Review: A to Z Great Film Directors by Andy Touhy with Matt Glasby

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A to Z Great Film Directors is an informative and entertaining guide to the world’s great film directors. I enjoyed myself while reading and it was very hard to put it down. This book would provide good questions for the entertainment section of a trivia party.

The guides features directors like Quentin Tarantino, Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott, and many more. It provides a brief background, summary of their work, and fun trivia about them. The information provided is not overwhelming. It is sort of like the SparkNotes version. The most important information is presented, any other information will warrant more research.

Before reading, I only knew of a few directors. But after reading, I found that there were a lot of directors I was familiar with their work. For example, John Carpenter who directed Halloween. I knew of the movie, but not of him.

A to Z Great Film Directors was aesthetically pleasing. It has a combination of artwork and photography from the directors’ films.

Final Analysis

A to Z Great Film Directors is a great beginner’s guide to the great directors. It is easy to read and will provide an introduction to those directors.

Review: On Magnolia Lane by Denise Hunter

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Even though this is the third book in the series, I must say as far as favorite characters go, Jack and Daisy maybe my favorite so far. Not taking away from the other books but there is something special about these two characters who are a bit of the underdog in terms of types of people but have the personal qualities that make you want to love them. I’m glad these two got paired up because they represent the everyday person and seeing them get their hea really was worth the wait.

Like I said before, this is Denise Hunter’s third book in her A Blue Ridge Romance series. If you are not familiar with her books, she is a wonderful storyteller. Especially with this one, I really love how you can not only relate to the characters but she brings them alive where you feel a connection with them. When you get to know Daisy & Jack and see where the story is heading, you beg for that hea. There’s not more sweet that two good people getting a chance for happiness.

It was great getting to know these two in this book. Daisy is really nice and works really hard in her life. Some obstacles in her past set her back but it didn’t stop her from being a successful businesswoman. She has a huge heart but gets thrown a curveball with some revelations that changes her world. Jack despite being a pastor has more to him beyond that role. He has a big heart and would give the world to anyone. The problem is that each wants genuine love but are a bit insecure to feel their worth. Sometimes Mr. or Mrs. Right can be right in front of you and you just don’t notice.

When Noah mentioned one day he gave Jack a little help in that area by setting him up on a dating app, Jack nearly fell over. Wanting to encourage Jack to get out and meet people, he almost deleted the profile until he came across someone that made his heart leap. Daisy was no stranger to this app but never had much success until she met a fabulous man named TJ who she felt a genuine connection to. One problem, TJ isn’t who she thinks he is and is someone that she knows really well. Having an chance to be someone she can fall for, Jack is able to be the person he always wanted to but couldn’t in person. Ironically, some issues that are currently happening in her life has brought her into spend more time Jack. The more she gets to talk to him, the more she sees something in him. The only problem is, the more Daisy chats with Jack she gets torn with her thoughts about TJ. So when their worlds collide, will she finds out will this lead to the true love she had hoped to find? You have to read to find out!

Overall, this was a really nice addition to the series. It was nice to see some familiar faces visit the book. If you didn’t read the other books, it isn’t a big deal if you start this one first but there are some backstory issues that might give you a question mark. Besides, this is a nice series so back read. Magnolia Lane was a sweet story line that keeps you interested. I’m really curious about where the series is going to go. I know who I would love to see next but I’ll wait to see if it happened. This gets my stamp to add it to your reading list.

Review: Arrogant Devil By R.S. Grey

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I am beginning to find that all of R.S. Grey’s book feature quite similar formulas. It has a somewhat emotionally unavailable man. And a woman who desperate needs a job. Arrogant Devil was not any different.

Meredith escapes to Texas and ends up on the doorsteps of Blue Stone Ranch looking for a job. Reluctantly, the owner, Jack McKnight gives her a job. Unfortunately for her, he is not the easiest person to work for.

Arrogant Devil is not a stand out novel by R.S. Grey. It was an easy read, but simply okay. I didn’t love it. The plot is something that has been done multiple times. And unfortunately, this rendition of it does not add anything exciting or fresh.

Characters

Meredith was likable main character. She was in a terrible situation when the book began and as it continued it was interesting to see how her mindset changed. Especially, after all that she’s been through.

The biggest issue that I had with all of the other characters is the way that they treated Meredith. Before Meredith had even arrived at Blue Stone Ranch, her half-sister, Helen, had informed Jack that she was a spoiled woman. Helen and Meredith had a strained relationship and barely even talked. So her interpretation was based on assumptions due to Meredith’s “lavish” lifestyle.

Because of Helen’s assumption, Jack treated Meredith very poorly in the beginning. And even after meeting her and spending time with her, he still had this mindset that she was an awful person.  I took issue to this. Meredith escaped an abusive relationship and was attempting to make it on her own. She was always kind and did not deserve any of the treatment that she was subjected to.

