: Deer fatally attacks hunter who shot him; Abstract: In what officials are calling a bizarre incident, an Arkansas hunter was killed by a deer that he thought he had killed.; Category: news
Title: Suns' Deandre Ayton suspended 25 games for violating NBA anti-drug policy; Abstract: The league informed the Suns that Ayton, the top pick in the 2018 draft, tested positive for a diuretic. His suspension begins Friday.; Category: sports
Title: NBA world reacts to Kyrie Irving dropping 50 in Nets debut; Abstract: Kyrie Irving lit up Barclays Center with a spectacular 50-point performance in his Nets debut, and the NBA world took notice.; Category: sports
Title: California's legal weed profits going up in smoke; Abstract: Nearly three years after California legalized marijuana, the profit outlook for this budding business looks cloudy.; Category: finance
Title: Russian woman who admitted being secret agent out of prison; Abstract: A Russian gun rights activist who admitted being a secret agent for the Kremlin and trying to infiltrate conservative U.S. political groups while Donald Trump rose to power was released from federal prison on Friday, officials said.; Category: news
Title: It's Already Ski Season Here's Where You Can Hit the Slopes This Weekend; Abstract: Can't wait to hit the slopes this winter? Now you don't have to, thanks to a few resorts that have opened early this year.; Category: travel
Title: Cummings' widow responds to Trump's attacks, gets standing ovation; Abstract: Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, the widow of the late Rep. Elijah Cummings, appeared to respond to President Trump's previous attacks of her husband during a speech at his funeral.; Category: video
Title: Homeowner says a mystery object damaged his house. It didn't fall from a plane, FAA says; Abstract: Authorities including the Federal Aviation Administration have not been able to identify a canister-type object that damaged a Kentucky man's home.; Category: news
Title: Little Feat Guitarist Paul Barrere Dead at 71; Abstract: Little Feat's Paul Barrere, who served as guitarist and vocalist in the boogie rock band for nearly 50 years, died Saturday at the age of 71. The band confirmed Barrere's death in a statement. While no cause of death was provided, the guitarist was undergoing treatment in his long battle with liver disease; in 1994, Barrere contracted hepatitis C, and in 2015 was diagnosed with liver cancer. "It is with great sorrow that Little Feat must...; Category: music
Title: Nearly $400M worth of cocaine and marijuana intercepted by US Coast Guard; Abstract: The U.S. Coast Guard announced that it seized nearly $367 million of cocaine and about 11,000 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $10.1 million at a Florida port.; Category: news
Title: Kevin Spacey Won't Be Charged in Sexual Assault Case After Accuser Dies; Abstract: The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has formally dropped a case against actor Kevin Spacey, after the accuser died.; Category: movies
Title: Trent Williams says he had cancer, alleges Redskins failed to test for it for nearly 6 years; Abstract: After a lengthy holdout, Washington Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams said he had cancer and alleged the team misdiagnosed him.; Category: sports
Title: Garth Brooks Got Called Out by Jimmy Carter for Taking Break During Habitat for Humanity Build; Abstract: Garth Brooks Called Out by Jimmy Carter; Category: music
Title: Cold weather: 70% of the country will experience freezing temperatures this week; Abstract: Roughly 70% of the US will experience freezing temperatures this week as an Arctic blast hits two thirds of the country. Over 240 million people are under winter warnings, watches and advisories.; Category: weather | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: StarTech.com 15 ft Coax High Resolution Monitor VGA Cable - HD15 M/M - 15ft HD15 to HD15 Cable; Brand: StarTech; Review: OK, so this cable is good, but ONLY for standard resolutions, such as 1280x1024. If you have a monitor that does not use standard resolutions (eg. 1366x768), the cable will not recognize the default resolution. In the end: Good cable for monitors that do not support (or don't need to support) plug and play. Otherwise, you'll be stuck with a std. resolution that will suck. Tis.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Moko Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 8.4 Case - Slim-Fit Multi-angle Folio Cover Case for Galaxy TabPRO 8.4 Android; Brand: MoKo; Review: I mean, pretty good device. It works well, shuts off and on when closed and open. Feels good to hands, not too slippery. Something you would expect from 20 bucks.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Skullcandy S2IKDZ-010 Ink'd 2.0 Earphones, Red; Brand: Skullcandy; Review: These are much better version than those that you find at the RadioShack or other retails. They are cheap, no microphone. They have however very good high quality cable that doesn't tangle, has very good bass (if you are looking for one) and very good highs. If you are looking for something that is <20 bucks, I would def. suggest this one.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GoPro HERO3: White Edition - 131'/ 40m Waterproof Housing; Brand: GoPro; Review: The camera sensor is a laugh. My Galaxy S5 costs 600 bucks producing amazing picture with a load of other functions, and yet this 300 bucks camera shows pretty crappy images. Returned.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: High Sierra Powerglide Wheeled Laptop Backpack, Great for High School, College Backpack, Rolling School Bag, Business Backpack, Travel; Brand: High Sierra; Review: Bag is good until it breaks and you have to deal with crappy support that do not want to help. Wheel stopped spinning after about half a year and they say that it's not covered under the 5 year warranty, stating that it is a wear and tear problem not covered. Really? By the way if you decide to use it for work forget about it, cuz according to their warranty these are only for recreational use. What a ripoff. Pics show the 'normal' wear and tear of their product only after less that a year of use.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: High Sierra Powerglide Wheeled Laptop Backpack, Great for High School, College Backpack, Rolling School Bag, Business Backpack, Travel; Brand: High Sierra; Review: Bag is good until it breaks and you have to deal with crappy support that do not want to help. Wheel stopped spinning after about half a year and they say that it's not covered under the 5 year warranty, stating that it is a wear and tear problem not covered. Really? By the way if you decide to use it for work forget about it, cuz according to their warranty these are only for recreational use. What a ripoff. Pics show the 'normal' wear and tear of their product only after less that a year of use.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Eversame 2-Pack 3.3Ft 1M Premium Nylon Braided Quick Charge 2.0 A Male to Micro B Sync and Charging Cable with; Brand: Eversame; Review: Great quality chargers; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Modal Over-The-Ear Bluetooth Headphones With Built-In Mic HPBT101-BK; Brand: MODAL; Review: I don't usually do reviews but: 1. I did not buy from amazon, bought from BestBuy, Inc for 59.99 + whatever 2. They are average headphones for all purposes, making they amazing: 2a. Mild bass, not too much -- increases battery life, I can play music non stop for 7 hours. 2b. On top of ear design -- soft and yet I can still hear what my friends saying or when driving I can still hear stuff. 2c. Many buttons -- skip back and forth, volume +/-, pause/play, and phone call, you can do everything without touching the phone, at least on your playlist if you are. 2d. AMAZING voice recognition and reception to the phone. Recognizes commands exceptionally well, better than I have see anywhere, and people on the other line can hear me well. This is likely due to larger size of headphones that allowed manufacturer to get good mic and place it well. 2e. Soft on ear, they don't hurt after one day. 2f. They don't bounce when running ,very light, when turning head, you don't notice anything at all. I can turn my head all over when driving and feel like nothing's on. THEY ARENT BEST AT SINGLE THING, but as a good item for daily, this is best. I'll support best buy and let them keep the money, not buy online. Thank you for making this product.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Bandara Resort Spa; City: Bophut Ko Samui Surat Thani Province; Review: We stayed at the resort following an arduous tour of the Thai mainland. We were looking for peace and relaxation and we certainly got it from the hotel. All the staff were first class, always smiling, friendly, courteous and couldnt do enough for us. We were on a B&B tariff - the breakfasts were first class, as well as the evening dinner we booked for. We are definitely returning to the island and the Bandara resort; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nuweiba Coral Resort; City: Nuweiba South Sinai Red Sea and Sinai; Review: Our 5th. consecutive visit again lived up to all we had come to expect! First class staff-helpful, courteous and friendly. Wesam in the pool bar and Azzam in the restaurant were the pick of a top class group of staff. Food excellent; rooms very comfortable and immaculately clean. The only downside was the entertainment provided by the resident singer- repetetive a big problem if you're staying for 2 weeks. The other entertainers-dance groups, whirling dervish etc were all very good.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Ta Cenc Spa; City: Sannat Island of Gozo; Review: Very attentive staff, rooms very comfortable and of course the wather measured up! Service was excellent and food of a very high quality. A very relaxed atmosphere.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lulworth Cove Inn; City: West Lulworth Dorset England; Review: Excellent room over looking the cove with all the amenities you need. First class customer service, very friendly and caring. Very good food- lunch, dinner and breakfast. Stunning scenery in easy walking distance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Riu Paraiso Lanzarote Resort; City: Puerto Del Carmen Lanzarote Canary Islands; Review: Spent 2 weeks in the hotel recently and what an excellent place to relax. Rooms were spacious, facilities were first class. Service by all staff was of the highest order. Restaurants were very good, especially the Asian and Mexican. Plenty of choice and of a very good quality. Will definitely return again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Priory Inn; City: Tetbury Cotswolds England; Review: Comfortable accommodation. Excellent food and a great choice. The highlight- top class staff, friendly, accommodating and courteous. "A little Cotswold gem". Our bolt hole. Will definitely be visiting again, and again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Knoll House Hotel; City: Studland Swanage Isle of Purbeck Dorset England; Review: A great little bolt hole. Staff were first class. Food excellent and our room was very comfortable. Very accessible to the beach with spectacular views. The only slight downside was the cost of alcoholic drinks.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Oliso TG-1000 Steam Iron Auto-Lift System with Stainless Steel Soleplate; Brand: Oliso; Review: I bought this iron for clothes and quilting. It works good on clothes but not so good for quilting. The auto turn-off is way to quick to shut off and when you are quilting that is not a good feature. Also, the iron has a rounded tip. A pointed tip iron would work better to flatten out your seams. I also think when set on the highest temp, it still doesn't get hot enough.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: JapanBargain S-1888, Japanese Wooden Cooking Rolling Pin Bar, 11-inches; Brand: JapanBargain; Review: Great sushi mats!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: West Bend 82306 Stir Crazy 6-Quart Electric Popcorn Popper (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: West Bend; Review: Love the way it cooks up pop corn!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: IMUSA USA MEXI-1000-TORTW Tortilla Warmer Terracota 8.5-Inch, Light Brown Brick Color; Brand: Imusa; Review: Use it all the time! Well made.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Aroma Housewares 8-Cup (Cooked) (4-Cup UNCOOKED) Digital Rice Cooker and Food Steamer (ARC-914D); Brand: Aroma Housewares; Review: Good product. Recieved it with a Broken measuring cup. I never contacted Amazon to get a replacement because I thought it would be too big of a hassle for a simple measuring cup. It does cook up rice on the little dry side so I just add a little more water.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pekoe Tree Glass Tea Tumbler with Strainer and Neoprene Sleeve Our Stainless Steel Deep Infuser Allows You to Enjoy Your; Brand: ; Review: Love this Tea Tumbler. Use it all the time! Love the Strainer for my loose leaf teas as well as tea bags. Going to order another one SOON!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Long Handle; Brand: Mcirco; Review: Really nice tea spoons; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tortilla Press; Brand: Fox Run; Review: Good product and well made. Wish I ordered the next size up though. The tortilla's come out too small.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: MetroFlash Safety Zone Tail Light; Brand: MetroFlash; Review: This is a great back light. I had seen something similar at by local bike store but at 2 times the price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ronhill Classic GT Trackster Running Pants; Brand: Ronhill; Review: I typically don't buy close from the internet and I had my doubts regarding a product from Europe because of the size. It fit great and I even bought a second pair.. black.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Federal Holsterworks Holster with Magazine Pouch Fits Ruger P85, P89, P90, P94, P944; Brand: Federal Holsterworks; Review: Very nine holder for the price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ASICS Men's Anchor Short; Brand: ASICS; Review: Very nice running short, liked them so much I bought another pair!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Drymax Super Breathable No Show Running Athletic Socks, Blister-Free Performance For Men and Women (3 Pack); Brand: R-Gear; Review: nice quality and price. It nice to get them at home and having to go to a sports shop to purchase.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fitletic Hydration Bottle Holder 6 Oz & 8 Oz; Brand: Fitletic; Review: I love these water bottles. I have used them for several 1/2 marathons. I originally carried both of them, but this was a bit heavy. So I ended up just using one. They do not leak and are well constructed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Midnight by Carole Hochman Women's Sleep Shirt; Brand: Midnight by Carole Hochman; Review: Wanted an XL, but this L still fits fine (in my desired teal color). Don't understand the reviewer who complained about lack of fabric in the front...that's where most of the fabric is! (Maybe she needed a larger size, but I found this comfortable enough.) Additionally, with the gathered neckline, you can somewhat adjust how the fabric falls.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ISOTONER Women's Microterry Contrast Clog; Brand: ; Review: Comfy fit, nice color.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Polo Ralph Lauren Women's Pony Logo V-Neck Tee; Brand: Polo Ralph Lauren; Review: Great color, nice fabric and fit.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kiwi Suede Protector, 4.25oz; Brand: Kiwi; Review: Great Winter protector--feel secure.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: NYDJ Women's Alina Pull on Ankle Pants; Brand: ; Review: If you want the Allina style--there is a separate ordering page for that. If you want the Millie--I haven't figured out how to get that style despite it's own listing. (these are both dark enzyme pull on cropped jeans) I did love them til now... :-(; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: A Little Princess (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Reservoir Dogs (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: X2: X-Men United (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stuart Little 2 (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Charlotte's Web (1973); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dogma (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Wild Things (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rush Hour 2 (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Drop Dead Fred (1991); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Beauty (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Saving Grace (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Curly Sue (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mean Girls (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Clerks (1994); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Boyz N the Hood (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hercules (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Disclosure (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Uptown Girls (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Annie: Special Anniversary Edition (1982); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Training Day (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Secondhand Lions (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Sandlot (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Look Who's Talking Too (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: S.W.A.T. (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Recruit (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bend It Like Beckham (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Superstar (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: American Wedding (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Poltergeist (1982); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Casino: 10th Anniversary Edition (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grumpy Old Men (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sixteen Candles (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lethal Weapon (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Evolution (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 50 First Dates (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grease 2 (1982); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Identity (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Being John Malkovich (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Not Another Teen Movie (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: What Women Want (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Secret Garden (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aladdin: Platinum Edition (1992); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Center Stage (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Cutting Edge (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Along Came Polly (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Scream (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Planes (1987); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wayne's World (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Girl 2 (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Exit Wounds (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Freaky Friday (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Look Who's Talking (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Don't Say a Word (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Emperor's New Groove (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers: 50th Anniversary Edition (1954); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Braveheart (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hocus Pocus (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sleeping Beauty: Special Edition (1959); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Little Miss Broadway (1938); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ghost (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Napoleon Dynamite (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Addams Family (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Half Baked (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Sideways (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Godfather (1974); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: About a Boy (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Village (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Parent Trap (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Little Princess (1939); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pocahontas (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 10 Things I Hate About You (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pete's Dragon (1977); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lethal Weapon 3 (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Death Becomes Her (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Who Framed Roger Rabbit?: Special Edition (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Goldfinger (1964); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Boys and Girls (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: About Schmidt (2002); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Sugar & Spice (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bruce Almighty (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Garden State (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Shrek 2 (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pollyanna (1960); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Finding Nemo (Widescreen) (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Patch Adams (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The King and I (1956); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park III (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Sixth Sense (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Road to Perdition (2002); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Porky's (1981); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Italian Job (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grumpier Old Men (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Steel Magnolias (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Forgotten (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Erin Brockovich (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Overboard (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bringing Down the House (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Karate Kid Part II (1986); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bambi: Platinum Edition (1942); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stuart Little (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Runaway Jury (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Back to the Future Part II (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Great Outdoors (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crossroads (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Angels in the Outfield (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sleeping With the Enemy (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Seabiscuit (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mystery (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: What Lies Beneath (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mommie Dearest (1981); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Money Pit (1986); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Miss Congeniality (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tommy Boy (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shark Tale (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Empire Records: Remix! Special Fan Edition (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: I (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Nutty Professor (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Almost Famous (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sling Blade (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Underworld (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Memento (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Mummy Returns (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Scarface: 20th Anniversary Edition (1983); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Heart and Souls (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Michael (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Heidi (1937); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pretty Woman (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Edward Scissorhands (1990); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Joe Dirt (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Big Momma's House (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rush Hour (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Saved! (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sister Act (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beethoven (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Unfaithful (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Spanglish (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Murder By Numbers (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Godsend (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Curly Top (1935); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Entrapment (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Black Hawk Down (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Breakfast Club (1985); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cry-Baby (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cheaper by the Dozen (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Calendar Girls (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Armageddon (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Whole Nine Yards (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Anywhere But Here (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dr. Dolittle (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Agent Cody Banks (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Extended Edition (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Pelican Brief (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Robin Hood (Disney) (1973); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Bride (1987); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Untouchables (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Extended Edition (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stand by Me (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Men of Honor (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bio-Dome (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Die Another Day (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Life of David Gale (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Scary Movie (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Red Violin (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Benji (1973); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dirty Dancing (1987); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Apollo 13 (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: O Brother (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Super Troopers (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Interview with the Vampire (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cats & Dogs (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Net (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: South Pacific (1958); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Clone Wars: Vol. 1 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holes (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Where the Heart Is (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Unbreakable (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Enemy at the Gates (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ladder 49 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Original Kings of Comedy (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (1990); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Seven (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Catch Me If You Can (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Soul Food (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Happy Gilmore (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Royal Tenenbaums (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Time to Kill (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shirley Temple: Little Miss Marker (1934); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Good Will Hunting (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Terminator 2: Extreme Edition (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Rookie (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Save the Last Dance (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Brewster's Millions (1985); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Batman Returns (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pearl Harbor (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Are We There Yet? (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Butterfly Effect: Director's Cut (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Knight's Tale (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: There's Something About Mary: Special Edition (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Friday (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stepmom (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Daddy Day Care (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: As Good as It Gets (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Deeds (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Josie and the Pussycats (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beavis and Butt-head Do America (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shallow Hal (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Fifth Element (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Pie 2 (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Groundhog Day (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Summer Catch (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Ocean's Twelve (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Bone Collector (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Score (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Final Destination 2 (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Road Trip (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dr. No (1962); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Loser (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cold Mountain (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The School of Rock (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gangs of New York (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: U-571 (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Baby Sitters Club (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Back to the Future (1985); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Psycho (1960); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Moulin Rouge (1952); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Incredibles (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Movie (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Mexican (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Meet the Fockers (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Monsters (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American History X (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Honey (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The 'Burbs (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Risky Business (1983); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Simon Birch (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Diaries (Widescreen) (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Forrest Gump (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Pie (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A League of Their Own (1992); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Final Destination (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Drumline (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Swordfish (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Hairspray (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Three Men and a Baby (1987); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Hot Chick (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Oliver & Company (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Shining (1980); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Primal Fear (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Sound of Music (1965); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spider-Man 2 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Big Fish (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lost in Translation (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Godfather (1972); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Along Came a Spider (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Goofy Movie (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Short Circuit 2 (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lethal Weapon 2 (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Twister (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The NeverEnding Story (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Dark Crystal (1982); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: National Lampoon's Animal House (1978); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hidalgo (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Thelma & Louise: Special Edition (1991); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: X-Men (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Schindler's List (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: You Only Live Twice (1967); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Double Jeopardy (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Aviator (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Lost Boys: Special Edition (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Animal (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Coyote Ugly (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Aristocats (1970); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Chicago (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Count of Monte Cristo (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The General's Daughter (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: SLC Punk (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Office Space (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Client (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alice in Wonderland (1951); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jerry Maguire (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cast Away (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Enemy of the State (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mary Poppins (1964); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Crush (1993); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: What a Girl Wants (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lethal Weapon 4 (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Last Castle (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spider-Man (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Uncle Buck (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Any Given Sunday (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hannibal (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: You've Got Mail (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shrek (Full-screen) (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Stepford Wives (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Waterboy (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Batman (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Matrix (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Tomb Raider (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: XXX: Special Edition (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beetlejuice (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gosford Park (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Dead Poets Society (1989); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Without a Paddle (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pretty in Pink (1986); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Extended Edition (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grease (1978); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ocean's Eleven (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Walking Tall (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Firm (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Saving Silverman (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dazed and Confused (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zoolander (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The One (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Big Daddy (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eurotrip (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Fox and the Hound (1981); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: She's All That (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Black Sheep (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Camp Nowhere (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pecker (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Land Before Time (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Legally Blonde 2: Red (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Van Helsing (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Karate Kid (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 13 Going on 30 (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Haunting (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Wayne's World 2 (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Con Air (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope (1977); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kindergarten Cop (1990); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Green Mile (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chocolat (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: West Side Story (1961); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: GoldenEye (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Parent Trap (1961); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Closer (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Old School (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: An American Tail: The Treasures of Manhatttan Island (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Magnolia (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jawbreaker (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Blow (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Anger Management (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dimples (1936); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Meet the Parents (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: In the Army Now (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Devil's Advocate (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Mighty Ducks (1992); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The New Guy (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gothika (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Saving Private Ryan (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: National Treasure (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Me (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Clue (1985); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Legally Blonde (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dumbo (1941); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hitch (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Terminal (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Fair Lady: Special Edition (1964); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clueless (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: First Daughter (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ghostbusters (1984); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Vanilla Sky (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Game (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Taxi (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hostage (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mumford (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Hand that Rocks the Cradle (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dead Man on Campus (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bill Cosby: Himself (1983); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Back to the Future Part III (1990); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: National Lampoon's Vacation (1983); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Casper (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Hills Cop (1984); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Annie (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Importance of Being Earnest (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Scream 3 (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Ewok Adventures: Caravan of Courage / The Battle for Endor (1985); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wash (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Friday After Next (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Silence of the Lambs (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Heathers (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Lion King: Special Edition (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stealing Harvard (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Men in Black II (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cop and a Half (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Life (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: In Good Company (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rookie of the Year (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wild Wild West (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: 54 (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Medallion (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Ladies Man (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Outside Providence (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bad Santa (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GoodFellas: Special Edition (1990); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Other Sister (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Bourne Identity (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Addams Family Values (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Donnie Brasco (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Homegrown (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Billy Madison (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Doctor Dolittle (1967); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Detroit Rock City (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Adventures in Babysitting (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Can't Hardly Wait (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Go (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Cruel Intentions (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Object of My Affection (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Beethoven's 2nd (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Heavyweights (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Little Voice (1998); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Troop Beverly Hills (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bill Engvall: Here's Your Sign (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Boogie Nights (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Sword in the Stone (1963); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Goonies (1985); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Welcome to Mooseport (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Saints and Soldiers (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Indecent Proposal (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shag: The Movie (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Trick (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Tomcats (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Where the Heart Is (1990); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: An American Tail (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Now and Then (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ready to Rumble (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Little Women (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Big Bounce (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Pleasantville (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Scream 2 (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Coming to America (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bring It On (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Little Monsters (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Men in Black (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Mom (1983); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Envy (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Never Been Kissed (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gladiator (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Heist (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Thomas Crown Affair (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: South Park: Bigger (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Labyrinth (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Team America: World Police (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: My Girl (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Slums of Beverly Hills (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Big (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bubble Boy (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wet Hot American Summer (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dangerous Beauty (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Happy (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Titanic (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Donnie Darko (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Return to Oz (1985); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Dick (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Next Friday (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kiss of the Dragon (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Duplex (Widescreen) (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Igby Goes Down (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Sleepless in Seattle (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The In-Laws (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The People Under the Stairs (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Liar Liar (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rudy (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Free Willy (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: How High (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Scary Movie 2 (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All I Wanna Do (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Freddy Got Fingered (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Hills Ninja (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rat Race (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blank Check (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Freaks & Geeks: The Complete Series (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Twins (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sorority Boys (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dude (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Cable Guy (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Orange County (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The War of the Roses (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Matchmaker (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Of Mice And Men (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All About the Benjamins (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Airheads (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Scary Movie 3 (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Just Married (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Airplane! (1980); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: American Virgin (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Super (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: State and Main (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Weekend at Bernie's 2 (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Big Trouble (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Billy Elliot (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The First Wives Club (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Misery (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In Like Flint (1967); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Sweetest Thing (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Problem Child / Problem Child 2 (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Screwed (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Intolerable Cruelty (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Say Anything (1989); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Laws of Attraction (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Wedding Singer (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Corky Romano (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Man in the Moon (1991); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Full Metal Jacket (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Major Payne (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Coneheads (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sweet November (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pay It Forward (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Speed (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wedding Planner (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Story of Us (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Matilda: Special Edition (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wonderfalls: The Complete Series (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Signs (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Snatch (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: St. Elmo's Fire (1985); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Body Shots (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: A Bug's Life (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Get Shorty (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cocktail (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I.Q. (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Maid in Manhattan (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Kate & Leopold (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Moulin Rouge (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Anastasia (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: City of Angels (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sweet Home Alabama (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: K-Pax (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Fear (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pumpkin (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Cinderella Story (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Family Man (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Sleepy Hollow (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mystic Pizza (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Constantine (2005); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Girl (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Batman Forever (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Truman Show (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Matchstick Men (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bridget Jones's Diary (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: King of the Hill: Season 1 (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dolores Claiborne (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jaws (1975); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mansfield Park (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: King of the Hill: Season 4 (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nine Months (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Guy Thing (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Bourne Supremacy (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: King of the Hill: Season 3 (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Around the World in 80 Days (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Original Sin (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Encino Man (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Swimfan (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Proof of Life (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Big Fat Liar (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Sin City (2005); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Business of Strangers (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: I Am Sam (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Walk to Remember (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Bachelor (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gremlins (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Be Cool (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Glass House (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sleepover (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Down to You (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fat Albert (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: O (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ice Age (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wicked (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crocodile Dundee (1986); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: National Security (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Alexander: Director's Cut (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The '60s (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Duets (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: 8 Mile (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Behind Enemy Lines (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Troy (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Blue Streak (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Riding in Cars with Boys (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kangaroo Jack (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Mona Lisa Smile (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Forces of Nature (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Panic Room (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Prince and Me (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chicken Run (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: King of the Hill: Season 2 (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Little Black Book (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Scooby-Doo (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Alfie (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tuck Everlasting (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cujo (1983); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Finding Neverland (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Diaries (Fullscreen) (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Yellow Submarine (1968); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: XXX: State of the Union (2005); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Deep Blue Sea (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fatal Attraction (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Top Gun (1986); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Rwanda (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Field of Dreams (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Man of the House (2005); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Changing Lanes (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hide and Seek (2005); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: In America (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 200 Cigarettes (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Barbershop (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Guess Who (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Whatever It Takes (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mr. 3000 (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Lucky Numbers (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Monster-in-Law (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Malibu's Most Wanted (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Head of State (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Toy Story (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Playing by Heart (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Get Over It (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cradle 2 the Grave (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Sopranos: Season 1 (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sahara (2005); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Requiem for a Dream (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crash (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chasing Amy (1997); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Muse (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Mummy (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fight Club (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lost in Space (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lucas (1986); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Astronaut's Wife (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Stigmata (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Stir of Echoes (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Practical Magic (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hero (2002); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Jeepers Creepers (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Super Size Me (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pieces of April (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The In-Laws (1979); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Just Visiting (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Saw (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fever Pitch (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Godfather (1990); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hotel New Hampshire (1984); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Election (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Weekend at Bernie's (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Idle Hands (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Basic Instinct (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Donnie Darko: Director's Cut (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Because of Winn-Dixie (2005); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Knockaround Guys (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Secretary (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wedding Date (2005); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Family Guy Presents: Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Pacifier (2005); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Amityville Horror (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: White Noise (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Longest Yard (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Independence Day (1996); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Three Men and a Little Lady (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Doctor Zhivago (1965); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Son in Law (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jury Duty (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Kung Fu Hustle (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Funny Farm (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: I Heart Huckabees (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Sopranos: Season 2 (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: One Fine Day (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beauty Shop (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Batman Begins (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Psycho (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Best in Show (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Insomnia (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Desperate Housewives: Season 1 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cinderella: Special Edition (1950); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ice Princess (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Lot Like Love (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Beautiful Mind (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Man on Fire (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thirteen (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Usual Suspects (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Love & Basketball (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Bamboozled (2000); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Virgin Suicides (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Three Kings (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Remember the Titans (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Ladykillers (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Little Nicky (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Cousin Vinny (1992); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dawson's Creek: Season 2 (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Best Laid Plans (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hanging Up (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Dawson's Creek: Season 5 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Rules of Attraction (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Freeway (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Robots (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Urban Legend (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dawson's Creek: Series Finale (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gone with the Wind: Collector's Edition (1939); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dawson's Creek: Season 1 (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mermaids (1990); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dennis the Menace (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dawson's Creek: Season 4 (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gossip (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bless the Child (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ringmaster (1998); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Dawson's Creek: Season 3 (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Toy Story 2 (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The United States of Leland (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: White Chicks (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Skulls (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nurse Betty (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Cursed (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Varsity Blues (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Bad News Bears (1976); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Wizard of Oz: Collector's Edition (1939); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: House of Wax (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cold Creek Manor (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Basketball Diaries (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: High Crimes (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Junior (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Batman & Robin (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Outlaws (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Transporter (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mercury Rising (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: For Love of the Game (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: City Slickers (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Oklahoma! (1955); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Paper Moon (1973); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fever Pitch (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Taxi Driver (1976); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Twisted (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Copycat (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beautiful Girls (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Simone (2002); Rating: 1.0/5.0 | netflix |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Elfen Lied (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Voyager: Season 1 (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: X2: X-Men United (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pay It Forward (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Pacifier (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Voyager: Season 5 (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hostage (2005); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Matrix: Revolutions (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: First Knight (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 7 (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Back to the Future Part III (1990); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Mummy (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Secondhand Lions (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Wedding Planner (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Man on Fire (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stargate SG-1: Season 7 (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hook (1991); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bend It Like Beckham (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sleepless in Seattle (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Wedding (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 50 First Dates (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hollow Man (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 5 (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bad Boys (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aladdin: Platinum Edition (1992); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Braveheart (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Rundown (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Diaries (Fullscreen) (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Men in Black II (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Forever Young (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 10 Things I Hate About You (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 6 (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beaches (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hackers (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Amityville Horror (2005); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Stargate (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bruce Almighty (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Garden State (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Matrix: Reloaded (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shrek 2 (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Finding Nemo (Widescreen) (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Patch Adams (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Sixth Sense (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Road to Perdition (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Steel Magnolias (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rain Man (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wild Wild West (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stargate SG-1: Season 5 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Back to the Future Part II (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Enterprise: Season 2 (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: What Lies Beneath (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Constantine (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Friends: Season 4 (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Miss Congeniality (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Empire Records: Remix! Special Fan Edition (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stargate SG-1: Season 4 (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Mummy Returns (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pretty Woman (1990); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Robots (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cheaper by the Dozen (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Armageddon (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dr. Dolittle (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Extended Edition (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Bride (1987); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Extended Edition (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stand by Me (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Phenomenon (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Top Gun (1986); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dying Young (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Apollo 13 (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Voyager: Season 6 (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Clone Wars: Vol. 1 (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Where the Heart Is (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Minority Report (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Friends: Season 5 (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Seven (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Catch Me If You Can (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Turner and Hooch (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Goonies (1985); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pearl Harbor (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Butterfly Effect: Director's Cut (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Batteries Not Included (1987); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Stepmom (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stargate SG-1: Season 6 (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Voyager: Season 7 (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Pie 2 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Runaway Bride (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Voyager: Season 4 (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Back to the Future (1985); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Incredibles (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Castle in the Sky (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Monsters (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Maid in Manhattan (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Far and Away (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Diaries (Widescreen) (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forrest Gump (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Pie (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: First Contact (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Batman & Robin (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Rock (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Twister (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hidalgo (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: X-Men (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Men in Black (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Benny and Joon (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Two Weeks Notice (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Troy (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Coyote Ugly (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Toy Story (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gladiator (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cast Away (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 7 (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Patriot (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: You've Got Mail (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shrek (Full-screen) (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Matrix (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 2 (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tomb Raider (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: XXX: Special Edition (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Angel: Season 3 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Without a Paddle (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Extended Edition (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Independence Day (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Walking Tall (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Day After Tomorrow (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Best of Friends: Season 3 (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sweet Home Alabama (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Voyager: Season 2 (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Big (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Con Air (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope (1977); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Prince and Me (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Face/Off (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Matrix: Revisited (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Voyager: Season 3 (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Devil's Advocate (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: National Treasure (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: The 20th Anniversary (Rerelease) (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Major Payne (1995); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Firefly (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Newsies (1992); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spirited Away (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Underworld (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Fifth Element (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: What Dreams May Come (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Brother Bear (Home Viewing Version) (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Enemy of the State (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: King Arthur (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lilo and Stitch (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dragonheart (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Devil's Own (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dogma (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chasing Amy (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Untamed Heart (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Princess Mononoke (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rush Hour 2 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hudson Hawk (1991); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Speed (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tuck Everlasting (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Professional (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Three Musketeers (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Liar Liar (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Brother Bear (Theatrical Widescreen Version) (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Walk in the Clouds (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Emperor's New Groove (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lion King: Special Edition (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Flight of the Navigator (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: About a Boy (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ghost in the Shell (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Big Hit (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shanghai Noon (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park III (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Scorpion King (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Titan A.E. (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Italian Job (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Golden Child (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bambi: Platinum Edition (1942); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Guess Who (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shark Tale (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Last Starfighter (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sin City (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Bourne Identity (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Terminator (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Point Break (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Michael (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rush Hour (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Saved! (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Space Cowboys (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: That Thing You Do! (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Billy Madison (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Deep Impact (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dirty Dancing (1987); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Can't Hardly Wait (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Willow (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ice Age (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Happy Gilmore (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Nemesis (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Terminator 2: Extreme Edition (1991); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: With Honors (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dragonfly (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Treasure Planet (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Knight's Tale (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Friday (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The 13th Warrior (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Deeds (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Animatrix (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Best Friend's Wedding (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Road Trip (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Legend: The Director's Cut (1986); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Frequency (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shanghai Knights (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A League of Their Own (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (1992); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Practical Magic (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Kid (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The NeverEnding Story (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bicentennial Man (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kiki's Delivery Service (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jersey Girl (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ella Enchanted (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jerry Maguire (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Total Recall (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pitch Black (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: What a Girl Wants (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spider-Man (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Waterboy (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Labyrinth (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anastasia (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dazed and Confused (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Big Daddy (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: She's All That (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blue Crush (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hellboy (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Replacements (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Out Cold (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 13 Going on 30 (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: SpaceCamp (1986); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Wedding Singer (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: K-Pax (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Haibane-Renmei (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: In the Army Now (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Legally Blonde (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Punisher (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clueless (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bridget Jones's Diary (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jack (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Firestarter (1984); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Care Bears: Journey to Joke-a-Lot (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dangerous Minds (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hercules (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fried Green Tomatoes (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Earthsea (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Girl 2 (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Best of The Muppet Show: Peter Sellers / John Cleese / Dudley Moore (1978); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Strawberry Shortcake: Meet Strawberry Shortcake (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Man on the Moon (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Elizabeth (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Quiet Man (1952); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Erin Brockovich (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: True Romance (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tremors (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Judge Dredd (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hope Floats (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Scent of a Woman (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: I Am Sam (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Desperado / El Mariachi (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spanglish (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Romeo + Juliet (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Swing Kids (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Romeo & Juliet (1968); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Care Bears Movie (1985); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Net (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Charmed: Season 1 (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Quest for Camelot (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mighty Joe Young (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Batman Returns (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Deep End of the Ocean (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Les Miserables (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Daddy Day Care (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: As Good as It Gets (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I.Q. (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stigmata (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Waterworld (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Just Married (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Barbie: Fairytopia (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stir of Echoes (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Now and Then (1995); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Evita (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Drumline (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Elektra (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kate & Leopold (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pleasantville (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Holland's Opus (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 8 Mile (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Insurrection (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Dark Crystal (1982); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Secret of N-I-M-H (1982); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Home on the Range (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chicago (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: True Lies (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: This Boy's Life (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Starship Troopers (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 12 Monkeys (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: White Oleander (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Girl (1991); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Slums of Beverly Hills (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Three Kings (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mona Lisa Smile (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Mask of Zorro (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Up Close & Personal (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lion King 1 1/2 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Gift (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Meet Joe Black (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Parent Trap (1961); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Corrina (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Will & Grace: Season 1 (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Little Vampire (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Garfield: The Movie (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: My Fair Lady: Special Edition (1964); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cool World (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Scooby-Doo (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gattaca (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shakespeare in Love (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sahara (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: I Heart Huckabees (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Stepford Wives (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tarzan 2 (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Upside of Anger (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Longest Yard (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Starsky & Hutch (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The School of Rock (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Care Bears: Kingdom of Caring (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stitch! The Movie (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lilo and Stitch 2 (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Angel: Season 5 (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ghostbusters (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Duplex (Widescreen) (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Hills Cop (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 6 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Angel: Season 4 (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 2 (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 5 (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Good Will Hunting (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monster-in-Law (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 4 (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Angel: Season 2 (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Angel: Season 1 (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Godspell (1973); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Van Helsing (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 3 (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Wedding Date (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Barbie as Rapunzel (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 1 (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Raise Your Voice (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hitch (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Batman Begins (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Center Stage (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blade: Trinity (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Girl (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Other Sister (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Interview with the Vampire (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Higher Learning (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Chronicles of Riddick (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Little Women (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible II (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Les Miserables (1978); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: My Life (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Field of Dreams (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dead Poets Society (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Titanic (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0 | netflix |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Zombie Tarot: An Oracle of the Undead with Deck and Instructions; Author: Paul Kepple; Review: These cards and the book are awesome! So funny and creative, easy to read if you know the Rider deck and symbols.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Geeky Chef Cookbook: Real-Life Recipes for Your Favorite Fantasy Foods - Unofficial Recipes from Doctor Who, Game of; Author: Visit Amazon's Cassandra Reeder Page; Review: This book is so cool! It has the big recipes from each fandom - butterbeer, lembas bread, the one-up mushrooms from Mario, you name it. I made the lemon cakes for the Game of Thrones finale and they turned out really moist and yummy, sort of like lemon corn bread. I tweaked the recipe a bit and made them into mini muffins so people could just grab them off the buffet table. Everyone loved them! Can't wait to try some more recipes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alice in Wonderland Keepsake Journal: Includes 10 Illustrated Quote Cards; Author: Moiz Martinez; Review: This is such a lovely journal! The quote cards are fantastic, they're about 9 x 6.5 inches and are beautiful for framing. The journal has color quotes inside it, too. The keepsake packaging is very high-quality. This is a perfect gift for the Alice fan in your life.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pride and Prejudice Unfolded: Retold in pictures by Becca Stadtlander; Author: Becca Stadtlander; Review: I want to frame this and put it on my wall! Such a fun way to retell a classic. The most notable quotes are included, and the artwork is beautiful.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Learn to Draw Calligraphy Animals: 30 unique creations; Author: Visit Amazon's Andrew Fox Page; Review: I cannot draw. My childhood work was the object of many jokes in art class, and even as an adult my animal doodles are rectangles without necks. Even I can make perfect calligraphy animals with this book. The directions are simple, and the drawings come out beautifully! Highly recommended for artists and non-artists alike.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sally's Candy Addiction: Tasty Truffles, Fudges & Treats for Your Sweet-Tooth Fix; Author: Visit Amazon's Sally McKenney Page; Review: I'm new to candy-making and made Sally's Simply Chocolate Truffles. They are delicious. I had a little difficulty coating the ganache in the melted chocolate because the two wanted to melt together, but that may have been because I used chocolate chips instead of the recommended bar chocolate. I took the "Sally Says" tip and made semi-sweet and dark chocolate truffles, both were great. There are color pictures of every recipe, which is helpful and mouthwatering. I like that this book also has recipes geared towards bakers who like to use candy, like me. I am dying to try the Mint Chocolate Cream Pie.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Key to Tarot: From Suits to Symbolism: Advice and Exercises to Unlock your Mystical Potential (Keys To); Author: Sarah Bartlett; Review: I've read a lot of books on the tarot, but this one stands out because of it's exercises and straightforward card descriptions. For each major arcana, set of court cards, and suit, there are simple exercises and spells to help you get to know the cards and experience their energy. The spells are great because most of the required items you already have, and they aren't very time-consuming. The card descriptions in this book get right to the point, which is quite refreshing. Each card has key words, a short meaning, and sample interpretations that are easy to apply to everyday life. I would highly recommend this book for tarot beginners and more experienced readers looking to get to know the cards on a deeper level. (Oh, and did I mention it's pretty and full-color? It is.); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sally's Baking Addiction: Irresistible Cookies, Cupcakes, and Desserts for Your Sweet-Tooth Fix; Author: Visit Amazon's Sally McKenney Page; Review: I made the salted caramel cheesecake dip, it was really easy. This was my first time making caramel, and the book walked me right though it. Delicious!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Classics Reimagined, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; Author: Visit Amazon's Lewis Carroll Page; Review: Beautiful book, quirky images. I love there there is even art on the sides of the book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Spreads: Reveal the Answer to Every Question about Work, Home, Fortune, and Love; Author: Visit Amazon's Liz Dean Page; Review: There are some very handy and practical spreads in this book, and it includes some methods I have not seen in other tarot books. For example, one spread deals with timing, telling you to watch which row a certain card lands in to determine the week in which the event may occur. This book is a great resource for new and experienced readers, and is beautifully printed in full color.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Meily® Women Strap Sleeveless Lace Chiffon Jumpsuit Rompers Playsuit (L); Brand: OVERMAL Jumpsuit; Review: Got it for my gf, bust part was not the perfect fit but she likes it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: "Arabian Beauty" Charm Pendant 18" Necklace Earrings with Crystal Elements; Brand: NYKKOLA; Review: Got it for my girl. Chain's material is very cheap, other than it's not bad.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Coswe Women's Hi-Waist Tummy Control Thong Panties Body Shaper Waist Cincher Shapewear Butt Lifter Brief Underwear; Brand: Coswe; Review: My gf 5'9 and 160, she loves it. Got a M/L.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Queen.M Pretty Pajama Sexy Lingerie Sling Transparent Underwear; Brand: Queen.M; Review: Cheap material but sexy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bluetime Womens Pleated Short Braces Skirt (FBA); Brand: BLUETIME; Review: If you are tall, wear short under it. But it's pretty good.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BIADANI Women Versatile Flared Stretch Wide Band Skater Skirts; Brand: BIADANI; Review: Not an attractive look. It's short for tall girls.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: LovEnter 18k gold plated GP Pearl Crystal Jewelry Set Necklace Pendant earrings bracelet; Brand: LovEnter; Review: Not the best quality but very classy look. Pearl on the necklace fell after a short time but fixed it easily.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TIVANI; Brand: TIVANI; Review: One of the rocks fell after an hour. Garbage.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Doublju Women Casual Short Sleeve Round Neck Flare Mini Dress; Brand: ; Review: Not bad but see through; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: California Costumes Women's Lethal Beauty Costume; Brand: California Costumes; Review: I'm 5'8, 155 Usually wear medium. But I got a large and it fits well. If you are on the heavy side, stocking may not fit.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ILISHOP High-end Brand Evening Envelope Clutches Bag for Women New Handbags Shouder Bags; Brand: ilishop; Review: very elegant, it's just kinda hard to close it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: EN'DA Traveling Non-Woven Shoe Bags 1215" (pack of 8, Black); Brand: EN'DA professional; Review: great for high heels. could have been larger tho; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: DEARCASE Women's Long Sleeve Casual Loose T-Shirt Dress; Brand: DEARCASE; Review: it's nice but skirt cut is kinda funny; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fani Wigs Ombre Wigs for Women Black to Blonde Color Long Wavy Dark Roots Middle Part Heat Resistant Synthetic Full; Brand: fani; Review: front looks kinda funny but can be fixed with some accessories...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Angelady White Pearl Earring and Necklace Sets 18k Rose Gold Plated Wedding Engagement Jewelry Sets; Brand: Angelady; Review: Love them, very elegant. Long one of the earrings, had to order again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shoe'N Tale Women Over The Knee High Stretchy Leather Thigh high Snow Boots; Brand: Shoe'N Tale; Review: Great for slim legs. You gotta wear long socks in it, then it's so much easier to put it on.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beachcoco Women's Sweetheart Maxi Dress; Brand: Beachcoco; Review: 5'8 and a half, 155, fits well. Perfect for tall girls.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: zeraca Womens Halter Removable Padding Swim Top Separates Pink XL; Brand: zeraca; Review: Like it, just kinda runs small so go one size bigger; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Disney Leg Avenue Women's Fairytale Multi Color; Brand: ; Review: White piece on the neck is incredibly uncomfortable and if u have a sensitive skin, it will leave a mark on you.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fantastic Zone Moon Luna Cat Purses Pu Leather Gothic Purse Cosplay Moon Sailor Bag Handbags Shoulder Bags for Women; Brand: Fantastic Zone; Review: Color got changed so quick. Very disappointed.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Berkshire Women's Trend Fishnet Pantyhose; Brand: ; Review: They are very nice but watch out if u have long nails.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 10 Pairs Women Heart Shape Disposable Pasties Nipple Cover Lingerie (10 Pairs Black); Brand: Cosfan; Review: One time use, kinda hard to peel tho.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: City Classified Womens Fashion Awesome Gladiator Strappy Chunky Block Heel Synthetic Lightly Padded Insole Sandals; Brand: City Classified Comfort; Review: So disappointing. 2nd time I wore and the heel part broke and fell off . Waste of money.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Red: Werewolf Hunter; Brand: David Reale; Review: Even if you are a crazy big fan of Felicia Day, don't expect to like this movie. While the premise is interesting, the CGI reasonable, and Felicia is pretty, everything else really stinks... writing, acting, and directing. Skip this one.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: She's All That; Brand: Freddie Prinze Jr.; Review: Both the 1999 and 2011 DVD releases are 4:3 letterboxed.... not widescreen as the back cover and product description would have you think.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: French Kiss VHS; Brand: Meg Ryan; Review: The 2003 re-release is 4:3 Letterboxed, as was the original. Not true widescreen. There is also a 2009 re-release... also 4:3 Letterboxed.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Snow White:a Tale of Terror VHS; Brand: Sigourney Weaver; Review: This 2012 DVD re-release is 4:3 Letterboxed. This means black bars on ALL four sides when viewed on your 16:9 television. I don't understand why companies are still doing this. Phooey! Also, the movie is pretty stinky as well... pass on it.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Armageddon VHS; Brand: Bruce Willis; Review: The movie is what it is. The DVD releases of this film are in the 4:3 Letterbox format. That includes the original 1999 DVD release and the Criterion re-release. Both are in the 4:3 Letterbox format. I suspect the only way to get a 16:9 format is to purchase the Blu-Ray release. Cheers.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Don't Trust the B in Apt. 23 The Complete Series; Brand: Dreama Walker, Eric Andr, Michael Blaiklock, Ray Ford, James Van Der Beek Krysten Ritter; Review: One Star for this particular DVD-R product. Another problematic burn-on-demand product from Amazon - resist the hopeful temptation that your copy will be okay and just say NO. I've now purchased five such products (different titles) and have only had no problems with one of them (and that one was 4:3 Letterboxed, another kind of problem altogether). Frankly, I think we would get better quality buying copies from that creepy guy at the back of the flea-market. I might have suggested buying the Instant Video version, but as I write this, Amazon wants $30.00 just for the second season (seriously amazon?). In the mean time, NetFlix has both seasons available through their streaming service.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Ab-Normal Beauty; Brand: Race Wong; Review: Dark suspenseful horror. Great story, writing and acting. Awesome cinematography. Has a gruesome slasher ending that felt out-of touch with / disconnected from the rest of the film.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nola; Brand: Emmy Rossum; Review: The movie is good. Charming. Four stars, but only if you don't hate things with an after-school-special feel to them. And it's awesome to hear/see Rossum sing a few tracks you can't get anywhere else. Over all the story, writing, and acting are all totally worth your time. I first saw it on Hulu and again later when I rented the disc from Netflix. I liked it well enough that I thought I'd buy a copy. However, this DVD-R Burn-On-Demand version sucks dirty rocks. The absolutely worst video quality ever! First, it's 4:3 letter-boxed (the genuine DVD I had rented from Netflix was formatted for 16:9 televisions). Second, the video quality looks like it was shot from the back row of the theater. The product description and packaging both indicate this product is Digitally Remastered... and maybe it was, but what they have done with it in this DVD-R Burn-On-Demand version has completely destroyed it. To their credit however... they did use a heavy, top-quality DVD case, not a flimsy light one. And the printed artwork was also top notch... heavy stock and impressive printing. Even the printing on the disc was excellent. It all conspires to make you feel like you received something really special... until you pop it in your disc player. I returned it immediately . As I write this, the genuine DVD is still available for rental from Netflix and Hulu still has it available for streaming. Additional rantings: When I had ordered this product, it was described as a DVD. There were two listings for this title, the first was described as a DVD-R Burn-On-Demand and a the second described as a genuine DVD. I purchased the second. I received the first. I see now, both listing indicate they are both DVD-R Burn-On-Demand. Had I known it was a Burn-On-Demand product, I would have never ordered it in the first place. I am done with Amazon's DVD-R Burn-On-Demand junk. Of the eight or nine such products I've ordered, I've had problems with some six or seven of them. It's just not worth it. The movies are often in 4:3 letter-box format, the episodic titles often fail to play properly or are missing episodes, and nearly all display glitches/pauses/dropouts and the like during playback. But don't just take my word for it... if ever you are considering purchasing one of these DVD-R Burn-On-Demand releases, read the reviews carefully. ~Cheers; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Movies_and_TV |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Shadow's Edge: The Night Angel Trilogy, 2; Author: Visit Amazon's Brent Weeks Page; Review: loved this book.. to fill in my time while waiting for throne of swords.. this was great reading!!!highly recommend this; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beyond the Shadows: The Night Angel Trilogy, 3; Author: Visit Amazon's Brent Weeks Page; Review: Loved the trilogy, but then again I am a fan of this genre. All 3 books were worth reading and didn't get too bogged down with different characters like game of thrones did.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Way of Shadows: The Night Angel Trilogy: Book 1; Author: Visit Amazon's Brent Weeks Page; Review: great reading.. along the lines of game of thrones but more magic and all 3 were written well and kept you reading; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Way of Shadows; Author: Visit Amazon's Brent Weeks Page; Review: great reading.. along the lines of game of thrones but more magic and all 3 were written well and kept you reading; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Safe Haven; Author: Visit Amazon's Nicholas Sparks Page; Review: Sorry, but is was just terribile in my opinion although could be liked by romance book fans. So terribily predictable and the writing was bad!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Way of Shadows (Night Angel); Author: Visit Amazon's Brent Weeks Page; Review: great reading.. along the lines of game of thrones but more magic and all 3 were written well and kept you reading; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Way of Shadows (Night Angel Book 1) eBook; Author: Visit Amazon's Brent Weeks Page; Review: great reading.. along the lines of game of thrones but more magic and all 3 were written well and kept you reading; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Way of Shadows: The Night Angel Trilogy: Book 1; Author: ; Review: great reading.. along the lines of game of thrones but more magic and all 3 were written well and kept you reading; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance; Author: Edmund de Waal; Review: What a great interesting true story and written so well!,, i thoroughly enjoyed this book and highhly recomend it for good reading and art lovers.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Inferno; Author: Visit Amazon's Dan Brown Page; Review: YUCK! The writing was terribile and you can tell it was written with the sole purpose of producing a film asap initaly with the publisher (italian) heavily pushing the book here in italy! ok, the same old symbol stuff could be interesting and the story was ok but the writing was terribile!!!; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Alif the Unseen; Author: Visit Amazon's G. Willow Wilson Page; Review: Loved this book.. Kept me on the edge of my chair and loved all the characters... Great writing!!! fascinating enviroment!