I will admit that because of Jack’s unnecessarily harsh treatment of Meredith I was not completely sold on their romantic relationship.

Final Analysis

Arrogant Devil felt very familiar and unfortunately, it does not add anything new to the table. The main character was extremely likable, but somehow the male lead’s rude behavior overshadowed the romance.  

Review: Under Rose Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall

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Under Rose Tainted Skies is a love story and unfortunately, the book is completely dominated by the love story. Although, it was a cute and innocent romance, I felt a little underwhelmed and frustrated by the way it was handled. Let me explain.

The book centers on Norah. She has OCD and is agoraphobic. It is very hard for her to leave her home, so she rarely does. She spends most of her time online, or with her mother. Well that is until, Luke moves next door and the two of them become close.

Luke is a sweetheart, and he and Norah were adorable together. However, I did not like that the book leaned towards the whole “love cures everything” angle. That was not okay with me. Because yes, Luke was overly perfect and made Norah realize somethings. But I wanted Norah to have a self-discovery on her own. I would like to mention that Luke does not end up being the reason she leaves the house at the end, but even the reason for her leaving felt tainted and there is no real resolution.

I’m aware that mental illnesses are not something that can be fixed quickly. It takes time, but Under Rose Tainted Skies seems to have forgotten that.

Another issue I had with the book, is the ending. This is a fellow mellow book. For the majority of the book, not major happens. It sort of just breezes by. Well it did until the ending. The ending came out of nowhere and felt very out of place. It took me aback, because I was not sure if it was a dream or real. It felt rushed and simply did not belong.

Final Analysis

Under Rose Tainted Skies focuses a lot on the romance and less on character development and plot.

Review: When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt by Kara Cooney

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When I first came across this book, my curiosity immediately knew I had to read it based on my fascination with ancient Egypt. ​Even though this book was interesting to read, I was really disappointed on the content. You can tell the author put some time into the subject but much of it was based on theories, speculations and uncertainty. The uncertainty formed through inferences based on what information was available but the problem with that is - to what degree is it 100% factual. I know, we weren't there and based on little information that is available we can only infer but some aspects of the book I'm on the fence about. Some areas seem overly sensationalized but who really knows. I guess for me, I was expecting to dive into this book taking away some rich appreciation for these six women because that title just spoke to me. I was just so frustrated with the male dominance in the book and their history. I'm not saying that they shouldn't have been a part of the book but it felt like the role the women played seemed to support the history of the men rather than highlight their unique role and how they ruled. I wish it had been the other way around given them a bigger voice in the book.

Overall, it was an interest read despite my takeaways. It definitely has inspired me to do some reading further on these women and hope that over time more can be discovered about them.

Review: Journeys of a Lifetime, Second Edition: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips by National Geographic

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Hardcover: 416 pages

Publisher: National Geographic; Revised, Updated edition (October 23, 2018)

Featuring 120 new destinations, this best-selling inspirational travel guide reveals 500 celebrated and lesser-known destinations around the globe, from ocean cruises in Antarctica to horse treks in the Andes. Completely revised and updated for its 10th anniversary.

Compiled from the favorite trips of National Geographic’s legendary travel writers, this fully updated, 10th anniversary edition of Journeys of a Lifetime spans the globe to highlight the best of the world’s most celebrated and lesser-known sojourns. Offering a diverse array of possibilities, every continent and possible form of transport is covered, illustrated with glorious color photographs. With 16 new pages; new destinations like Cartegena, Colombia; and updated information throughout, this timely new edition is the perfect resource for travelers who crave adventurous trips–from trekking the heights of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to mountain biking in Transylvania–and those searching for more specific experiences (the world’s top small cruises, hot new museums around the world, secrets for following in the footsteps of film and TV heroes, and more). Each chapter features stunning photography, full-color maps, and practical tips, including how to get there, when to visit, and how to make the most of your journey.

Informative and inspiring, this luxurious volume is a lifelong resource that readers will treasure for years to come.

Review

How many times have you been in that situation trying to decide where to go for a vacation? Or you create a bucket list of places to go around the world? Forget about all that because once you check out Journeys of a Lifetime, it would really take you a lifetime because you'd want to visit every place in this book. This is a really fantastic reference book, not to mention great to browse through to see the different places visually. The book really inspire you to want to travel the world be it by land, water or other. Revised and updated, it highlights some of the best places around the world. Gorgeous pictures as always. Not less in expectations from NG. Every chapter is so resourceful. It gives you tips, highlights info, covers ever means of travel, when to go, how long, when to plan, inside info and travel resources to assist you.

Overall, I loved it. I'm a traveler and this gives me so many great ideas. I may not get to go to some of these places but I sure will recommend to others. For those of you out there who love to travel, this is one that I would definitely grab a copy to check it out.