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory; Author: Visit Amazon's Peter Hessler Page; Review: sorry buit found this boring, Some interesting facts but characters not developed and although the writing was good, i just couldn't get into it; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West; Author: Visit Amazon's Blaine Harden Page; Review: Just can not believe these things still occur in the world!! Written very well and can really get a feel for the protagonist and his ongoing psychological trama.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Orphan Master's Son: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Adam Johnson Page; Review: great book and so well written. Even though a fiction after having read Escape from camp 14.. you realize so many things in the book are true! One of my favorite books!!!!!! Fantastic story!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shantaram: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Gregory David Roberts Page; Review: great story line with fantastic characters all developed so nicely.. keeps you on the edge of your chair and very hard to put down; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Beggar King (US Edition) (A Hangman's Daughter Tale); Author: Visit Amazon's Oliver Pötzsch Page; Review: good and easy reading with great characters well developed and very good story line. would reccomend fhis for easy reading; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rise of Empire, Vol. 2 (Riyria Revelations); Author: Visit Amazon's Michael J. Sullivan Page; Review: even though this trilogy seems alot like Lord of Rings I truly enjoyed all 3 books. The charactes were developed well and you can't help but fall in love with all them. Great , easy reading; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Heir of Novron, Vol. 3(Riyria Revelations); Author: Visit Amazon's Michael J. Sullivan Page; Review: Loved the characters and story line. Hard to put down. Easy reading and not too many characters (as in game of thrones). Loved the trilogy!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Theft of Swords, Vol. 1(Riyria Revelations); Author: Visit Amazon's Michael J. Sullivan Page; Review: Loved all 3 books. Great characters, good easy reading even though I got the feel the trilogy was a mix of Lord of the Rings and game of Thrones.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Orphan Train: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Christina Baker Kline Page; Review: an ok easy book to read while on the beach. Good story, nothing fantastic about it, besides the history of the story.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Bone Tree (Penn Cage); Author: ; Review: Good. Well written and interesting. It is incredible to read what the south was like!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Natchez Burning: A Novel (Penn Cage Book 4) - Kindle edition; Author: Visit Amazon's Greg Iles Page; Review: Good. Well written and interesting. It is incredible to read what the south was like!; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Shawshank Redemption, The (1994); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forrest Gump (1994); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Green Book (2018); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Free Solo (2018); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Green Mile, The (1999); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Matrix, The (1999); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Amelie (Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le) (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fight Club (1999); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Intouchables (2011); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Whiplash (2014); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Saving Private Ryan (1998); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dark Knight Rises, The (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Godfather, The (1972); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Django Unchained (2012); Genres: Action, Drama, Western; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Snatch (2000); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Catch Me If You Can (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: WALL·E (2008); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Truman Show, The (1998); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wolf of Wall Street, The (2013); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Deadpool 2 (2018); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 12 Angry Men (1957); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Last Samurai, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | movielens |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Redeemer; Author: Visit Amazon's Jo Nesbo Page; Review: Love the Harry Hole detective novels. Great writing & mystery plots. Just fun and relaxing reading, never knowing what is coming next. truly entertaining which is why I read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Treatment: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Mo Hayder Page; Review: If you like the Criminal Minds TV series, you"ll definitely enjoy this book. Very descriptive of all details of the grisly murders. Suspenseful, frightening and entertaning. Well written with great character developments. Hard to believe that the author is female, given all the gory descriptions.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's J.K. Rowling Page; Review: FIRST-TIME READER OF THIS AUTHOR. I DIDN'T READ ANY OF THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS. ENJOYED HER WRITING STYLE, AND THE CHARACTERS. THE PLOT WAS OK, PROPOSING A GENERAL THEME OF MAN'S INADEQUACIES, ALONG WITH HIS BLINDNESS TO HIS OWN SELFISH JUDGEMENTS. CERTAINLY HIGHLIGHTED MAN'S PREJUDICE AND JUDGMENTAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE POOR AND MARGINALIZED. IT WAS AN ENJOYABLE READ.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Casual Vacancy 1st (first) Edition by Rowling, J.K. published by Little, Brown and Company (2012) Hardcover; Author: Visit Amazon's J.K. Rowling Page; Review: FIRST-TIME READER OF THIS AUTHOR. I DIDN'T READ ANY OF THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS. ENJOYED HER WRITING STYLE, AND THE CHARACTERS. THE PLOT WAS OK, PROPOSING A GENERAL THEME OF MAN'S INADEQUACIES, ALONG WITH HIS BLINDNESS TO HIS OWN SELFISH JUDGEMENTS. CERTAINLY HIGHLIGHTED MAN'S PREJUDICE AND JUDGMENTAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE POOR AND MARGINALIZED. IT WAS AN ENJOYABLE READ.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Girl in the Spider's Web: A Lisbeth Salander novel, continuing Stieg Larsson's Millennium Series; Author: Visit Amazon's David Lagercrantz Page; Review: Thoroughly enjoyed it. Steig Larrson would have approved. Just as thrilling as the original trilogy. Highly recommended!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Fifth Woman (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard); Author: Visit Amazon's Henning Mankell Page; Review: Another excellent read by Mankell! I have all his novels- working through them one at a time!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: The Expendables 2; Brand: Jason Statham; Review: A different type of performance from Sylvester ..... I thought it was good. All and all a pretty good movie....I've seen it twice and enjoyed it both times.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cursed; Brand: Christina Ricci; Review: enjoyable.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters; Brand: Jeremy Renner; Review: If you have seen the "rated" version of this movie....do not waste your time or your money on this version. The differences are incredibly minor and do not add anything to the movie...I am surprised that amazon would charge what they did for the unrated version....at this point I consider amazon charges for this movie to be a complete rip off.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood VHS; Brand: Shawn Wayans; Review: didn't care for it at all....waste of my time; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Band Of Brothers (DVD); Brand: Damian Lewis; Review: A fantastic representation of the horror and hardship of war....the friendships and trust that develops between the men that experienced this together.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Band of Brothers(Elite SC/BD+DCExp12-21); Brand: Various; Review: A fantastic representation of the horror and hardship of war....the friendships and trust that develops between the men that experienced this together.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Horseman, the anglais; Brand: ; Review: Please don't watch this movie....three stars is way too much for this. If they had spent more than $10.00 to make this move it might have been ok..; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Elvis Presley: From the Beginning...to the End; Brand: Elvis Presley; Review: Honestly, I watched this thing for the first 15 minutes.....by this time I had heard from old members of his fan club......but I had still not heard a single sound, song, music.....of Elvis.....the first movie I ever saw in my life was Roustabout....I hope I spelled that right......this thing they call a movie about elvis.....has nothing about elvis.....It talks about his life....about his music...but shows nothing but an occasional still photo of those times...forgive me for saying this, but this is pure bs......if you want to know about elvis....go somewhere else.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Revenant; Brand: ; Review: I'm sorry to all the 4 and 5 star folks here.....I could not see that part of this movie.......no acting, no screenplay, not much of anything worth anything to me.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Independence Day Resurgence; Brand: Liam Hemsworth; Review: Please don't waste your time or your money on this thing....pitiful script, mediocre acting, pitiful script (oh, I already said that).......anyway, I hope you get the message.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Movies_and_TV |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Forrest Gump (1994); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Rocky (1976); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park (1993); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Nutty Professor, The (1963); Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Princess Bride, The (1987); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Notting Hill (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Groundhog Day (1993); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shakespeare in Love (1998); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Cyrano de Bergerac (1990); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Object of My Affection, The (1998); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Toy Story (1995); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sword in the Stone, The (1963); Genres: Animation, Children, Fantasy, Musical; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Lion King, The (1994); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama, Musical, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937); Genres: Animation, Children, Drama, Fantasy, Musical; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Cinderella (1950); Genres: Animation, Children, Fantasy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Alice in Wonderland (1951); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Fantasy, Musical; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Sleeping Beauty (1959); Genres: Animation, Children, Musical; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Toy Story 2 (1999); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Graffiti (1973); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Wizard of Oz, The (1939); Genres: Adventure, Children, Fantasy, Musical; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jungle Book, The (1967); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy, Musical; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mary Poppins (1964); Genres: Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Musical; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Peter Pan (1953); Genres: Animation, Children, Fantasy, Musical; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beauty and the Beast (1991); Genres: Animation, Children, Fantasy, Musical, Romance, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aladdin (1992); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Musical; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Babe (1995); Genres: Children, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Harriet the Spy (1996); Genres: Children, Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); Genres: Children, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Muppet Movie, The (1979); Genres: Adventure, Children, Comedy, Musical; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Muppet Christmas Carol, The (1992); Genres: Children, Comedy, Musical; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 101 Dalmatians (One Hundred and One Dalmatians) (1961); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Little Big League (1994); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pinocchio (1940); Genres: Animation, Children, Fantasy, Musical; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | movielens |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: X-ACTO #1 Knife, Z Series With Safety Cap; Brand: X-Acto; Review: Maybe its because I just suck at using a xacto knife, but I got better results cutting some privacy film with my regular home-depot hand knife than this one. I guess it might work better at a different application. It was impossible to cut a straight line with this thing. And I am very good with tools, i almost use them every single day at work, knives, hammers, screwdrivers etc. So, I am not dumb when it comes to cutting finely.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: CLC Custom Leathercraft 1104 Construction Multi-Purpose Poly Tool Holder, Cell Phone Holder; Brand: Custom Leathercraft; Review: I hold a leatherman, a knife, couple of pens, an electrical tester, and allen key set in there. It works just fine. Nice material, strong, will last me a few years. You can loop your belt through it, or just use the metal hook already on it. If you are looking for a small utility pouch that will last you a few years, this is it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Makita LCT209W 12V max Lithium-Ion Cordless 2-Piece Combo Kit; Brand: Makita; Review: Will do most simple household jobs. Definitely Plus on the compact size. Very light to work with But if you are looking for something more powerful, look into the 18W Line. The new Lith Ion Batteries are small, so you will get the compactness even in the 18W size. The case that comes with this combo pack is not as savvy/cool as you might think. If anything, its Bulky and not very beautiful. Its a boxy ugly thing. It does not complement the small and compact size of the tools that are inside.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dremel CKDR-02 Ultimate 3-Tool Combo Kit with 15 Accessories and Storage Bag; Brand: Dremel; Review: This tool kit combo has 3 tools in 1 so it's a great value. It is more suited for precision work and fine work rather than the 'hack-attack' type of fellow (yours truly). You can do a lot with the provided tools. I am sure when it's time to get new bkades, it is expensive. If you are working on anything thicker than 1/4" wood, get a bigger saw.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: CeSunlight Rechargeable LED Book Light, Hands Free, Best for Bed Reading or Read in Car, Flexible; Brand: CeSunlight; Review: This is a knockoff type of product with LED's that are not superbright. Cheap quality, garbage.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Homitex Water Purifier Kitchen Faucet, Lead-free RO Drinking Ceramic Disc Design,Luxury Chrome Finish Non-air Gap Tap; Brand: Homitex; Review: It is a good looking faucet. It is designed to fit in smaller holes, so if you have a preexisting larger hole, it ain't gonna work. My main problem with this product is that it had really poor directions on how to use. It had Zero directions on how to use its plastic "adapter." And the nut and screw assembly is not standard to the US market. These are Metric parts. I would have really liked to return this because of all these issues but my old water faucet was unusable and I had to make tweaks to this one to get it to work. I would only recommend it for new installs, but not if you are replacing something.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bondhus 20599 0.050-3/8-Inch and 1.5-10mm Stubby Ball End Hex Key Double Pack; Brand: Bondhus; Review: This is a very nice set. I just needed in but this is a very unique type of product so they don't sell it solo. I love the snub-nosed size, it got into a very tough spot and tightened the screw. Seems to be made of nice material.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Tools_and_Home_Improvement |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Namcos Museum Vol. 3; Brand: Namco; Review: no case; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Kirby's Dream Land; Brand: by
Nintendo; Review: received product as described. it game with a game pak holder for the cartridge; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mario Paint; Brand: by
Nintendo; Review: label ripped up; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sim Theme Park; Brand: Electronic Arts; Review: no case; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Lady Sia; Brand: TDK; Review: received product in specified condition; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Video_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Hanes Women's Ultimate Perfect Coverage Foam Wire-Free Bra; Brand: ; Review: Love this purse and got compliments.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Top Moda Tail-3 Women's Buckle Stacked Block Heel Chelsea Ankle Booties,Black,9; Brand: Top Moda; Review: Looks great, however, it is a bit narrow. Therefore, not for people with wide feet.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Avidlove Women Sexy Negligee Lingerie Lace Babydoll Satin Chemise; Brand: Avidlove; Review: Was skeptical initially, however, it fits pretty well. (it runs a bit small so order one size up); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Top Moda Women's Ankle Booties; Brand: Top Moda; Review: Comfertable and got lots of complements.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jeasona TM Women's Deep V-Neck Sexy Long Beach Dress/Swimsuit Cover Up White; Brand: Jeasona; Review: Loved it. Fabric feels nice and flows beautifully with wind.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Doublju Womens Womens Shirring Botton Tank Top Style Blouse; Brand: ; Review: Clean finished hem. Does not look cheap.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Brinley Co. Womens Regular and Wide-Calf Buckle-Strap Knee-High Riding Boot; Brand: ; Review: Very cute; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Madden Girl Women's Lilith Motorcycle Boot; Brand: Madden Girl; Review: Very cute; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: There Is a River: The Story of Edgar Cayce; Author: Visit Amazon's Thomas Sugrue Page; Review: Thank you for the effort for bringing this story to life. The path of human being who gave himself for the prosperity of everyone up to this point; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali; Author: Visit Amazon's Swami Prabhavananda Page; Review: In simplicity of sutras there is great wisdom which is reflected from words and experienced through the practice Sat Nam; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb; Author: Visit Amazon's R. Crumb Page; Review: Do you have more Bible in pictures?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Trigger Point Therapy for Myofascial Pain: The Practice of Informed Touch; Author: Donna Finando L.Ac. L.M.T.; Review: Must have for all body workers...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Orthopedic Assessment in Massage Therapy; Author: Visit Amazon's Whitney Lowe Page; Review: Excellent reference book for body work professionals...; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Ed Wood (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: THX 1138: Special Edition (1971); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Seven Samurai (1954); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GoodFellas: Special Edition (1990); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Once Upon a Time in the West (1968); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Da Ali G Show: Season 1 (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Capturing the Friedmans (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Jerk (1979); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Godfather (1972); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chinatown (1974); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Last Waltz (1978); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Once Upon a Time in America (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Godfather (1974); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: City of God (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Reservoir Dogs (1992); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Apocalypse Now Redux (1979); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Trainspotting: Collector's Edition (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Apocalypse Now (1979); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Usual Suspects (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Taxi Driver (1976); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Deer Hunter (1978); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Down by Law (1986); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Element of Crime (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Something's Gotta Give (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Last Samurai (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Elizabeth (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Italian Job (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Crumb (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: All the President's Men (1976); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Brazil (1985); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Big Fish (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lost in Translation (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mystic River (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Two Weeks Notice (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Amadeus (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Matchstick Men (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dancer in the Dark (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dogville (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Happiness (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bottle Rocket (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Talk to Her (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Being John Malkovich (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii: Director's Cut (1974); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Amores Perros (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Almost Famous (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Big Night (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Station Agent (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Election (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Deliverance (1972); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pi: Faith in Chaos (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pulp Fiction (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Miller's Crossing (1990); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Adaptation (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Virgin Suicides (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Leaving Las Vegas (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Easy Rider (1969); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Waiting for Guffman (1996); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Splendor (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Donnie Darko (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Maria Full of Grace (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Requiem for a Dream (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Silence of the Lambs (1991); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rushmore (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Best in Show (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Memento (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Patton (1970); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Conversation (1974); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: L.A. Confidential (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ran (1985); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Apostle (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Shawshank Redemption: Special Edition (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: On the Waterfront (1954); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: La Dolce Vita (1960); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blow (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Trainspotting (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wonder Boys (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Natural Born Killers (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blood Simple (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Clockwork Orange (1971); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Green Mile (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Hero (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: This Is Spinal Tap (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Motorcycle Diaries (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Raging Bull (1980); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 1 (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Fog of War (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Arrested Development: Season 2 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Catch 22 (1970); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 8 1/2 (1963); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sideways (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0 | netflix |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Discount Tire; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: I came in this morning fully expecting a long line of people and a 2 hr wait for service. To my surprise there was NO line, I was greeted and helped immediately. My service person, Zach, was very knowledgeable and suggested the best tire to replace the one that had a bubble in it. I asked how long the service would be and when he said 45 minutes I was ready to do my happy dance. I would ABSOLUTELY return to this location. I appreciate the great customer service and professionalism.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Exotic On the Run; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: This is a ghetto, low class hood place. #1 why would you only have TWO menus for entire establishment. #2 you don't have gumbo, crab cakes or liquor at the bar that I can see from my seat. #3 you put a round table next to a square table to seat four people? #4 you have two different musics going at the same time? #5 you have 2 people playing both hostess and waitress, so I'm guessing only one person cooking. Never again; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Studio Movie Grill; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: Overall the service at this establishment SUCKS!!! I went to see Panther yesterday (my birthday) at 11 am, arrived at 10:30 am, tried to buy tickets the screen showed SOLD OUT...there were only 15 cars in the parking lot. I asked the young lady at the ticket counter (once she meandered back over there) how it was sold out when there was a near empty parking lot and she got very snippy with me telling me they only sell a certain number of tickets so its "sold out" they don't have the food staff to accommodate everyone in the theater. I asked for a manager, she sashayed off to get one, or so I thought because 10 minutes later I'm still standing there. I purchased tickets for a later show, but decided to go into the theater to see what "sold out" looked like, there were SIX people there (10:45 am). I stayed in the theater hoping the manager would show up, no one ever did. I stayed and watched the movie for the "sold out" showing, however the theater was only half full, no where near "sold out". I'm trying to understand the logic behind what they did, it hurt ticket sales, so is it a racist thing? I noticed when I went to see Star Wars the theaters were literally SOLD OUT, not a seat in the house left. The only saving grace to this place is that the drinks are good.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Master Movers; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: Why doesn't yelp give us the option to give zero stars? I recently used Master Movers for a local move (February 2018). I worked with Marilyn throughout the process and she assured me that there wouldn't be any increase in my bill unless I went over my time. Come the day of the move the moving foreman advised me that I had more that the 85 items listed on the inventory sheet. I asked how it would affect my move and he said it might require an additional hour, which I was ok with. It took a total of 8.25 hours to get all of my things moved which was 2.5 hours over my time. I was ok with that, however when I got my final bill and checked my credit card I saw where I was charged for a bunch of additional charges such as truck use, tax on supplies, and a credit card fee. Common sense dictates that a moving company would be using a truck so for them to charge for that is ridiculous. How do you charge tax on supplies but then don't list the supplies that were used? I asked Marilyn in advance about that credit card fee and she told me if I paid in advance it wouldn't be applicable, so I paid in advance, but they charged it despite what I was told. I saw that they had some negative reviews online, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt since Marilyn was very attentive during the "courting" process and offered good rates. That was a BIG mistake because I have not heard a word from Marilyn since I contacted them about the bill discrepancy. Instead I get messages from some guy named Benjamin who is trying to make me think that I'm the crazy one and that they did everything they were supposed to do when they didn't. I have a step ladder missing and part of my bed was not properly assembled, nor was my mirror properly attached to my dresser, they couldn't get the queen box spring for one of the beds upstairs, however when I had a delivery for another bedroom set those movers were able to get BOTH box springs up the stairs. In has last message he had the nerve to ask if I wanted him to send a CROW (yes that's how he spelled it) to come out and it would be a 3-hour minimum. So now I know the people I'm dealing with and I would say that I would NEVER use them again and I'm going to tell everyone I know not to use them either, BELIEVE the reviews. Oh and to add insult to injury I actually tipped my movers.....; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: LV Nails; City: Fishers, IN; Review: I saw the reviews and decided to give this place a try. There were a lot of people there so I figured it might be a wait, however when I told them I wanted a pedicure the guy told me it would be an hour, BUT the white lady behind me just signed in, they said nothing about time to her and I never heard them ask if she had an appointment. I'd say three more people came in after me, signed in and I didn't hear anyone mention an appointment. They started calling people back to get a pedicure not even acknowledging me. While speaking to another customer about how they were working around me one of the ladies came over and tried to tell me that alllllll those other folks had an appointment. Oh ok, that's just fine. She tried to tell me she remembered but I'm having none of that, why should I wait for an over priced pedicure?; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Kilroy's Bar N' Grill; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: My friend and I went for our pre concert get together. We ordered a pitcher of mimosas, which was delicious and lemon drop shots, which were made just right. I had the bread sticks of the month which was the Cordon Bleu and they hit my stomach just right. Our server was very friendly and attentive despite there being a full house. I would definitely go back again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Discount Tire; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: I love the new process for getting service, very quick and efficient. Pull up give info, park and they come to you for inspection. Go in with technician to choose/pay for services. I had TWO tires that needed replacing due to Indianapolis pot holes!!! I got BOTH for under $20 because I had the hazard certificates. I was in and out in an hour on a Monday morning! I love the professionalism of the guys here, the lobby is clean and very cool. Everyone had masks on and chairs were spread out. This is the ONLY place I'll use for my tire service. Get the hazard certificates it is WORTH every penny!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ty's Automotive; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: I took my car in for brake service, got a phone call stating my brakes are fine. I'm glad that he was honest others would have just taken my money for service I didn't need. I love the honesty.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pet Wellness Clinics; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: I absolutely LOVE this clinic, wish I'd found them a long time ago. I take my grand dog Roscoe and his mom Princess and they always receive amazing treatment. There have been times when we needed a last minute appointment and they will always help us get something that will work. I LOVE the way they put the pet's names on the white board at the entrance makes me feel special. I enjoy the complimentary beverages that they offer and the ease of checking out when we're finished. I recently found out, or more like was reminded, about their online clinic. I had an issue getting Princess' meds online (had to mail in rx) after i found out Costco didn't carry it. When I responded to a text following up about Princess' recent visit, I received a call from the clinic, not only reminding me of the online med option BUT she sent an email with the item in my cart, I just had to check out!!!! Talk about going above and beyond...I love it It's worth the 30 minute drive from Avon to ensure my babies get the best, quality care. Thank you all so much.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Canon EOS 5D Mark II Full Frame DSLR Camera (Body Only) (OLD MODEL); Brand: Canon; Review: I would like to have one or the next update soon.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: AmazonBasics 4.7 GB 16x DVD+R - 100 Pack Spindle; Brand: AmazonBasics; Review: deffective products cheap quality; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Seasonic M12II EVO 520 SS-520GM2 520W 80+ Bronze EVO Edition ATX12V; Brand: Seasonic; Review: not the one I order! but it works fine.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: WD My Book 1TB External Hard Drive Storage USB 3.0 File Backup and Storage; Brand: Western Digital; Review: bad products from WESTERN DIGITAL crap; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3 AM3+ AMD 990FX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard; Brand: Gigabyte; Review: GREAT from some models!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: (OLD MODEL) Seagate Expansion 1TB Desktop External Hard Drive USB 3.0 (STBV1000100); Brand: Seagate; Review: deffective products but may be was a one in one thousand!; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Rokinon Cine CV35-N 35mm T1.5 Aspherical Wide Angle Cine Lens for Nikon DSLR; Brand: Rokinon; Review: hope to get one soon.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sony 8GB SDHC/SDXC Class 10 UHS-1 R40 Memory Card (SF8UY/TQMN) (OLD MODEL); Brand: Sony; Review: good sdxc card, could be lower priced.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: PNY Elite Performance 16GB High Speed SDHC Class 10 UHS-1 Up to 90MB/sec Flash Card - P-SDH16U1H-GE; Brand: PNY; Review: there better ones; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Anker 2-Port USB 3.0 3.5 inch Front Panel Data Hub for PC, USB Flash Drives, and Other Devices; Brand: Anker; Review: great item works as it suppose to, but a little pricey for what i is. Many chinese products compete with quality, it depends the target market at the end.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kingston HyperX FURY 16GB Kit (2x8GB) 1600MHz DDR3 CL10 DIMM - Black (HX316C10FBK2/16); Brand: HyperX; Review: hear that they are good; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: EMPTY; Brand: Vivitar; Review: good quality, could be lower price; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Transcend 512GB MLC SATA III 6Gb/s 2.5-Inch Internal Solid State Drive 370 (TS512GSSD370); Brand: Transcend; Review: great performance and not so low price.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Altec Lansing UHP606 Reference Earphones (Black/Gold) (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Altec Lansing; Review: bad quality get broken easily; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Silverstone Tek Redline Series ATX, Micro-ATX Computer Mid Tower Case with 2x USB 3.0 Front Ports, Black RL04B; Brand: SilverStone Technology; Review: returned , too pricey; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Neewer 47 inches/120 centimeters Aluminum Alloy Camera Track Slider Video Stabilizer Rail for DSLR Camera DV Video Camcorder Film; Brand: Neewer; Review: defective on surface, make unusable for professional use, as metal scuff, or little dents or cracks make base bump. Try another model type that couldn't get easily damaged......well China low quality products and poor model design some times make things bad.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Ravelli AVTP Professional 75mm Video Camera Tripod with Fluid Drag Head; Brand: Ravelli; Review: one of the best things purchase, quality, material craftmanship, specs, ergonomics, durability and functions. Very recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GoPro HERO3 Black: Surf Edition (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: GoPro; Review: chinese clones sometimes are even better.. just my 2 cents, check before you order more options.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone; Brand: Sony; Review: these are one of the best headphones for less that 150.00 you can find, and now are priced down so you have a chance, but beware as the cable comes united and not detached options, and little cables outside make it very fragile for heavy use or silly hands.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Behringer HPS3000 Studio Headphones; Brand: Behringer; Review: these pair of headphones can be use for pro or semi pro jobs in and out of the studio, good quality though are made in China, sounds good and not kills your ears, almost same quality of those 3 time the price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ballistix Tactical 4GB Single DDR3 1600 MT/s (PC3-12800) UDIMM 240-Pin Memory - BLT4G3D1608DT1TX0; Brand: Ballistix; Review: bought for a friend and no bad review here, those are great ram and great quality in all.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rosewill Micro-ATX Mini Tower Computer Case with Dual USB 3.0, Dual Fans and 12.5-Inch Card LINE-M Black; Brand: Rosewill; Review: Solid Case and very good quality for the price, Amazon most of the time give you very good options and best price over the web.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: MSI Computer Corp. Socket AM3+ AMD 970 DDR3 SATA3 and USB 3.0 A&GbE ATX Motherboard 970A-G43; Brand: MSI; Review: one of the best mobo for the prices and performance, amd its the difference now, as Intel has the i7, amd comes good to buyers that need same specs on lower budget.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kingston Digital 16GB 100 G3 USB 3.0 DataTraveler (DT100G3/16GB); Brand: Kingston; Review: recommended for day to day used. good quality too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Headphone Adapter for iPhone7 Adapter Charger Adapter 3.5mm Square Jack Dongle Earphone Aux Audio & Charge Compatible for; Brand: UCDOUIT; Review: good psu for the price.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crucial 16GB Kit (8GBx2) DDR3/DDR3L 1866 MT/s (PC3-14900) Unbuffered SODIMM 204-Pin Memory - CT2K102464BF186D; Brand: Crucial; Review: works as advertise and good quality too, not the lowest price to be fair but very recommended. Check the model before buy ram.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bestlight 216 LED Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel Digital Camera / Camcorder Video Light for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Panasonic,; Brand: Neewer; Review: good product and one bad battery was replaced fast by seller on Amazon. Very recommended. Hope Prices come a little down soon.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Apple iMac MK482LL/A 27-Inch Retina 5K Display Desktop (Intel Quad-Core i5 3.3GHz, 8GB RAM),(Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Apple; Review: mismatch info specs returned; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Canon EOS 70D Digital SLR Camera with 18-135mm STM Lens; Brand: Canon; Review: returned way ago; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Corsair CMY16GX3M2A2400C11A Vengeance Pro Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 DRAM 2400MHz C11 Memory Kit 1.65V; Brand: Corsair; Review: great could be lower price AMAZON don't match lower price on days later what a shame!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Acuvar High Speed All-in-1 Memory Card Reader / Writer for SD/SDHC, Micro SD, CF, XD, MS/Pro & Duo Cards; Brand: Acuvar; Review: good and good price good quality too at least till today; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: AMD FD8350FRHKBOX FX-8350 FX-Series 8-Core Black Edition Processor; Brand: AMD; Review: good for price and quality; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Toshiba OCZ Trion 150 480GB 2.5" 7mm SATA III Internal Solid State Drive TRN150-25SAT3-480G; Brand: Toshiba OCZ; Review: defect in product mislead info delivered!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Nikon Coolpix P1 8MP Digital Camera with 3.5x Optical Zoom (Wi-Fi Capable); Brand: Nikon; Review: bad; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: COOLEAD USB3.0 8X Slim DVD+/-RW Slim USB External Drive; Brand: COOLEAD; Review: good as expected; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kapaxen Dual Channel LCD Charger for JVC SSL-JVC50, SSL-JVC70, and SSL-JVC75 Batteries; Brand: KAPAXEN; Review: great product and works like advertised, seller is professional.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get Things Right; Author: Visit Amazon's Atul Gawande Page; Review: I am a medical doctor, but appreciate that there are typical surgery routines that a check list is perfect for, but would have liked to hjave read some stories ast to where a check list has helphed in non-surgical medical care; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The President Has Been Shot!: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy; Author: Visit Amazon's James L. Swanson Page; Review: Quick run thru on JFK. Seems written for pre-HS.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Tale of Two Cities (Collins Classics); Author: Visit Amazon's Charles Dickens Page; Review: A good read!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Oliver Twist (Penguin Clothbound Classics); Author: Visit Amazon's Charles Dickens Page; Review: A good read!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Great Expectations By Charles Dickens - The Franklin Library (Hardcover - 1979); Author: Visit Amazon's Charles Dickens Page; Review: A good read!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Level 2B - Performance Book: Piano Adventures; Author: Nancy Faber; Review: Excellent workbook for adult beginner; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Pierce: Perfectly Bad - A bad boy Mafia dark romance - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Alice May Ball Page; Review: It seems like the only people who wrote a great review are the people who received the book for free for an "honest opinion". The book had an overwhelming amount of grammar errors. At times, they kept calling Pierce- Prince. The book was all over the place and even had a page deleted in the middle of a conversation. I'm not sure who proof read the book, but i would request money back for that. This book had the potential to be good, but it fell flat. If this wasn't free with my Kindle Unlimited, I would of demanded a refund.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Sold to the Hitman: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance Novel (Alexis Abbott's Hitmen Book 2) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Alexis Abbott Page; Review: good story; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: His Saving Grace: A Billionaire Bad Boy Romance - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Leslie Johnson Page; Review: This book had every element to make this a 5 Star book. No spoilers so you must read! I spent the whole day reading because I couldn't put it down! Wow; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bad Boy Dom (Forbidden Nights Trilogy Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Ellen Harper Page; Review: What a utter disappointment! I kept thinking it had to get better if I kept reading but it didn't. Dom stayed immature until the last few pages and it ended with them having sex and no resolution.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Darkness Series: Books 1-3 - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's J.L. Drake Page; Review: I couldn't out this series down! Omg this author captivated me! If you are looking for suspense,drama, murder and love story - THIS IS IT!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Kindle_Store |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Sideways (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rush Hour 2 (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: American Wedding (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Hills Cop (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Trainspotting (1995); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: What Women Want (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bruce Almighty (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Police Academy: Special Edition (1984); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Patch Adams (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Sixth Sense (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bowling for Columbine (2002); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Great Outdoors (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Miss Congeniality (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spaceballs (1987); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sister Act (1992); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Hills Cop II (1987); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Phenomenon (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Six Feet Under: Season 1 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Royal Tenenbaums (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: South Park: Season 2 (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Friday (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Pie 2 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forrest Gump (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Pie (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Adaptation (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Big Fish (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chinatown (1974); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Office Space (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Shawshank Redemption: Special Edition (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: You've Got Mail (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Waterboy (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Batman (1989); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Beetlejuice (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grease (1978); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Big Daddy (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Father of the Bride (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Frida (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: American Beauty (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Seven Samurai (1954); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Free Willy (1993); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Singin' in the Rain (1952); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Garden State (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bringing Down the House (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Angels in the Outfield (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rushmore (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Best in Show (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GoodFellas: Special Edition (1990); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Bug's Life (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Flubber (1997); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Scary Movie (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ghost World (2001); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: There's Something About Mary: Special Edition (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Father of the Bride 2 (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Incredibles (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pulp Fiction (1994); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monsters (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American History X (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A League of Their Own (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The French Connection (1971); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Godfather (1972); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Coming to America (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The NeverEnding Story (1984); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Office: Series 1 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dogtown and Z-Boys (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Naked Gun (1988); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Analyze That (2002); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: City Slickers (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Replacements (2000); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Kindergarten Cop (1990); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Meet the Parents (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Me (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Super Size Me (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sin City (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Coach Carter (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Finding Neverland (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Finding Nemo (Widescreen) (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Arrested Development: Season 1 (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Super Troopers (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Six Feet Under: Season 2 (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shrek (Full-screen) (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Old School (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chicken Run (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: National Treasure (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Touching the Void (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Good Will Hunting (1997); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Taxi Driver (1976); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Toy Story (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lion King: Special Edition (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Extended Edition (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Entourage: Season 1 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Meet the Fockers (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Office Special (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chasing Amy (1997); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Beautiful Mind (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aladdin: Platinum Edition (1992); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Braveheart (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Half Baked (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Last Samurai (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Extended Edition (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stand by Me (1986); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ice Age (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lost in Translation (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Office: Season 1 (2005); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blazing Saddles (1974); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mary Poppins (1964); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Office: Series 2 (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Extended Edition (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Remember the Titans (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Donnie Darko: Director's Cut (2001); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope (1977); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 1 (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Band of Brothers (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Piano (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shrek 2 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 2 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: O Brother (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Clone Wars: Vol. 1 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Schindler's List (1993); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Step Into Liquid (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dazed and Confused (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Da Ali G Show: Season 2 (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Saving Private Ryan (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 3 (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Six Feet Under: Season 3 (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Arrested Development: Season 2 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Shield: Season 1 (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Friends: Season 1 (1994); Rating: 5.0/5.0 | netflix |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Wonder; Author: R J PALACIO; Review: I love how it shows how he deals with everything and all the drama that August and Via go through. It's just like real life. Plus it seems like it's written like a kid. There's so many different characters in the book and u get to read from each person's perspective.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wonder; Author: Visit Amazon's R. J. Palacio Page; Review: I love how it shows how he deals with everything and all the drama that August and Via go through. It's just like real life. Plus it seems like it's written like a kid. There's so many different characters in the book and u get to read from each person's perspective.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The One and Only Ivan; Author: Katherine Applegate; Review: The main reason I like this book is how caring and compassionate Ivan is. At the beginning, Ivan is not very happy with his live he has. He wants to be free. At the end of the book, he is very happy and very sweet to everyone who is like that to him. He grows without the book to have this confident personality and is very caring.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bridge to Terabithia; Author: Visit Amazon's Katherine Paterson Page; Review: This book can get sad t sometimes, but it is very inspiring. No one thinks that a girl and a boy could become best friends, but Jess and Leslie proved them wrong. The were best friends until something tragic happened, and they never saw each other again. What is that tragic thing that tears them a part? Find out for yourself in Bridge to Terabithia! ( make sure to bring some tissues) ; ) I recommend this book for junior high or higher, and someone who doesn't cry a lot at sad things, because this book is full of it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tutu Much: The Dance Series (Book #1) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Airin Emery Page; Review: I am a dancer that hopes to be just like these girls one day. This book is great for dancers with big hopes, and dreams. It inspired me to work hard, for good things come with it. I recommend this book to dancers of any kind. It is very easy to understand if you take ballet, because of all the French words. It gives you inspiration for what you're going to do in your life. It also has great combinations to try on your own just like the girls in the book. I would not recommend this book to anyone who isn't a dancer. I don't think you would be able to understand it that well because of all the ballet words and moves. This book is very relatable and overall one of the best books I've ever read. : ); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Frozen: The Junior Novelization; Author: RH / Disney; Review: Frozen is my favorite movie, and the book is really good too! This book is good for anyone, even if you haven't seen the movie! It is very funny, though very sad and you can feel Elsa's frustration through lots of parts, which you need a special writer to be able to make you feel like your there, and be able to feel their emotions. And this book allows you to do that! Over all, this book is just simply amazing!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hunger Games (Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Suzanne Collins Page; Review: This book is so touching and incredible! I felt like I was there the whole time! I couldn't put it down : ); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mockingjay: The Hunger Games; Author: Collins; Review: This book is so touching and incredible! I felt like I was there the whole time! I couldn't put it down : ); Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Duchess Meghan Describes 'Really Challenging' Life as New Royal: I'm Not OK; Abstract: Duchess Meghan Describes 'Really Challenging' Life as New Royal: I'm Not OK; Category: lifestyle
Title: Former President Jimmy Carter suffers pelvic fracture after falling in Georgia home; Abstract: Former President Jimmy Carter was taken to the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center for "observation and treatment," according to the Carter Center; Category: news
Title: An Awkward Moment As Meghan Markle Met A Curtsy Attempt With An American Greeting; Abstract: Customs vary by country and a hug was lost in translation when Meghan Markle took the stage. Buzz60's Keri Lumm reports.; Category: lifestyle
Title: Mississippi woman found after being missing for days by writing S.O.S. with rocks; Abstract: "S.O.S" spelled out with rocks saved a woman missing in a national park for days, according to a release from the National Park Service.; Category: news
Title: Ex-All-Star slugger Josh Hamilton charged with child injury; Abstract: KELLER, Texas (AP) Former All-Star slugger Josh Hamilton has been charged with injury to a child after his 14-year-old daughter told his ex-wife that he'd struck her.; Category: sports
Title: Bruce Willis brought Demi Moore to tears after reading her book; Abstract: Demi wasn't sure how her ex would feel about her book until he called her.; Category: movies
Title: If You're Trying to Cut Down on Sugar, Use This Simple Ice Cube Hack; Abstract: I have such a sweet tooth that I've been known to put maple syrup on my hash browns.; Category: health
Title: Rep. Tim Ryan endorses Biden in Democratic primary; Abstract: ; Category: news | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Once We Were Brothers; Author: Visit Amazon's Ronald H Balson Page; Review: The book is fascinating I am very interested in books about the Holocaust.. It is written very well. It is very hard to put down.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Closers; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Connelly Page; Review: It was a great book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Six Years; Author: Visit Amazon's Harlan Coben Page; Review: could not put it down. Wonderful book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Missing You; Author: Visit Amazon's Harlan Coben Page; Review: It was so good I could not put the book down.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Guilty (Will Robie series); Author: Visit Amazon's David Baldacci Page; Review: It was a very good book but not as much as I have enjoyed many of his other books; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Home (Myron Bolitar, No. 11); Author: Visit Amazon's Harlan Coben Page; Review: Very good but not his best; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Purina Cat Chow Naturals Indoor With Real Chicken & Turkey Adult Dry Cat Food; Brand: Purina Cat Chow; Review: Ordered this n litter and they package both together n got damaged n all over the place wasn't very happy about that.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Bergan Turbo Scratcher Cat Toy, Colors may vary; Brand: Bergan; Review: Great toy my cats love it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Petmate Hooded Cat Litter Pan; Brand: Petmate; Review: Horrible product the lid doesnt say on my cat knocks it off every time!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Febreze Extra Strength Pet Odor Eliminator Room & Carpet Deodorizing Powder Endorsed by BISSELL, 32 ounces; Brand: Bissell; Review: This product is horrible it stained my new area rug I just got not happy at all I will be calling them and the smell is awful!!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Petmate 22027 Hooded Litter Pan Set, Large; Brand: Petmate; Review: The lid doesnt stay on or clip it falls off and I don't like that one bit.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Pet_Supplies |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: The Hand and Flowers; City: Marlow Buckinghamshire England; Review: Visited with my husband & son for a combined birthday celebration for the 2 of them. From the outside it looks much like many other pubs in the area - neat, clean, good country pub-ish! But the moment you walk in you are enveloped in a warm, cosy, environment with smiling, welcoming staff & fantastic smells. The Hand & Flowers more than lives up to the initial impression! We had a wonderful meal & will be back for more - just as soon as we can get a table!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Dove Inn; City: Warminster Wiltshire England; Review: We've been to the Dove on a few occasions, but only for lunch (always good) when en route to Cornwall from London. Yesterday evening we rang at about 7:30 asking for a table at 8ish. We were told that they were pretty busy but that they'd find a table for us. When we arrived they were welcoming & friendly. My husband says that the beer is good & my drink (a softy with a twist) was well made & very welcome. A table was allocated to us in the bar, where we ordered haddock & chips. We did have to wait for a little while but they kept us informed what was happening & when the food arrived it was well worth the wait! Great food, lovely aspect & wonderfully helpful, considerate & friendly staff.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel La Residence des Artistes; City: Roscoff Finistere Brittany; Review: Situated in a quiet street, off Rue Gambetta, it's a joy to visit this unassuming-looking hotel. Inside it is a friendly, fun, quirky boutique hotel. The owners speak good English, are charming, friendly & really want to help their guests to enjoy a relaxed, stress-free stay. To this end, they have the facility to sell tickets to local attractions - we bought our boat tickets for the Ilse de Batz at the front desk. Also, they went out of their way to find out find bus & train times when we were planning to visit Morlaix. The rooms are very clean, with quirky finishing touches. Everywhere you look there are different colours, different textures & wonderful things to look at - albumn covers, film posters, amazing wallpapers, OTT plants, travelling trunks ... This hotel is a joy to stay in & we will be back!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Villa Rothsay Hotel; City: Cowes Isle of Wight England; Review: Sadly we only stayed 1 night - & were out for most of it! That as it may, we were very happy with our stay at the Villa Rothsay. Walking through the door was like stepping into my childhood - this wonderful hotel is very reminiscent of my Grandparents house! The beautiful, dark wood furniture would seem heavy anywhere else - here it is imposing yet comforting at the same time. The myriad pictures of yachts are fabulous & very in keeping with both the situation and the obvious enthusiasm of Margaret & her staff. Our bedroom had a gorgeous view overlooking the sea, with a balcony on which was a table & chairs. The room itself was large & airy, with no fussy decor & plenty of room to move around without feeling cramped. The bed was enormous & oh, so comfortable! The bathroom was well decorated & had a power shower within the bath, so both options are available. You will notice the recurrent use of the word "comfortable" in my review. That was not intended but I realise that that is exactly what I felt at this wonderful hotel - comfortable ... & entirely at my ease. The staff are friendly & helpful - to the point where Margaret, aware that we were heading out to a wedding & noticing my high heels, suggested we might be better not walking too far, so offered to drive us down into the town! Her offer was very welcome. And now the breakfast ... fabulous! Full English and local produce to boot! The selection for breakfast is varied but anyone not opting for the full English is missing a treat! Though you wouldn't want to miss the toast (the bread is gorgeous) but deciding on what to put on it may be tricky as there are lots of mar ladies, jams and curds to choose from! We'll definitely be back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Solent Hotel Spa; City: Whiteley Fareham Hampshire England; Review: We stayed 1 night last weekend. The hotel is lovely - well laid out & spacious. Our room was surprisingly large & comfortable. We booked a double room but it felt like a junior suite. The staff could not have been more helpful & friendly. Sadly, the restaurant food was not very inspiring - more like gastro pub grub than high dining, with lots of deep fried foods. I chose the Singaporean soft shell crab - there were a few - all of which were slightly tough & completely tasteless ... difficult to distinguish in the extreme my hot sauce. I like hot spicy food but this left my mouth & lips tingling! There was no mention on the menu or by the waiter that this was a very hot dish. The breakfast was better - but I really feel that the hotel would benefit from a rethink of its menu. Not only was the food poor, but it was pricey too - underwhelmed! The Spa & pool looked inviting but we didn't have the time to make use of them - will have to stay again to try them out!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Harewood Arms Hotel; City: Leeds West Yorkshire England; Review: This is our second visit - the last being in October/November last year. Then the wifi didn't work but everything else was fine. Not sure what's happened in the interim but this visit was farcical! I echo what so many others have said .... The staff are indifferent & don't seem able to look at what the "customers" needs are. This could be a real destination hotel - the building & setting are fantastic. The rooms are beautiful. But it's let down by staff. We had to witness an argument between a guest & a member of staff, with raised voices across the restaurant. Whatever happened to "the customer is always right"?? At breakfast we witnessed other guests waiting in excess of 1/2 hour for their toast, let alone their breakfast. We had to ask for a table to be cleared before there was anywhere for us to sit & then we waited some time before being offered the full English - no options! What actually arrived - with no explanation- was sausages, 1/2 a cold sliced tomato & bread! This is definitely somewhere that the Sam Smiths organisation needs to have a close look at!; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Premier Inn Melton Mowbray Hotel; City: Melton Mowbray Leicestershire England; Review: We were welcomed by a cheery Receptionist; the room was clean & the bed comfortable. The bathroom was shower only, but that suited us as we only stayed 1 night en route to elsewhere. This hotel was everything we expected, but more so! Would happily stay here again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Travelodge Bracknell Central; City: Bracknell Berkshire England; Review: When we arrived we were given the key to our room, but on gaining access it was obvious that it still needed cleaning & making up! The second room was made up but I noticed hairs on the wall in the bathroom & dirt above the shower. I reported this & was told it would be thoroughly cleaned - not sure what their idea if a thorough clean is, but the hairs were still there the next time I went into the room ... gave up after that & just avoided the worst bits! The food was ok & the bed ok - not gorgeously comfortable as per the advert. I suppose it was what one expects from a cheap hotel - would have been better of the hotel had been really cheap! Won't rush back!; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Old Kennels; City: Dunkeswell Honiton Devon England; Review: I stayed in the flat at The Old Kennels whilst doing a course. My only sorrow is that I only stayed 1 night! Tracey is so lovely - she's incredibly welcoming & (even though she doesn't think so) very organised. She had put out non-dairy goods in response to my request without any if the usual barrage of questions about what I can & can't eat. The flat itself was warm & cosy, with a mixture of bespoke & old-fashioned furnishings which just works so well. The bed was so very comfortable - love the Alpacca duvet! The foods provided for breakfast were worth the stay in themselves - gorgeous homemade rolls with homemade marmalades - yes marmaladeS! Finally I have to applause Tracey for ensuring that one can watch the tv from the bath - what luxury!!! Just give me an excuse to come again ...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: South Place Hotel; City: London England; Review: The staff at South Place hotel could not have been more helpful or friendly - we were treated so well (spoiled rotten in fact!). Our stay was to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary - at tea time we found a specially decorated plate bearing gorgeous cake, then at the end of the day we found our bed had been turned down ... & rose petals scattered & in the shape of a heart on our bed. It was really beautiful - & a wonderful gesture by the staff, which reinforced our feeling of being spoiled rotten! The room was fabulous too - in this very chic boutique hotel. Wonderful stay ❤️❤️; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Restaurant Chez Janie; City: Roscoff Finistere Brittany; Review: This was a return visit as we'd liked the hotel so much last time. It's under new Management - which I wasn't aware of before we arrived. Think they had only recently taken over as there was a bit of procrastination over some questions we asked! The new team are friendly & helpful. The room was just as good but the place needed a bit of work as it was staring to look a little tired - think they have plans to do this. The major change was in the restaurant - the food is now pretty high end, not the magnificent stuffed artichokes we had last year. We didn't eat at the hotel (other than a "continental" breakfast - which was very good) so I can't comment on the food. Will probably visit again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Leeds City Centre; City: Leeds West Yorkshire England; Review: We stayed whilst visiting our son for his birthday. The checking in was interesting as the booking didn't flag in their system, but they couldn't have been more professional about sorting it out. There was never a thought that we would not hi a room. In fact they upgraded us in recompense (much appreciated). Our room was fabulous, spacious & with a great view over the canal. We were very well looked after during our stay. The staff were friendly but professional & everything was done to make our stay happy & comfortable. Lovely 😊😊; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Le Bretagne; City: Vannes Morbihan Brittany; Review: The entrance to Hotel Bretagne is unremarkable but upstairs is a chic, small, boutique hotel. The room was well-appointed & clean. We looked out over the street, but rooms at the back look out at the old city walls. The staff are friendly & helpful & the breakfast good. Really enjoyed staying here & very convenient for the old town. The only drawback is the lack of parking, but there is plenty is the streets nearby.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Horn Of Plenty; City: Gulworthy Tavistock Dartmoor National Park Devon England; Review: We went to the Horn of Plenty to celebrate my husbands birthday. The setting is gorgeous, with views over the surrounding landscape. The food was really good & the staff friendly & attentive. My only slight issue was that my husband’s beef was more cooked at one end, so not consistent. My belly pork starter was to die for, so my expectations for my main were very high, but the vegetarian main just lack a little bit of flavour. We would go again though.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Bintang Kuta Hotel; City: Kuta Kuta District Bali; Review: This hotel is really perfect with a reasonable price. Modern design of the room interior and very spacious. Also the bathroom, they split the shower box and the toilet box and the wash basin in the middle. More over, the guest has access to the beach pass through its sister company, Hotel Ramada. I have been staying at this hotel many times with family and friends.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Four Points by Sheraton New York Downtown; City: New York City New York; Review: This new hotel has a nice retro decoration. The room is quite spacious. The bed is very convenience in queen size. We had 2 beds. The bathroom is also spacious. However, the aircon is a little bit noisy. The service is just ok. I recommend you to stay at this hotel with a reasonable price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bedrock Hotel Kuta Bali; City: Kuta Kuta District Bali; Review: This is a new hotel in the block. The room is well equipped and quite spacious. The breakfast is ok and has various of selection. The staffs are friendly. I will stay back here. The price is competitive.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hyatt Place State College; City: State College Pennsylvania; Review: This new hotel is located at the center of the city. The room is so spacious and comfortable with sofa bed. It has an artistic modern interior design. One thing that is not proper was their wifi service. It can not reach the room. So, we have to stand by the door to get the internet connection.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bintan Lagoon Resort; City: Lagoi Bintan Island Bintan Regency Riau Archipelago Riau Islands ; Review: This resort has a huge land. You can play golf with 36 holes just next door. Beside hotel they also have bungalows with private swimming pool and large back ground. But food and beverage are so expensive. We enjoyed the live music at Silk Night Club.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Menumbing Heritage Hotel; City: Pangkal Pinang Bangka Island Bangka Belitung Islands Sumatra; Review: This hotel is nice at the lobby area and restaurant. The room is a bit small and the shower room is too small. The location is too close to a market so that the bad smell spread all over the hotel area.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fairfield by Marriott Bali Legian; City: Legian Kuta District Bali; Review: A nice 3 star hotel with spacious and simple decorated room. I have a warm friendly welcome by their awesome staffs. Located at Legian but a little bit away from the crowd. You need to walk out to get a taxi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Golden Tulip Holland Resort Batu; City: Batu East Java Java; Review: It has nice decorated and spacious lobby. A good parking facility. Good room interior design. Amenities are not 5 star standard. Towels are not complete (no hand towel provided), and they are not good smell. Breakfast is good. They have a variety of standard and local food. This hotel makes Batu becoming a more attractive tourist destination.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: DEWALT DWPVTHLD Pivoting Bit Tip Holder with Ring; Brand: DEWALT; Review: would order it again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DEWALT DW2166 45 Piece Screwdriving Set with Tough Case,Dewalt,DW2166" />; Brand: DEWALT; Review: would order it again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Maxxima MLN-10 LED Night Light with Dusk to Dawn Sensor (Pack of 4); Brand: Maxxima; Review: would order it again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Milwaukee 2697-22 M18 18-Volt 1/2-Inch 2-Tool Combo Kit Includes Charger, Battery (2) and Bag; Brand: Milwaukee; Review: would order it again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Connecticut Electric CESMPSC55GRHR 50-Amp RV PNL with 20-Amp GFCI Receptacle; Brand: Connecticut Electric; Review: yes; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Tools_and_Home_Improvement |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: 60 Pieced Quilt Borders: Mix & Match; Author: Judy Laquidara; Review: this book is full of good ideas and clear instructions well worth the price look forward to putting ideas intp practice; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 200 Quilting Tips, Techniques & Trade Secrets: An Indispensable Reference of Technical Know-How and Troubleshooting Tips (200 Tips, Techniques; Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Briscoe Page; Review: the tips contained in this book along with the coloured photos make this book easy to follow and will be a great help; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Border Workbook: Easy Speed-Pieced and Foundation-Pieced Borders; Author: Visit Amazon's Janet Kime Page; Review: east to follow directions along with great coloured pictures make this book a great book for border projects. This book also has quilt patterns to accompany the border patterns making it a very useful tool; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mastering the Art of McTavishing; Author: Karen McTavish; Review: I am new to machine quilting and purchased this book as I need some ideas how to go about it. This book contains lots of good ideas and tips; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sew One and You're Done: Making a Quilt from a Single Block (That Patchwork Place); Author: Evelyn Marie Sloppy; Review: this book will be a great reference book to help in making quilts quickly also full of tips to help; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Magic Stack-N-Whack Quilts; Author: Visit Amazon's Bethany S Reynolds Page; Review: to make quilts from materials with patterns and borders that I am not quite sure how to use effectively will be a great help; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ricky Tims' Kool Kaleidoscope Quilts: Simple Strip-Piecing Technique for Stunning Results; Author: Visit Amazon's Ricky Tims Page; Review: Once again Ricky Tims has delivered a book in easy to follow text and great diagrams Very happy with purchase; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Homewood Suites by Hilton Edgewater NYC Area; City: Edgewater New Jersey; Review: The rooms were very nice. My kids were so happy with the video games. In addition to the free breakfast, there were snacks and coffee all day in the front lobby. There were also popcorn and cookies in our room. The next day they cleaned our room and put some more popcorn for us. Very nice view from rooms. The location worked for us. We hired nyctours and keith, the tour guide was kind enough to pick us up and give us a tour of new York city. We had a bad experience in ramada plaza niagara falls. We loved our stay in homewood suites edgewater.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sleep Inn; City: Amherst New York; Review: The hotel is nice and clean and you can get a room for less than 70$ with lot of free amenities and facilities like internet, parking, microwave, fridge, indoor pool hot tub and a business centre, free bbreakfast. However for the hotel to have a wow factor, I would recommend having a variety in the breakfast, the same breakfast items were repeated everyday. The waffle machine was not working the three days that we stayed there. My kids were getting bored and disappointed with the same breakfast items and the fact that the waffle machine was not working. It is 20 min from outlets/falls. 5 min from boulevard mall. Walmart nearby has closed down, I would still recommend this hotel for its value.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Melia Peninsula Varadero; City: Varadero Matanzas Province Cuba; Review: Check in was horrible. We arrived at 11 but did not receive the room until 5.30. Check in time is 4. They said 3 buses have arrived from Canada. There are 3 floors. No elevators and no help as to where our rooms were. Transat holidays representatives were also not in sight. There was no bell boy or golf cart. We dragged our suitcases ourselves to our room on the 3rd floor. Our room was clean but there was only one towel and no pillow covers. Food and service at the restaurants: very good. Overall, it is a nice resort. I will give it 3.5, not 4. Seema; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Great Wolf Lodge; City: Niagara Falls Ontario; Review: 1-2 days are more than enough for this place. It is a good getaway for ontarians with kids because nothing else is available. We took the inclusive package. Rooms were ok. Had video games, so you will spend money as your kids will want to play video games. GwL reminds me of a micro mall with some shops, water rides, coffee shop. Even with the inclusive package you will land up spending some money on food. I forgot to bring hairbrush, so I called front desk, they said we don't supply. So I went to their shop. Nothing there also. The temperature should be a bit warmer in the resort especially the front lobby. you will land up spending more money at the arcade, the gift shop and now they had a magic quest game for $ 20. Nothing was free in the cub club. Towels were abundant in the park and the water is treated with special technology, so no chlorine! During story time at night, they bring out a cart and try to sell glow swords to the kids. Housekeeping was below average. We would get our own sugar from the restaurant. Room had a basic tub. The microwave had a warning that if you make popcorn in it, you have to pay the cleaning charges. So what else do you use it for? The dinner had lots of options like quinoa, grain salad, fish, chicken, salad bar, dessert. So dinner was good. You did not have to worry about room keys as the wrist band was the room key . You still had to worry about the zillion vouchers you get. I noticed with my kids and with other families that sometimes kids were not interested in eating but there was no take out service available, I asked for a box and I was given,but the box was made of a very poor plastic and it was melting even when I put some hot food in it. We still had fun but I would like to suggest that everyone who comes in the resort should be ins meal plan, so paper is not wasted on printing vouchers and people should be allowed to eat when they want to. Once the voucher was given you cannot come back to get some food for kids. I did not like the money making strategies . We just come for a relaxing time, not shopping. I would still recommend it for families with kids.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Days Inn St George; City: Saint George South Carolina; Review: At St. George, compared to other hotels in vicinity, comfort inn has better rooms, better staff. Breakfast was only till 9 and when I went there at8.50, nothing much was there. Clean up should be done after 9, not before. Most comfort inns have breakfast till 10 but this one has till 9 only. Also, our room did not have microwave and fridge even though the price is same if you are provided with those. Staff is nice.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Quality Inn; City: Jonesville North Carolina; Review: This was probably the best hotel we stayed in our trip to Florida. They do special touches like put mint candies on the bed and had treats for Easter. The breakfast had a good variety with warm biscuits, eggs, sausages, cereals, fruit, yogourt, juices and hot beverages. . The breakfast room is not at all crowded. We were the only ones with kids. There were mainly adults in this hotel but that did not bother us. The indoor pool was a good asset.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Red Roof Inn Pittsburgh North Cranberry Township; City: Cranberry Township Pennsylvania; Review: We were pleasantly surprised by how clean and cheap this hotel was . We were looking for a clean place to sleep and not having to pay a fortune. There is coffee in the lobby and the girl that was working on march 8, Friday was very pleasant and eager to welcome customers to the hotel.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Inn Suites; City: Butler Pennsylvania; Review: Rooms were spacious, washrooms a bit small but very clean. night staff did not look too smiley but did a good job. A good effort is being made at breakfast because there were three hot dishes. Fruits included grapes, apples and banana. The only thing that I can suggest is that they include some vegetarian hot dish like potatoes and beans.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kalahari Resorts Conventions; City: Sandusky Ohio; Review: Kids liked great wolf lodge better. We liked Kalahari for it's value. Cheaper than great wolf lodge. More rides. Kalahari has some good dry activities for reasonable price e. G., mini golf, crafts, some free activities also. In GWL, nothing is free.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Coral at Atlantis Autograph Collection; City: Paradise Island New Providence Island Bahama; Review: Nice and pleasant staff but not that attentive at water park. Smelly hallways and not impressive rooms Room was affirdable$320 for room with 4 passes to park. Lots of activities in Atlantis under one roof. Not so safe water park. Incidents happened to our family and I saw blood on towels and injured people, especially in the Rapids. They should not use tubes but rafts for the Rapids. Safety is not up to North American standards.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Riu Palace Paradise Island; City: Paradise Island New Providence Island Bahamas; Review: There are a few all inclusive resorts in Nassau. So Riu is a good choice considering those factors. Food was abundant but I would also like to see coconut water being offered straight from the coconuts. There were usual drinks like coke etc.. And sugary fruit juices for kids.? Staff was very efficient and workaholic but not that friendly. Check in was efficient. Rooms. were clean. Room service was a good bonus. One time our food arrived a bit late but it was good to have the option for room service. Beach was nice, Golden sand beach and we could see fish in the water. Not much activities at the resort ( only one pool and not much dry activities) so we went to blue lagoon and to Atlantis. Rides at Atlantis were not safe. Many people including our family were injured. One thing that I did not like about riu was that they don't have a permanent place to offer snacks. They transition the food from their lunch buffet to a different snack area at End of breakfast and lunch area. So if you arrive there around 3:30, they don't let you enter either of those areas for half hour. Their la carte are ok but not that great. They get booked fast and for some of them the entrance is through buffet. So if you arrive their early, they won't let you enter until 6:30 because they are setting the buffet.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Embassy Suites by Hilton Niagara Falls Fallsview Hotel; City: Niagara Falls Ontario; Review: We enjoyed our stay at Embassy suites, Niagara. The manager's reception is nothing to due for, but still good to have some snacks when u arrive. Breakfast was ok. We did not like the coffee. Overall, good spacious rooms.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn Suites Seattle Redmond; City: Redmond Washington; Review: Rooms were ok. Breakfast, snacks and service wS good. Prices reasonBle if you don’t want to spend a lot of money finding a hotel in downtown Seattle. The complimentary snacks provided and a nice coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cucumber water was complimentary. Breakfast was good.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: West Paw Zogoflex Bumi Interactive Tug of War Durable Dog Play Toy, 100% Guaranteed Tough, It Floats!, Made in; Brand: West Paw; Review: This is my second Zogoflex dog toy - the other one is the big bone. My aggressive-chewer Aussie mix LOVES these things and although he's eaten his way through a couple of Kongs, everything I get from PetSmart and a leather couch, he has not made a dent in these. He is not much of a guy for fetch, but loves to whip this thing around the house. VERY satisfied with the quality of these toys.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dashington Flat Red Marbles, Pebbles (5 Pound Bag) for Vase Filler, Table Scatter, Aquarium Decor Gravel Accent; Brand: Dashington; Review: I got these for an outdoor mosaic project. The gems looked kind of dull in the bag and when I took them out they had a weird coating on them. I tried to clean off the coating with a scrubby and the red color came off. Upon closer inspection, it's clear that these are sprayed or dipped to color them red. Completely unusable for my purposes since any grouting will scrape off the red color. Plus the dull finish looks terrible in the sunlight as you can see from my photo. I've ordered the blue gems from this company and they were fine - they are actual blue glass with a clear, glossy finish. So I don't understand why the red ones are so weird. I ordered more red ones from a different company on Amazon and they also had the same issue so maybe everyone's getting these cheap red gems from the same place. I've been able to find good quality red gems elsewhere, I am returning these and try to figure out where I got the good ones!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Grizzly Pollock Oil Supplement for Dogs; Brand: Grizzly Pollock; Review: I love Grizzly Pollock Oil although it gives my dogs the worst fish breath. My vet recommends fish oil as a daily supplement and this stuff does seem to cut down on the itchy skin issues that my two aussies have. Plus they love it and even the older one who is weird about food will gobble up her dinner with this on it. My only problem with this item is that every time I order it, the jug arrives at least slightly damaged and the last time I ordered from this seller the package was so damaged in transit that they just sent it back and I got a refund from Amazon. I can only imagine what the inside of that UPS truck must have smelled like. . . . Anyway, I'm taking a star off for the delivery issues - it's the same damage every time - the pump has gotten smashed down into the jug and there's always fish oil leaking everywhere when I get it. I've ordered this about 4-5 times now and every single time there has been a leak in the jug, but the pump was still usable. This last time was the only catastrophic failure, but I think I'm done ordering it online. So I'm wholeheartedly recommending the product, but I'm probably going to have to purchase it somewhere else, like maybe in an actual store where I have to deal with humans.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: BUBBAS Super Strength Commercial Enzyme Cleaner - Pet Odor Eliminator | Enzymatic Stain Remover; Brand: Bubba's Rowdy Friends Pet Supply Company; Review: I love the way this smells, and it definitely takes away the underlying "pee" smell that seems to linger even after a thorough cleaning. I have all tile floors and I use this after I've cleaned up the puddles my older dog occasionally leaves. There is also one dog bed in particular she seems to like to pee on so I used Bubba's as a pre-wash in addition to spraying it on the foam cushion. I haven't noticed any new messes on that bed so we'll see if it worked. I'll continue to buy this - I'm probably going to get the gigantic size and just use it to mop the floor after steam cleaning. makes the whole house smell nice and not at all chemically or like some of the other enzyme cleaners I've used. Plus the sellers have been very helpful and conscientious about making sure I was satisfied.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: maxxidog - maxxicalm - Calming aid for dogs supports calm behavior – Helps pets cope with stress, separation anxiety,; Brand: maxxipaws; Review: I am giving this to my anxiety-prone aussie cattle dog in addition to the trazodone she's been prescribed by the vet. I wanted to try and cut down on the Rx stuff since it's expensive and I don't like doping my dog up, and this stuff has allowed me to reduce her trazodone by about 1/3. So it's not as effective for my poor nervous nelly as it is for other reviewers, but it definitely helps. I have also given it to the other dogs before they go get groomed, or when we're having people over and it really does seem to take the edge off. I'll keep using it, but I don't think I'm ever going to be able to completely cut out the stronger stuff.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Collapsible Dog Bowls with Color Matched Carabiner Clips - Dishwasher Safe BPA FREE Food Grade Silicone Portable Pet Bowls; Brand: Mr. Peanut's; Review: These are a great idea for traveling and they all have their own little carabiner so you can attach them to your backpack. However, on our first hike when we expanded it to give our super thirsty boy a drink, we found out it had a huge tear or slit in the side, along one of the folds. I had to use my hat as an impromptu bowl for my dehydrated pup. Not clear whether it tore when we expanded the bowl or if it came like that. Looking at the folds, the material is thinner there (in order to make it expand and collapse like an accordion) so it's possible that it tore. There are four, so now we make sure we each have one with us on hikes just in case it happens again. For the price not bad, but I was pretty upset at the time because we wasted a lot of water - and on a hike in the desert you really don't want to waste any more water than you have to.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Pet_Supplies |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Battery Tender 021-0123 Battery Tender Junior 12V, 0.75A Battery Charger; Brand: Battery Tender; Review: Works fine.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Visu-Filter Slimline Compact Body Filter - 3/16in. - 1/4in. FF701C; Brand: Visu Filter; Review: It's a fuel filter and it's worth the price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: PJ1 1-12 Cable Lube (Aerosol), 11 oz; Brand: PJ1; Review: Works well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: go2buy Tire Lever Tool Spoon Motorcycle Bike Tire Change Kit w/ Case; Brand: go2buy; Review: Used it without issue.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nopro Plastic Funnel, Set of 3; Brand: Norpro; Review: works; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DID 520STD-106 Standard Series Chain with Connecting Link; Brand: D.I.D.; Review: works; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alliance World of Warcraft WOW Vynil Car Sticker Decal - Select Size; Brand: Sticky Pig; Review: Put it on my motorcycle in all weather. Stays on, look good.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Automotive |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Amazon Planet; City: Puerto Maldonado Madre de Dios Region; Review: I don't understand why people do not review this place more. This place is an absolute gem and is deep in the rainforest!! This is a proper Amazon experience, nowhere near the hustle and bustle of the city. As soon as we booked, we got an email from Sandra in a matter of hours. This showed the full itinerary, details and what we required. They provide you with full information as soon as you book. Once you get out there, you do not need to worry about anything other than enjoying yourself. We were greeted by our excellent guides right outside the airport. We did not have any ponchos, so they kindly stopped in the market. We travelled about 1.5 hours down river to a lovely lodge. The lodges are basic, but very clean. The water is cold but that's part of the experience. I would recommend staying 3 nights, with 2 full days of itinerary. The tours are great, especially to Lake Sandoval, where you will see and experience a lot. Going to see Caiman at night was sensational as well. Juan was like Tarzan and literally walked straight into the river and grabbed a baby Caiman with his bare hands!! The work they do at the rescue centre and the turtle project is amazing and you will see all the good things they are doing. The food was the highlight. You will have fresh juice that is made from fruits we have never heard of or ever seen in the UK. The food was delicious, every single dish!! The rooms are excellent. Very clean, only 3 or 4 hours of light, but that is more than enough. You have to wake up early in the morning, so you need to get to bed early. It is so peaceful sleeping with the noises of the jungle. Feels odd at first but then you get used to it very quickly. It is also VERY dark, which makes it even more surreal. What else can I say....AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING!! Thank you so much from my wife and I. It is the people that make this visit so worthwhile. They take care of you and try their utmost to make the trip memorable. This really was a special trip because of Amazon Planet. If this is your first time in the jungle and want a fun trip and learn a lot, then this is the place for you!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tambo del Inka a Luxury Collection Resort Spa Valle Sagrado; City: Urubamba Sacred Valley Cusc; Review: This is a phenomenal hotel. Do not hesitate to stay here. The location is perfect to travel to Machu picchu and visit the rest of the sacred valley. Pure luxury and one of the best places we have ever stayed at. They make your stay so comfortable. The staff are second to none and will bend over backwards to ensure you have a comfortable place. There is a bus station 300-400 metres down the road (turn left from the front of the hotel and on your right) that will take you to anywhere around the sacred valley for a few soles. Don't bother with taxis that cost 10 or 20 times that. You travel with the locals and it is an experience you should NOT be put off by.The only thing i would recommend is for the quality of the breakfast to improve and the cost of dinner is extortionate, there are cheaper alternatives within walking distance from the hotel that are amazing. We went to Macchu Pichu and the train stopped within the hotel. It is a slow trek leading up to the hotel but very convenient. One thing I would say is the little touches. Staff calling to make sure you are ok, cleaning your room immaculately, leaving the music on for when you get back, complimentary shoe cleaning service, etc. They know how to take care of their guests. Overall, thanks to everyone at the hotel for a wonderful stay....one of the best hotels we have ever stayed at with amazing views. Do not hesitate to stay here. Now whenever we go on holiday, we look for similar types of hotels....this is the benchmark.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rose Rayhaan by Rotana; City: Dubai Emirate of Dubai; Review: The hotel is good, but nothing special. It is perfectly located, no more than 15-20 mins from the airport and 2 mins away from the metro. The advantage is that it is 1 stop away from the burj khalifa and dubai mall. The rooms are basic and clean, the bathroom is ok and the breakfast was very good. Overall, it depends on your trip. If I was staying for longer than 2 days, I would not stay here as you can get something a bit more luxurious at a better price.For our purpose (ie. a few day stopover), this was good enough.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Westin Lima Hotel Convention Center; City: Lima Lima Region; Review: We loved this hotel. We only stayed here for 2 short 1 night stopovers, but we fell in love with this place. It feels like a boutique hotel and as you enter it looks very glamorous. The basic room was excellent, amazing bathroom, comfortable bed and service is top notch. Do not hesitate to stay here...my wife and I fell in love with it. The rooms are also big and it's just so comfortable. Do not think twice about booking this place and it is also very reasonably priced. Location is good for business, but the other places to visit are not too far either. Just go and enjoy an amazing stay.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ruby True Hotel; City: Bagan Mandalay Region; Review: Ruby True was a fantastic place to stay. Very clean rooms, quiet and it was great to sit on the balcony in the evenings and just enjoy a bit of peace. If you are going there thinking you will get 5 star luxury then this is not the place for you. Rooms are basic and dated (which add to the charm) and water pressure is not great, but you have a peaceful location that is clean. I would recommend they update the bathrooms though. Staff are fantastic, breakfast was a set meal and very tasty, wah wah and her staff were extremely helpful and nothing was ever too much. They will help you with anything that you need. I liked the fact we were away from the shops and restaurants especially after a busy day sight seeing. However, there are great restaurants only 10-15 mins walk away. I got an e-bike that wah wah sorted out for me. I recommend getting the newer ones that they can get you from across the road as the wheels have a lot more grip. The road coming into the property is very dusty and I really struggled on the old e-bikes. They also organised a taxi for me and this was absolutely brilliant as I did not have to worry about not falling off the e-bike. The drivers name was 'ozil' (this is how he pronounced it). He took me all over and showed me some great places and explained some of the history. All in all a magical trip and Ruby True Hotel added to the experience!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: New York Palace Budapest; City: Budapest Central Hungary; Review: I can not talk highly enough about this place. It is just brilliant especially in the winter with all the christmas decorations. It is a grand place, with huge rooms, extremely helpful staff, great breakfast and so on! I really can't fault this place and should be the place of choice when staying in Budapest. It has a lot of history and we recommend visiting the famous New York cafe for some cakes, wine, coffee, etc.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel; City: Srebreno Dubrovnik Neretva County Dalmatia; Review: This location worked perfectly for us as we had a car and could travel anywhere. It's also great if you just want to relax around the hotel. It is lovely views across the sea, great rooms, good location, good staff and a very nice breakfast. A relaxing place with a shopping mall and restaurants nearby. The Japanese restaurant in particular was a highlight. You can take the bus around, but it makes for a difficult trip. We also liked the fact you can book to go other islands by boat and to the old city. Be careful though as the timings are very strict. All in all a great trip and the car made it much easier!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Leopard Beach Resort Spa; City: Diani Beach Ukunda Coast Province; Review: Plac is excellent to have a honey moon holiday quiet beach front to the ocean the staff's are welcomingand is the beach front rooms an excellent when you even relax from your from with the view from the window there breakfast superb generally a worth while in the south coast. Diani beach; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Boma Nairobi; City: Nairobi; Review: I have been to this hotel it's nice not the usual hotel you walk in .price is expensive to a traveller but good for a business company director interns of price or when a company is paying personally I haven't stayed there but had coffee and lunch there .the service to me is poor below what I would expect of this property interns of prices and what I Cameron conclude is that the management when the started the poached staffs from different place who have not yet clicked iow to work as a unit and asmuch as you find so many security guys around I can confirm I walked all theway from redcourt there sister hotel to the boma through the gate to the stairs without anyone noticing and to me this was serious lack off security I would not term it as a transit hotel but a bussines conferenceor companies than a transit; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Little Governors Camp; City: Maasai Mara National Reserve Rift Valley Province; Review: A wonderful place to visit. The place is excellentto have a retreat to just go and relax place is well kept the people ate great the maasais are very knowledgeable off the conservation and the eco system there so my only the wonderfully hotel the food is great and especially there breakfast is great well not forgetting the enterer staff who really make you feel your trip is perfectly enjoyed kudoo to them who made my stay cool and the crew from air Kenya perfect landing would definitely go back soo but after wooking and saving for it again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Serena Beach Resort Spa; City: Shanzu Mombasa Coast Province; Review: What a wonderful place to be e people are welcoming staff are very friendly make you want to come calling you by name makes it up for that day the place is different changed ook for but still kept is ok old image a good place for business conferencing for the elite; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge; City: Lake Nakuru National Park Rift Valley Province; Review: what a hidden treasure this is with a spectacular view of the lake this is definitely a place you would want to visit and relax its garden well kept the staff are jovial and welcoming there swimming pool very clean though very cold .there rooms are clean facing the lake though a few Srebrenica obstructed definitely a place I would recommend anytime it's worth your money though not cheap; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kivi Milimani Hotel; City: Nairobi; Review: This is one off hotel you go there and never again despite so off the staff are good but the whole experince not again ,the rooms didn't have hot shower when the changed the room with hot shower the bed sheets were torn TV didn't work and no apologies there swimming pool is very clean that's a plus good average staff need more training to handle clientele .bills are cable no receipt hen you insists t,he bring a hand receipt but all in all needs great improvements and a professional; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Leopard Beach Resort Spa; City: Diani Beach Ukunda Coast Province; Review: Wel a great place to stay very quiet .thw ambience is great the beach very clean and stress free from the beach boys rooms are good the staff are great and helpful . There food is good especially there breakfast wonderfull never miss it .a place families qould enjoy spacious.going back soon; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |