text
stringlengths 149
7.21M
| dataset
stringclasses 39
values |
|---|---|
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: 2pcs 31mm 12-SMD 1.25" 12V Festoon Dome Light LED Bulbs + STICKER DE3175 DE3022 DE3021 3175 - White; Brand: EZ Motoring; Review: These lights are very bright and nice white not blue. Install is very easy and love the new look in my car; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 2pcs 42mm 15-SMD 1.72" 12V Festoon Dome Light LED bulbs + STICKER 211-2 212-2 569 578 - White; Brand: EZ Motoring; Review: These lights are very bright and nice white not blue. Install is very easy and love the new look in my car; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 2pcs 20-SMD T10 12V Light LED Replacement Bulbs + STICKER 168 194 2825 W5W - White; Brand: EZ Motoring; Review: These lights are very bright and nice white not blue. Install is very easy and love the new look in my car; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Maxsa 40341 1 Pack Battery-Powered Motion-Activated Outdoor Night-Light in White; Brand: Maxsa; Review: Item did not work out the box; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: MAXSA Innovations 43342 Dark 3-Pack: Battery-Powered Motion-Activated Outdoor Night-Light in Bronze; Brand: Maxsa Innovations; Review: Item did not work out the box; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Detailer's Choice 6335J Deluxe Wheel Detail Brush - 1-Each; Brand: Detailer's Choice; Review: Great product!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Griot's Garage 11241 3" Orange Polishing Pad (Set of 3); Brand: Griot's Garage; Review: Great product!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Innovited Universal relay wiring harness for all HID single kit H1, H3, H4, H7, H8, H9, H10, H11, H13,; Brand: Innovited; Review: A must have for HID kits. No more flicker; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Invisible Glass Premium Glass Cleaner - 19 oz, 91164; Brand: Invisible Glass; Review: I tried so many window cleaner and always gets a smear marks when the window fog up a little but after using this cleaner all smears are gone. love it!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stoner Reach and Clean Tool, 95161; Brand: Stoner; Review: Finally a product that will help me with foggy windows. love it and a must have to clean windows; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Battery Tender (022-0192 Black 12 Volt 0.750 Amp Junior Battery Charger/Maintainer; Brand: Battery Tender; Review: Battery charger works great!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cutequeen 10pcs LED Car Lights Bulb White T10 3528 8-smd 194 168 (Pack of 10); Brand: Cutequeen; Review: Very bright and fit all of the places the factory bulbs; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: New 7440 T20 White 18 LED 5050 SMD Tail Brake Light Bulbs 6-pack; Brand: Bestfavor; Review: Very Bright bulbs and great color; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Uxcell a11101300ux0008 uxcell 5 x 20 mm AGC Fuse Holder Inline Screw Type w 22 AWG Wire (Pack of; Brand: uxcell; Review: It does the job but only reason why it didn't get 5 stars was that it felt cheap and wires were very thin; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Philips D2R CrystalVision ultra Authentic Xenon HID Headlight Bulb, 2 Pack; Brand: Philips; Review: Product was exactly how it was describe and you get a white light and no blue. A true 4300k bulb; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Philips H11 CrystalVision ultra Upgrade Headlight Bulb (Pack of 2); Brand: Philips Automotive Lighting; Review: Product was exactly how it was describe and you get a white light and no blue. A true 4300k bulb; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Auxbeam LED Headlights F-16 Series H7 LED Headlight Bulbs with 2Pcs of headlights 60W 6000lm CREE LED Chips Fog Light; Brand: Auxbeam; Review: Product did not work for me due to error but was made very well. I like the color temp of the light and fit was very good and easy to install. Big this for me is the product was not as described and customer support was poor; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Automotive |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Blood Moon (Drake Chronicles, #5); Author: Alyxandra Harvey; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: wow!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Counting by 7s; Author: Holly Goldberg Sloan; Genres: children, young-adult, fiction; Review: It was beautiful, i loved every minute of it. It really made me see life differently, it made me appreciate life and the things that i have. It really made a difference in my life. 5/5 stars definitly; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wounded; Author: Eric Walters; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: it was OK 3.8/5; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Can't Look Away; Author: Donna Cooner; Genres: romance, young-adult, fiction; Review: Kind of boring but the message it sent was beautiful.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Thea Stilton and the Legend of the Fire Flowers (Thea Stilton #15); Author: Thea Stilton; Genres: mystery, thriller, children, crime, fiction; Review: Liked the mystery in it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Journey to Atlantis (Thea Stilton: Special Edition #1); Author: Thea Stilton; Genres: young-adult, thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Good i guess, liked the scenery.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Secret of Whale Island (Thea Stilton Graphic Novels #1); Author: Thea Stilton; Genres: thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: cool, liked the drawings; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Fault in Our Stars; Author: John Green; Genres: romance, young-adult, fiction; Review: was so good, it was sad yet wonderful, it was just completely beautiful.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, #1); Author: James Dashner; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: was awesome, it was just missing something, in my opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend; Author: Kody Keplinger; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: it was so freaking awesome, i liked it so much, i wish it hadn't ended!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: If I Stay (If I Stay, #1); Author: Gayle Forman; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: i wasnt in the mood to read the emotional type book which is part of why id dint enjoy it and the ending for me really, sorry, sucked in my opinion because sure she wake up but then in the book where she went it shows there not together, so it kind of ruins why she stayed because she stayed because of him and herself too. but what i did like was the style it was written, you could easily understand, but it was not my favorite, i enjoyed the movie alot though.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Waking Up in Heaven: A True Story of Brokenness, Heaven, and Life Again; Author: Crystal McVea; Genres: history, comics, paranormal, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: it was beautiful and inspiring,it really made me see Gods immense love for us. I would have never picked this book up but thanks to my friend who gave this to me, now i see to read whats inside and not be picky about books because like this one they can be a pleasant surprise.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Girl, Stolen (Girl, Stolen #1); Author: April Henry; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: Not one of my favourites from April Henry`s books but i did like some of the parts, especially the concept that she is blind and we learn about what its like to be blind, and the best of the book is that since there are 2 points of view. from the captive and the capter and we see what they think and do. That seemed really unique and creative i really liked it mostly because of that.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die; Author: April Henry; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: a thriller indeed, when i thought it was over something else popped up; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #1); Author: Lemony Snicket; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: even though it warned me of a non happy ending i still expected it to end happy and it didnt which is why i kind of dislike this book but i guess it was my fault. but i felt like it was well written and that count olaf is so mean i hate him.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Masterminds (Masterminds, #1); Author: Gordon Korman; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: At the end i was like holy cheese i need to read the next and then i realised it hasnt come out yet and im like dang it. I really hope it come out soon i really liked the first one. it was like you knew what was happening but then something new came up and it jacked up your whole theory. overall it was awesome.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Secret of the Snow (Thea Stilton: Special Edition #3); Author: Thea Stilton; Genres: young-adult, comics, children, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: i felt like it was missing something but besides that i loved the storyline.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry, #1); Author: Simone Elkeles; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: it was freaking awesome, i loved every minute of it, can`t wait to read the next book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker (Dork Diaries, #6); Author: Rachel Renee Russell; Genres: young-adult, comics, children, graphic, romance, fiction; Review: sorry but it could`ve been better, i guess i am starting to dislike the series, again sorry; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry, #2); Author: Simone Elkeles; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: awesome, and i don't usually like the second book in a series but this was different, soo different.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry, #3); Author: Simone Elkeles; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: i loved the first 2 books but this one blew me away, i loved everything.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Matched (Matched, #1); Author: Ally Condie; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: i guess i liked it, but mostly because of the writing style otherwise the storyline wasnt so catchy for me. i might read the next one hopely its better.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crossed (Matched, #2); Author: Ally Condie; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: i didnt like it that much but it was ok atleast the beginning was decent but the ending i didnt like at all.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Cat at the Wall; Author: Deborah Ellis; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: i liked the writing but i definitely didn't like Claire`s attitude, but the story was beautiful.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Phantom Of The Subway (Geronimo Stilton, #13); Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: was ok; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Fabumouse School Adventure; Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: was good; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mouse in Space! (Geronimo Stilton, #52); Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: young-adult, thriller, children, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: it felt like something was missing from the storyline but beside that it was a small cute adventure.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: I'm Not a Supermouse (Geronimo Stilton, #43); Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: funny; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Watch Your Whiskers, Stilton! (Geronimo Stilton, #17); Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: funny & cool; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: I'm Too Fond of My Fur! (Geronimo Stilton, #4); Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: fun cute story, i like how instead of mount everest it was mouse everest lol; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Temple of the Ruby of Fire (Geronimo Stilton, #14); Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: read it in blink of an eye; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: All Because of a Cup of Coffee (Geronimo Stilton, #10); Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: loved it because it was different than the rest.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Quest for Paradise: The Return to the Kingdom of Fantasy (The Kingdom of Fantasy #2); Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: young-adult, thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: different in a good way, liked it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shipwreck on the Pirate Islands (Geronimo Stilton, #18); Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: hahah got stuck on an island, it was funny especially for geronimo who is afraid of everything.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Christmas Tale; Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: cute christmas story fairly enjoyed it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Christmas Catastrophe; Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: oh christmas and the cabin they stayed at looked really cozy to me.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Selection (The Selection, #1); Author: Kiera Cass; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: wasnt at all what i expected. was pleasantly surprised.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Thirteen Reasons Why; Author: Jay Asher; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: sends a very deep message through to the readers, i liked how there was her story and then his opinion mixed in, at the beginning it was confusing but then it became beautiful. but i felt like there was something missing at the end.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Anna and the French Kiss (Anna and the French Kiss, #1); Author: Stephanie Perkins; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: cute contemporary, loved the ending. and obviously loved etienne.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: An Ice Cold Grave (Harper Connelly, #3); Author: Charlaine Harris; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: was my second time reading it and i thought i knew everything but it seems like i missed somthing the last time because it surprised me again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grave Surprise (Harper Connelly, #2); Author: Charlaine Harris; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: liked it but again something was missing, loved the plot twist.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Elite (The Selection, #2); Author: Kiera Cass; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: sometimes i felt like strangling her especially when she did the diary thing. i also love how maxon was tough but sweet and gentle with her too. i still dislike aspen, to me he doesnt seem sincere for me. and i love how the book ended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies, #1); Author: Pittacus Lore; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This book was as amazing as i remember and sad too. It surprised me with knew details even though i had already read it but of course one forgets after so many years . Really well written and i cant wait to see what knew things i find from the power of six that i missed from the last time i read it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Smasher; Author: Scott Bly; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: awesome with the futuritic vibe it felt really cool, i loved the last scene it was so cool.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Pearl Among Princes; Author: Coleen Murtagh Paratore; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: was expecting something totaly different from this but i was gladly surprised. Really enjoyed this book, i thin it was a fast read.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Bloody Tower (Daisy Dalrymple #16); Author: Carola Dunn; Genres: history, fiction, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, mystery; Review: ummm....i dont think i`d recommend this book because i dragged through it but some parts were good, i guess i just wasnt in the mood.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Flyaway; Author: Lucy Christopher; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: really enjoyed this book, i loved the beginning the middle and the end, it was a beautiful story. and it really sends the message that anything is possible even if some think its impossible. i especially loved how she used the swan as a sign that if it flew everything would be alright.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings (Real Mermaids, #1); Author: Helene Boudreau; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: i really really recommend it, it was funny with a splash (get it a splash haha) of mystery and romance too oh it was a beautiful story, i cant really say more because i would be spoiling the series, but overall it was awesome and beautiful and amazing and incredible and everything in between.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Real Mermaids Don't Hold Their Breath (Real Mermaids, #2); Author: Helene Boudreau; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: awesome,awesome and awesome, had a fun time with it i never found myself yelling at the book in frustration (like i do with some), i liked jades attitude and her relationship with luke, and she has extreme luck i mean find out that the boy you like, likes you back and is also going through what you are too, i mean she has luck! i also liked how her mom really wasnt dead and just the whole ponint of how she`s a mermaid and she got that from her mom, i just really liked this series and even if there were hard topics they were given to us easily not roughly like most of them do.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Real Mermaids Don't Need High Heels (Real Mermaids, #3); Author: Helene Boudreau; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: again enjoyed this one as well, i especially loved what she did in the middle towards the end with the new character and how she isnt that bad and neither are her parents, you can also see the struggle and i liked these books so much because she isnt like oh my i wont be able she is determind althought in some she doubts herself a bit but otherwise she has confidence in herself and i like that in a character. really recommend the series to anyone.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hannah (Daughters of the Sea, #1); Author: Kathryn Lasky; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: good, i think a bit confusing sometimes but mostly good, wouldnt mind reading again.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Skinny; Author: Donna Cooner; Genres: romance, young-adult, fiction; Review: really judged this book(i literally had to because of a school project) and i was surprised its kind of a re-telling from the cinderella story for those of you who have read it you know what i am talking about for those of you who dont you might be asking yourself what is she talking about this doesnt come close to any cinderella story ever told but just read and you will see what i mean. i thought it would be about a girl crying because shes fat and whatever but i the beginning, she kind of acted that way, but then she pulled herslef together and BANG she became what she wanted to be, and the ending was beautiful, i enjoyed this story ver much, it really show dreams can come true (cinderella reference get it lol). i would definiltey re read it, and also check out Cant Look Away because its also very good i didnt find a reference to any fairytale in that book but i guess i wasnt looking hard enough, but it was still a good book and with a strong message too. Skinny is a good book for any kind of person because it shows problems that some teens are facing today and i especially loved that part, read it if you havent already, just read it trust me you wont regret it, and even if you dont like it, you`ll atleast learn something from it right?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Life Next Door; Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: This book was amazing i loved the Garrett family and i loved samantha and Jase's romance. But i couldnt give it 5/5 stars because i didnt put it down and samantha did annoy me sometimes. This book was nothing like I expected to be and i loved it. Not only was my heart warmed by how many cute scenes there with samantha and jase but also the family scenes, how they were together and none of them tried to hurt one another, it was just beautiful. I really reccomend this book, its an amazing read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Revenge of Seven (Lorien Legacies, #5); Author: Pittacus Lore; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Awesome! It took me some time to get around to reading this book but it was awesome!!! I wasnt expecting any of what happened to happen. Everything took me by surprising. If you love sci fi alien books mixed in with superheroes and ass kicking characters,definitley pick this series up.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Fate of Ten (Lorien Legacies, #6); Author: Pittacus Lore; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: It was great! However i did put it down for a long time. Im not sure exactly why but i did. Either way im glad i picked it back up because woah! If your looking for a series filled with action, humour and some love stories along the way, this is the series for you. Spoilers You have been warned Okay that ending tho. I have to admit i laughed the whole time sarah was dying. I had hated her since she ratted john out to the police all the way back in the third or fourth book. But before her death i loved the action, the backstory between setrakus and pittacus, the whole shibang with legacy and ella. Honestly it made me realize why i loved this series in the first place. I was however disappointed that setrakus got away or that he got away half alive. I feel like his death has been dragging on but i totally get how the plot cant move without him. Besides that i loved the new garde and daniela, oh daniela, i couldnt stop laughing at her comments. One of my new favourite character. This series holds a special place in my heart and i hate for it to end but like all good series there has to come an end. This book was definitely one of the best of the series, really recommend .; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Accident Season; Author: Moira Fowley-Doyle; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I wish i could say i enjoyed this book...but to be completely honest, i skimmed through most of it. It might be awesome for some people but for me, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I had high expectations. I thought it would be scary and exciting and that i was going to fly through it, but unfortunately none of those things happened. I had gotten a little past halfway when i started skimming through. I am usually against that but i felt like none of it was interesting. Maybe the whole book was a bunch of metaphors that i just didn't find that special. I might have gone into the book with the wrong idea, but when you read the synopsis, i think everyone can agree, its meant to be scary. I will admit it did scare me in some parts and i thought it would start to get even scarier but i just got disappointed. I am not saying this is the worst book ever (i have disliked another book more than this one before) but i just cant find a reason that made me like this book. This book wasn't for me, doesn't mean it can't be for you too.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Faking Normal (Faking Normal, #1); Author: Courtney C. Stevens; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I don't know what to say, i think i liked it but in some parts i got so annoyed by Alexi that i just had to put the book down, but i did love the ending, it was beautifully written. SPOILERS: read at your own risk WHAT THE HECK!!!! I wanted her to tell her parents at the end i wanted her to tell her friends, and i knew it KNEW IT Bodee was Captain Lyric, i knew it, i couldn't believe the ending, like whatttt and then also that girl is crazy how could she like with the guy that 'raped' her (i put air quotes because she technically never said no, but i would still consider it a rape) i don't know how, why or i just don't know how she could have done that, i loved the ending it was so beautiful how she said that she was the girl who got raped, he was the guy who's father killed her mother, and them, they were survivers together i really thought that was beautiful. I really liked it but i did get annoyed sometimes, i did get frustrated but above all that i did like it alot, ALOT!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Thea Stilton and the Cherry Blossom Adventure (Thea Stilton #6); Author: Thea Stilton; Genres: mystery, thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: it was ok, i wish i could've liked it more, but overall it was ok, i think i am growing from this series, not sure if to continue the books. i am not at all saying these books are bad or anything like that but i guess i just dont find it that interesting anymore.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1); Author: Rick Riordan; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Funny, engaging, best book i have read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tales from a Not-So-Glam TV Star (Dork Diaries, #7); Author: Rachel Renee Russell; Genres: young-adult, comics, children, graphic, romance, fiction; Review: Liked it although i feel like i am not enjoying it as i used to but it was good the way she wrote how nikki became a glam star haha and i loved how brandon was with her but i would have liked a little bit of umm i am not sure of what maybe alittle more romance i kind of wished nikki wasnt such a i dont know maybe a bit more apreciative but i liked most of the story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wild Wild West (Geronimo Stilton, #21); Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: history, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I might be getting to old for this series but they are just fun short stories. I am not sure what else i should say about this book other than it was short, funny and enjoyable too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thea Stilton and the Dancing Shadows (Thea Stilton #14); Author: Thea Stilton; Genres: young-adult, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: It was a short mystery that didnt complicate itself too much which was a nice breather from all those other mysteries. Nice and sweet like the rest of this series. 4/5; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Paper Towns; Author: John Green; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: I heard bad things about the book, bad things about the movie. So i wanted to see for myself if it was as bad as people said. To my surprise it wasn't the worst, i actually liked the message it conveyed but it did have moments which i wasn't too found of. One thing i did love was all the metaphors; from the strings, the grass and the vessel. They all seem so different but go perfectly together. It did bother me whoever Quentin's character throught out most of the book. I get that he wanted to find her but (spoiler) but he become so obsessed that he ignored everything else, from missing his only high school graduation only to find Margo and what just say hi and not even go with her, i was rolling my eyes at this point. (Spoiler ended) At times it was fast paced and exciting but at times it felt like details expressed in the book had no tie to the overall end point. It was whoever a solid good book. Don't recommend a 100% but it does have a good message.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stolen: A Letter to My Captor; Author: Lucy Christopher; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: I have never, never disliked a book so much in my entire life, i dont hate the author of this book i actually love a a book she made but this book really just really made me hate it, i hated gemma the most, ty was okay but he did have some problems, i gave this book 2/5 because of ty and how she described the place they lived in but if i was rating gemma's character development or her in general this book would have gotten a 0/5 from me. SPOILERS:read at your own risk I hated this book like you have no idea. It was a commitment to finish it, i am usually rational when it comes to reading books i usually try to see the two sides of a coin but in the book there was only one side and that side , well i just hated it. I felt like she was very conceited most of the time and i felt like she was ungrateful for a whole lot of things. A kidnapper would never treat her like that, not as good as ty did and yet she still protrays him like he is a crazy person who only hurt her, i just dont see it. i get that ty was a bit crazy too but really he only did so she could be happy not for some other reason, and he fell in love on the way. This book was a disappointment i thought it would be just as beautiful as flyaway but no, the ending wasnt even pleasing. Im sorry but i just really disliked this book, if you liked if then i guess you found things in this book that i might have missed, but overall i did love they way she described the land the way ty was when he was gentle and kind.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Room; Author: Emma Donoghue; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I really enjoyed it especially how the author made the characters go back to room in the end and i loved how even though jack was getting accustomed to the outside world he tried to make the best of it. It did go a bit slow for me at the beginning and when it was nearing it end but i liked it all as well and wow did emma donoghue surprise me with the other baby. I would have liked to have a part where it was in the mothers point of view but i liked how the story was looked at through innocent eyes that was a really good concept to the story really liked it and the ending was just amazing.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Taming; Author: Teresa Toten; Genres: young-adult, thriller, poetry, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Liked the shakespeare involved even though i dont understand it i liked how she was a shy girl and he was the popular guy i really liked that but the ending just wow it blew me away for realz liked really liked it; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The One (The Selection, #3); Author: Kiera Cass; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I loved the book but i felt like america kept dragging on but for the most part it was beautiful and how he asked her to marry him oh and the ring it was soo cute, loved it, awesome :); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Curious Tale of the In-Between; Author: Lauren DeStefano; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, romance, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I like the plot twist but i felt like it went a bit slow for me, and somethings weren't explained well. But overall the story was beautiful.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Outside In; Author: Sarah Ellis; Genres: children, young-adult, fiction; Review: It took some time to get into, but i liked the story if only she hadn't given away a lot in her synopsis the story would have been more of a surprise and i felt like a lot of questions remained unanswered by the end of the book. Enjoyed the concept and the story in general i also liked how Blossom was so kind and considerate. I liked it but unfortunately didn't love it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: My Wattpad Love (My Wattpad Love #1); Author: Ariana Godoy; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: I liked but i felt like there emotions changed quickly. And i felt like there were problems that shouldn't be there but overall the story really was cute and funny and it did make me want to hit it and laugh at it and a lot of emotions and i think thats what every author wants. Really enjoyed it!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moon at Nine; Author: Deborah Ellis; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, romance, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** Awesome i didnt like the ending though and i wished they could have just stayed together, but i liked it and i wouldnt mind rereading it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Elevator Ghost; Author: Glen Huser; Genres: young-adult, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I liked how even if it kepr repeating thingd it still sounded unique and beatiful i also liked that it gave different points of view and i loved how she was with the kids it was really awesome, what i wished was done better though was if the could have explained more about rhyming man because he seemed important to caroline and also does she have an ability to see ghosts or not can she speak to ghosts her powers werent explained very well. But i liked it very much!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In Real Life; Author: Cory Doctorow; Genres: young-adult, comics, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I loved it alot i liked the main idea for the book but i just wish the ending would have had a bit more explanation or romance for them both or atleast a chance for them to meet i dont know something, liked how the story developed really fast read by the way would have like romance and more badass scenes in it but overall it was a beautiful and inspirng story about not back out and fighting for what you want and what you believe in!! Really beautiful!!!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Red Wolf; Author: Jennifer Dance; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: It got me soo frustrated at times and at times i was like ohh how cute or something like that i am still not sure if i like the ending but it made me feel strong emotions which is what an authors wants. Really makes you think what life was to those Native People. Really liked.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All the Broken Pieces; Author: Ann E. Burg; Genres: history, young-adult, children, poetry, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I liked how the story was layed out but i felt the ending was a bit abrupt i wish we could have gotten alittle more and i like how it dealt with someone that had lived when the war was going on and also how they coped through that even though not all cope the same i really liked this one and i also felt like matt found comfort in baseball plus he was also good at it i also like the dinamic coach williams put for rob and matt i liked how they finally let everything loose and just talked it out it really shows that a bully is just taking out his sadness or hurt by making others feel worse i really liked that my only negative thought was the ending but otherwise i felt it was great. Although i would have wished alittle more back story on the father you know a little hint telling us there might me a reunion going on or something. But overall it was great.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: United as One (Lorien Legacies, #7); Author: Pittacus Lore; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I loved it! The conclusion of the conclusion was everything. Each character suffered and it made them that much stronger. Oh the solution to killing setrakus was perfect. It was just an awesome fast paced book overall. Definitely reccommend; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1); Author: Suzanne Collins; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I had started to read it about two years ago and i didnt find it interesting so i put it down but i tried again to see if my opinion had changed and i am so happy i picked it up again. It was so worth it! I liked that even though it was a serious topic there was still humor involved. I loved Peeta's atittude but Katniss's kind of bothered me because she thought the worst of Peeta when he was just trying to help her, plus he seemed sincere since the beginning but i guess if you think he is going to either kill you or get killed whats the point of thinking he will do what is best for another person but still he gave her that bread for a reason i just think that Katniss what being a bit dumb and so closed she didnt want to believe anything. And what Suzanne did about the 'mutts' being the other tributes that really shocked me, i had no clue i was so suprised, what i am still debating on though is if i liked the ending or not i think i do because finally Peeta realized what Katniss really was doing and that she didnt really love him like he did but i kind of wished it would have ended on a cliffhanger but i guess it was okay overall the book was great i liked most of the characters especially Peeta. The book was not a disappointment at all 5/5 stars but still doubting Katniss's behaviour.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Happily Ever After (The Selection, #0.4, 0.5, 2.5, 2.6); Author: Kiera Cass; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I loved most of the stories especially the favourite!! It was so awesome to look at the pasts and the future of both the selected and the most of the other characters. Overall it was amazing! I'm glad i was able to go into the illea world again. Really recommend; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Walking Home; Author: Eric Walters; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** This review will be full of spoilers. So you have been WARNED! This book was AMAZING. All throughout the book it surprised me how strong Muchoki was, he was scared but he put on a strong face for Jata, even though Muchoki was only a kid he acted like an adult, exactly what Jata needed, and i loved how so many people helped them in there journey everytime they met someone i kept thinking oh no something bad is going to happen but i am so glad i was wrong. I loved how Muchoki looked out for Jata he always put more food on her plate than on his plate, and one of things that surprised me the most was the kindness all around, even when Muchoki didnt have much he still shared what he had, kind of like with the masaai soldier and i always loved how their kindness was returned with food or something they needed on the way. Hope was a big part and Kindness was another, this book showed me that instead of waiting for something good or someone to do something nice for you, you should do it for someone else. Sharing what you have no matter how little could be a blessing to someone else. Oh this book id of course one of my favourites and trust me for a book to get five stars for me it has to be really good, this book was way more than good it was great. I really recommend!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Question of Miracles; Author: Elana K. Arnold; Genres: young-adult, thriller, children, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: ** spoiler alert ** SPOILERS: you have been warned! I was not expecting to be as happy as i was when i read what happened in the end. Every Time she tried to contact with Sarah i kept thinking oh maybe she will get something this time, but unfortunately nope. There were some parts that made me laugh out loud and some parts that made me cry and i loved that no matter what Boris was always there with her even when she didn't want him to. But i did dislike a bit of Iris attitude, i felt she was always trying to not make friends like she was pushing Boris away and she didnt want anything to do with him but i guess if my best friend died i would probably do the same thing. What i found amazing was the way the author described miracles or why they happen to some people and not to others. Its not because God chooses who gets one and who doesn't he just does whats best for you even you dont think so, like for example if sarah hadnt died iris would have never met Boris or maybe even moved and she of course would have never even question the miracle that is life itself. I found this book to be deep and light hearted at the same time and i seriously love thos books. There were something i also didnt like but of course there is always ups and downs to even your favouritest of books if thats even a word, it was great, it teaches you a very deep lesson.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The BFG; Author: Roald Dahl; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** Wow! Thats all i can say, i found this book funny, and beautifully written and i just loved it. SPOILERS: you have been warned. I loved it to the very last word, it made me laugh so hard, i loved how The BFG always answered Sophie's questions with deep thoughts. This book really makes you think about how we live and what we do to each other, but The BFG or Roald Dahl out it in a way that leaves you sort of confused because its a deep thought but its been put in a funny sort of sentence. I seriously would have never thought that they would have gone to the QUEEN! But im glad they did so that those giants could stop eating the poor people. I picked this book up not thinking much of it, i was like, eh its going to be a quick read, but not at all, i mean it was a quick read, but it surprised me with those deep thoughts and how The BFG was so different than the other 9. I really liked it, it was a beautiful story and i loved the way Roald Dahl ended the book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Defriended; Author: Ruth Baron; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I really liked this book, and it absolutely suprised me but i dont know why i cant given five stars, maybe it was because i couldnt connect to it, or maybe i just didnt like his attitude, im not sure but there was something. SPOLIERS: you have been warned. What the heck, i couldnt believe it. I suspected of max but it just blew me away, that wasnt the only part that suprised me. They kept pointing fingers and i just kept thinking oh no how could this be responsible for Lacy's death and then all of a sudden the say its Max! I was like whatt?? There were so many things that i likes about this book so many plot twist and i, up to a certain point, did believe Lacy was alive, i mean who didnt. Jason was a bit annoying sometimes but it wasnt that bad, this story did remind me alot to Pretty Little Liars but after about the middle it just got carried away into a whole different story. I really liked that Ruth Baron used Facebook as kind of the center of where it all started it, it really makes you realize who could be behind at the other of your conversation. The story was great yet i still felt like something was missing, something that would really make me connect to the story. But the ending was great, i really liked the epilogue.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dumplin' (Dumplin', #1); Author: Julie Murphy; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I had a hard time finishing this book. I get that its a book about accepting yourself and being in a beauty pageant but this book didn't feel like any of the two to me. Dont reccomend unless you know nothing of this book you most likely will not enjoy it. Spoilers She didnt accept herself and if she did it was hidden somewhere. The triangle with mitch and bo was no triangle at all she was just using mitch to forget out bo. How she quit the pageant. That was just ridiculous. She said that she was in the pageant for the girls but when something happened she said nope i am done. She couldnt have cared less about those girls. I felt like this book didnt fulfill my expections. I wanted her to accept herself at the end. For us to get a glimpse at her realtionship with bo. But neither of those things happened. I understand that it was suppose to be a cliffhanger to the next book but i dont think i'll be picking that one up.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Criminal Destiny (Masterminds, #2); Author: Gordon Korman; Genres: young-adult, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: ** spoiler alert ** Wow, that was something for sure. I can say with complete certainty that i want to read the next one! This book was awesome,annoying and frustrating at time but the ending, man that was something alright. SPOILERS: read at your own risk WHAT THE HECK, WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?! I just cant even, this book i felt was so annoying that nothing would make it better but oh Gordan Korman has his ways. I loved that this was so new to me, at the beginning i thought i knew the ending i was like yeah sure they are going to get the evidence and live happily ever after but holy motherchucker was i wrong, he took the plot in a whole other direction! No book has every surprised me this much, but i couldnt give it a 5/5 stars because i just felt like the kids were being stupid in letting C.J out i mean he is a criminal and of course he is not going to keep his word. But what surprised me of all was HECTOR! That little son of a witch, i mean at first i was like yeah of course poor kid, his friends left him and everything but i didnt think he would go THAT far! And that ending boy oh boy was i surprised i loved how he paired them up, Tori and Eli and Malik and Amber but i did hate that Tori and Eli left Malik and Amber behind i mean you could have followed them but i guess not. This book just like the last one makes me want to pick the next one up, i loved alot of the parts but some just rubbed me the wrong way. This book in its overall matter was AMAZING! Really recommend; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Seedfolks; Author: Paul Fleischman; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** You really see the progress of the garden in this book. Everybody puts their little grain of rice, everyone contributes in helping the garden look its best, i really enjoyed it especially how the garden effected different people's life's. SPOILERS: you have been warned. Wow. This book was just a wow, i mean i didnt like marciela's part of the story because i felt like it was a bit rushed, you know, i felt like the others took their time and really showed how the garden helped and how the people in the garden made a difference but in marciela it just seemed like oh that person is talking.... Still talking and BOOM it clicks. But the rest of the stories were wonderful. I loved the differeng backgrounds and life's some broke my heart others i could relate to, ALOT. I loved how every helped everyone else, even the people that didnt plant helped somehow. Really great story, shows alot of kindness towards one another and how no matter who you are or where you come from you should always get to know someone before judging them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: An Abundance of Katherines; Author: John Green; Genres: romance, young-adult, fiction; Review: This was one of those rare books that have a different concept and take you in a whole new direction without much action happening....let me explain. when i first read the synopsis i thought that it would be one of those generic books where the guy gets dumped, goes on a roadtrip and finds a girl whom he falls in love with. But this, this was a completely different book than that. every aspect from Colins unique personality to his friend and to where they end up is just amazing. I took my time because i didnt want it to end, i just felt to intrigued by every little detail. I loved how it not only met but exceeded my expectations. I loved this book, everything about it. This is one of the rare books i would definitely pick up again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nimona; Author: Noelle Stevenson; Genres: young-adult, comics, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** Wow! SPOILERS read at your own risk I seriously could not put it down, it was amazing. I love Nimona i loved her personality, but i do wish to know more about why or what exactly happened. It was funny, dark and deep all at the same time! I loved that! And i am still not quite sure if ballister and goldenloin had bromance or were actually in love. But i loved the ending, especially with that mystery, i seriously want to read more about it. I really hope Stevenson makes another one soon.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Firelight (Amulet, #7); Author: Kazu Kibuishi; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: I finished this in a whole day! to be honest comic books don't take me that much to read but i still think it went by pretty fast. Everything was so cool and awesome i just couldn't get enough, there was so many things in that book so many emotions. It was FABULOUS!!! I really cant wait for the next one to come out, really cant!!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alive (The Generations Trilogy, #1); Author: Scott Sigler; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This book gave me all the feelings you can imagine and more! I can admit i didnt love every inch of the book but i did love all the twists and turna and surprises that come out of it, i couldnt figure what was going on in my head it was like umm ok so this is happening but why, and i kept asking that until we finally got some answers. Its like you are stuck behind a wall and you cant seem to reach the other side and there is nothing to help you until finally you get a ladder of some sort and it all clicks into place thats how this book was for me. It was a really great read, i really recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Reaching for Sun; Author: Tracie Vaughn Zimmer; Genres: young-adult, children, poetry, romance, fiction; Review: This book grew on me, ALOT. There was just so much going on but at the same time their wasn't , i loved Jordan at times but i also disliked him. While i was reading the book i didn't really think of her disability its like she had nothing, i had to keep reminding myself about her disability. I definitley loved the ending, for multiple reasons, **SPOILER** but the main one was that i felt like she finally accepted herself, she finally embracef who she is, her family somehow seemed a bit more together and i loved how Jordan realized that his one true friend was Josie-bug haha (if you read the book you know where that name comes from) I loved it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Looking for Alaska; Author: John Green; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: I cant say i loved this book from the beginning, i had some problems but the end results of this book were beautiful. I cant explain the way i felt, there were so many emotions happening towards the end, i cried i laughed and wow it was a shocker. I guess i might have mistaken this book for a mystery because everytime the found something i thought oh maybe this didn't happen at all or something like that but it was more than that and if only i had known that from the beginning. This book really impacted me in alot of ways, especially in forgiving, i liked it alot, and i of course will give it another chance in the future, i might like it more than i already do!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Captain Marvel, Volume 1: In Pursuit of Flight; Author: Kelly Sue DeConnick; Genres: history, young-adult, comics, paranormal, graphic, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Wow i loved it, this was the first comic book of marvel that i read and i loved it, i loved the writing the character everything!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anya's Ghost; Author: Vera Brosgol; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, comics, crime, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: I cant believe what happened, wow i knew something creepy would happen i just didnt know that was it, wow was i freaked out, i loved it! Everything made me like wow, i loved the character developement, i loved what she learned at the end it really was great!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: X-Men, Volume 1: Primer; Author: Brian Wood; Genres: young-adult, comics, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: Wow really makes you want to read the next one, i know i might be behind but cut me some slack i just started reading marvel comics, and wow are they good, i am so looking forward to the next one i read, which ever that might be!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Me Before You (Me Before You, #1); Author: Jojo Moyes; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Beautiful! Even if i didnt agree completely with how things went, jojo made it look and feel like it was the for the best and it probably was. (Those who have read the book know what i'm talking about.) Louisa and Will's relationship was beyond compare, it was soo true so strong, it was amazing. I have nothing but good things to say, every part had a meaning, every choice they made was with reason, maybe not always but most of the time. this book really is beautiful and every which way!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2); Author: Suzanne Collins; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Wow, this book was a complete surprise, i loved it yet i read it so slowly, i don't understand why. This book sucker punched me with news, alot of it! Since i had read some of the hunger games i knew what happened, what the end was, but catching fire was like; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: X-Men, Volume 2: Muertas; Author: Brian Wood; Genres: young-adult, comics, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: i wasnt so sure about how this one was going to go, since i am barely starting to get into the marvel comics i get confused, alot! But i liked it, it took me so long because i put it down then i picked it back up again and then i put it down again etc, but it was really cool, i seriously dont know where these authors and illustrators get these ideas, i mean they are amazing! i will definitely read the next.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Since You've Been Gone; Author: Morgan Matson; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: I loved eveything. Morgan matson really found a way for this book to grow on me and to make me feel everything the main character was feeling. Nothing felt wrong or rushed, everything felt....just right. This book is just too great for me to be able to describe it, everything seemed perfectly timed nothing was out of place all of it was amazing. Really recommend, this story will not only make you feel everything but will also teach you a very important lesson: life happens and its best to live it to the fullest, whatever that may be.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Nest; Author: Kenneth Oppel; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Well i had never read a book in a day, but this one was so strange and intriguing i couldnt put it down. There were so many things that i had to stop and read over because i thought they were just too weird to be true, not only that but some of them were scary and disturbing but i somehow liked it. During this book you had no idea what was going to happen, would this person die or would that one or who was that other person really, you just had to keep reading hoping to find the answers but in reality it was just weird but a good weird. If you are looking for a book that is going to scare the heck out of you and make you cringe (in a good way) pick this book up, its amazing.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Glory O'Brien's History of the Future; Author: A.S. King; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, young-adult, fiction; Review: This was a book totally out of my comfort zone i gues you could say because, i dont know it was just so deep and powerful that it took me a little while to get how meaningful it actually is. If i have to be honest, i put this book down, but something about it made me want to pick it back up and i am glad i did. Everything about this book screams meaningful, however you take it, from whatever perspective, it leaves you thinking, not only about who you are as a person but what you want you want to achieve in life. I didnt give it 5/5 because i did put it down but it was amazing either way. Especially the last sentence: SPOILERS: read at your own risk "It just stopped. And i got off. It was the beginning of the history of the future and it was the end of Max Black. And i would live. " The last sentence on Glory O'Brien's History of the Future " I will do great things You will do great things Most people can't handle that. Can you?" Wow, those two last sentences completely obliterated me. They hold so much meaning..... Well done A.S King.....well done.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Legacies (Lorien Legacies: The Lost Files, #1-3); Author: Pittacus Lore; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Wow this was umm i dont know...... AMAZING I LOVED ALL THE BACKSTORIES!! Even though i knew how each one ended, i still loved it, how we got different points of view of how the events that happened, how they affected the other garde besides four. Some parts were really sad but it shows you why and how the characters came to be who they are now. Each has their story and each has a sad part a happy part and well the most important part which is when they all reunite!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Faceless; Author: Alyssa B. Sheinmel; Genres: romance, young-adult, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I wish i could give it 5/5 but Maisie did annoy me sometimes especially in the middle, but either way it was amazing. Really recommend. Spoilers She was being so ungrateful and saying that everyone looked at her disgusting and that wasnt always the case, she always called herself ugly but i guess that was what set it to the most amazing ending i have ever read. The way she slowly finds her new self and how she accepts that is just beautiful. This book made me cry 2-3 times and i rarely cry in books. Alyssa did an awesome job writing this book. This is one of my new favourites Really reccommend; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Cloud Castle (Thea Stilton: Special Edition #4); Author: Thea Stilton; Genres: thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This was a nice sweet story. Not too long, not too short, it was simple and sweet, the writing and the pictures were all beautiful. Its like taking a break from all those ya novels and reading something that doesn't complicate itself too much. Really enjoyed it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 172 Hours on the Moon; Author: Johan Harstad; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This book was awesome , I definitely recommend this book. Not only did it keep me wondering what was going to happen but the ending i was mind blown.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blood Red Road (Dust Lands, #1); Author: Moira Young; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I applaud moira young. Her writing, the plot and just everything *slowly claps* SPOILERS YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED HOW SHE KILLED EPONA; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bad Girls Dont Die (Bad Girls Don't Die, #1); Author: Katie Alender; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: It was really good. I was always wondering what was happening. It kept my attention throught out the whole book. You could see Alexis character developement. It was a really nice and fast pased read. Really recommend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: From Bad to Cursed (Bad Girls Don't Die, #2); Author: Katie Alender; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I didnt think the second one could be any better, but it was! so many twists and turns, i loved it! Not only that but hints and clue and then it all came together at the end, even more amazing!! I had somewhat high expectations and this book met them all. Really really reccommend; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Freak the Mighty (Freak The Mighty, #1); Author: Rodman Philbrick; Genres: children, young-adult, fiction; Review: I know a lot of people love this book....and i am not saying its bad. It is written in a way that makes you feel like your talking face to face with the characters. But to me the ending seemed a bit rushed, it was still sad but a bit rushed. That would be my only reason for giving it a 4/5, the rest in my opinion, was beautiful. The characters, the plot and everything was just beautiful. And the relationship between freak and max was a relationship everyone should have with at least one of the people in their life. Beautiful.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Work in Progress; Author: Connor Franta; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction; Review: My words cant describe how i feel about this book. I loved it! Maybe its because his words,thought and perspective are similar to mine or maybe its because their just so important. This book really surpassed all my expectations. I would say its a real must for someone who is beginning to making it on their own. Who is taking a risk or trying something that others dont agree on. Its really a great read and i love the fact that he is aware that even though he is young their is still a lot he can say from what he had observed and learned over the years. Really shows that to be wise you don't exactly have to be old, you just need to be aware and appreciate what's around you.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3); Author: Suzanne Collins; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This books was nothing like what I expected. I could use so many words to describe but right now I cant find any. my feelings near the end of the book were all over the place. my sister even thought i was going crazy because of how many times i cried and immediately laughed after or vice versa. the book seemed slow yet fast, seemed good yet bad, seemed like the book that id treasure forever but at the same time,I wanted to throw it out the window. All i really say about this book is that its amazing, from a certain point of view. spoilers: in the beginning, my expectations weren't high but they weren't completely low. i thought oh she is going to disobey some rules but still follow out with the plan, she will get the districts to join her and the rebels, there will be some fighting and then she will get to the capitol and kill snow and that would be where it ends...........but no, that's not what happened at all. i hated Katniss for most of the book. how she treated peeta after what he had been through, how naive she was, she seemed like a puppet throught the whole novel where everyone was telling her what to do. the other characters frustrated me too. Gale ,for one, seemed to wrapped up in Katniss in some parts but in others it seemed like he had completely forgotten about her. finnick and peeta were really the only ones i cared about and there goes Suzanne killing finnick and leaving peeta mentally unstable with puppet Katniss around. Prims death didn't take the effect i thought it would. it was like she was just another capitol citizen which made the emotions Katniss was feeling more annoying to me. the ending was what truly made me happy....somewhat. as soon as i read it i was immensilly happy because peeta and Katniss were together but now that i think about it she never seemed to take control over her life. everyone who loved her seemed to have abandoned her, and it seemed like she only settled for peeta. there is so much more i could say about this book. But i have decided against it because otherwise i would just ramble on and on. this book was good from a certain point of view. the ending did make me happy, how they had their children and that everyone had found peace. its a good read,it really is, its the best ending of a series i have read so far.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2); Author: Rick Riordan; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This book took me awhile to read. Not because it was bad, i found it to be quite exciting and funny, but because i had watched the movie previously which ruined some of the surprises. Another thing that bothered me was that it repeated previous events constantly in the beginning. Besides that i felt like the rest of the book was great. I think this book is as good as the first maybe a bit better. It had suspense and big plot twists but it felt like it didn't have as much action as the first. I love how we got more information about each character and how each piece of detail had a purpose. Rick Riordan just keeps surprising me...i love it! I will definitely read the next one...especially after that ending (jaw drop).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Girl I Used to Be; Author: April Henry; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: I loved this book, so far all the books i have read of April Henry have been amazing. It was fast paced, mysterious, and just awesome all together. So many leads it was hard to figure out who actually killed them, until the author revealed it. However, some details weren't necessary and there was a lot of repeating. Also, Olivia's attitude bothered me a couple of times but beside that, this novel is one of the best mysteries i have read. Definitely recommend.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Everything, Everything; Author: Nicola Yoon; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: I cant think of a single thing i hated about this book. It was truly amazing. Each moment was as special as the next, this book was everything you could ever want in a romantic novel. Everything, Everything was..well basically everything! The illustrations, the romance, maddy herself, it was all pefect in my opinion. This will definitely be a re read in the future!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dear John; Author: Nicholas Sparks; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: This was nothing like i expected.. (Spoilers...you have been warned) I had no clue what this story would bring. I knew that it was a love story and i thought it would end in the usual "and the lived happily ever after..". I had absolutely no idea that they would end up in two different directions. Their love story was...unique, enchanting, and simply beautiful. This book brought me to tears so many times. I hated it but i cant stop myself from loving it too. Nicholas sparks is far from your generic romance author.....and i love him for it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: To Kill a Mockingbird; Author: Harper Lee; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: So many lessons that were taken from this book. Its such an eye opener, so many great things to say about this book. I do have to admit it felt a bit slow for me in some parts but the overall message was beautiful. I loved most of the characters. They were so real and funny. This book really captured the essence of what being human and dealing with what is going on around you is. The times were tough but the way Scout dealt with them showed such maturity and yet at time she was no more than a small girl. This book is truly amazing, so many truths told through simple events. Beautiful, just beautiful.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Immortal Coil: A Dragon Spirit Novel, Book 1; Author: Visit Amazon's C.I. Black Page; Review: This book was amazing. There are 2 reasons I did not give it 5 stars and only provided 1. First is that the ending seemed unfinished. There were items toward the end with Grey and the Handmaiden that were never resolved. I am hoping that this will be settled in the next book because just dropping this part of the story would be a waste. Also I try to reserve a top score on a book for reads like JRR Tolkien LOTR series. Baring the classics, this is one of the best fantasy books I have read in a long time. I love dragons, and the tale of how they were almost wiped off the earth and how they have survived was as good as the love story of Anaea and Hunter. Other than the feeling that something was missing, the climax at the end was a treat as I was not expecting the ending. Thank you Mrs. Black as I can usually tell the ending by the middle of the book and although I was close, the true ending did hold a bunch of twists and turns for me. I was fully entertained from beginning to end. I am hoping the next book will be out soon!!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Among the Unseen (The Thin Veil); Author: Visit Amazon's Jodi McIsaac Page; Review: Among the Unseen is a wonderful ending to the Thin Veil trilogy. The story is enthralling, keeping you in suspense to find out how Cedar will evolve, and will she save Tr na ng and all magical creatures in time? I loved this story. With strong, intriguing, characters, beautiful descriptions and a quick pace, Jodi McIssac really drove home her love for all things Magical. I highly recommend reading the entire series, including the novella Beyond the Pale.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Malcom (The Alphas) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Jessica Cage Page; Review: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Malcom is smart, strong, flawed, and yet you will fall for him. His fate is tied into a crazy Alpha wanting to kill him and most of the Wolf pack. Malcom has so many facets to him, just when you think you have him figured out, bam a new side. I am hesitant to explain too much because you need to read this for yourself. Jessica made it easy for me to envision the landscape, Malcom's change and all the characters as I read them. This is filled with intrigue, twists, love and some very steamy scenes. Great read by the pool or beach on a hot summer day. / Make sure to have a very frozen drink for those steamy scenes!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moonlight Dance; Author: Visit Amazon's Jessica Cage Page; Review: This was a great read. Loved how the story touched on Malcolm and moved along to the new Alpha and his mate. Jessica Cage created a very strong female lead and had me rooting her on. Can't wait for a sequel to hear more of this story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The High Arc: Revitalized (The High Arc Vampires); Author: Visit Amazon's Jessica Cage Page; Review: I will normally go through a book quickly. When I take my time it is because the story is so engaging, I need to absorb every word. I need to figure out the twist. Revitalized just did that. I did not figure out the twist at the end (can't say too much don't want to give a spoiler). I do have to say that the cliffhanger killed me at the end. I thought the ending was a bit abrupt where it left off but that was more because I was really into it at that point. I am off to book 2 in the series. Jessica Cage never lets me down. Her characters are well thought out and you learn about them through the story. Great book~; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spirit Ascendancy: Book 3 of The Gateway Trilogy (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's E.E. Holmes Page; Review: This series kept me in suspense. I couldn't wait to read what happened next. I am hoping there is more stories for the Ballard sisters.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spirit Ascendancy (The Gateway Trilogy Book 3) eBook; Author: Visit Amazon's E.E. Holmes Page; Review: This series kept me in suspense. I couldn't wait to read what happened next. I am hoping there is more stories for the Ballard sisters.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Witch at Heart: A Jinx Hamilton Witch Mystery Book 1 (The Jinx Hamilton Mysteries) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Juliette Harper Page; Review: I loved this book. It held my attention and I really enjoyed the friendship of Jinx and Tori. It is a good, lighthearted read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Witch at Odds: A Jinx Hamilton Mystery Book 2 (The Jinx Hamilton Mysteries) (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Juliette Harper Page; Review: I am really liking this series. There were some unexpected twists and turns and it kept me reading until I was done.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Witch at Odds (A Jinx Hamilton Mystery Book 2) eBook; Author: Visit Amazon's Juliette Harper Page; Review: I am really liking this series. There were some unexpected twists and turns and it kept me reading until I was done.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Lost Hero. Rick Riordan; Author: Visit Amazon's Rick Riordan Page; Review: my grandson asked me about any books that I had been reading. I told him about this series and he seemed interested. So when I ordered it, I thought. Maybe it will come, maybe not but at least I made an effort to find it. It was offered at a very good price, and amazingly enough in this day and age, here it comes quickly to my mailbox. Thank you !; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse: The Graphic Novel (Book 3) (Percy Jackson Graphic Novels); Author: Visit Amazon's Rick Riordan Page; Review: This new book was very anticipated. When I saw it offered by Amazon, I thought this is the way to shop. I live in a rural area and its nice not to drive a hundred miles to find a book that the stores may or may not have. Thank you .; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods; Author: Visit Amazon's Rick Riordan Page; Review: Really helps you understand the background of Mr Riordan's characters. I enjoyed bringing certain identities into perspective .; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes (Percy Jackson and the Olympians); Author: Visit Amazon's Rick Riordan Page; Review: This is a great book . It explains in depth a lot about Mr Riordan's characters.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vintage Notions Monthly - Issue 1: A Guide Devoted to the Love of Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion & Fun; Author: Visit Amazon's Amy Barickman Page; Review: Have been looking forward to this magazine for some time ! Filled with so much wisdom and interesting sewing and even cooking tips ! Ms. Barickman , so glad you chose to create this !; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Quiltmaker's 1,000 Blocks: A Collection of Quilt Blocks from Today's Top Designers; Author: Carolyn Beam; Review: A beautiful summary and guide for quilt blocks from the last 10 years. Even some I have never seen ! Well worth the purchase !; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lion House Cookbook: More Than 500 Favorite Recipes; Author: Temple Square Hospitality; Review: Wow ! Food that seriously appeases appetites ! Very understandable recipes ! I almost can smell the baked goods . The book is beautifully put together and a good quality book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Movie Tie-in Edition): A No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Novel (1); Author: Visit Amazon's Alexander McCall Smith Page; Review: I had never read a book by this author. Really a fun read !; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Moo Baa La La La; Author: Visit Amazon's Sandra Boynton Page; Review: So hard to choose which is our favorite Sandra Boynton book, but it might be this one. We all have it memorized, from Grandma to the kids. Boynton's work is so catchy it's easy to memorize them, though. The illustrations are always so bright and cheerful, with the cutest expressions on the animal's faces.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: White Lies (The Arcane Society, Book 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Jayne Ann Krentz Page; Review: The premise: the heroine of this book can tell when people are lying and gets involved with the Arcane Society, which has existed as an organization for the psychically endowed for a long time. (It is a secret organization--the book is a contemporary and takes place in the "now".) The heroine is unusually strong, and soon she meets the hero, who is also unusually strong on the psychic scale. The two of them must work together to solve a huge family drama that becomes a lot more dangerous than anyone might expect. One of the things I noticed about this book is that it feels like a sequel to another book. And it is, but not the book you'd expect. It reads as if the previous book explained the story that is continually referenced in this novel (where the heroine met her half sister and saved the half sister from a bad marriage), but it is not. That was odd, since it at times created a murky read, but the book stands alone well enough. As a whole, this is a good romantic suspense novel with decent paranormal world building. It is a nice change from vampires and werewolves, and the secret society aspect appears to be intricate and well thought out. I enjoyed it and will try the other Arcane Society books.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Touched by Darkness (Sentinel, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Catherine Spangler Page; Review: Premise: a secret society of enhanced humans has sworn to protect the world against demons and evil magic. The heroine is a `conductor' who can make one of these special humans' powers stronger if she is willing. The hero meets her in the small town where she's been hiding out, away from all the madness. There is an instant connection and because she and her son are in danger, she has to help him ramp up his powers, which involves contact of the sexual type. The heroine has a great reason for not wanting to be involved, and her reasons don't make her seem selfish or "TSTL". She wants to protect her son. The evil demon types have the skill where they can take on the bodies of weakened humans. A lot of times when there is body shifting like this going on, you can tell who the bad guys are easily, but the author really held her cards close to her chest and kept me guessing. I mean, because it was a romance novel, I knew it would have a good ending, but it got pretty dark in places. If you prefer lighter fiction, which Spangler's futuristic work was, this is a change of pace. Adding a sexual element to the story is something that happens a lot with the popular `hot' paranormal romances right now, and I almost wish it hadn't been in this one. I felt it would have been a little stronger without that requirement that sex increase the hero's powers. There was enough natural male / female tension between the two protagonists, as they were written with depth. However, it wasn't enough of an issue for me to dislike the book. If you are a fan of the darker paranormal romances so popular right now, this is a good one to try and even does some new things with worldbuilding you may not have seen before.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Witch Fire (Elemental Witches, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Anya Bast Page; Review: Premise: heroine who doesn't know she has magickal powers is introduced to the secret world of magicians and demons by a man who is elementally attractive to her. The heroine, Mira, begins the story as an "everywoman" that I think a lot of readers will be able to relate to. She is a hard worker, a waitress, and has no idea what is about to befall her. When the hero, Jack, appears, and it's not very long into the book, that is when things start to really cook. The world the author has created is pretty unique and interesting, and her prose is clean and easy to read. The scenes where Mira starts to understand about her powers (when Jack has her) are a little contrived with some romance genre staples, but the characters remain sympathetic, especially Mira. She might start out afraid of what is happening to her but she ends the book brave and willing to learn about her heritage and how she can contribute to saving the world, etc etc. There are a lot of spicy love scenes in the book, so if you prefer your books to "close the door" or use euphemisms, this is not a book for you. This is a good example of the hot paranormal romance genre and fans of that genre ought to enjoy this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Too Much Temptation: A Novel of Erotic Romance; Author: Visit Amazon's Lori Foster Page; Review: Premise: the hero catches his blue blood fiancee with another man and they break up. His granny gets mad and disowns him because the family really wanted him to get with the ritzy gal. It doesn't help that he won't tell anyone the real reason so his loser fiancee can save face. The heroine is the granny's secretary / personal assistant who has known the hero for a long time, and when the family squabble happens, she comes down on the side of the hero and loses her job for various reasons. She takes on kind of a Cinderella role as well. This romance had a good "voice". It was funny and light and easy to read. It also kind of had this old-style Harlequin romance feel where all these outlandish, contrived things go wrong. The hero being disowned for breaking up with the cheater was definitely one of the contrived things that seemed out of place in a contemporary, but I don't know a lot of super rich families. Maybe they act that way. The heroine gets a lot of misfortune heaped on her in this funny yet melodramatic way and you can't help but root for her. I didn't feel as sympathetic towards the hero and couldn't understand why he wouldn't be honest (he seemed sulky), but he did treat the heroine well and that was a point in his favor. Their interactions were entertaining. The sex scenes are hot and detailed though not quite at the level of erotic romances. I think if you like Lori Foster, you will like this. If you haven't tried one of the author's books, this one is a frothy, fun and sexy contemporary romance that has its flaws but is quite readable nonetheless.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Stray; Author: Visit Amazon's Rachel Vincent Page; Review: Premise: werecats exist among us. The heroine, who is supposed to be at home having babies because she's a female "tabby", instead is at college because she worked out a deal with her dad, the head of a regional werecat clan, to bend the rules for her. When somebody starts kidnapping the females she has to go home, even though she kicks up a fuss the whole time about how her life isn't fair. She threatens to leave even though there are psychopaths killing werecat women. Love interests included a boyfriend at college (whom we presume is a human) who disappears in a suspicious fashion, her ex werecat boyfriend who wanted to marry her and head up the werecat clan, and her childhood friend who is a "Casanova" type. The werecat culture is strong and well-drawn but sometimes I do get tired, in these paranormal romance or urban fantasy worlds, of always seeing the females put in a weaker position. I see this frequently in paranormal romance, especially shapeshifter romance, though this novel does take on that stereotype by having the heroine be somewhat of an exception to the rule, along with some information at the end about what her father intends for her. But some of the tropes do get tiresome. Super alpha males etc. The worldbuilding otherwise was interesting and complex, with some degree of infodumping but mostly the information was worked in through story action. This was not strictly a paranormal romance for those of you who prefer one woman/one man/concrete ending but was the beginning of an urban fantasy series, albeit with a satisfactory enough conclusion that this novel felt like a complete unit. I thought it was enjoyable, and though the heroine wasn't that likeable and it dragged in the middle, the beginning and end had a good pace. You don't always have to like or admire a character to like their story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ever; Author: Visit Amazon's Gail Carson Levine Page; Review: Premise: The heroine lives in an Arabian-Nights feeling world where everyone prays to a god who doesn't seem very benevolent and also doesn't seem to help the people very much. In contrast the hero lives in a neighboring country where he *is* a god (some kind of immortal, intelligent being with massive superpowers) and he and his fellow gods and goddesses do help the humans near their home. When the hero decides to sow his wild god oats, his plan is to live like a human goat herd. Wild, huh? But he meets the sweet, beautiful clever heroine who is a talented dancer and rug maker. She's a little TOO perfect, if you know what I mean. But right when he meets her she, through her selfless actions to save a loved one, gets 'cursed' by their god to die as a sacrifice in a short number of days. Can the two young lovers come together even as they have to figure out the meaning of sacrifice, the identity of gods and question their beliefs? While I've enjoyed some of Levine's more lighthearted work more than I did Ever, I did appreciate the change of venue and scene setting in this novel. The unusual take on gods and goddesses was also very interesting, as was the comparison of our valiant hero as a very youthful god and our heroine as a very heroic human. The overall tone of the book was sweet and a little dreamy, told in alternating first person. I would be willing to read more novels set in this particular world but was satisfied with the way this story ended -- it doesn't cry out for that type of series, which so many fantasy novels seem to be these days. Nothing stands alone. But this book did. I would recommend this book to teen-agers and adults who enjoy romantic fantasies and don't mind the fact that the book sets up and deals with questions of religion, different religions, and some religious beliefs not always being 100% beneficial.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dragon Slippers; Author: Visit Amazon's Jessica Day George Page; Review: Premise: When Creel, the heroine, is sent by her impoverished family to be eaten by the local dragon, the hope is that some valiant hero will rescue her, subsequently taking her off their hands. However, Creel is more independent and enterprising. Instead, sort of like in Wrede's Dragon series, she befriends the dragon, who ends up giving her a special pair of slippers. These slippers of the title are the beginning of a grand adventure that will lead our heroine from another dragon's lair to a dress shop to the center of the kingdom itself. Dragon Slippers is another of the breed of young adult fantasy novels with a clever, light tone, in first person, with a sassy but hard working protagonist who doesn't let hardship get her down. I say "another" but that's not an implied criticism. It just seems to be a popular subgenre right now and I for one am enjoying these clean-cut stories that are uplifting and interesting without being treacly. The heroine is a talented character without being flawless. She has doubts and weaknesses and can have a hot temper. There is even a touch of romance in here though it is watered down for the age group the book seems to be aimed at, about ages 10-15. I loved it and I'm a lot older than 10. The world setting and plot are also very intricate. This is not a "thin" book. I would recommend this for readers who enjoy this subgenre, for starters, but also readers, even adults, who miss the more stand-alone fantasy stories that don't seem to be published as often anymore since there are so many dark plots and series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dead Girls Are Easy (Nicki Styx, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Terri Garey Page; Review: Premise: The heroine Nicki nearly dies at the beginning of the story and quickly realizes her touch of the "light" has given her the ability to talk to ghosts. And the ghosts, like people, all want something from her, which is usually to fix what they couldn't before they died. Nicki's doctor is attractive and single and male so he is introduced as a love interest, but it gets sticky pretty fast when she finds out he may have an ulterior motive. Plus she sees dead people now and that's a tough thing to tell a new boyfriend. The trials of the living AND the recently murdered begin to interfere with Nicki's return to health and normalcy in a way that might end up with the heroine having a second chance to go to the light, a lot sooner than planned. The urban fantasy crazy is full of mouthy heroines with power and missions suddenly thrust upon them whether they want them or not. DGAE is no exception to this but that is fine with me because I enjoy that kind of plot. It is entertaining and fun even when the heroine makes choices this reader wouldn't have. The whole "sees dead people/helps them cross over" thing isn't original here but it doesn't feel derivative or anything. It's somewhere in between and suits the story. A lot of information about voodoo is integrated smoothly into the scene setting although sometimes the story wavers between being dark and scary and funny and sarcastic. Some readers may prefer a book that veers more solidly in one direction but I thought the balance was fine. It's not depressing and violent, it's not grim, but it's not fluffy, either. I liked it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Slave (The Cat Star Chronicles); Author: Visit Amazon's Cheryl Brooks Page; Review: Premise: Slave is a futuristic romance that begins with a less common twist. The heroine is purchasing the hero at a slave auction because she feels a slave (whom it seems she intends to free) is the only person she will be able to trust on her upcoming mission. She is bound for a planet where all women are property in order to rescue or sister, captured by slavers years ago. If she's not chained to a man who "owns" her, she can be taken by any man. Never mind that the author makes it a point to state slavery is rare; all 3 main characters are at some point enslaved. Hence the title. The hero, for his part, is a sort of feline humanoid who is gifted with unusual sexual....let's call it prowess, though it's more of a by product. So the heroine (the book is told in first person from the heroine's head) and this tortured man she barely knows land on the planet in question without making much of a plan other than that. Things proceed from there in a similiar fashion. Slave is a vivid, descriptive book with a lot of enthusiasm for its subject matter. The pacing does not lag much, but the content does lean heavily toward sexually oriented. I suppose if the reader wasn't in the mood for that the pacing might lag. Sometimes the plot and things that happen get a little bizarre, and the heroine makes choices that seem short sighted. To give details would spoil plot points so I'll leave it at that. The other main detractor for me as a reader was that I was unsure if this was meant to be pure spoof (the angsty parts with the hero and other things seem to belie that) or just a "funny" book. It didn't fall enough on one or the other side of the spoof fence for me.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Beyond the Rain (A Realms Beyond Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Jess Granger Page; Review: Premise: The heroine is on a planet with her military team using both technology and a fox-like animal to enact a rescue operation. Instead of the mission the heroine gets sidetracked when her fox finds the hero locked up, so she frees him. Unfortunately events conspire to cause them to miss their flight off the planet, so these two very different people who don't even speak the same language have to figure out how to survive in enemy territory. The hero has an additional "ticking time bomb", as mentioned in the blurb, in that he needs to mate with a woman or he might die. This survival / road trip in space story is fast paced, inventive and exciting. I could have done without the sexual premise personally because the hero and heroine had a good connection and didn't need that to help them get together. The heroine is strong and proactive without being an unrealistic hardened warrior while the hero is damaged and desperate but willing to try to heal and trust. I was convinced by their relationship. He has to take a huge leap of faith to follow the heroine. The book has also got a little political and military intrigue thrown in to add tension as well as a dose of mysticism. The tone comes closer to the dark side (no not that dark side!) than humorous but it is not bleak. The love scenes feel like LOVE scenes instead of just sex and do not dominate the book which was a pleasant surprise given the premise. I recommend this for fans of adventure romance, big budget scifi movies and authors like Linnea Sinclair, Susan Kearney and Susan Grant. I will definitely be following this author.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Brother's Price; Author: Visit Amazon's Wen Spencer Page; Review: I have called this an "alternate history" because to me it read more like an historical novel (kind of late 1800's with touches of frontier culture but also some machinery and such) instead of a fantasy novel, though I can see why many might call it a fantasy novel. In this society, not many males are born, so the ones who are are kept safe at home by hordes of related "sister wives", I guess, only it's not like that at all. The women are very dynamic and powerful and the male characters have a lot of the traditional female traits you can find in historical romances. But at the same time they are also strong and inventive. As I do read a lot of romance, too, I just found this reversal to be fascinating. Anyway, the hero of the story is a brother who lives with a large, healthy group of ladies who I think don't currently have a "husband" between them. But groups of ladies can barter with their brothers or sons and use them to get husbands or lots of money or what have you. That's where the title comes from. The hero and some of his younger sisters end up rescuing a female soldier because all the older women are off doing other things. The hero is supposed to stay in the house where he can be protected since husband-snatching is not at all uncommon. But he rescues this lady anyway, and she turns out to be a royal princess in addition to a soldier--she also turns out to be interested in him! What follows is a lot of political intrigue and adventure. This book is not smutty even though the premise might sound like it would be smutty. It's very good and creative, and I recommend it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Easily Amused; Author: Karen Mcquestion; Review: I always loved the chick lit genre and read a lot of it when it was more common. This book fits well in that genre without breaking new ground -- OR disappointing. Very solid in that respect, with characters getting their "just desserts" in satisfactory ways. The heroine, Lola, has an interesting journey as she has inherited her aunt's house but it takes her awhile to make it her own. She is also arguably taking her time making her life her own because she likes to stand apart from relationships, as demonstrated by her reluctance to befriend all her new neighbors. And all her old friends are starting new lives, one with a baby and one with his serious girlfriend...except suddenly he breaks up with said girlfriend and wants to move in with Lola, temporarily! And then her little sister decides to get married on Lola's birthday, so Lola decides she needs a really impressive date to take since she and her sister have a pretty snipey, nasty relationship, which will feel familiar to readers of chick lit. Enter the hero Ryan, who is handsome and mysterious and agrees to be the fake-date. Or....is he the hero? I enjoyed watching Lola's discovery process about herself and her life even as a lot of the answers were obvious to me as a reader. It contained many humorous moments without digging too terribly deep -- not a psychological melodrama, this one. But that's okay with me! A good representation of its genre.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moon Dance (Vampire for Hire, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's J.R. Rain Page; Review: I read more than a little urban fantasy, and the thing that really struck me about this book was how it brought the "reality" (ha ha) of being a vampire down to earth. The heroine, who was turned before the start of the book, has been dealing with her condition but also being a mom and wife. She also tries to hold down a PI job and hide her vampirism. The story isn't written as pure silliness or pure drama. Somewhere in between, which is a sweet spot for me as a reader. I could empathize without having to roll my eyes. It had sad parts as well as humorous parts and scary parts. When the heroine's latest client wants her to investigate an attempt on his life, the book takes a turn for a bit of thriller mixed with mom lit mixed with action-adventure mixed with romance. All the subgenres blend into a tasty treat. So worth the money. I look forward to checking out the others in this series. Sort of reminds me of the Julie Kenner Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series, which I also quite like, but edgier and faster-paced. It did seem like it was over pretty quickly, but that might have been the pacing and the fact it's merely the first in a series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Twenties Girl: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Sophie Kinsella Page; Review: I'm not as much of a fan of Kinsella's Shopaholic books as the rest of hers, so I was pleased to see Twenties Girl come out. The heroine, Lara, is being plagued by the ghost of a relative she didn't know very well -- that she really didn't know at all. She goes through some phases of belief that seem reasonable to me as to whether she truly thinks Sophie is a ghost or she is crazy, and all the while it's pretty darn funny. There is a mystery to be solved, family shenanigans, romance, and life ponderings all in one whimsical package. Fans of sf/f or paranormal romance or urban fantasy (which I am) might find the worldbuilding of the story a bit light and unexplained, but since it's Kinsella and compulsively readable, I was able to go with it well enough. Recommended!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (The Inheritance Trilogy); Author: Visit Amazon's N. K. Jemisin Page; Review: I'll leave the plot summaries for some of the other very competent ones already in other reviews and the product description. For me the book ended up being too convoluted. Lots of tangents, backtrackings, "Oh I forgot to tell you"s, and such make up a major component of the storytelling style. The characters aren't necessarily likeable and it's sometimes hard to figure out precisely what's going on or how things work, like political structures, history, physical descriptions, relationships and so on. The style is more literary than the genre fiction I usually read, so if you like that in a book, this will probably be more to your taste than it was mine. I think it is very distinctive for the genre. But for me it was a bit slow and meandering. However, I'll be the first to admit I like a straightforward story.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Emperor's Edge; Author: Visit Amazon's Lindsay Buroker Page; Review: Reviews have to be at least 20 words long, but my basic feelings about this book would be "good stuff". For me it had a feel of epic fantasy except told on a smaller scale, from a tighter perspective, with some narrative techniques that seem popular right now, like limited point of view characters and not much use of omniscient point of view that was prevalent or is prevalent in epic fantasy. It gave the story a more intimate feel. The heroine was particularly easy to relate to and like, and the author did not just "tell" us the character was supposed to be smart or tough, the character's good qualities were demonstrated in the story. The beginning of the book was a little darker and more serious but as the heroine began to meet her future cohorts, the atmosphere lightened up a little, with flashes of humor that I appreciated as a reader. The worldbuilding wasn't overdone, sort of a basic fantasy medieval with steampunk/mechanical leanings. It reminded me in a good way of the city of Santuary from the Thieves' World series. The story is the beginning of a series but functions well enough as a stand-alone novel; there isn't some massive cliffhanger where you don't know who has survived at the end or anything like that. That is not meant to be a spoiler, just a reassurance!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Maggie for Hire: Book One: Maggie MacKay Magical Tracker Series; Author: Visit Amazon's Kate Danley Page; Review: Our heroine Maggie lives in a relatively standard "split world" (standard if you read much contemporary fantasy!) where the Earth we know has no magic and the other dimension does. All the cool creepy crawlies and hot elves come from the magic side. Maggie's job, as a child of both sides, is to drag people who are magic, or monsters who are magic, back to the magic side so they can't cause trouble and eat humans. She can do this because she has the ability to cross when she wants or needs to while other people have to go through an approved transfer point. This is a focal point in the story as it progresses and it is explained well. The heroine is fun to "listen" to as she narrates her dimensional-hopping adventure. That makes it sound SF, but it's pure urban fantasy, on the light side. The hero is an elf who is assigned to hire her to do a job for the elf queen, and at first she doesn't want to work with him. But of course she grows to depend on his presence as he does hers. I expected him to be stronger or more alpha than he turned out to be, since that's what one generally encounters in this genre, but he remained in the back seat to the heroine's plot. Romance-wise, if that is a trope you like in a book, the hero and heroine's interactions have the blossomings of a future romance but not yet an "HEA". I could not give this book more stars because one of its primary flaws was in the editing. The dialogue in particular was incorrectly punctuated, and it jerked me out of the story. The author's style was relatively facile otherwise, without an abundance of typos.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wreck of the Nebula Dream; Author: Visit Amazon's Veronica Scott Page; Review: This book had a bit of a slow start. The hero, somewhat in a state of 'employment flux', is on a huge, fancy, luxury spaceship as it takes a maiden pleasure cruise. The heroine is another passenger whom he meets and is attracted to. So the beginning of the book introduces us to the concept of this luxury liner, a number of characters, and the hero's backstory. But then the little flaws with the ship start to trickle in, things the hero notices. The plot speeds up. The book has a very cinematic feel, in a good way, in that you can really envision how this would have been a movie. And to me, even though it was 'ode' to the Titanic, it didn't feel like it was derivative of any disaster flicks. It just turned out to be a solid page turner with lots of twists and narrow escapes. Be warned, though, that this *is* a bit of a disaster book and not everyone in the book makes it to the end! But if you have watched many disaster flicks, you will be familiar with that format and many of those tropes. Recommended if you like disaster movies, Titanic stories, and space opera with a little romance thrown in for heart.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Busted in Bollywood (Entangled Select); Author: Visit Amazon's Nicola Marsh Page; Review: The beginning of this book felt impossibly contrived, but because the narrator was so snarky and because I really love chicklit, I kept going. The heroine's BFF convinces her to go in her place to meet her fiance in an arranged Indian marriage. If you have trouble swallowing that, I did too, but it was still funny, and I wanted to see how it played out. I was gratified when some of the obvious issues, like how easy it is to look people up on the internet, were not ignored and in fact ended up playing a part in the plot as it progressed. However, the plot also contained more contrivances as the book continued, and the narrator had rather questionable decision-making skills. I read chicklit to see the narrators wise up, so to speak, and that process was slow. Things I really really liked, though, were the voice, the opportunity to read a book that wasn't set entirely in America or Great Britain, and all the twists and turns.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Of Giants and Ice (The Ever Afters); Author: Visit Amazon's Shelby Bach Page; Review: The premise: A little girl named Rory has been pushed to the side by her family. Rory begins attending a special program called the "Ever After School", which she originally thinks is role-playing, but it turns out it's a real school for people to learn to be fairy tale characters. With the help of her friends, Rory must undertake an epic quest that turns out to be a lot more than a simple fairy tale. This book fits the current popular subgenre where fairy tales are being revised and modernized. I appreciated that there was a female main character who wasn't automatically involved in a romance plot up front, though there is potential for it since this is a series. So many adventure books, in order to be "unisex", seem to focus on the boys with girls as side characters. The humor in the book was delightful and enhanced the adventure components. Recommended for fans of adventure, fairy tales and girls in the spotlight. I read this one along with my 11 year old granddaughter and she loved it too.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Torrent: Rust & Relics, Book 1 (Rust and Relics) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Lindsay Buroker Page; Review: Premise: the heroine, named Delia, and her nerdy male partner are in the business of antiquing -- with a twist. They concentrate on relics or archaeological antiques sometimes as well as things like old pepper grinders. They enjoy their business even though they have a lot of trouble making ends meet. When they stumble across a dead body on one of their scavenging adventures, it ends up involving them in a bigger mystery than anything they ever expected -- something finally worthy of the heroine's "Indiana Jones" type aspirations! While this book felt rougher than Buroker's other novels, I would still consider this author to be one of my favorites. The character interactions weren't standard or predictable--any romance plots in here are going to be slower to develop, I think, although I trust the author to develop them as well as in the Emperor's Edge. There are no superhero protagonists in here who can outthink or outfight all the villains, so that was great. However, the world isn't as richly drawn as Buroker's fantasies, possibly because it was set in contemporary times, and the characters, while a change of pace from the more over the top characters in other Buroker books, seemed flatter. Additional characters added as the book progressed received even less characterization than the 2 main protagonists. That being said, about halfway through the book, after making the mental switch to the author's contemporary voice, I was definitely on the Rust and Relics train. The protagonists, while it was clear to both them and the reader that they were in way over their heads, acted in pretty believable manners, and their vulnerabilities and weaknesses made the danger components feel even more dangerous. Recommended for Buroker fans, urban fantasy fans, contemporary fantasy fans, possibly rural fantasy or magic realism fans. I'll definitely keep reading this series.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sky Raiders (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle Diener Page; Review: Fantastic start in what I assume is going to be duology. This is a very interesting contrast of how a low-tech society deals with the invasion by a high-tech society. The romance is secondary to the plot but is part of it as well. Some suspension of disbelief is required but it's not hard to just run with it. All of this author's books are on my keeper shelf.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Sorel Women's Cumberland Boot; Brand: SOREL; Review: My teenage daughter loved these for a snow/ski trip; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The North Face Women's Surge Laptop Backpack 15"- Sale Colors; Brand: The North Face; Review: great quality; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SmartWool Women's NTS Mid 250 Bottoms; Brand: SmartWool; Review: very comfortable, and warm. Wore these snow skiing as a base layer and worked perfect. May be worn alone under a ski jacket in 30-40 degree temps.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kamik Women's Momentum Snow Boot; Brand: ; Review: comfortable and warm. I wear a 7, bought a 8 referring to reviews. The 8 was a little big, Seem to run true to size. Order regular size if you do not plan to wear thick socks.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SmartWool Men's NTS Mid 250 Crew Top; Brand: SmartWool; Review: Very comfortable and holds shape well.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: City Threads Girls' Swimming Bottom UPF50+ Rash Guard Swim Brief; Brand: City Threads; Review: Too thin, even black was see through. The low cut leg openings were uncomfortable.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Seafolly Women's Pleated Hipster Bikini Bottom Swimsuit; Brand: ; Review: Quality bottoms that last. I wear size 2-4; the US8/AUS12 size fit great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Seafolly Women's Pleated Hipster Bikini Bottom Swimsuit; Brand: ; Review: Quality bottoms that last. I wear size 2-4; the US8/AUS12 size fit great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: RGB LED Glass Edge Lighting Kit: 4pcs RGB LED Glass Shelf Lights + RGB Controller + IR Remote; Brand: TORCHSTAR; Review: they may work better on thicker glass the clamps are made for very thick glass im not using them; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hyperikon T8 T10 T12 LED 4FT Tube Light, 18W (40W-50W Equiv.), Single-End Powered, Ballast Bypass, Shatterproof, F48T8 Fluorescent; Brand: Hyperikon; Review: i was very impressed with the fast shipping and the packaging more then anything most of the stuff you get off the web will be shipped in the cheapest packaging and this looked as if they really cared about their product ive ordered other t8 tube lights off of amazon and there was nothing wrong with the way they was shipped these seamed to have a more expensive look to them anyway enough about the box its whats inside that counts right? 4 pack of led tube lights with all the certifications listed as well as live and neutral marked so no mix up very solid light feels well built im happy and will be replacing the rest of my house real soon with all led lights so i will do other reviews on futures purchases made; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hyperikon T8 T10 T12 LED 4FT Tube Light, 4 Pack; Brand: Hyperikon; Review: I would like to start off saying that i was sent this and a few other lights to do reviews and give my honest opinion i am starting a small led resale business (i am not pro, or know everything about leds but i have a fairly good knowledge of electronics and such) and being in the early stages i have bought from a number of different people that offer leds and i have to say these tube lights are so far the best ive seen when it comes to "led" tube lights (dont know much about florescent except they break easy) ive ordered t8 leds from two other companies and while one didn't work at all the other just didn't have the presents of quality like these do all the way from the package to the light its self you would think that they are very expensive i plan on replacing all my lights in my garage with these and will post my other thoughts on the other lights that hyperikon has sent soon; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hyperikon T8 T10 T12 LED Light Tube 4FT, 18W (40W-50W Equiv.), Dual-End Powered, Ballast Bypass, F48T8 Fluorescent Replacement, 2240; Brand: Hyperikon; Review: i love these lights they give off light that looks so much more cleaner very happy with them and cant wait to finish off the rest of the house; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hyperikon LED Candelabra Bulb B11 Frosted 5W (40W Equivalent), 3000K (Soft White Glow), Candle Bulb Chandelier, Small Base; Brand: Hyperikon; Review: great lights high quality and beautiful warm glow i was given the chance to test these and a few other lights and give my opinion and as with the other products I've come across they have all been very Impressive I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for LED lighting; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lightahead LA-PK-RC06O Remote Controlled LED Projector Strobe Flash Holographic Disco Party Lighting, Mini Portable Voice-Activated Version with; Brand: Lightahead; Review: This is an awesome little laser light show with the remote control I'll be buying more I definitely recommend this; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Yescom 500g Capacity 50mm Solder Pot Soldering Desoldering Bath 150W 110V for ESD Welding Rework Station; Brand: Yescom; Review: broke after first use so i am returning it and i have already got anther from a different seller and it seams to work great i may have just got a bad one never know; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Tools_and_Home_Improvement |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Lexington Inn; City: San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo County California; Review: Stayed here for 2 days on my way towards LA. The front desk staff were friendly & helpful and the room was clean, with every amenity needed, provided. There was also a nice pool and fitness room. San Luis has a bustling downtown area, but unfortuantely the hotel is a fair distance away. It's about 25min walk and is easy to do - after a days shopping/walking, it's a bit harder to get back there!! The free breakfast was adequate, stronger water pressure would have made it all perfect!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Inn on the Beach; City: Ventura California; Review: I stayed here just before moving forward to LA. The inn is right on the beach and my room had beach frontage, all tucked away in a quiet 'cul-de-sac' community. It's an older, antique-style hotel with clean, cosy rooms and a spa bath! There's no A/C however, but i didn't need it anyway. And the phone lines are a bit dodgy - playing up at one stage. The front desk staff were very friendly, helpful and accomodating. The downtown area is about 2miles away, if you don't have a car that's almost impossible to walk. I got a cab there & walked back along the beach - a long way, but enjoyable. And make sure you dine at the Italian restaurant right next door, their food is amazing!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Inn Suites Salinas; City: Salinas California; Review: Not much to do in Salinas for a tourist - this leg of my trip was 'blindly' planned & i had no idea about the place. The hotel is far away from any 'centre' (transport terminal for me), so you need a car to get around - especially if you want to visit Monterey without the hassle of buses (though i did that and it was easy). As for the hotel, it was decent enough. The room was clean, the desk staff friendly and the free continental breakfast was adequate. Had some fun using the fitness equipment, but unfortunately the pool had been quarantined on the day i arrived (???). Nice diner just a 1min walk and a fast food joint further up.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn San Francisco Fishermans Wharf; City: San Francisco California; Review: Great location, quick & easy check-in by friendly desk staff. The room was clean and the ultra-friendly maids were efficient. If only the Holiday Inn chain would put small fridges into their rooms. Wildly trying to keep ice in a bucket to keep medications cool, doesn't cut it. I was most disppointed - and angry - towards one male concierge (didn't catch his name unfortunately). He was rude and refused to help me book a city walking tour - i tried twice too. The numbers wouldn't work for me and I missed doing a tour. Overall though, this is a good hotel to stay at.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Days Inn by Wyndham Mankato; City: Mankato Minnesota; Review: Only stayed one night. Comfy room with a fridge, but no iron. Helpful guy at the desk. Wireless internet access. Pool/spa - with 'adult' hours starting at 10pm, though when we were in there at 10.30pm two children came in and played around, despite cameras that were ?monitored and staff just a couple of doors away. Pointless 'adult' rule therefore, good in theory though.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Days Inn Chamberlain Oacoma; City: Oacoma South Dakota; Review: We were here for a Powwow, so a hotel room wasn't our highest concern. It served it's purpose...comfy enough and nice beds. Al's Oasis just down the street was great for a meal. Room had no fridge, no iron - the staff were very reluctant to even loan out one! Breakfast basic. Housekeeping a bit slack.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Columbus Motor Inn; City: San Francisco California; Review: This place may not look much on the outside, but the value we got from staying here far outweighs such superficial judgement. Great location and easy walks to Fisherman's Wharf & one of the Cable cars start/stop, plus a bus stop right out the front door to take you to Union Square. The lift is small, but that's ok...it was working fine, we had a back room that was nice & quiet. Comfortable room with queen beds, a hand basin/hair dryer outside the main bathroom/shower & free internet access was a plus. Have I said how amazing the showers water pressure was? After a 16hr international flight, it felt divine! Room attendants did a thorough job each morning. Front desk staff welcoming & helpful, though as others have already said - Noah was a standout, who gave great tips for breakfast (Pete's, just around the corner and Pergamino cafe - it's in the direction of the Wharf, opposite Holiday Inn) and a great Italian Restaurant just 5-10min walk away (I wish I took more notice of it's name...Noah will tell you about it!) If I was to ever return to San Francisco, I'd definately stay here again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dollar Inn Hot Springs; City: Hot Springs South Dakota; Review: This is an older, single level inn. Some of the rooms are behind the office, the rest are across the street. Smallish rooms, but adequate for us, queen size beds were comfortable. Nice shower with excellent water pressure. Microwave in room, as well as a small fridge....a very small fridge, just big enough to keep a few drinks and some food for sandwiches in it. Little, old air conditioner with seemingly no difference between 'low cool' to 'super cool' in air speed - it always kept up the same noise level, but WOW, didi it cool the room! 98 degrees outside and we considered more than a few times turning it off!! Wireless internet was available, but only on the side where the office was, so having been across the street, I made quite a few trips over with my laptop. A little inconvenient. Breakfast was free, but so basic even I was suprised. Donuts, a few pastries, coffee & juice. A toaster & some bread would have made a difference. The room's window could also have done with a 'sheer' curtain - to allow the main blind to be pulled back, while still giving privacy. Although the housekeeping was ok, it was the only real negative of our stay. Every day something was missed, alternate items on alternate days were either not cleaned properly, or not replaced.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wingate by Wyndham Gillette; City: Gillette Wyoming; Review: Very nice hotel. Friendly desk staff, comfy room, good breakfast. Appleby's is just a few mins walk away - great meals. I would have given this place an 'excellent', but for the coffee machine in the room. There was so much dust on the top of the machine & the mugs around it, it was obvious it'd hadn't been touched with a cloth for many weeks/months. I'd still go back there though.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: YWCA Hotel Vancouver; City: Vancouver British Columbia; Review: Despite having to dodge workers digging up slabs of concrete at the front door, everything else about the YWCA met my expectations according to the good reviews here & from other sites. It's clean & friendly, with comfy beds & pillows. In a great location, just around the corner from Robson st and a 5min walk along Robson to the main shopping strip, along with Granville st. The kitchens were clean, one of the desk guys gave us a few plates and cups without charge. One of us even left our bag/purse in one of the kitchens and a very honest fellow guest promptly handed it to the front desk. What a relief! It was a bit of a hike, but we walked to Stanley Park and the totem poles from the hotel. An easy stroll and a bit of shopping along the way made it a pleasant walk. A slight incline on the way back was a little difficult for our tired feet, but they were soothed after stopping into the Robson st market. Not much of a market, but the bare & very basic food court was a goldmine! A few asian style stalls sold cultural & some modern foods. We ate at the Japanese stall and had the best meal I'd had in a long time. All the ingredients were prepared/chopped up by an elderly man & woman in the background, which was then cooked from scratch. Delicious. Being opposite BC place, I'm guessing things would be hopping when events are held there. None while we were there, but a couple of nice restaurants/bars close by made it up for us!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zero Inn; City: Nhill Victoria; Review: It was ok for a night's sleep. But that's all. There's so many things broken, dirty or just harsh on the eye, to mention. For the rate they charge, it's a rip off. The whole place needs a huge makeover, but I guess for a small country town, the hotel chain don't want to waste money.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Gillette; City: Gillette Wyoming; Review: Spotlessly clean & modern, had everything we needed. Comfortable bed & pillows. Good wifi signal. Nice breakfast range. Young guy named Cole on the desk was very alert & friendly - impressive. I only wish all Holiday Inn's were that good.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Union Hotel; City: Nhill Victoria; Review: Our group was coming together in Nhill for our 95yr old mother/grandmothers funeral – a lifetime resident of the district who regularly ate lunch there and who insisted the family eat there every time we visited. She considered it a great meeting place. Knowing it had been her favourite place and after reading positive reviews for the accommodation, we booked to stay and eat dinner at the Union. The rooms were basic which is understandable, being an old hotel. Beds & pillows were uncomfortable. Nowhere to hang a towel if there's more than 2 people. Shower had no shelf to simply place a bar of soap. With only the hot water tap turned on, the water was just warm. And the 'breakfast included'? - 2 slices of white bread to toast & a can of pineapple juice. Dining room: cold & ‘against policy’ to join 2 tables together. So with only 2 other diners in the whole room, our group of 16 had to sit separately. Main meals were fine, but the veges/salads were boring, overcooked and almost cold when they got to the table. But the most disappointing thing was the blatant unfriendliness by all but one (the younger blonde woman who checked us in) of the staff we encountered. No smiles, no cheeriness or small talk you'd expect from a pub. It's like you had 3 heads if you walked into the bar... the talking hushed to nearly a stop and the stares bore through you. Then to be ushered off to our rooms at 9.30pm by a drunken man (? the owner) who grunted something about closing before waving his arms like he was shooing animals away. Lessons on how to interact with people you don’t know – customers of your business - are sorely needed at this place.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Wangaratta North Family Motel; City: Wangaratta Victoria; Review: This is a budget motel and perfectly met our needs for an overnight stop on the way to Sydney. Out of town and quiet, the room was clean and well presented. The guy manning the reception was very friendly and attentive. I'd stay again if I'm ever back in Wang.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hervey Bay Colonial Lodge; City: Torquay Hervey Bay Fraser Coast Queensland; Review: Very happy with our stay. The rooms are nicely renovated, spacious and with everything provided - even oil for cooking. Comfy bed, great shower, functional kitchen and a homely dining/lounge area. Check in was easy, owner was friendly & open to any queries. If only all motels were this good and so reasonably priced.. glad I chose this place - another quality tip from TripAdvisor that's lived up to it's rating!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Best Western Cattle City Motor Inn; City: Rockhampton Queensland; Review: Standard room, clean and with a good sized bathroom which you don't often find. What made this stay great was the food - in their restaurant and breakfast room service. After a week & a half of travelling and eating a lot of takeaway type foods, we were craving a home cooked meal. Their meatballs were amazing...big, made with premium mince and cooked perfectly. Tasty gravy & veges topped it off. Oh so good, was exactly what we needed. Compliments to the chef!! The owners were personable and do a great job running this motel/restaurant. Thanks.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Airport Ascot Motel; City: Brisbane Brisbane Region Queensland; Review: Stayed in a standard Queen room. Small but cosy, mini fridge and tea/coffee supplies. In room safe also handy. Bathroom was tidy, small shower, the towels were also small/old/rough and could be replaced. The couple running the place were so friendly and helpful with tips for eating out. They make it worth the stay!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: RNR Serviced Apartments North Melbourne; City: Melbourne Victoria; Review: Perfect position while a family member had a procedure at the RMH. Comfortable apartment and bed and loved the pillows. Bathroom is small but it didn't worry me, nice shower, only problem was where the toilet roll was situated - having to twist my back to reach it. Kitchen is stocked well with utensils and cooking items. A dishes drainer with a bottom to catch water would be good, otherwise an extra tea towel is needed to put under the rack. Yes, the car spaces are tight, but it's free and secure so needing to do some 3 point manoeuvres is ok ;) Staff at the desk friendly and helpful as well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Memento (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Jerk (1979); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Guess Who (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Usual Suspects (1995); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cold Mountain (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Million Dollar Baby (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Band of Brothers (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Father of the Pride: The Complete Series (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0 | netflix |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Battle for Terra; Brand: David Cross; Review: Watched for a little while with my great-granddaughter, but quit watching. It seemed silly.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Doctor Thorne - Season 1 2015; Brand: ; Review: Very-well done story. I love historical fiction and enjoyed this very much.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Spiderwick Chronicles Field Guide Edition; Brand: Freddie Highmore; Review: Great story for the whole family.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Out Of Time; Brand: Denzel Washington; Review: Good mystery.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Boardwalk Empire: Season 2; Brand: Steve Buscemi; Review: Don't really like the foul language and excessive nudity, but the storyline is fascinating. The writers did their homework on life during prohibition. My father was once stopped while driving, because the policeman mistook him for "Baby-face Nelson." I remember the stories my Dad told about that era.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Girl on the Train, 2013; Brand: Henry Ian Cusick; Review: Interesting story; didn't see the ending coming.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Murder of Crows; Brand: Cuba Gooding Jr.; Review: Good mystery with a twist; didn't see that coming.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dying of The Light; Brand: ; Review: Good story with minimal bad language.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Event Horizon VHS; Brand: Laurence Fishburne; Review: Little too gory for my taste.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Last Will; Brand: James Brolin; Review: Good story with a few surprises.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 2015; Brand: ; Review: Very good story and I really enjoyed it. Jennifer Lawrence continues to give exciting performance.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Accidental Witness; Brand: Natasha Gregson Wagner; Review: Good story, but the villain is dumb!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Popotan: Enigma; Brand: ; Review: Old-fashioned as spy dramas go, but still interesting.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Movies_and_TV |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Erie Tools Inlet Water Garden Filter and O-Ring Kit for Pressure Washer Guns Wands & Hoses; Brand: Unknown; Review: great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Briggs & Stratton Pressure Washer Aluminum Water Inlet Kit 190632GS; Brand: Briggs & Stratton; Review: great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bell Automotive 22-1-29015-8 Combo Clock, Compass and Thermometer; Brand: Bell Automotive; Review: great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Apex, REM-15, Connector Hose, 5/8-inch by 15-feet (Colors may vary); Brand: Apex; Review: great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Makita BBX7600N 75.6 cc MM4 4-Stroke Engine Backpack Blower; Brand: Makita; Review: love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Oregon 02-040 Hose Clamps 10 Pack; Brand: Oregon; Review: great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Poweka 6pcs 298090 Fuel Filters 1/4" Fuel Line 150 Micron for Briggs; Brand: Poweka; Review: great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MowerPartsGroup Replacement Bump Feed Trimmer Head Fits; Brand: MowerPartsGroup; Review: great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle; Brand: Bon-Aire; Review: great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gilmour 801364-1001, 1 Pack, Red; Brand: Gilmour; Review: great; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Patio_Lawn_and_Garden |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Teva Women's Original Univ Diamond Sandal; Brand: ; Review: these are really comfortable. I just needed to wear them in for a little bit and now i can wear them all day long. I'm usually a 7.5 and I got a size 7. They fit perfectly.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Barbra Lingerie Womens 6 Pack Stretchy Nylon Spandex Long Leg Boyshort Boxer Briefs; Brand: Barbra Lingerie; Review: I like these but they are a little tight in the legs for these soccer thighs of mine. I'm still able to wear them but they do hug my thighs a little tighter than I'd like. Other than that, they are very light and breathe well which I like a lot.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Romwe Women's Sleeveless V Neck Tie Dye Tunic Tops Casual Swing Tee Shirt Dress; Brand: ; Review: I can't wait to wear this! It's perfect. I'm 5'5, 150lbs and I ordered a medium. It's a bit on the short side but I'm fine with it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: CUPSHE Women's Solid Color High Waist Bikini Set Tankini Swimwear; Brand: CUPSHE; Review: Very flattering suit. I'm 5'5, about 150lbs, 34A and ordered this in a medium. It fits perfectly. The bottoms I received didn't have a tieback like in the product photos, it is just one continuous strap. Seems like the strap might roll and not lay flat but I'm okay with that. I was pleasantly surprised with how flattering this suit is. I'm in the midst of reeling it in with my diet and working out so I still have a good muffin top going and these bottoms camoflauge the problem area pretty well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: FACE N FACE Women's High Waisted A Line Street Skirt Skater Pleated Full Midi Skirt; Brand: FACE N FACE; Review: This skirt is nice but I felt the sizing was off. I ordered a medium and it didn't fit me at all. I'm 5'5, 138lbs. my waist is 30" and I couldn't even zip it up all the way!; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Intouchables (2011); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sixth Sense, The (1999); Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Matrix, The (1999); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Inception (2010); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Gladiator (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fight Club (1999); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dark Knight Rises, The (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, IMAX; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Shutter Island (2010); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Slumdog Millionaire (2008); Genres: Crime, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: WALL·E (2008); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Die Hard (1988); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wolf of Wall Street, The (2013); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park (1993); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 127 Hours (2010); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Hunger Games (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ghost (1990); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Titanic (1997); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Speed (1994); Genres: Action, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pearl Harbor (2001); Genres: Action, Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Up (2009); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Toy Story (1995); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gravity (2013); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Deadpool (2016); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Pie (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Twilight (2008); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dark Knight, The (2008); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, IMAX; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Avatar (2009); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Iron Man (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Batman Begins (2005); Genres: Action, Crime, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Incredibles, The (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Spider-Man (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Terminator, The (1984); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Skyfall (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: I Am Legend (2007); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Despicable Me (2010); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Taken (2008); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Jurassic World (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spider-Man 2 (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Life of Pi (2012); Genres: Adventure, Drama, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Transformers (2007); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Day After Tomorrow, The (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: World War Z (2013); Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, IMAX; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Amazing Spider-Man, The (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Spider-Man 3 (2007); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Quantum of Solace (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mummy Returns, The (2001); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Man of Steel (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mummy, The (1999); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Charlie's Angels (2000); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Men in Black III (M.III.B.) (M.I.B.³) (2012); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Spectre (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: 2012 (2009); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: King Kong (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Face/Off (1997); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015); Genres: Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fantastic Four (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Live Free or Die Hard (2007); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible III (2006); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Predator (1987); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park III (2001); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Terminator Genisys (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Waterworld (1995); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Furious 7 (2015); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Lost World: Jurassic Park, The (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Terminator Salvation (2009); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Expendables, The (2010); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Rush Hour 2 (2001); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wolverine, The (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0 | movielens |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: GoldenEye; City: Oracabessa Saint Mary Parish Jamaica; Review: After considerable research for my wedding, my fiance and I chose GoldenEye as our venue, sight unseen. It was a leap of faith for our big day and we invited 20 of our closest friends and family to join us. GoldenEye exceeded our expectations on every level. The location was serene, private and utterly beautiful. The accommodations were the perfect juxtaposition of modernity and simplicity. The food and drinks, though expensive, were delicious. Above all, the staff is attentive and professional. Our planner, Candice, went out of her way to make our entire stay magical. So many other staff members made us feel welcome and at ease the instant we arrived. The attention to detail is noticeable in everything that they do. Jamaica is truly a special island and GoldenEye stands out as an exceptional hotel. We hope to come back soon for an anniversary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Casa Moazzo Suites Apartments; City: Rethymnon Rethymnon Prefecture Crete; Review: Rethymnon is a charming, scenic, fun and relaxing city and Casa Moazzo is perfectly situated to enjoy all of these qualities. What a gem! The rooms were spacious and like staying in someone's home. There was a large bathtub, many windows and a cozy courtyard. Any negatives, such as the tiny TV and mediocre breakfast, were easy to overlook because of the fantastic service. Hospitality is obviously their strong point and if you want to live like a Greek, they will do anything to help you accomplish this. We were greeted with chocolates for our honeymoon and personal assistance in where to park the car. My only complaint was that there was not a lot of privacy, as we were right next to the lobby and courtyard. Opt for a room on the second floor!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Domes Noruz Chania; City: Kato Daratso Chania Prefecture Crete; Review: If you collect Marriott points, this is a great place to spend them! In fact, it is the only Marriott property in Greece. It is far off the beaten track and located in a small neighborhood about 15 minutes away from downtown Chania. It is easy to miss and a fairly small property, but incredibly well designed and appointed on a beautiful section of beach. The rooms were like a cool episode of "Tiny House," small, multi-functional, modern and fun. Sometimes I felt a bit claustrophobic, but the amazing view of the ocean from the bed and our outdoor area made it all worth while. It was my birthday and honeymoon and these happy occasions were dampened by the fact that there was unusually cold weather and a resident cat peed on me. Neither of which was the fault of the hotel, obviously. However, there is not much to do besides soak up the sun in or around the hotel, except for the pricey spa...which was completely booked the entire time we were there. The staff couldn't care less and did absolutely nothing to accommodate us. There is a real pretentious attitude with the staff that I saw no where else in Greece. For our honeymoon, they gifted us with a "private honeymoon cocktail session at the Raw Bar," which they made a big deal of at check in. When we went to cash in our gift, the bartender sloppily made us a drink on the house. Nothing more. I clarified, and apparently that is what the "private honeymoon cocktail session" consisted of. Ha! So strange and quite a let down. The hotel really was beautiful, though. I would give it a second chance.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Coco Mat Hotel Athens; City: Athens Attica; Review: I stayed at Coco Mat for my honeymoon. I was a little apprehensive about the description of the Kolonaki neighborhood, but I was delightfully surprised by my surroundings. The location was nearby the Evaggelismos metro stop on a quaint street lined with shops and cafes. Coco Mat also doubles as a furniture shop itself. I almost purchased the mattress we slept on after our stay. Very comfortable, modern and sustainable products. The quiet rooftop was a great escape for a glass of wine. The location was walkable to most sites in Athens and felt very safe. Indulge in their delicious breakfast options and make yourself a mimosa! Overall, a great no frills place to call home while exploring Athens.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Acropolis Hill Hotel; City: Athens Attica; Review: I chose this hotel during a short layover in Athens. I wanted to be able to see the sites, experience Athens and be back at the airport in 24 hours. Based on the reviews, this was the place to stay on a budget. My expectations were quickly squashed when I realized how far away this location is from public transit, restaurants, Greek life, the Acropolis, or any other signs of humanity. However, it is on a hill. I will give them that. The sad, worn room I was given had someone else's urine left in the toilet. I was whisked away to an even more depressing handicap room with two cots I was hesitant to even put my luggage on. The shower was over the toilet and I was impressed at how it managed to soak everything in the bathroom and flood the room. Breakfast was inedible. I am shocked by the glowing reviews. There are far better options in Athens.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Argonauta Hotel; City: Parikia Paros Cyclades South Aegean; Review: We loved Paros and are so glad that is was part of our agenda in Greece. This was by far the worst hotel choice we made. We chose Argonauta based on the reviews. The lobby is modern and chic. The public spaces were charming and inviting. It is conveniently located about 5 minutes from the boat dock. The room was offensive. I felt that I had been part of a cruel bait and switch. It was small, dirty, worn and sad. We did not even use the shower the one night we were there because it was so suspicious.The charm of Paros could have helped me overlook the despicable accommodations, but it was paired with shockingly horrible hospitality. We checked in around 4pm and we asked if we could check out about the same time the next day because we had a late flight. I had put in this request when I made the reservation and I emailed the hotel two weeks in advance to confirm. When I asked during check in, the non-Greek woman acted as if I wanted to take her first born child. I might add that the hotel and city seemed empty. After she threw around a few insults at our preposterous request, she firmly said no...unless I wanted to pay for a second night. I believe she realized her approach was not sitting well with me, so on our way out the door she explained to me that this was not her fault, but because the owner of the hotel was a jerk and he would NEVER let any one have a late check out. She also blamed the housekeeper, because they go home at 2pm and she was not about to clean the room after we left. The whole interaction felt like some sort of twisted comedy routine. Breakfast was good. We didn't let it ruin our wonderful time in Paros. We spent as little time as possible in the hotel and explored the whole island. Go to Paros! Do not stay at Argonauta.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Nostos Apartments; City: Oia Santorini Cyclades South Aegean; Review: Santorini hotels do not come cheap. It was my honeymoon and I was willing to spend more on the hotel at this location. I will start by saying that I am very pleased that we decided to stay in Oia. It took a few extra steps to get there, but it met the expectations of Santorini. The transportation that was set up for us by the hotel went very smoothly. We were greeted at the main road and our luggage was carried down for us. We were grateful for this service because of the steep trek down to the hotel. I am sure this happens at many hotels in Oia. Other than this, the staff did not interact with us unless we approached them. I would rate this as a positive. The winding trip is worth it once you realize the beautiful view of the caldera. Stunning, tranquil and unique! However, I was disappointed to learn that our hotel room was RIGHT underneath the lobby. We could hear all of the comings and goings from the lobby and it did not feel private. The biggest issue I had with this hotel was the room itself. I loved the cave feel and the beautiful view of the water, but our room was worn and tired and with little privacy. A guest or staff walked by our "private" balcony about every 10 minutes. The kitchen was like something out of a dorm room. The most concerning was the bed. I don't think I slept for more than an hour each night. It was so uncomfortable, damp and it was clear that the comforter and pillows were not a high priority to clean. It made my stay a bit miserable and I couldn't wait to get to a dry bed. And yes, we had the air conditioning on. The pool reminded me of an above ground pool lined with plastic...but did I mention the views? Overall, it is average hotel tucked away on an amazing location, not only because of the views but its proximity to the main walk. I just could not get over the cost of what we paid compared to the quality. Get out early in the morning to enjoy the city before the hoards of buses clog the arteries of Oia.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: B B Picaflor Tambo; City: Ollantaytambo Sacred Valley Cusco Region; Review: After two hotels in Olly cancelled our reservation for construction and a broken pipe, we were very excited that the Picaflor was eager to book us a room on short notice. They were very communicative via email and I was grateful for the service. We set up the shuttle from the Cusco airport, which they charged $40 US each way for just two people!! This was $20 more than the other hotels and a very high price to pay by Peruvian standards. When we arrived at the location in the heart of Olly, the owner was kind and helpful. The building was small, but rich with history and full of light. Our room had beautiful ceilings, lovely balconies and was very charming. However, the bedding was a bit tired and the pillows were downright scary. I ended up using my shirt as a pillow. It was our first stop in South America and we planned to head to MP the next day. My back was so sore from the bed I could barely move, which is not a normal thing for me. The worst part of the experience was the bathroom and toiletries. A ketchup packet of Head and Shoulders does not cut it for two people, so we had to go buy shampoo and soap. I was happy to have a private bathroom, but the space needed a lot of help. However, the owner and staff were extremely helpful and we truly appreciated their hospitality. It's a great location for a layover on your way to MP!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Atix Hotel; City: La Paz La Paz Department; Review: Located in a nice and lower altitude neighborhood in La Paz, I would recommend Atix to anyone visiting the city. The staff spoke English and were polite and helpful. The room was clean, modern and the most comfortable bed in our entire trip to South America. The modern atmosphere is continued to the top floor bar with tiny pool, a great hang out where we noticed locals also coming for a drink. The location is a bit far from the main square, but take the Teleferico! The green line is a 4 minute walk and it is easy, cheap and gives beautiful views of the Andes! Breakfast left us hungry, but overall a great experience.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Palla Boutique Hotel; City: Arequipa Arequipa Region; Review: This is a great little boutique hotel in a good location in Arequipa with a gorgeous view of the volcanoes. However, I was very disappointed in the hospitality of the staff and the ridiculous rules they imposed. We arrived about 2 hours before check in and our room was ready...but we were not allowed to check in unless we paid $40 USD. I absolutely hate when hotels do this. I have worked in hotels and it does not cost anything to let someone into a room a few hours early if the room is ready. It makes them happy! Just let them check in! People are tired and have traveled a long way to get to these corners of the world. I typically choose smaller hotels so that I can have the added hospitality and expertise on the area. The woman at the front desk (who seemed in charge) clearly had no understanding of what hospitality was. She did not want to discuss directions, restaurants or local attractions. She just wanted us to go away, but we could not even go into our room! The bellman, servers, etc. were all very kind. Obviously, it was the leadership at the Palla. We experienced another bizarre display of Peruvian hospitality at check out. We had to leave early in the morning to catch a flight. We called a taxi, settled our bill and were about to leave. However, the woman at the front desk blocked the door and would not let us leave until the bellman went to inspect our room. WHAT!? We had to wait while he accounted for every glass, towel and blanket in the room. He could not find a hand towel that I had hung to dry over the shower door, so we were not allowed to leave. Seriously, I do not want your hotel's hand towel. I was traveling through South America with a backpack and purse. I clearly did not have room to steal things and certainly did not appreciate feeling like a criminal after I just paid my bill. We loved Arequipa and had a wonderful time exploring this impressive city and the hotel location served us well. I hope they move away from these paranoid and unreasonable tactics as it would make for a much more pleasant experience for staff and guests alike.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Celestron SkyScout Personal Planetarium; Brand: Celestron; Review: Lots of reviews so far on how great this device is, and I agree with all the accolades. However, my unit gobbles up batteries like crazy. I went through 3 sets of batteries in 3 or 4 hours. Changing the batteries should be a LOT easier. You have to unscrew a battery cover instead of having a latch. The batteries are hard to pull out with the springs pushing the battery and no place to grasp the battery to remove it. You have to put shields over the batteries to reduce magnetic interference. So changing batteries in the dark in a field location is somewhat of a hassle. The device powers down in 5 minutes to conserve power. Instead of "sleeping" and remembering the satellite locations, it starts all over again and took 4 or 5 minutes to acquire the satellites in an open field. That delay takes away a lot of the fun. I can see why it could take time to acquire the first time. But if you don't move, it would be nice if the SkyScout started with the last observed satellites and did the acquisition in seconds instead of minutes...further reducing the devices useful time due to the high battery drain. All that said, it is, indeed, a wonderful device. I mounted a green laser pointer on the top and use it to point out stars and plugged in a powered speaker so others can hear the voice descriptions. Related to the SkyScout is the support available from Celestron via the internet: The little program that comes with the SkyScout works well for downloading firmware updates. However it only works running under a Windows OS. The Celestron support area for the SkyScout, in general, is poor. I hope this is due to the "newness" of the device. When I accessed the top level SkyScout page it says the latest firmware release is 1.20.29 but the release notes were only current to 1.20.23. The downloads area doesn't identify which version of firmware of Windows SkyScout utility you are downloading and has multiple entries that look the same but are different versions. The support knowledge base has no entries in it for the SkyScout. When you submit a ticket to point out problems, you are guided through a list of irrelevant topics before being allowed to submit your trouble ticket. (I'm an Intel Mac user and was a little disappointed that I have to use Windows XP to do the firmware downloads. It would have been nice if the firmware update process wasn't made Windows specific. I tried to do the firmware upgrade with a virtual machine running Windows XP, Parallels, but the Parallels USB support isn't robust enough for this device. Maybe sometime soon, I'll be able to use Parallels for the SkyScout and other Windows centric devices and ditch my PC which is now only used for USB downloads for devices like this.) I finally returned my first SkyScout to Celestron. It was consuming batteries way too fast. The replacement unit arrived about 10 days after I sent; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Nikon WT-4A Wireless Transmitter for Nikon D700, D3 and D300 DSLR Cameras; Brand: Nikon; Review: I picked up a WT-4A on Oct 17, 2008. The Firmware in my unit was 1.0. A search of the Nikon web page [...] with a search for WT-4 got me to the information to do several upgrades. I updated the WT-4 firmware to version 1.1. My Nikon D3 was already running firmware 2.0. I downloaded updates for the WT-4 Setup Utility (version 1.1.0) and Thumbnail Selector (version 1.10). Configuring and setting up the WT-4 to work with my wireless network in "infrastructure" mode was easy. The camera functioned just fine using Nikon Camera Control Pro 2.2. Using tripod live mode I was able to make focus and exposure adjustments from the computer and take pictures easily. It takes a while to transmit the raw images to the computer, so taking rapid sequences is not possible. Downloads seem to take 5 seconds or so, but I didn't time the download exactly. I was not able to get Thumbnail Selector to work at all with my setup. Thumbnail selector launches just fine, the connection to the D3 works just fine. But no thumbnails appear in the application even though I can look at pictures stored on the camera using the camera's functions to view stored pictures. I wonder if this is a function of Apple's software. Aperture 2 is unable to view Nikon D3 thumbnails, either, when the camera USB setting is set up as a camera, rather than as auxiliary storage. So if you need a way to remotely view, focus, and expose using the WT-4A as your wireless line to your camera, this is a great device. But there are still some problems with the software for other features, namely, the Thumbnail Selector application, which doesn't work with my setup.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nikon D4 16.2 MP CMOS FX Digital SLR with Full 1080p HD Video (Body Only) (OLD MODEL); Brand: Nikon; Review: Table Tennis is a tough sport to photograph. The matches are played in gyms with bad light, often with mixed color bulbs. The ball travels at 100+mph and flash is a no no since it would blind the player. I've been covering a couple of tournaments a year, pro bono, to help publicize this wonderful sport. For the last 3 years I've been using a D3 and a 200 mm f/2 NIkkor to capture the action which is done best at 1/1000 or faster while keeping the ISO right up near the top of the range. The D4 with an even better sensor, reduces the noise and allows an even faster shutter speed. The D4 also lets me use a 180 mm f/2.8 Nikkor as an option, too. Additionally, the D4 weighs noticeably less, has an improved ergonomic feel, and improved placement for most of the controls. If you need to push the limits of what's possible in shooting fast action, low light photography, this camera is tops!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Marantz AV7701 Audio Video Preamp/Processor with Networking and AirPlay (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Marantz; Review: I purchased two of the Marantz AV7701 units to replace Onkyo SC5508 preprocessors. The Onkyo units have relays that click every time the format of the sound source changes, so during TV commercials the clicking was driving me crazy, hence the decision to replace with Marantz AV7701. The good: After 4 days of use the Marantz equipment is running quietly, no clicking when the sound format changes. The preamp runs much cooler than the Onkyo SC5508 and takes up less cabinet depth leaving more room for all the back wiring. The setup GUI is easy to follow and configure. The sound is quite nice and pleasing after a few tweaks for the subwoofer following the built in Audessy sound balancing process. I'm using Bryston 5 channel home theater amps with the AV7701 and the match using balanced interconnect cables works well. The not so good: Both of the AV7701's I received were recently manufactured but the firmware was out of date. For Pandora to connect to the preamp a firmware update is necessary. I didn't realize this until I had fully cabled up the preamp and then tried unsussessfully to connect to Pandora. Some surfing on the internet led to the need to update the firmware. My home network is made up of managed switches and a managed router (both CISCO) connected to Verizon FIOS for internet services. The Marantz as delivered played radio stations but would not connect to Pandora. It would connect to the Marantz firmware download server, but the download would hang. So the network was working well except for the firmware download process. When the download wouldn't not start the only way to stop the download was to wait 20 minutes for the box to try 3 times to do the downloads then stop without a message. At that time I could power off the preamp, then power up holding down the movie and music buttons while powering on to do a master reset that clears out the network and configuration information. This reset is NOT documented in the owners manual or on the Marantz web site. I did call Marantz tech support and the tech let me know their server was up and running, but he didn't have technical information about the firmware process that might help diagnose why the firmware download would hang. Tech support also did not have a process to make the firmware available for upgrade from a USB drive or via the web interface to the AV Preamp, even though the AV Preamp is set up for USB and web browser upgrades if you can get the firmware file. Tech support was not able to provide any details on how they do the firmware update so that I could check settings in the router and switch to see what settings might need changing to accommodate the update. I was able to do the firmware update by using a neighbor's internet connection and an Apple Airport router. Recommendation: If you get this preamp, do the firmware update as soon as you take it out; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ubiquiti Networks UniFi AC Enterprise WiFi System - UAP-AC; Brand: Ubiquiti Networks; Review: I've been running the UniFi AP AC for a couple of days. I'm impressed with the thought put into the software controller interface and the ease of configuring these access points. Going through the upgrade from 2.4.1 (software on the unit received) to 2.4.4 and on to 3.1.3 was straightforward and painless. I've only run the device in test mode with several clients, but initial performance is on par with a Ruckus 7363 for clients connecting with 802.11n on the 5 GhZ transceiver. I don't have any 802.11ac devices to test yet, but that is only a matter of time before these clients appear. I measured the temperature at the center of the back of the unit I have and it runs at 110 degrees F. when wall mounted with the air flow gap behind the unit. The Ruckus 7363 runs at 80 degrees F. wall mounted so the UniFi AP-AC does run hot with 3.1.3 software. Hopefully code optimization will improve the operating temperature . You probably don't want to set it flat on anything that is heat sensitive that doesn't let air circulate behind the unit. If you do the temperature rises past 125 degrees F. The access point looks nice and pleasing for a professional office and public environment. The blue rectangle light lets users know at a glance if the device is functioning with white and flashing light or no light if the device won't connect users. The printed documentation is excellent and the web site had plenty of easy to find and valuable details. I've given this product a 4 for the amount of thought and work that is present in this unit at this stage of release. The version 3 software that has all the features is beta and the device is early in it's life cycle. The approach of having a software controller is a big step forward in convenience and cost savings. I would not hesitate to use this AP in small offices where one or two will suffice and take that risk that Ubiquity will solve the heat and feature challenges as you gain familiarity with this AP and AP management approach and support 802.11ac if needed in critical office areas. If things don't work out, you can toss them out in a few years and go back to whatever is already in place. If things do work out, you can use Ubiquiti's UniFi AP AC as a way to begin introduction of 802.11ac into the workplace while making management of WiFi easy and less expensive with hardware controllers.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: OPPO BDP-105D Universal Audiophile 3D Blu-ray Player Darbee Edition (Black); Brand: OPPO Digital; Review: I have two BDP-105 media players that also play Blu-ray DVDs. We have two home theater setups in the house. What's in this device is superb. What's missing is the ability to play music from iTunes libraries. Fortunately the Marantz 7701 Pre/Pro processor can do that task, but doesn't have near the quality of the OPPO. My work around was to convert all the lossless music that I moved from my CD collection into an iTunes library into FLAC. So now I'm managing two music libraries. Would be nice if OPPO supported iTunes format and Apple supported FLAC.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: ZyXEL ZyWALL USG200 Unified Security Gateway Firewall w/100 VPN Tunnels, SSL VPN, 7 Gigabit Ports, and High Availability; Brand: ZyXEL; Review: This box is a bargain. It is well made, pretty straight forward to configure with a nice web interface once you wade through the manual a few times. I only needed the firewall part of the ZyWall since I already have in place a CISCO 1921 router that takes good care of my home office routing and DHCP service needs I never got around to learning enough CISCO IOS to setup additional rules for handling firewall tasks. I tried to us a Mac Mini running Mavericks OS X Server, but the OS X PF firewall was sparsely documented and difficult to configure for my environment even when using the IceFloor GUI front end. All I had to do with the ZyWall was plug one of the LAN interfaces into my laptop and configure one of the ZyWall WAN interfaces with a LAN ip address and gateway. Then plug the WAN interface into the switch and use the GUI to configure the rest of the settings. For my "bridged" firewall, I took interfaces 4 and 5, called those LAN 2 and using the web interface defined them as a bridge. Told the ZyWall that LAN2 was a tagged VLAN and plugged interface 4 into my switch that handles both LAN and VLAN WAN tagged traffic, plugged interface 5 into the ethernet interface on my MacMini Server which has VLAN 2 set up for the internet traffic, and I was up and running! The ZyWall sits between the switch and MacMini (or whatever box you wish to firewall) and takes care of anti-Spam and other filtering tasks. Both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic passes through just fine. I didn't even have to turn on IPv6 support on the ZyWall, it just worked for bridging all the ethernet packet traffic between the server and the switch. I choked a bit when I saw the price for the subscription services for virus, spam and content filtering. I'm using the 1 month trial licenses now and will decide after a month whether or not to spend $200+ a year for these licenses or just use the firewall rules without the subscription services. The license service costs are a bit steep for home office use where I'm the only user.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: OWC In-Line Digital Thermal Sensor HDD Upgrade Cable for iMac 2011, (OWCDIDIMACHDD11); Brand: OWC; Review: What a great way to avoid constantly running fans and having to install fan control software if you choose to install an SSD or a commodity disk drive in your iMac! The original disk in my mid-2011 27" iMac gave out two years ago. A Seagate Barracuda drive was installed but didn't have the special firmware to let the iMac know the drive internal temperature so the fans ran full speed until fan control software was added. The 3TB Barracuda drive developed problems in less than a year, so a 1TB Samsung 850 SSD was installed along with this digital thermal sensor. It took less than 2 minutes to add the Thermal sensor cable during the install. Now the iMac runs Yosemite with no fan mods, the machine runs super fast and quiet with the SSD, and all is good again!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mass Fidelity Core 120W Portable Hi-Fi Wireless Speaker System in Black with Holographic Sound and iOS/Android Compatibility; Brand: Mass Fidelity; Review: I'm one of the many that waited a LONG time to get two of the CORE speakers. This review is based on using the speakers over a 24 hour period, about 4 of the last hours unsuccessfully trying to get the second speaker to serve as a remote speaker to the "master" speaker. The design, packaging, finish and size are fantastic. I'm not sure what "holographic" sound really means. In using this speaker in various places around the room with various HiDef recordings and uncompressed CDs that sound superb on my HiFI equipment, the Core speaker produces what I would call a nice sounding speaker bookshelf speaker with a bit more imaging presence than similar powered speakers. I've placed the speaker against a wall toward the middle of the room at desktop height and played the Pink Floyd "Money" recording to see what kind of stereo imaging the speaker produced. It wasn't much. The person that was with me said their ears weren't good enough to detect any stereo image. The sound seemed to come directly from the speaker so if you are using the speaker with video you need to have the speaker near the video source. The way the buttons and LED light are placed, this speaker needs to be desk height or lower. Putting the speaker on a book case top shelf wouldn't work very well since the LED light is on the top surface. Wish the LED light were visible from the speaker's front. The second core paired just fine with my iMac BlueTooth connection streaming music from both iTunes and PLEX. However this unit would not show a "purple" LED for defining the unit as a master speaker or a remote speaker. After reading the Mass Fidelity FAQs and online instruction manual (which didn't come in the box) and doing a master reset of the unit and other combinations of pushing the power button with other buttons until the LED flashes, I was unsuccessful in getting this unit to work as a remote. Just before giving up, I swapped the Wireless unit that plugs into the back between the two units and to my amazement, the problem moved to the other CORE with the swap. So it looks like having a good Wireless plugin unit enables the Core to serve as either a master or remote unit. I'm assuming the problem unit's Wireless plugin unit is defective and cannot be "reset" by button pushes. I posted a message to Mass Fidelity on FaceBook. Will see how they handle this situation and what they suggest. I hardwired the speaker AUX input to the iMac headphone jack. The iMac and CORE sit in one end of the kitchen and turning on our 1,200 watt Panasonic microwave 30 ft away completely trashes the bluetooth connection speed so the music gets quite choppy when the microwave runs. Even with the microwave off there is frequent "chop" in the bluetooth signal probably due to the wifi density in our urban neighborhood. Connecting using the cable improves the sound quality immensely. I almost; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Shepard Smith leaving Fox News; Abstract: Longtime Fox News host Shepard Smith is leaving the network after 23 years, saying he plans to "begin a new chapter."; Category: news
Title: Mother Nature deals a body blow to the Yankees' World Series hopes; Abstract: With Game 4 postponed due to rain, it creates the potential of having four straight games without an off-day, placing a burden on the Yankees bullpen.; Category: sports
Title: Exclusive: Hunter Biden on getting married after 6 days and why rehab is 'courageous'; Abstract: Hunter Biden was not alone when he stepped out of the shadows in his first broadcast interview since drawing the ire of President Donald Trump.; Category: news
Title: CC Sabathia leaves possible last appearance with injury; Abstract: CC Sabathia was taken out of the game in the eighth inning of ALCS Game 4 after suffering an apparent shoulder injury throwing to Aldemys Diaz. He relieved struggling setup man Adam Ottavino and recorded two outs before being checked on by the team's training staff. If the injury is serious and the Astros, who are up 2-1, win the series, it may be Sabathia's last pitch in pinstripes. The lefty, who won 251 games over the course of his career...; Category: sports
Title: Poll: Biden, Warren support remains unchanged after Democratic debate; Abstract: Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren's (D-Mass.) support remained virtually unchanged after Tuesday's Democratic primary debate, according to a new Morning Consult survey.The poll, which was conducted on Wednesday, showed Biden with 31 percent support. Warren trailed in second place with 21 percent support. Those numbers were similar to the same poll's results prior to the debate.Warren came into the debate on...; Category: news
Title: Britney Spears Does The Splits Like a Boss in Workout Video; Abstract: She's still got it!; Category: music
Title: 'Everything that's right about the Astros': Great as ever, Jose Altuve wins AL pennant for Houston; Abstract: The 2017 AL MVP came through with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the best-of-seven series and send Houston to the World Series.; Category: sports
Title: Where do the Yankees go from here? Big decisions that New York must address this offseason; Abstract: The Yankees were stunned in ALCS Game 6 vs. the Astros, but the work for their 28th World Series title starts right now.; Category: sports
Title: CNN Poll: Biden's lead in Democratic primary hits widest margin since April; Abstract: Former Vice President Joe Biden's lead in the race for the Democratic nomination for president has rebounded, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS.; Category: news
Title: Jimmy Garoppolo tells Erin Andrews being 8-0 'feels great, baby'; Abstract: Jimmy G is flying high after his latest win.; Category: sports
Title: Ben Affleck has a new girlfriend after using the Raya dating app, plus more celeb love life news for late October 2019; Abstract: Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp call it quits, Halsey and Evan Peters get serious, James McAvoy weds, Meghan King Edmonds accuses hubby of cheating and more.; Category: entertainment
Title: Biden defends his 'vision' against Warren's indirect attacks; Abstract: DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Bristling at Elizabeth Warren's suggestions that he's a milquetoast moderate with small ideas, presidential candidate Joe Biden countered Saturday that he offers a "bold" vision for the country and warned that Democratic primary voters should not get distracted by the party's increasingly tense battle over ideological labels.; Category: news
Title: Donald Trump's second term is becoming more likely; Abstract: The 2020 election could go one of two ways, both of which depend on the Democratic nominee. It will either be a contest between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, or Trump will face Elizabeth Warren.; Category: news
Title: Shaking down the rich is bad for democracy; Abstract: Forget whether the math works. But let's pretend that the fantastical wealth tax Elizabeth Warren has proposed would work like she claims. Let's even concede for argument's sake that Warren could get her plan through Congress and the courts.; Category: news | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Bedtime Originals Choo Choo Express Plush Elephant - Humphrey; Brand: Bedtime Originals; Review: My sons nursery is done in elephants so I bought this elephant to sit beside him as I take his monthly pictures and it's perfect!! The size is perfect for a little one and it's so soft!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nerf Modulus Dual-Rail Barrel; Brand: Nerf; Review: This add on is a must have for the nerf modulus tri-strike and my kids love it!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nerf Modulus Proximity Barrel Upgrade; Brand: Nerf; Review: This add on for the need modulus tri strike is awesome and my kids love it!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nerf Modulus Long Range Upgrade Kit; Brand: Nerf; Review: This add on is a must have for the nerf modulus tri-strike and my kids love it!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nerf Modulus Tri-Strike; Brand: Nerf; Review: My kids love this nerf gun!!! It shoots far and is pretty easy to operate!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Alexander Del Rossa Womens Satin Pajamas, Cami Top Pj Set with Sleep Mask; Brand: ; Review: This purchase was a Christmas for my wife. She loves it and she looks great in her Del Rossa PJ's; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: K. Bell Socks Women's 2 Pack Novelty Americana Crew Socks; Brand: ; Review: It looked good on-line. I will find out on Christmas.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Field4U 4 Pairs Women's Famous Painting Art Printed Casual Crew Socks; Brand: Field4U; Review: It looked good on-line. I will find out how she likes them on Christmas morning.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jag Jeans Women's Peri Pull-on Straight Leg Comfort Denim; Brand: ; Review: I like the style of the jeans but the waistline was not small enough. I ordered size 6 at first, then exchanged for a size 4 and the waist was still to big. I finally had to request a refund.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Skechers Performance Women's Go Walk Affix Slip-On Walking Shoe; Brand: ; Review: Nice style and look. Very comfortable.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: CommDepot; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: Touchscreen wasn't working for my iPhone 6plus. Apple doesn't do this repair or recognize it as an issue, and Foxpaw doesn't do this repair either but FP recommended Communication Depot so I went. They repaired, or replaced the IC board, which they did I don't know because no one communicated what exactly would be done to my phone. For the price, I wasn't too concerned and due to Foxpaw recommending them, I trusted them to solve the issue. An hour later my phone overheats, the top corner goes dim, and my wifi stops working. I return a day or so later and they "fix" the issue, telling me it was the IC board again... OK... A few days later I lose WiFi signal again, and now my camera isn't working.. I return, and they fix it again, saying this time they replaced an antenna (free of charge)..Great.. Then I get home, and my phone won't pick up WiFi signal again, and now my Bluetooth stops working. I return for my fourth courtesy repair, and for a second time the technician isn't even in.. So knowing they can't fix the issue they give me 25% refund, and explain that it is a known issue for other things to stop working on iPhone 6 plus if the IC board goes bad (touchscreen issue). My question is, why wouldn't they notify me of this beforehand? A disclaimer stating that my touchscreen can be repaired, but other issues may occur would definitely make me rethink getting anything repaired at all. Some random guy that works there said they don't replace antennas or work on a certain portion of the iPhone, but the technician said he did replace the antenna? They seem knowledgeable, but their communication is poor and I'm not sure what actually got done to my phone. My WiFi, bluetooth, and camera all worked fine before getting my IC board repaired here which is ironic, but it is known the iPhone 6 is kind of crappy. Just beware iPhone 6 Plus owners with IC Board issues, a bunch of other issues may occur and although they try to fix those issues they technically "don't work on certain parts of the iPhone" and the "entire motherboard may be bad"... SO essentially save $100 and just get a new phone instead of wasting time and money here, or go somewhere you can actually speak to and see who is fixing your phone instead of getting messages relayed back and forth.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Egg; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: Delicious food, staff is friendly, and service is fast. Went here for a birthday brunch and would definitely return.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Pageant; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: For this to be a place people brag about I was a bit disappointed. The sound quality was surprisingly poor, and there was a lot of distortion. Pre-gamming is definitely a good idea.. I order 3 overpriced drinks, and left very sober. Overall, if it weren't for the artists I wouldn't return.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Imo's Pizza; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: They kind of burnt my pizza and then forgot I ordered a drink.. It was still good so I can't go below 2 stars, but this location needs a little help.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Angel Boutique Resale Shop; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: This was a nice resale shop. I found a couple of gems and spent under $15. They have a section for higher end brands, and then the rest is what you'd expect out of a thrift store. I was given a punch card, and after 5 purchases or donations I receive 15% off for the rest of the year. It's also nice that the money made goes back into the community. I will be returning.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: St. Louis Bread; City: St. Louis, MO; Review: They give me free stuff when they mess up my order, which is often. I can't complain about free, but it would be better if they just did it right the first time. Also, there is a particular drive thru worker that doesn't give out receipts for whatever reason and just has a nasty attitude, so I use Rapid Pick Up now.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: El Maguey University City; City: St. Louis, MO; Review: I always get shrimp quesadillas from here. So cheesy and full of shrimp! The server greeted us with warm chips and salsa. I always leave here satisfied. This is a good place to grab food and drinks for cheap.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Red Lobster; City: Maplewood, MO; Review: Two stars at best. Host sat us (two people) at a large party booth right next to the bar. We could hear dishing slamming around, etc. The place was not busy, maybe in total 6 or 7 tables, and there was a nice empty booth right across from us they took their time cleaning. Our server greeted us with an attitude and looked like he was ready to kill everyone. The biscuits tasted like ordinary bread (hardly any cheese or garlic butter sauce). Our food came out and my asparagus were soggy yet hard(?), lobster tail was chewy, and everything else was mediocre at best. Our waiter hovered over us as we got the checks to ensure we tipped (which we did, although his service was poor). What a truly pathetic experience.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Al-Tarboush Deli; City: St Louis, MO; Review: I love this place so much! The owner is so friendly every time I come in. The gyros are always delicious! This is probably one of my favorite places to go for lunch if I want to be sure I receive tasty, quick food.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fortune Express; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: Everything here was gross. They used way too much breading and sauce to cover up their poor quality food. The crab Rangoon had no filling and were cold. The rice was sticky and hard. I was hoping to find a good Chinese restaurant within walking distance of my home but this is not the one.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Planet Fitness; City: St. Louis, MO; Review: Disgusting. This location has a shotgun setup, so there are windows by the cardio equipment and free weight section but everything else is in the back of the poorly lit building. The free weight section has like 4 or 5 benches which were all occupied when I tried to use them so I just walked right back out and went to my preferred location. Both locations on Watson have at least 10 benches, plenty of windows, better lighting so you don't feel like you're working out in a prison, and are overall much cleaner. In the assisted machine area there was dust everywhere on the floor forming little mini bunnies. Everything in there was also really cramped together and outdated. I certainly prefer a larger gym with breathing room and a staff that actually does something like CLEAN besides stand around upfront talking. I felt like I was going to catch something if I stayed any longer. At all other locations you see staff actively wiping down machines and it was obvious no one had done that for a while at this location. The only "good" thing is this location is so close to me due to a recent move, but I rather waste my gas and go to a PF on Watson or just change my membership than return to this location.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Noodles & Company; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: While the customer service was moderately friendly (they acknowledged my presence with a dry "hello" when I approached the counter) the food was awful. I ordered a Wisconsin Mac and cheese. I thought it would be a semi decent Mac and cheese because it's literally just noodles and sauce.. But of course the Mac was DRY (just like their customer service) and bland! I had to add milk, butter, and some salt to make this edible. The noodles were also really hard. I like my noodles al dente but damn! They were almost raw. I'd throw it away but surely someone else in the house will get desperate enough and eat it. Or maybe I will. But overall really not worth my $7 when I could've just bought one of those Cracker Barrel Mac and Cheese boxes from the grocer. Now THOSE are GOOD. Noodles and co mac is dry crunchy garbage. Or maybe it's just this location, but after that I'll probably pass on trying it again. I'll just put in some good ole manual labor and make a $3 boxed Mac that'll turn out way better than this diabetic nursing home food. This probably wouldn't even be fit for a nursing home though, they'd get sued for f*cking up someone's dentures with those hard azz noodles. This mac was so depressing I put it away after a few bites and just had a beer for dinner.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: El Indio; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: I used to come here religiously for their liver destroying $2 margaritas and blood pressure raising $1 tacos every Tuesday. They don't bring us water unless we ask because we're regulars and apparently that means we don't drink water. But that's besides the point. Occasionally I like to drift astray from the $1 tacos and order from the real menu. One Tuesday I ordered the "Burrito Loco". I was expecting a real loco quality burrito to show up and satisfy my drunken taste buds. Instead I was insulted with that pip squeak of a burrito shown in the photo. There's literally just dry chicken on the inside and a dab of cheese sauce spread on the tortilla. If it at least came with that cheap azz rice on the side I would've been OK. But $8.... for that??? Oh nah. So I asked the waitress "is this the burrito loco?" And she says "yEs ThAt wHat yOu oRdEr" and walks away. At this point I'm shocked and appalled. Like, she had an attitude about me asking about this rip off of a burrito she just brought me. Long story short I ate it, but I didn't like it and I will not be returning. Taco Bell has more "loco" burritos than that for half the price and QT has those packaged Chimichangas that are more filling. I should've just went to the gas station for dinner apparently. Moral of the story, don't stray from the Taco Tuesday specials unless you're prepared to be disappointed or you're okay with really small low quality portions that you would probably be served in prison. In fact, they should rename it "Prison Burrito" instead of Burrito Loco so everyone can lower their expectations ahead of time.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: New China Chop Suey; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: Why do I have to spend more than $10 to use my debit card? Chinese restaurants in "other" locations allow me to use my debit card for any purchase amount. Anyway, their pork fried rice was good the first day then afterwards it made me sick. Their crab Rangoon were good when I purchased them one day, then the next day I ordered them they tasted like they were cooked in really old grease. Overall I'm not a fan. BUT, I don't eat out regularly and when I do I want it to be as unhealthy as possible. Their pork fried rice was really dark, so 2 stars for not skimping on the sodium. Otherwise basic low quality Chinese food with huge positions.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hartford Coffee Co; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: Love this place! Their chai tea has soooo much chai! Worth every penny. Service is fast and they're really nice as well. It's conveniently located near me, so this will be my new go to for chai tea and coffees.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blackthorn Pub and Pizza; City: St. Louis, MO; Review: Man, there was sooooo much cheese I couldn't even finish one slice! I'm not a fan of cheese or deep dish pizzas like that, but this was good. The bartender made me a pretty ignorant Long Island ice tea. It tasted like a mixture of pure liquor and more liquor. I actually prefer a nice tasting Long Island, but if you wanna get trashed and eat thicc pizza this is the place. I can't remember how long it took the pizza to come out. Maybe 10-30 minutes. Not bad when you're intoxicated.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Canyon Cafe; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: Shrimp tacos were amazing & so was the pineapple margarita! Tacos are full of flavor and taste very fresh. Service was quicker than expected. Definitely would recommend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eddie's Southtown Donuts; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: Good doughnuts but often they're sold out of the ones I want at times like 9am - a time I would expect them to still have plenty of doughnuts. There's a guy that talks too much and never tells me the price before swiping my card or after. I have to ask which is annoying. One time they charged me for 8 donuts and I only got 7... I let it slide once because I was in a rush but you gotta watch 'em.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: St. Louis Fish & Chicken Grill; City: St. Louis, MO; Review: I was really craving some catfish nuggets, so I searched "fish" nearby and found this place. On first thoughts, the place was very dingy, chairs still up on the tables as they obviously don't expect you to eat there (neither would I) but I decided to give them a chance hoping their food outshined the looks of the place. This isn't where you come for the atmosphere and dine, nor would you come for delicious quality food. The small ran me about $7 and I got a lot of nuggets, fries, and some white bread (but not the pickles or onions like listed on the board). Taste is very bland, but smothered in hot sauce ima fuck it up anyway because I'm hungry. It definitely needs some seasoning and crispier fries, but this was an emergency stop since my go to place near my house was closed (Sunday). Funny thing is, about 3 other people came in while I was waiting on my order and they all ordered catfish nuggets plus something else. They're not GOOD good, so I'm not quite sure if they just came here for convenience, quantity, or if they just don't know good food. It's alright, but not somewhere I'd frequent.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Fun Express Farm Animal Rubber Ducks Duckies Party Favors - 12 Pieces; Brand: Fun Express; Review: Made perfect toys for my great grandson's barn that I bought at a yard sale. He plays with them all the time.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fisher-Price Handy Manny's Tune-Up and Go: Truck; Brand: Fisher-Price; Review: My great grandson is a big Handy Manny fan and the truck was a perfect gift for him. He loves it. It arrived in perfect condition. Was very happy with my purchase!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Original 3D Crystal Puzzle - Apple Green; Brand: Bepuzzled; Review: Very happy with my purchase!!! You require too many words in order to submitt a rating on a purchase, if this requirment continues i will not rate any future products; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Original 3D Crystal Puzzle - Apple Red; Brand: Bepuzzled; Review: Very happy with my purchase!! on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on .; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway - Henry the Green Engine; Brand: Thomas & Friends; Review: The rating I chose was because the product was just as the seller said it was. I was very pleased with my purchase. I will buy from this seller again in the future. the product was in very good condition and my great grandson plays with it every day. He is crazy about Thomas the Train and I hope to purchase other train items soon. Thank you to my seller for such a fun product!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fisher-Price Drillin' Action Tool Set; Brand: Fisher-Price; Review: I was very happy with my purchase. It arrived in excellent condition and my great grandson became a constrution worker right away! He loves the sounds that it makes and the fact that he can turn bolts with the drill. He plays with it alot. Thank You!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe; Author: Visit Amazon's Anthony Summers Page; Review: Not worth reading, in my opinion. It was scattered and lacked continuity and was not informative. Not sure what it was written for.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Touch; Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Olsen Page; Review: Lisa Olsen writes good books that keep you reading. I don't always bond with all her characters but she tells a good story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nine Steps to Sara; Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Olsen Page; Review: Just really enjoyed the writing, the attention to detail, the story and the characters. She does a good job entertaining you throughout the entire book and you hate for it to be over! Her books have been properly edited so you aren't always stumbling over mistakes. I really hate that! Good book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lowcountry Boil (A Liz Talbot Mystery) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan M Boyer Page; Review: Enjoyed tremendously. Bush bouche 2nd book Bought 2nd book. Good writer. Good story. Will buy more. Liked that it was set in south carolina.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lowcountry Bombshell (A Liz Talbot Mystery) (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan M. Boyer Page; Review: A great beach read!! I read her first one before this one and really enjoyed them both. Holds your attention and makes you care about the people. Good job.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Death of a Kitchen Diva (Hayley Powell Mystery); Author: Visit Amazon's Lee Hollis Page; Review: It doesn't have much substance but then it probably wasn't meant to. Great beach book. I liked it enough to buy the next one.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Love Finds You in Maiden, North Carolina; Author: Tamela Hancock Murray; Review: It was mainly interesting because i live in NC. Good story.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus (Harriet Beamer Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Joyce Magnin Page; Review: This is a really cute book. Good entertainment. If you are a senior or have a senior in your life (not high school), you will especially enjoy this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus (Harriet Beamer Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Joyce Magnin Page; Review: This is a really cute book. Good entertainment. If you are a senior or have a senior in your life (not high school), you will especially enjoy this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Bridge Tender (A Sunset Beach Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Marybeth Whalen Page; Review: I LOVE MARYBETH WHALEN! She is such a good writer. So many "beach books" I read and forget. Hers stay with you a long time. She is great at coming up with interesting and unusual situations that keep the pages turning! Only thing is, with her books, can't start one at night because won't sleep!! One thing I especially loved about this is that we have been going to Sunset Beach for years and it is a wonderful place and she captures a side we don't see when we are there as visitors. LOVED IT!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Slender Thread, A; Author: Visit Amazon's Tracie Peterson Page; Review: I like Tracie Peterson's books. She always gives you a good read with believable characters and people you come to care for. Worth your time!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Wilder Rose(hardcover); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Wittig Albert Page; Review: I enjoyed reading about these women and was an interesting interplay between mother and daughter. Having been a daughter of a very strong woman and having 3 very strong daughters, I found it especially interesting and especially since the mother became more famous than the daughter. However, I have to confess that I have liked other books by Susan Albert better. I love learning about herbs, etc. in her books. I always learn a lot when I read her books. She is a good author!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In For A Penny (G Team Mysteries) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Nancy Naigle Page; Review: Fluff but fun fluff! Loved the Grannys maybe because I am one!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love (Vows); Author: Visit Amazon's Sherryl Woods Page; Review: I love everything by Sherryl Woods! Enjoyed it and plan to get others in that series. Such good characterization. You really care what happens to them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Paper Bag Christmas: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Kevin Alan Milne Page; Review: I enjoyed reading this book. Made you think about your priorities. It was definitely worth reading.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wedding Cake: A Novel (A Hope Springs Book); Author: Lynne Hinton; Review: I love Lynne Hinton! My daughter is a Methodist minister so her books are so often right on!! I haven't read a single one I didn't enjoy! I share with my daughter!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Welcome Back to Pie Town: A Novel; Author: Lynne Hinton; Review: I have actually been to Pie Town! Was on a trip with my daughter (who lives in AZ) from Pinetop, AZ to Albuquerque, NM and we had to check that out! As always, enjoyed Lynne Hinton's book!! She is awesome!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Digging In: Tending to Life in Your Own Backyard; Author: Robert Benson; Review: I read my Robert Benson books over and over. My favorite is still Between The Dreaming and The Coming True but this is such a good book! Well worth reading several times. I learn something new every time I read his books! Loved Moving Miss Peggy too!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lonely Planet Pocket Melbourne (Travel Guide); Author: Visit Amazon's Lonely Planet Page; Review: Birthday gift for daughter-in-law who is on her way to Melbourne right now so we will find out how well it works for her.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Girls of Mischief Bay; Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Mallery Page; Review: You know how when you read a good book, you miss the people after you finish? That's what happens with Girls of Mischief Bay! looking forward to the next one!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Bridge Club; Author: Visit Amazon's Patricia Sands Page; Review: It was written in a very unique style but was pretty easy to follow the various members of the bridge club and their problems. It was a bit like going to a good therapy session! But I have friends like these women who have had problems like these problems and I know how important friends can be when you are working through problems that might take you down without them! Well worth reading!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wind Chime Wedding (A Wind Chime Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Sophie Moss Page; Review: This is summer reading that I love! She does characters well. I liked the people in the book and cared what happened to them which is key to enjoying a book I will read more of her books.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wedding Dress; Author: Visit Amazon's Rachel Hauck Page; Review: This is a good book with good characters and a good plot. I will be reading more of her books.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Secret Life of Trees (Penguin Press Science); Author: tudge-colin; Review: Christmas gift for son. He loved it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Drinking Water Book: A Complete Guide to Safe Drinking Water; Author: Visit Amazon's Colin Ingram Page; Review: This book was one of the best books I have read recently. I have recommended it to all my friends. Mr. Ingram really did his work well! It is well researched, well thought out and formatted, well edited!! and very informative! He divides the books into sections on various types of water care: He even rates different means of treating water and gives his recommendations with pricing! I highly recommend it as it is very useful whether you are a homeowner, a camper, a hiker, an outdoors person or anyone who drinks water!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Deep Dish: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Kay Andrews Page; Review: Not her best book but an enjoyable read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Beach Trees; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen White Page; Review: This is one of my favorite books from one of my very favorite writers! I loved how she worked in Katrina's madness by using it almost as a character in her story without allowing it to dominate the story. It is very well done and memorable! Good job!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Great Southern Food Festival Cookbook: Celebrating Everything from Peaches to Peanuts, Onions to Okra; Author: Visit Amazon's Mindy B. Henderson Page; Review: I enjoyed this as the recipes are very usable! These are recipes I would make, for the most part and they aren't all recipes I already have. I grew up in the South but my mother did not teach me to cook; my Wisconsin mother-in-law did. Now that I have moved back South, my sister, whose Southern mother-in-law taught her to cook, has been trying to teach me "the Southern way" so this is useful for me.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Out to Pasture: But Not over the Hill; Author: Visit Amazon's Effie Leland Wilder Page; Review: I absolutely love Mrs. Wilder's books about an obviously upscale assisted living home in South Carolina. Being a native South Carolinian, although not living there now, it was even more apropos for me. I would think most people would enjoy her sense of humor and it does show that all "old folks homes" aren't all bad and can be very enjoyable for that time of life. Good read, especially if you are older or if you have older parents or loved ones for whom you are responsible.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Things We Do for Love: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Kristin Hannah Page; Review: I love Kristin Hannah and she is, most of the time, an excellent writer. This is a good book, just maybe not her best. Also, I usually have more time to read and I had to read this book in bits and pieces so, in all fairness, this could have possibly been a large factor in my enjoyment.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Power Greens Cookbook: 140 Delicious Superfood Recipes; Author: Dana Jacobi; Review: I am a real lover of greens....of some greens and this gave me a lot of new ways to prepare, store and serve!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Domestic Affairs; Author: Perseus; Review: I loved this book! I laughed; I cried and I hated for it to end! It is such a good book! Do read it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Legends of the Fall (1994); Genres: Drama, Romance, War, Western; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Philadelphia (1993); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Piano, The (1993); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: When Harry Met Sally... (1989); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Goodfellas (1990); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Rain Man (1988); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rob Roy (1995); Genres: Action, Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Armageddon (1998); Genres: Action, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Wo hu cang long) (2000); Genres: Action, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Chinatown (1974); Genres: Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: First Knight (1995); Genres: Action, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Secondhand Lions (2003); Genres: Children, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari no Totoro) (1988); Genres: Animation, Children, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (a.k.a. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) (2001); Genres: Adventure, Children, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Terminator, The (1984); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Shawshank Redemption, The (1994); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American Beauty (1999); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Silence of the Lambs, The (1991); Genres: Crime, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Schindler's List (1993); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sixth Sense, The (1999); Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Minority Report (2002); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Dead Man Walking (1995); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Waterworld (1995); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Spider-Man (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Braveheart (1995); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Blazing Saddles (1974); Genres: Comedy, Western; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: What Women Want (2000); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Ocean's Eleven (2001); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Titan A.E. (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Children, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Caddyshack (1980); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Green Mile, The (1999); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Erin Brockovich (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fisher King, The (1991); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fatal Attraction (1987); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fight Club (1999); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Live and Let Die (1973); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Commitments, The (1991); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Musical; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Awakenings (1990); Genres: Drama, Mystery; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Spaceballs (1987); Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Goldfinger (1964); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Crocodile Dundee (1986); Genres: Adventure, Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Ghostbusters II (1989); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Iron Giant, The (1999); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mummy, The (1999); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Karate Kid, The (1984); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Cousin Vinny (1992); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Thing, The (1982); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sixteen Candles (1984); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Negotiator, The (1998); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Say Anything... (1989); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Hunt for Red October, The (1990); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chariots of Fire (1981); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Man in the Iron Mask, The (1998); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lethal Weapon 2 (1989); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lethal Weapon 3 (1992); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Full Monty, The (1997); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Young Guns (1988); Genres: Action, Comedy, Western; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Last of the Mohicans, The (1992); Genres: Action, Romance, War, Western; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979); Genres: Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Unforgiven (1992); Genres: Drama, Western; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Raising Arizona (1987); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Field of Dreams (1989); Genres: Children, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Saint, The (1997); Genres: Action, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sting, The (1973); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Days of Thunder (1990); Genres: Action, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Crow: City of Angels, The (1996); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991); Genres: Adventure, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mulholland Falls (1996); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Serial Mom (1994); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Horror; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Secret of Roan Inish, The (1994); Genres: Children, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Virtuosity (1995); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Italian Job, The (2003); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Seabiscuit (2003); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Anger Management (2003); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Adaptation (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Punch-Drunk Love (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Barbershop (2002); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Life as a House (2001); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: We Were Soldiers (2002); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Short Circuit 2 (1988); Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Uncle Buck (1989); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Knight's Tale, A (2001); Genres: Action, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Flatliners (1990); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: No Way Out (1987); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pacific Heights (1990); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Any Given Sunday (1999); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Universal Soldier: The Return (1999); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Mystery, Alaska (1999); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bride of Chucky (Child's Play 4) (1998); Genres: Comedy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Jack Frost (1998); Genres: Children, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aliens (1986); Genres: Action, Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Back to the Future (1985); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: X-Men (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Signs (2002); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: X2: X-Men United (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Matrix, The (1999); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Matrix Reloaded, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: First Contact (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Men in Black (a.k.a. MIB) (1997); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fifth Element, The (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Galaxy Quest (1999); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Unbreakable (2000); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blade Runner (1982); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gattaca (1997); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996); Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dark Crystal, The (1982); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Brazil (1985); Genres: Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (Cowboy Bebop: Tengoku no Tobira) (2001); Genres: Action, Animation, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: X-Files: Fight the Future, The (1998); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Akira (1988); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: K-PAX (2001); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Superman (1978); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Road Warrior, The (Mad Max 2) (1981); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Hidden, The (1987); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Mad Max (1979); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984); Genres: Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Starman (1984); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cocoon (1985); Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Altered States (1980); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Naked Lunch (1991); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Time Bandits (1981); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Solaris (Solyaris) (1972); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991); Genres: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stargate (1994); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings, The (1978); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Fantasy; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Dune (1984); Genres: Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: RoboCop (1987); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, The (1984); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Insurrection (1998); Genres: Action, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hulk (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Rocky Horror Picture Show, The (1975); Genres: Comedy, Horror, Musical, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Starship Troopers (1997); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Generations (1994); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Bulletproof Monk (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Men in Black II (a.k.a. MIIB) (a.k.a. MIB 2) (2002); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Short Circuit (1986); Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lost World: Jurassic Park, The (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Nutty Professor, The (1996); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Evolution (2001); Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Flash Gordon (1980); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Resident Evil (2002); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Lifeforce (1985); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Core, The (2003); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Event Horizon (1997); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: One, The (2001); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Mission to Mars (2000); Genres: Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Sphere (1998); Genres: Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Godzilla (1998); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Spawn (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Universal Soldier (1992); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Highlander III: The Sorcerer (a.k.a. Highlander: The Final Dimension) (1994); Genres: Action, Fantasy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Highlander II: The Quickening (1991); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Howard the Duck (1986); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Battlefield Earth (2000); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Shrek (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Big (1988); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); Genres: Children, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Willow (1988); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Ladyhawke (1985); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Brotherhood of the Wolf (Pacte des loups, Le) (2001); Genres: Action, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Always (1989); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Witches of Eastwick, The (1987); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dragonslayer (1981); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Labyrinth (1986); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Musical; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: NeverEnding Story, The (1984); Genres: Adventure, Children, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Beetlejuice (1988); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jumanji (1995); Genres: Adventure, Children, Fantasy; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Dragonheart (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Legend (1985); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The (1988); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Splash (1984); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tron (1982); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Boy Who Could Fly, The (1986); Genres: Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Clash of the Titans (1981); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Underworld (2003); Genres: Action, Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Krull (1983); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Reign of Fire (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Mask, The (1994); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990); Genres: Action, Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Beastmaster, The (1982); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Pokemon 4 Ever (a.k.a. Pokémon 4: The Movie) (2002); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Fantasy; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Open Range (2003); Genres: Western; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Bruce Almighty (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: JFK (1991); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Alien (1979); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Lost in Translation (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: S.W.A.T. (2003); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Usual Suspects, The (1995); Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pulp Fiction (1994); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Forrest Gump (1994); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park (1993); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fugitive, The (1993); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dances with Wolves (1990); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Western; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Batman (1989); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Apollo 13 (1995); Genres: Adventure, Drama, IMAX; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Toy Story (1995); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aladdin (1992); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Musical; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Twelve Monkeys (a.k.a. 12 Monkeys) (1995); Genres: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fargo (1996); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Clear and Present Danger (1994); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Speed (1994); Genres: Action, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Batman Forever (1995); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Twister (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Beauty and the Beast (1991); Genres: Animation, Children, Fantasy, Musical, Romance, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Babe (1995); Genres: Children, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lion King, The (1994); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama, Musical, IMAX; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark) (1981); Genres: Action, Adventure; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rock, The (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Outbreak (1995); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pretty Woman (1990); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Godfather, The (1972); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: GoldenEye (1995); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Crimson Tide (1995); Genres: Drama, Thriller, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mrs. Doubtfire (1993); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ghost (1990); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Firm, The (1993); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sleepless in Seattle (1993); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Saving Private Ryan (1998); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: While You Were Sleeping (1995); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Birdcage, The (1996); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994); Genres: Drama, Horror; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Leaving Las Vegas (1995); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Princess Bride, The (1987); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: L.A. Confidential (1997); Genres: Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Holland's Opus (1995); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Heat (1995); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Quiz Show (1994); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Titanic (1997); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Groundhog Day (1993); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Dave (1993); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Home Alone (1990); Genres: Children, Comedy; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Shakespeare in Love (1998); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: American President, The (1995); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989); Genres: Action, Adventure; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Clerks (1994); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jerry Maguire (1996); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Eraser (1996); Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Truth About Cats & Dogs, The (1996); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Breakfast Club, The (1985); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Congo (1995); Genres: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Fish Called Wanda, A (1988); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Good Will Hunting (1997); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nightmare Before Christmas, The (1993); Genres: Animation, Children, Fantasy, Musical; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Demolition Man (1993); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Maverick (1994); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Western; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Executive Decision (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Gladiator (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Total Recall (1990); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Amadeus (1984); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: As Good as It Gets (1997); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Contact (1997); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Reservoir Dogs (1992); Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Crime, Fantasy, Mystery; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Tombstone (1993); Genres: Action, Drama, Western; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Crow, The (1994); Genres: Action, Crime, Fantasy, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Father of the Bride Part II (1995); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: There's Something About Mary (1998); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Clockwork Orange, A (1971); Genres: Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Gone with the Wind (1939); Genres: Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Coneheads (1993); Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Blues Brothers, The (1980); Genres: Action, Comedy, Musical; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Pie (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Blair Witch Project, The (1999); Genres: Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Mars Attacks! (1996); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Lethal Weapon (1987); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Citizen Kane (1941); Genres: Drama, Mystery; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Airplane! (1980); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Top Gun (1986); Genres: Action, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Young Frankenstein (1974); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dead Poets Society (1989); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Air Force One (1997); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Truman Show, The (1998); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tin Cup (1996); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut (1999); Genres: Animation, Comedy, Musical; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Few Good Men, A (1992); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Platoon (1986); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Romancing the Stone (1984); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Three Musketeers, The (1993); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Hudsucker Proxy, The (1994); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Chicken Run (2000); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Chasing Amy (1997); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Rocky (1976); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Big Lebowski, The (1998); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Almost Famous (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Thomas Crown Affair, The (1999); Genres: Action, Mystery; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Liar Liar (1997); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Untouchables, The (1987); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: High Fidelity (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: From Dusk Till Dawn (1996); Genres: Action, Comedy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Grease (1978); Genres: Comedy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Talented Mr. Ripley, The (1999); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Bridges of Madison County, The (1995); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Batman Returns (1992); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Little Mermaid, The (1989); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Cast Away (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Witness (1985); Genres: Drama, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Con Air (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Heathers (1989); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Office Space (1999); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Traffic (2000); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tomorrow Never Dies (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Conspiracy Theory (1997); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Three Kings (1999); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Highlander (1986); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wag the Dog (1997); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Basic Instinct (1992); Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Dogma (1999); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Charlie's Angels (2000); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Grifters, The (1990); Genres: Crime, Drama, Film-Noir; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gandhi (1982); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dirty Dancing (1987); Genres: Drama, Musical, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Meet the Parents (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Femme Nikita, La (Nikita) (1990); Genres: Action, Crime, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Strictly Ballroom (1992); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Wild Wild West (1999); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Western; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Blade (1998); Genres: Action, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Killing Fields, The (1984); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: L.A. Story (1991); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels (1998); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Good Morning, Vietnam (1987); Genres: Comedy, Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Mystery Men (1999); Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Analyze This (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: League of Their Own, A (1992); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rudy (1993); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Risky Business (1983); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Monsters, Inc. (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Best in Show (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beautiful Mind, A (2001); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Razor's Edge, The (1984); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pay It Forward (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Daredevil (2003); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: WarGames (1983); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sneakers (1992); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Last Samurai, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Patriot Games (1992); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Presumed Innocent (1990); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Game, The (1997); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: In the Line of Fire (1993); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Scent of a Woman (1992); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Enemy of the State (1998); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Grosse Pointe Blank (1997); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: And the Band Played On (1993); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grand Canyon (1991); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Regarding Henry (1991); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Monster's Ball (2001); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hurricane, The (1999); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003); Genres: Adventure, Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sling Blade (1996); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Time to Kill, A (1996); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Abyss, The (1989); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Die Hard (1988); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gettysburg (1993); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Kaze no tani no Naushika) (1984); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Independence Day (a.k.a. ID4) (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Matrix Revolutions, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi) (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Predator (1987); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Finding Nemo (2003); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Hills Cop (1984); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Road to Perdition (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Count of Monte Cristo (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rundown, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Glory (1989); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Remember the Titans (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Silverado (1985); Genres: Action, Western; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Natural, The (1984); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Finding Forrester (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: School of Rock (2003); Genres: Comedy, Musical; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bourne Identity, The (2002); Genres: Action, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Catch Me If You Can (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: National Lampoon's Vacation (1983); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Secret of NIMH, The (1982); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Snatch (2000); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Love Actually (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rookie, The (2002); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Antwone Fisher (2002); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Thirteen Days (2000); Genres: Drama, Thriller, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Christmas Story, A (1983); Genres: Children, Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Patriot, The (2000); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Wall Street (1987); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All the President's Men (1976); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Parenthood (1989); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Elizabeth (1998); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gorillas in the Mist (1988); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Pianist, The (2002); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Lilo & Stitch (2002); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bull Durham (1988); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Chicago (2002); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Musical; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Notting Hill (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Tarzan (1999); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: 25th Hour (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Insider, The (1999); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Right Stuff, The (1983); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Return to Me (2000); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971); Genres: Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Musical; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Name of the Rose, The (Name der Rose, Der) (1986); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Big Chill, The (1983); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: On Golden Pond (1981); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spitfire Grill, The (1996); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tootsie (1982); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gods Must Be Crazy, The (1980); Genres: Adventure, Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: I Am Sam (2001); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Ninja Scroll (Jûbei ninpûchô) (1995); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Fantasy; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Father of the Bride (1991); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Major League (1989); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stripes (1981); Genres: Comedy, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Animal House (1978); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Misery (1990); Genres: Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: 48 Hrs. (1982); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Poltergeist (1982); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Matchstick Men (2003); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Princess Mononoke (Mononoke-hime) (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Freshman, The (1990); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shanghai Noon (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Western; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jaws (1975); Genres: Action, Horror; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Midway (1976); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Wayne's World (1992); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993); Genres: Animation, Children; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Excalibur (1981); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Some Kind of Wonderful (1987); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Watership Down (1978); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, The (1988); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Wedding Singer, The (1998); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Die Hard 2 (1990); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Doc Hollywood (1991); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jerk, The (1979); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Rush Hour (1998); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Enigma (2001); Genres: Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Officer and a Gentleman, An (1982); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: F/X (1986); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Return of the Pink Panther, The (1975); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ref, The (1994); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mariachi, El (1992); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller, Western; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Payback (1999); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: World According to Garp, The (1982); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Legally Blonde (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Lucas (1986); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Big Easy, The (1987); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Changing Lanes (2002); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bad News Bears, The (1976); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bandits (2001); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Ghost and the Darkness, The (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pink Panther Strikes Again, The (1976); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Life of David Gale, The (2003); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sabrina (1995); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Rescuers, The (1977); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Red Rock West (1992); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Broadcast News (1987); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Glengarry Glen Ross (1992); Genres: Drama; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Player, The (1992); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Truly, Madly, Deeply (1991); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Year of Living Dangerously, The (1982); Genres: Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Howards End (1992); Genres: Drama; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Brood, The (1979); Genres: Horror; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Dudley Do-Right (1999); Genres: Children, Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Fly, The (1986); Genres: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Judge Dredd (1995); Genres: Action, Crime, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Being John Malkovich (1999); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: English Patient, The (1996); Genres: Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Natural Born Killers (1994); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Kangaroo Jack (2003); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Majestic, The (2001); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shattered Glass (2003); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: House of Sand and Fog (2003); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dummy (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Something's Gotta Give (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hellboy (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Hidalgo (2004); Genres: Adventure, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Equilibrium (2002); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Identity (2003); Genres: Crime, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dish, The (2001); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Amelie (Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le) (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Training Day (2001); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: American Splendor (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bridget Jones's Diary (2001); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Recruit, The (2003); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Emperor's Club (2002); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Intolerable Cruelty (2003); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Radio (2003); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Shipping News, The (2001); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Royal Tenenbaums, The (2001); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Gangs of New York (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: About Schmidt (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Die Another Day (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pitch Black (2000); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Missing, The (2003); Genres: Adventure, Thriller, Western; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Kate & Leopold (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Down with Love (2003); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: John Q (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Perfect Storm, The (2000); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Scotland, Pa. (2001); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: K-19: The Widowmaker (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Nemesis (2002); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Beyond Re-Animator (2003); Genres: Horror; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Shallow Hal (2001); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jackass: The Movie (2002); Genres: Action, Comedy, Documentary; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Swordfish (2001); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Undercover Brother (2002); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Solaris (2002); Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Replacements, The (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Sweet Home Alabama (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Zoolander (2001); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Mexican, The (2001); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Gone in 60 Seconds (2000); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Transporter, The (2002); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Ninth Gate, The (1999); Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Romeo Must Die (2000); Genres: Action, Crime, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Joe Somebody (2001); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: America's Sweethearts (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Johnny English (2003); Genres: Action, Comedy, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001); Genres: Action, Adventure; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hollywood Homicide (2003); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Waking Ned Devine (a.k.a. Waking Ned) (1998); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Whale Rider (2002); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Timeline (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Boondock Saints, The (2000); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Enemy at the Gates (2001); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Black Hawk Down (2001); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Returner (Ritaanaa) (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | movielens |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Sands Beach Club Resort; City: Myrtle Beach South Carolina; Review: I have to agree with the review about the filth. My daughter lives down there and we travel to this area numerous times. We stayed at the hotel because a relative had a time share there and we wanted to stay near her family, I usually check out the hotels before staying or stay at the same places. The hotel halls are just dirty, windows look as though they have never been washed. The room had stained carpet and crumbs and food left on the floor from the previous guests. The king size bed didnt have fitted sheets therefore the sheets came off when you slept on them revealing the dirty, stained, hair matted, torn, mattress cover. The bed cover had a hole in it and was worn.. needed to be thrown away. The room smelled musty. There was black mold on the tubs. We stayed in two different rooms because of our schedule change and they were both this way. The two bedroom condo room 115 was dirtier than the one bedroom room 307. I dont usually leave reviews but needed to alarm people who were concerned about cleanliness not to stay here. I dont understand the good reviews because the place was a total mess. It was quiet and close to the beach. The only positive thing. My granddaughter were ill after leaving there and my daughter in law is blaming the germ infested rooms. Pleas take this review serious, only posted as a warning. Spend you hard earned money in another place. Let me add one last thing. One afternoon was came back to the room for showers and there were no towels. They were to be delivered in a hour,(which was longer) we had to use our beach towels.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: MB at Key Largo; City: Key Largo Florida Keys Florida; Review: Very comfortable,relaxing and beautiful hotel. I don't quite understand the negative responses. We travel frequently and found this hotel to be very accommodating. The ladies at the front desk were very nice and the receptionist showed us to our room and showed us how to work everything. First time for that!! The view from the room was terrific. We were pulling a trailor and the parking area was convenient. We did not use the amenities provided because we did not spend the day there but it would have been a nice place to spend the day. I would definitely stay again and I am a very picky person with a lot of cleanliness issues nd they passed with flying colors.!!! Thanks to the staff at the Dove Creek Lodge for a nice stay.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Residence Inn Beaumont; City: Beaumont Texas; Review: Spent 11 nights here while my husband was on a business trip in Beaumont. I am very picky and it suited my requirements for cleanliness. Breakfast was very good. They also have hot meals Monday thru Thursday. The menus looked good but we had business dinners most evenings. Laundry room, pool area, lobby, and overall hotel was extremely well kept and clean. Front desk employees were helpful and very nice. Thanks for making our stay enjoyable.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SpringHill Suites Tampa Brandon; City: Tampa Florida; Review: We were in a room between 3 rooms full of cheerleaders. Yelling and slamming doors. They need to enforce quiet time. Breakfast was impossible. I know they need to accommodate large groups but not at our expense for a restful night and at least a cup of coffee.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn and Suites Chillicothe; City: Chillicothe Ohio; Review: We had to stay over in Chillicothe due to mechanical issues with our car. The accomidations were fantastic. Very clean. Nice front desk and kitchen employees. Became a hhonors member due to the comfortable stay.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Inn Indianapolis Airport Plainfield; City: Plainfield Indiana; Review: Says this is a nonsmoking hotel but they must not enforce it. Had too try a different room. Smelled better but not good. Our friends traveling with us were sent to an unclean room. The rooms weren't dirty but out dated and dingy. The entry hall is very dirty and sets the tone for the hotel. We stayed here about 5 years ago and it was much nicer than this. I had a comp room on points and wanted to leave but nearby hotels were booked and it was late. I won't repeat a stay here. Do yourself a favor and stay elsewhere. Rates were high for the product.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Suites Historic District; City: Savannah Georgia; Review: We chose this hotel for location and price....plus we are choice members. But the fringe benefits were fantastic. The front desk receptionist was a sweetheart!! I didn't get her name but she was from Switzerland so that should single her out. She acknowledged the fact we were gold members. 2 free drinks for us and after 6 hours on motorcycles in the heat, it was fantastic. Our room was clean and smelled fresh. We travel a lot and at this hotel we were treated special. We were the Harley people. The hotel offered free shuttles to anywhere downtown. No worry about parking. The day before we were to leave it rained and our motorcycles were soaked. The CEO of the hotel was there for an event and started talking to us. We didn't know who he was until later. He told us to move our bikes close to the door for the evening. The security guy brought us towels to dry them off If you ride a motorcycle and go to Savannah choose this hotel...or come here via any mode of transportation. The breakfast was great and the attendant was very nice. We will always remember this hotel and the staff. Thanks so much.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn Woodbridge; City: Woodbridge New Jersey; Review: The check was smooth and accommodating. We needed to check in early and that was easily handled. The rooms were a bit run down. The toilet did not flush properly and the microwave did not work. The initial appearance of the room was clean but do not look behind anything or in the corners. The coffee in the lobby was cold and I cold not re heat due to the broken microwave. I reported the broken microwave the next morning and asked for them take care of it after departure. I few minutes later the maintenance man was attempting to enter my room with the do not disturb sign hanging on the door. I’d did not appreciate this. What if I had been in the shower or changing clothes. My husband needs to stay in this area once a month for week for business. I definitely will try to find another location.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Condensate; Brand: Original 7ven; Review: A great album. It's like they never left. We need more of this kind of music back. Spread the word.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Merry Christmas II You; Brand: Mariah Carey; Review: I will say that if you love the first christmas album "Merry Christmas" by Mariah, then you are definitely going to love this second one "Merry Christmas II You" by her. She basically picks up where she left off on the first one, and gives you a great new spin on some old classics. She also has written 4 new songs for the record (Oh Santa!, Christmas Time Is In The Air Again, When Christmas Comes, One Child) like she did on the last christmas album. I love them all, there really isn't a particular favorite because they are all great. They are all well written produce songs that are just as good if not better, than the ones on the last christmas album. Mariah really has done a good job on this album, and down the road I think this should be consider another christmas classic by the fans and people alike.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: This Is Us; Brand: Backstreet Boys; Review: I have to say that I hadn't been into the Backstreet Boys since 2002. I had been a supporter since 1996/97 so, I had all their previous album and had basically listen to those til I ended up breaking them from playing them too much. (Cassette tape days lol, good times) I had kinda fallen off the train, when they decided to take a much needed break. I remember after that break they decided to finally come back and put out a new album called "Never Gone." I remember hearing "Incomplete" for the first time and was like "what is this?" and after that I was pretty much like um no I think I'm done. I would hear the song on the radio and everything, but it just wasn't something I like them doing. At first it sounded country to me for some reason, not that I don't like country, it just didn't sound like them to me. I remember looking at the album in the store, scanning the back of it, and putting it back down. So after that, time passed, they kinda had faded into the back burner of my mind. Then one day in Walmart, I saw another new album by them called "Unbreakable." I remember picking it up seeing that there was only 4 members, I immediately put it back down, saying I'm definitely not gonna listen since there is only 4 members now. I was thinking to myself, what happen, and that it's not the same when you don't have everybody. After 3 years I finally decided to put back in their Black & Blue cd because I miss hearing their music, and it just brought back memories. So, I check to see what they were up to at the time, and it look interesting and fun seeing the soundchecks etc. So, I decided to listen to some of the newer songs from the albums I miss out on. (which wasn't grabbing me at first) While looking them up, I happen to lurk upon songs from this album, and I remember thinking, "wow they really are back" I remember loving all the songs from this album, I find out when they put this album out (I was about a year late after the release date) and I decided that when I came home on the weekend from college, I would buy it. So, I went to the store search around and there it was, one copy left of "This Is Us" (it must have been fate) I immediately pick it up and bought it, first time in 10 years, that I had bought a Backstreet Boys album. I been back hook ever since! I went back and re purchase all their albums from back in the day (the ones I had from then all the way up to the ones now)in cd form. Even though I love their last 2 albums, (because I actually decided to take the time to listen to them properly and not pass judgment) I must say that, this is their best album; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ; Brand: Chris Brown; Review: This is truly Chris' best work to date. I think this album along with Adele's "21", were some of the best albums of 2011. There is a little something for everybody to like. This is a great solid piece of work, and it only proves that more I think with all the awards and grammy he won for it. I think this will go down in history as one of his classics. As July 3, 2012 approaches, he's gearing to release his next album "Fortune" to this blockbuster. I can't help but feel that there is a sense of competition/pressure to release something as better as this. This album will always go down as one of the defining moments in his career. Great Job & Good Luck On The Next Album *****; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ; Brand: Chris Brown; Review: First off I am going to start by saying, please judge this on the music and not on someone's past mistakes. Everyone has done something in their life that they would like to move on from. It doesn't help when you have people steady bringing it up in their faces all the time when they doing their best to change. So, before you judge someone, just remember that at the end of the day, you are no better than anybody else. I am sure you have mess up at one point or another in your life. *This is a really good album once you have given it a few listens. My only problem with this album is the cursing. I don't like cursing so that is kinda my only complaint.* Now getting on to the songs (This Is What I Feel When I Hear Them) 1) Turn Up The Music - Now I will admit when I first heard this song, it didn't really grab me and I wasn't too crazy about it. However, once I heard the remix, I immediately fell in love with it, and love both versions since. This is a great high energy dance track. 5/5 *stars* 2) Bassline - To me, this is more of the "Look AT Me Now" track of the record. I think this should be a single. It has a sick robotic sound to it which is great. It also has a cool kinda cocky vibe to it, which is fun to play around with every once in a while. (I'm not saying I like cocky records really, but if you can make it fun and not that annoyingly type cocky then it is alright with me) 5/5 *stars* 3)Till I Die - Featuring Big Sean & Wiz Khalifa. This is one of the few songs I don't really like on this record. The only reason why I gave it a 2 out of 5 stars is because, I like Chris' background vocals on it. I love the way he sings the words "I'm High". He's sounds incredible singing it. Other than that it just sounds like a song that has a whole bunch of cursing in it for no reason. Not impress. (Really no need for cursing. Please get rid of the bad language for good.) 2/5 *stars* 4) Mirage - Featuring Nas. This is a great song. Chris & Nas do a great job on it. The beat has a great 90s feel to it which makes it sound more natural and real. I think the song samples the beat "Waterfalls" by TLC, and it sorta has a semi angry vibe about it. I think this should also be a single. I am sure it would definitely blow up the charts, and radio. 5/5 *stars* 5) Don't Judge Me - A beautiful ballad. The lyrics and meaning are very deep. I would love to hear more stuff like this from him often. (This is real music) 5/5 *stars* 6) 2012 - A very sensual/sexy ballad, about making love like it's the; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_CDs_and_Vinyl |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: The Original Flying Turtle® (Teal); Brand: Dusico; Review: Gift for nephew.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cute-T Bat Kids Costume; Brand: RG Costumes; Review: Fit perfect. Daughter loved.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GeoCentral Excavation Dig Kit: Dino Skull; Brand: GeoCentral; Review: Gift for nephew; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kids Glow in the Dark Dracula Vampire Fangs (12pk) by RIN; Brand: RIN; Review: Daughter enjoyed.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon 75105; Brand: LEGO; Review: Gift for husband; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LEGO Star Wars 75110 Luke Skywalker Building Kit; Brand: LEGO; Review: Nephew enjoyed; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: RG Costumes Cute-T Bat Kids Costume; Brand: RG Costumes; Review: Fit perfect. Daughter loved.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Schleich Velociraptor; Brand: Schleich; Review: Very life like. My daughter loves it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Schleich Tyrannosaurus Rex; Brand: Schleich; Review: Very happy with purchase.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Larry Levine Women's Classic Single-Breasted Notch-Collar Coat; Brand: LARRY LEVINE; Review: This coat was for my daughter for Christmas and she loves it. It looks very nice on her. The color and the size are perfect.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vionic Women's Relax Slipper; Brand: Vionic; Review: This is my 4th pair of these slippers. Love them; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ASICS Women's Metrolyte GEM Walking Shoes; Brand: ; Review: Like these shoes but found them on the small size. Went up a half size but still a little small.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Clarks Women's Brinkley Nora Flip Flop; Brand: ; Review: I am a Clark's fan.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Vionic Adilyn Women Round Toe Canvas Slipper; Brand: Vionic; Review: Very pleased with the slippers.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with food recipes as follows:
Title: deep dish apple pie with its own crust; Review: I have used this several times. I have a pampered chef apple peeler/corer, so I can whip this up in no time. We LOVE it and everyone always asks for the recipe. I use brown sugar with the cinnamon and always leave out nuts, due to allergies of my good friends. Thanks, Marie.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: choc chip muffins; Review: My husband and 3yo loved them. I used all purpose flour and 2 tsp baking powder.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: chicken enchilada soup large pot; Review: Great recipe. Halved it and still ended up with alot. Used a little less enchilada sauce, as I didn't want it to be too spicy for my little girl. Topped with crushed tortilla chips and added the shredded cheese at the end. Also, I cooked all but the cheese in a crockpot on low for about 4 hours. Yum.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: nutty honey oatmeal waffles; Review: Good, crunchy and soft at the same time. Takes less time to cook in my belgian waffle press, though.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: dorito taco salad; Review: My mom makes this too. It's so good, my inlaws asked me to bring it for Thanksgiving and Christmas, though it's more of a Summer treat. The catalina always makes people say HMM what is that. Excellent Recipe.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: basic doughnut holes; Review: These hit the spot and will save much $$$ in running to the bakery (as much). I used 1 egg (didn't have egg sub.) My oil was too hot and center didn't cook, but still good. I'll fix that for next time. Also used cinnamon instead of nutmeg.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: pepperoncini italian roast beef; Review: I have not made this myself, but I've had this beef and it is DELISH. The heat sneaks up on you, but is not over powering.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: tsr 1993 version of cinnabon cinnamon rolls by todd wilbur; Review: Prepared as written. They were very yummy. Done on the outside and gooey on in inside. Used Siagon cinnamon. Great flavor; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | food |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Tyler Perry's Good Deeds; Brand: Tyler Perry; Review: Simply put, if you want to laugh and have an uplifting feeling good this is another one of those. Even though the plot is simple, I enjoyed the movie.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Importance of Being Earnest; Brand: Rupert Everett; Review: It's OK, not a movie that "takes" me to the word...enjoyed. Silly and mindless but I got through it! Some movies I just have to ask...how did this ever become...a Movie.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: PAINTED VEIL, THE (WS) (DVD); Brand: Liev Schreiber; Review: I am not really quite sure WHY I liked this movie. A love story through the test of an affair. In the end, and in knowing the plot and what was to come "script wise", I still found this interesting and was engaged until...the end!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Painted Veil; Brand: Naomi Watts; Review: I am not really quite sure WHY I liked this movie. A love story through the test of an affair. In the end, and in knowing the plot and what was to come "script wise", I still found this interesting and was engaged until...the end!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Guest House; Brand: Ruth Reynolds; Review: 20 words are required...this is soooo bad. so so so so very bad. could not get through the script or the acting...like actors.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Lies We Tell but the Secrets We Keep; Brand: Milon V. Parker; Review: This movie was ...in every way...not watchable. Can only rate what I saw.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Movies_and_TV |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon; City: Tusayan Arizona; Review: Selected this hotel to stay on short notice and because I got an awesome deal via hotels.com and will say that I was pleasantly surprised! Super friendly service, very helpful staff and the room was larger than I anticipated. Beds were super comfy, lots of pillows (which I love) and bathroom was nice (water pressure was perfect and hot water a plenty). The only reason I am not giving the hotel a 5 is because they didn't offer any form of room service/meal delivery. We had a long day at the Grand Canyon and THAT would have been a helpful amenity!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn Omaha West Lakeside; City: Omaha Nebraska; Review: Best hotel that I have stayed at in Omaha! The staff are absolutely friendly and accommodating! The hotel itself is family friendly, with a big (and clean) pool and jacuzzi! Rooms are nice and comfortable! Their free breakfast has plenty of options as well. To top it all off, considering the amenities, this hotel is an excellent value! Don't let the semi-hidden location fool you, I would absolutely recommend!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Baymont Inn Suites Omaha NE; City: Omaha Nebraska; Review: Booked a room here for a friend visiting from out of town. Was looking for a more central location and something close to UNMC. The location was about all that was good at this hotel. Very, very outdated hotel! The lobby looked decent-ish but once I started down the hall towards the elevator, wow. The elevator was antiquated and shabby and once I got to the room it wasn't any better. Everything looks old and run down. The room refrigerator didn't work, TV remote didn't work and tiles were loose in the bathroom floor. Way overpriced for this level of accommodation in my opinion. Will not stay here again.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Courtyard Lincoln Downtown Haymarket; City: Lincoln Nebraska; Review: Had the opportunity to stay at this location twice now and absolutely love it! The service is top notch, employees are very friendly and they even remembered me from my first visit which was super nice. Valet parking is quick and easy! The rooms were spacious and very comfy. Will always stay in this hotel when visiting Lincoln.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Country Inn Suites by Radisson Kearney NE; City: Kearney Nebraska; Review: While I only stayed here for one night, it will be a memorable one! I planned a b-day party for my best friend's daughter and we both came in from out of town. Tessa helped me arrange everything, from finding adjoining rooms, to allowing early check-in and even participating in the fun by giving out the "VIP party passes" when the guest of honor arrived!! The hotel itself was very nice, spacious and comfortable. The pool area was fun and while Tessa was absolutely the stand out from a staff perspective, EVERYONE there was super nice and accommodating! THANK YOU for a very nice and successful stay!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Super 8 by Wyndham Hot Springs; City: Hot Springs South Dakota; Review: We stayed here during a quick trip up to the Black Hills. Getting reservations was the worst experience I have ever had in calling somewhere, but that is more a reflection of Super 8 than this location...so I won't dwell, but wanted to share. The nice lady that worked the front desk was very friendly and accommodating. Seeing we had 5 in our party, she asked if we would be interested in a "suite" versus the normal room. This was very nice and worked well as far as sleeping arrangements. The room, however, was very outdated! The bathroom was horrible, you could not turn on the light without the fan, which literally sounded like a jackhammer was going in the room. Very unacceptable and needs to be fixed ASAP. Breakfast was very minimal, at best, so don't consider that when booking here.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Whitetail Court Motel and Campground; City: Lead South Dakota; Review: Booked this hotel mainly because it accommodated five nicely! It was very cozy and had a rustic/cabin feel. The true beauty of this hotel can't be seen until you go out of your back door! It had a hot tub (which I wasn't even aware of when booking), as well as a grill, picnic tables and swings overlooking a stream behind the property! RELAXING!!! Was quite the value!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn Deadwood at Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort; City: Deadwood South Dakota; Review: Great place to stay when visiting Deadwood! Front desk reception was fast, friendly and easy; especially good after a long drive! Valet service is available, since parking is limited and it is FREE! Breakfast options were plentiful!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Embassy Suites by Hilton Omaha Downtown Old Market; City: Omaha Nebraska; Review: Beautiful hotel, with great ambiance inside and out. Located in the heart of Omaha's Old Market with lots to do around the location. Loved the indoor "water feature" and layout of the hotel! My only complaint is that you both have to pay for WiFi and the connection is NOT the best when you do. Would recommend regardless of that though!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn North Platte; City: North Platte Nebraska; Review: Had a last minute stay here and in typical Hampton Inn experience, it was AWESOME! Friendly and helpful staff, a great and free breakfast and a nice room! The only reason I will not rate excellent is because my room did not have a refrigerator. If I pay over $100 a night for a room, this should be a given.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GrandStay Hotel Suites Luverne; City: Luverne Minnesota; Review: Stayed a night at this gorgeous and very clean hotel! It was absolutely the best choice in the city, without a doubt. The bed was HUGE and comfy, however, it was extremely loud with tons of noise until late in the evening. I am not one to typically complain or shy away from this, but it was a bit excessive. HUGE pool and hot tub were nice! I would stay again, the noise was not enough to keep me away; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Niobrara Lodge; City: Valentine Nebraska; Review: While there are only a couple options for hotels in Valentine, the friendly staff will make this location my "go to" anytime I come back!! Stayed in the suite, as there were 5 of us and it was decent especially for the price! Staff always asked if we needed anything and when the coffee ran out in the morning, they made sure to personally fill our cups!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ramada by Wyndham Denver International Airport; City: Denver Colorado; Review: Had to grab a place to stay for an early morning DIA departure and with 5 of us traveling good rooms are hard to find! This place fit the bill, had 2 queen beds and a pull out sofa so it was PERFECT! Was one of the least expensive hotels close to DIA so that was a plus as well :); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Omni Interlocken Hotel; City: Broomfield Colorado; Review: Booked this hotel specifically for the spa and was NOT disappointed! Restaurant, bar, front desk staff and spa staff were ALL amazing and went above and beyond with their customer service to make this a memorable stay and experience! Ask for a mountain view room, you will love it! Room was spacious and bed was soft and comfy! Thank you!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Days Inn by Wyndham Wall; City: Wall South Dakota; Review: Days Inn Wall is your average hotel. Price was decent, accommodations were average but I gave this a "very good" rating as the customer service upon check in and after was OUTSTANDING! Even got a courtesy call once I got to the room ensuring that I had everything I needed in the room! They don't have a pool onsite, but do share one with the hotel across the street.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Quality Inn Suites; City: Columbia Missouri; Review: Would not recommend this place at all! The ONLY bright spot was the young lady that checked us in. Room was horrible, was old, smelled horrible. Elevator almost smashed us it closed so fast, just not a good experience at all!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Courtyard St Louis St Peters; City: Saint Peters Missouri; Review: LOVED this hotel; everything exceeded my expectations. Location was great, service was fabulous and the room was HUGE, fancy, clean and new! THANK YOU! Booked it last minute while we were travelling back home and was very happy we did.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Country Inn Suites by Radisson Cool Springs TN; City: Franklin Tennessee; Review: Stayed here after a long drive into town! Pretty nice hotel, room was decent and newer. However, the customer service that we received upon check-in was less than optimal. After a long drive, this was not what we expected or deserved. The niceness of the hotel and room helped us get over this and we did get a good night's rest.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Arabella Hotel Sedona; City: Sedona Arizona; Review: With a lot of options in Sedona, happened upon this gem and am very lucky I did! The grounds were amazing and the hotel is more like a bunch of cute little condos with patios and abundant views of the red rocks! Service was great, couldn't have asked for anything more! Thank you; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: C3 Hotel Convention Center; City: Hastings Nebraska; Review: This room was booked for us by a friend and it was great! Lots of fun things to do at the hotel itself, had a large pool, hot tub, oversized chess board and Jenga and foosball table. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time to do any of that as our stay was short. The room was fine and comfortable. We did have a ceiling tile that was falling down in the room so that is why I am not rating it excellent. If we come back to Hastings, we will stay here again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ski Inn Condominiums; City: Steamboat Springs Colorado; Review: Spent two nights in the 200 building at the Ski Inn! The check-in process was easy and the staff really friendly and courteous. The condo itself was very clean, had lots of things in the kitchen for cooking but bring your own coffee (or drive the 5 minutes to Starbucks like we did). It did have bathroom amenities, which was great as we forgot ours! The only complaint was that we could not easily find how/where to turn on the air conditioning (it was pretty hot) so we just opened up the windows at night to help.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: La Quinta Inn Suites Denver Boulder Louisville; City: Louisville Colorado; Review: Was a decent enough stay, the inside was very modern and they are working on the lobby sound after a "once around" of the hotel, we found the temporary entrance. The bathroom door didn't close properly so that was slightly annoying, especially for the price we paid. Convenient location though.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Courtyard Denver West Golden; City: Golden Colorado; Review: I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at this location! I was greeted upon check-in by the nicest lady (I apologize that I didn’t catch her name). She was welcoming, made the check-in process easy and quick and gave me much needed (and appreciated) water! Though my stay was short, everyone was nice! The next night I was heading down to a Nuggets game and the same lady from check-in helped to give me ideas on how to get there and explaining the light rail. When I got back the front desk personnel asked how the game was and welcomed me back. The next morning, I headed out for a hike and returned parched! I asked if I could purchase one of the waters that was given to me at check-in and they were happy to offer one to me free of charge! There is no doubt that when I come back to Golden, I will always stay here!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Courtyard Denver Downtown; City: Denver Colorado; Review: Located right off the 16th Street Mall and convenient for public transportation. The staff were great and the room and facility exceeded my expectations. There is a restaurant attached as well, complete with room service. BOOM!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fairfield Inn Suites Decorah; City: Decorah Iowa; Review: The hotel itself was amazing and new! Unfortunately the front desk staff was not very pleasant and it took over a 15 minute wait to check in with no one in front of me. The gentleman just took that long to get to the desk. I’d still recommend but hope someone else is working check in!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel Conference Center; City: Frankfurt Hesse; Review: While the location was great as it is essentially connected to the airport and train station, I would not recommend. We did not have hot water one of the days in the room, beds were not comfortable and the internet connection was HORRIBLE. The customer service was not the best, but not the worst. Overall a poor experience, I would not stay here again...; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Hotel Suites Alva; City: Alva Oklahoma; Review: Called an audible and chose this hotel over another we had reservations with and were not disappointed. Great check-in and were greeted by the manager and even given a free upgrade! Wow! Anytime we come down to the dunes, we will be staying here! Thank you.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mountain View Motor Inn; City: Fort Garland Colorado; Review: Wow! This place and the folks that run it are A+ AMAZING! You will feel welcomed from the moment you arrive. Knowing I was there to visit the dunes and sandboard, they let me rent the FIRST sandboard from them ahead of their “go live” on Monday, made a list of things to check out and had both ready for me when I came out for coffee! Great people, great conversation and great humble hotel! Could NOT ask for a better stay! I will ALWAYS stay here when I return. THANK YOU!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ramada by Wyndham SeaTac Airport North; City: Tukwila Washington; Review: This hotel was horrible, one of the worst I have stayed in. It is outdated, smelled terrible (both room and lobby), was uncomfortable and the room had ants. For over $100 for the night...never again! Honestly, you couldn’t pay me to stay there again.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Bodega Bay Inn; City: Bodega Bay Sonoma County California; Review: While I can appreciate the quaint and "cuteness" of this place, I would not recommend. You get a bed and bathroom, for anything else, you need to go to another building. I could hear my neighbors all night and morning so that wasn't overly pleasant.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Quality Inn; City: Florence Oregon; Review: Stayed here a night on my roadtrip and was pleasantly surprised of the value and room size and comfort! While the facility could use a little updating, it was comfortable, big, had a nice breakfast and the WiFi was solid. Staff was very friendly and welcoming which was another plus!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Astoria Riverwalk Inn; City: Astoria Oregon; Review: Very friendly staff and you cannot beat the view of the bridge, harbor and river. Was a little pricey for a slightly outdated room but having coffee with an amazing view made up for it. Breakfast was provided and you could enjoy the same view. Bike rentals were also available if you wanted them.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Oceanfront Lodge; City: Crescent City California; Review: Booked this hotel last minute on my roadtrip and was very pleased with the location specifically. It is steps away from tidepools, the beach and a gorgeous lighthouse! While the reservation said "oceanfront view room" it was NOT...but I just went outside to enjoy the view. That is honestly my only critique. The whirlpool tub was LIFE, the views amazing and people were friendly.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn Sidney; City: Sidney Nebraska; Review: Stayed here one night on the way to Yellowstone, the staff was so friendly and helped us find a room that all 5 of us could stay in comfortably. It was a great experience and the free breakfast was perfect before we had to leave and drive for hours. On our way back home, we enjoyed our first stay so much, we stayed again (but had to book two rooms this time). Would highly recommend! THANK YOU!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Residence Inn Kansas City Country Club Plaza; City: Kansas City Missouri; Review: Booked this hotel for a quick family visit to KC, selected the suite as we had 4 of us; 2 adults and 2 children. The location was decent and parking was nice as a garage is provided. The room was average, but as I indicated in the title, not the greatest for the price I paid and that was disappointing! Please note there is NO POOL at this location, in the event you have children, you may want to know and reconsider.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Drury Plaza Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk; City: San Antonio Texas; Review: This location was perfect for our stay, a great blend of historic building with great amenities! The breakfast (free) was AMAZING and the Texas shaped waffles were so fun. Staff was helpful, pools were great and would recommend this hotel to any and everyone!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fairfield Inn Suites Lincoln; City: Lincoln Nebraska; Review: I am pretty frustrated with my experience with this hotel. We were in town for a softball tournament and being a Marriott member wanted to stick with the brand. I reserved two rooms via the app and called in about 30 minutes to ask about requesting "adjoining" rooms. I was placed on hold for 10 minutes and no one came back to the phone, so I decided to call the next day. When I did, I explained that I booked two rooms and asked if getting "adjoining" rooms was a possibility. The front desk attendant said she would put in the request and note my reservation. Once we arrived, I inquired about the adjoining room possibility and was told that there were no adjoining rooms in the hotel. I was very frustrated, especially after travelling from out of town. It would have been nice to know up front that this accommodation was not possible so that I could make other arrangements before getting into Lincoln and being stuck with this hotel.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Carhartt Men's Acrylic Watch Hat; Brand: ; Review: Bought this for my brother in law. Arrived promptly and packaged well. It's soft and very orange! Fits any adult perfectly. Priced right and very high quality. Can't go wrong with this hat.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Carhartt Men's Acrylic Watch Hat; Brand: ; Review: Bought this for my brother in law. Arrived promptly and packaged well. It's soft and very orange! Fits any adult perfectly. Priced right and very high quality. Can't go wrong with this hat.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hello Kitty Women's Plush Hour PM Burnout Pant; Brand: Hello Kitty; Review: Bought a size medium for my girlfriend. The fabric is super thick, soft and has an adorable print. She just loves it and it keeps her very warm on cold winter nights. Arrived quickly and well packaged. Very high quality clothing item. Highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hello Kitty Women's Plush Slide With Sequin Bow; Brand: Hello Kitty; Review: Bought a pair for my girlfriend to go with all her other Hello Kitty stuff and she loves these slippers. They are crazy soft with big poofy kitties and sparkling sequin bows. Fits just right. Arrived promptly and nicely packaged.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hello Kitty Women's Plush Hour Burnout PW Kimono Robe; Brand: Hello Kitty; Review: Bought this for my girlfriend. It arrived promptly and was nicely packaged. Fabric is very thick and the robe is of the finest quality. Very warm, lovely print and a perfect fit. Super nice gift for a loved one or yourself (if you're female)!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cerentino Women's RB005 Round Crystal Bezel Interchangeable Set Silicone Multi-Colored Strap Watch; Brand: Cerentino; Review: I spent hours looking for a watch for my girlfriend and happened across this one with the multiple bands. She wanted something with a large face, some bling and a second hand (she's a nurse). She loves it. Packaged nicely and really looks great. An excellent value for a nice looking combo!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dearfoams Women's 730 Stretch Terry Open Toe Flat; Brand: ; Review: Bought these for my mom. She loves Dearfoams. Very happy with the build quality of the slippers. She loves them. Fits as expected.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Carrie Hughes Ladies Stainless Steel Case White Dial Black Pattern Front Pocket Watch CH081; Brand: Carrie Hughes; Review: Solid, easy to read face. Heavier chain than expected. Nice fit and finish. Has a second hand sweep. Came with an extra teeny tiny battery, no idea how to put it in. No instructions came with the watch. It's about the size of a quarter in diameter, slightly chunky. Bought as a gift for my mom, she is very pleased with it. Took about a week to arrive to GA from Cali.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Carhartt Men's Quilted Flannel Lined Sandstone Santa Fe Jacket,Brown (Closeout),Large; Brand: ; Review: Arms weren't too long or too short, I tried one in a store prior to ordering. I'm 5' 10" and 200 lbs. A large fit perfectly. Has a good weight to it. Pockets are not lined. Not too stiff either. Zipper went up and down, nothing here to complain about. Expecting years of service from this jacket.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sakkas Sasha Wool Newsboy Cabbie Hat with Button Flower; Brand: ; Review: I read reviews that some said the hat was too small, aw boo hoo. My gf picked it out as she liked the looks and what mama wants she gets yanno.. So I pulled the trigger and ordered the cap. I'm a big man with a bigger man sized head so when it came in I gave it a try on for size .. and yes gang, I could get it on my mammoth noggin but it was tighter than the clam that ate tarzan. So, if you're a female with a somewhat normal sized head (as about 67% of you do), it will fit just fine. If you got a big head it's gonna be tight. So you can just ask a few friends "Hey, do I gots a big head or wut?" and if a lot of 'em say yes, it'll be tight. If not, it'll be right.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crystal Case Women's Cotton Rhinestone Studded Medieval Military Cap Hat; Brand: Crystal Case; Review: Bought as a present, fit perfect and she loves it. The hat is actually blingier in person than it appears in the photograph. You can also hide things under it or capture small creatures that are unawares of your true intent.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Just Love Women's Scrub Tops Scrubs Nursing Scrubs; Brand: ; Review: My girlfriend just put this on and it looks just right. Very well stitched and the fabric is high quality. Looks exactly as pictured. She loves the look and fit of it and says it is quite comfortable. I'm sure it will make any nurse's day a little brighter to sport around in this fresh scrub top. I like it too! Very nice. I received a sample in exchange for a fair, honest review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gratitude Bead Bracelet by The Live Gr8ful Company. Dream Edition- Agate Natural; Brand: The Live Gr8ful Company; Review: Well this is a nice bracelet! I was going to give this to my mom for her to give to one of my nieces for the holidays but she said "Oh, I think I'll keep this for myself!" Her only concern was that it is a stretch bracelet and she might break it trying to put it on but I told her it was 7 1/2 inches so that is plenty of room to go around her wrist. I was going to post a picture of this but mom got it and is gone with it, haha. So mom is happy, I am happy. It does look exactly like the picture here on Amazon. Sample for fair review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Best Quality Cowhide Leather Wallet for Men; Brand: Marlin Direct; Review: I've reviewed more than a few wallets and have noticed that the trend seems to be toward front pocket, minimalist design. Enough space for a few bills, a few cards and your I.D. This is not that. It's over an inch thick so may not fit into some dress pants with those shallow back pockets and will fill up a jeans pocket. If people see you pull this out at dinner they will think you're paying because it just looks like money. The contrasting stitching is unusual but well done and tight. It snaps securely. Exceptionally well packed in a manner suitable for gift giving. Photo attached. Sample for fair review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tuxedo Suspenders, Genuine Leather Clip Thick Ribbon Suspenders JJ Suspenders; Brand: JJ Suspenders; Review: Some guys are belt guys. And some hate wearing belts. I belong to the latter group, much preferring to have my pants held up with suspenders than feeling the constriction of a belt. Though these are a formal style, I think they are perfectly suited to everyday use. Only some dress pants have the buttons for the leather strap portion at the end but if you don't want to use them, there is a snap you can undo to remove them and just have the snaps at the bottom. They are timeless and classic with fine styling. I am five feet ten inches and 200 lbs. These adjusted very quickly and the snaps are easy to fix and remove from your pants. The stitching is very tight and all the materials used are top shelf quality. These are a step up from the suspenders you find in the big box stores. Quality really makes a difference and you can tell it every time you put these on. Sample for fair review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sweetbriar Duffel Duffle Bag Classic Weekender with Shoe Compartment, Gray; Brand: Sweetbriar; Review: Weighing in at less than two pounds this 21" x 11" x 12". bag has just the right amount of room for overnights or weekend getaways. The bottom seams are double stitched, the side panels are turned in and stitched inside. The straps are all double triangle box stitched at the stress points. A shoe storage compartment unzips from the side. Lined in polyester it is large enough to accommodate most shoe pairs while isolating them from the main compartment. The canvas fabric has a light texture and is a bit heavier gauge than what you would find in a canvas jacket or pair of work pants. Metal D Rings attach the handle and metal punch out tabs flank either end for the shoulder strap. Spacious utility in a classic styled duffle bag. Sample for fair review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MissShorthair Fashion Girls' Cover-ups Swimsuit Wraps Beach Dress Top with Pompom Tassel; Brand: MissShorthair; Review: This 100 percent polyester scarf uses a light, open weave and feels super soft to the touch. The colors are deep and vibrant. There is a lot of scarf here for the money. Comes packaged in a cellophane envelope with a nice style tag note from the seller. If you want something that is colorful yet easy to wear to add that perfect splash of color to an outfit but not make things too warm, this may be the perfect fashion accessory for any discriminating woman. My girlfriend wore this today with her black pants suit and loves it. Sample for fair review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MissShorthair Womens Long Scarf in Solid Color Large Sheer Shawl Wraps for Evening; Brand: MissShorthair; Review: This is a lovely and deeply colored loose weave polyester scarf. It's just the right weight for cool mornings and evenings out adding that perfect accent to your "go-to" outfit for the occasion. Comes packaged in a cellophane bag with a nice note and tag from the seller. If you hold it up to the light you can see through it. Very soft, stylish and comfortable. I gave this to my mom and she loves it. Sample for fair review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: No Tie Shoelaces by Lemon Hero - Best Reflective; Brand: Lemon Hero; Review: When I used to read "no tie laces" I would automatically think "Well, those are for kids". But they're not. These are better for your feet and so much less hassle than dealing with old school laces. Once you put a pair into use, you will see what I mean and appreciate these every time you put on your shoes. They are easy to install. You take out your old laces, lace these in leaving yourself about four inches or a bit more of extra length then cut them. A little locking collar slides over the laces and there is a little snap cap that you put on the very end. By pressing on the side of the spring mounted collar you can tighten or loosen the laces as needed. Slide collar down, put on shoe, slide collar up and go. The best thing about these is they are very forgiving and flex when you take a step so they stay tight but don't hurt or make your feet swell as regular laces can. The company stands behind the product. If you ever break a lace they will send a new one. I'm glad I made the swap out. These are great laces. Sample for fair review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: WAAO Travel Neck Pouch Neck Wallet Stash with RFID Blocking Passport Holder for Men and Women; Brand: WAAO; Review: I am usually not a fan of a pack that uses a composite or PU leather type of look in the construction as it generally looks odd and doesn't hold up well but this Laptop Backpack from KaKa pulls it off for me. They only used it for an outer snap flap and it gives the whole look a bit of pizazz. It's another unique and well done design from this company. I wouldn't really rate this as a camping pack though you could use it for short trips or a day at the park but it really is designed with laptops in mind. Plenty of pockets, super comfortable to wear and lots of zippers. You can pick up a couple of little locks on this site and lock your cargo up if you desire. The oxford fabric has a slight texture to it and is heavy gauge. I am sure it will hold up well. Double stitching used extensively in this design. Enough compartments to carry every peripheral you might care to bring along and do so in style. Great job on this piece. Sample for fair review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mariell Glamorous CZ Bridal Bracelet Pear-Shaped and Round Cut - Ideal Wedding and Bridesmaids Jewelry; Brand: Mariell; Review: The packaging isn't the fanciest thing I've ever seen but it's good enough to wrap and gift. Inside that package is what looks like a nicely finished yet very pretty bracelet. Until you take it out of the wrapping and into the light. Just wow. The stones come alive with what looks like liquid sparkle fire inside. Every color of the rainbow playing off of the facets and dancing before your eyes. It's a stunner. Just looking at the listing I thought it might be a bit gaudy but it is not. It does however pack a whole lot of bling into this piece. I've been looking at a lot of jewelry lately and so far this is one of the nicest pieces I have come across.... and it's just under 25 dollars. How can you beat that? You can't. Sure, you can go out and get one of those dull looking charm bracelets that everyone else is wearing which may generate a comment or two or you can wear this and people will wonder where you found the rich guy. My gorgeous girlfriend fell in love with this bracelet. Sample for fair review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DALIX Elegant Woven Canvas Tote Bag in Navy Blue w/ Rope Handle; Brand: DALIX; Review: There aren't many 5 star reviews for this bag and I don't quite understand why. We all look at things differently I suppose but when I do a review I take into account the cost of the item, in this case about 9 bucks, how well it performs the primary function intended for (in this case, a tote that does a perfect job of toting things)... the quality of construction (no issues at all) ... and the appearance (super cute).... this tote ticks all the boxes. My postal lady and I looked at this one together... I said.. "Well it's probably not lined.. let's look".. and it was, in fact lined.. with a nice wallet sized pocket inside. Good sized zipper on top with smooth action, stitching straight and tight, nice thickness on the canvas material and a pair of handles that is not going to wear out or fray. With the 20 x 15 1/2 size there is enough room to carry a lot of goodies Sample for fair review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 4ucycling Raincoat - Easy Carry Wind Rain Jacket - A 178g Rain Coat Outdoor Poncho; Brand: 4ucycling; Review: I am five feet ten inches tall and 195 lbs. This (very) lightweight jacket fit me perfect. They did a nice job on the seams of the jacket and after close inspection of the stitching I found no loose threads. Whoever is sewing this up does a nice job on it, working so close to the edges and keeping it straight. This isn't going to replace your North Face or Patagonia gear but it beats the pants off of sticking your head in a garbage bag and is heavier than one of those (usually clear) "emergency ponchos" that come in the little tiny pouch. My test was to see if: 1. It fits (it does, but you do have to pull the whole thing over your head) 2. If it would go back in the pouch that is built at a part of it (It does, with some stuffing) and 3. If there were any issues with the zipper - That's where it fell a bit short in my opinion. The zipper on the pouch is "just" enough to do the job and is kind of "sticky". You have to be really careful to keep the jacket material out of the way zipping it and unzip it carefully as to not "catch". If this had better, bigger zippers I would probably go five stars. But for an emergency jacket when the rain is starting to fall? I'd go right to it, no problem. Sample for fair review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Women's Fashion Bracelet Wrist Watch Dress Classic Stainless Steel Quartz Analog Watches for Ladies Silver/Rose Gold; Brand: VOEONS; Review: If one were to purchase this watch at the mall or in a big box store it would have a price tag two to three times of what it sells for here. And with this one, if it's lost, stolen or damaged you won't cry as you don't have a month of pay tied up in it. My gorgeous girlfriend wore this to a formal company party last night and got lots of compliments on the piece. It's got some bling but isn't gaudy. The bracelet is made so the links are larger on the watch side than the clasp side. It's a great look. I have to give credit where it is due, that being this is the first watch I have ever received that came with a pin tool so the user can size the bracelet themselves. That saves a trip down to the watch shop... and some cash. And rather than just written or illustrated instructions on how to size it with the tool, it comes with a step by step photo instruction insert. Nice package. Sample for fair review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dickies Men's Big-Tall Long-Sleeve Work Shirt; Brand: ; Review: I read lots of reviews on this shirt before buying it and my issue was trying to figure out which size I wanted. Looking at the size chart, the L size neck measurement was too small with the chest size right and the XL had the right neck size but the chest was too large so I went with the XL and am pleased with the way it fits. I am five feet ten inches tall at 190 pounds and rather muscular so I think I could have gotten into a large but it would have been a bit too restrictive. I would say to get the size you would normally do with a T shirt. If you wear a size L T shirt, get the size L Dickies shirt and so on. A couple of things I noted about this design is first some descriptions show that there is a company logo on a pocket and the bottom of the shirt but with mine there is no tag on the pocket on this one. I saw one review that said the shirt was so stiff it would stand up by itself and showed a picture of that. Okay, yeah it will do that but only if you leave all of the cardboard liners inside the shirt. Otherwise I can assure you, it is not that stiff and will not do that. And I read some complaining about the fabric being too rough, causing a rash etc. It's a work shirt! If you have ever worn a work shirt, it feels like that. The fabric doesn't feel or wear the same as a lighter gauge dress shirt. Just wash it before you wear it the first time and you should be okay. But it's always going to feel like you're wearing a work shirt. I am glad that I bought this shirt. It goes perfect with my pants from the same manufacturer. It's a good buy for the money and I plan on getting some more in different colors.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thin Web Belt Double D-Ring Buckle 1.25" Wide with Metal Tip Solid Color; Brand: BC Belts; Review: I was originally fixated on getting a military style belt but after reading reviews on them, started to balk. Unless you start to get into a price range that was more than I wanted to pay (less than 12 dollars) there just didn't seem to be a solution for me so I opted to go for this style. It's not glamorous. It's sure not flashy but you can get almost any color you want, is less than a 10 spot, doesn't slip, matches my pants and holds them up. I would never call this a dress belt, it is purely functional, almost ugly but not quite that. I will probably get another one or two in different colors. My waist size is 36. The large size is just fine.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Skechers USA Men's Montz Konic Relax Fit Slip-On Loafer; Brand: ; Review: Taking a decidedly unscientific approach, I went to the local shoe store looking for a pair that had good arch support and comfort out of the box, without add-ons and settled on a pair of these in another model. Was so impressed with them that I came here to get a different style pair so I would have the basic black and brown colors covered. The fit across models is the same. They got the inside of the shoe right and the outside is just sharp enough to get by in almost any situation. The most important thing to me is getting the arch support I need and this line of shoes fills that need well. I haven't had them long enough to address any issues as to how long they last but will be sure to update accordingly. I would like to get a year out of them... we'll see.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wrangler Authentics Men's Classic Comfort-Waist Jean; Brand: ; Review: Everything I expect a pair of jeans to be. Comfortable, soft and really like the comfort waistband. It won't do miracles but has enough extra give in it to make it a notch above any pair of jeans that doesn't have it. Sizes run true. I wear these riding my motorcycle as they are thick enough to provide some protection and warmth and have that softness you don't have to wait more than one wash to get. I'm wearing them right now and love 'em.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Sea Crest Oceanfront Resort; City: Myrtle Beach South Carolina; Review: This was our 2nd time staying at Sea Crest and it is just an all around great place....Beautiful, clean room, fantastic ocean view, great beach area, really nice pools, and the staff were awesome!! We'll be going back as soon as we can get away again!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Econo Lodge; City: Fayetteville North Carolina; Review: Room was clean and fresh. Beds were comfortable. Staff was super. Breakfast was standard hotel breakfast. Wi-fi was decent. I just missed the in-room coffee maker, other than that...great place for great price.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Econo Lodge Cumberland; City: Kingsland Georgia; Review: Room was clean and fresh. We had everything that we needed. Beds were comfortable. We didn't go over for breakfast, so not sure about that. Staff were very friendly. Wi-fi was decent. Nice place for a great price.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Travelodge Suites by Wyndham Lake Okeechobee; City: Okeechobee Florida; Review: Non-smoking room smelled like smoke. Burn holes in bedspread. Huge spider crawled out from under fridge. Window was open when we arrived, and window casing is quite dirty. Overall, room was not very clean. Turned on A/C and even that blew a smoke odor into room. After I booked this hotel, I read other reviews about the smoke odor. I called the hotel directly and voiced my concern about the smoke, telling them that I am very sensitive to smoke and I needed a non-smoking room that didn't smell like smoke, and was told "that is how it is at all hotels". I said that I had not found that true as we had been traveling hotel to hotel for 2 weeks. More words were exchanged and I found the response more or less rude as to not taking my issue of needing a smoke free room seriously. I should have just cancelled reservation.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Daytona Beach Shores Hotel; City: Daytona Beach Shores Florida; Review: After reading reviews of this place, after I made reservations for a week...I freaked out! I called and changed reservation to an overnight and booked another hotel for the remainder of time. I would have skipped this hotel all together, had the other hotel been able to accommodate us for the entire time. As it turned out, I'm glad that we spent that 1 night and wished that we would have kept the week!! We stayed in an "Oceanfront" room with a kitchenette. The Kitchenette was quite nice. The room was clean and comfortable....maybe a bit dated, but still not bad. Beds were comfortable. We had a beautiful ocean view! The pool was sooooo nice and warm! On-site parking was convenient. We didn't make it to breakfast, so I can't comment on that, but the breakfast room was very large with a lot of seating. Wi-fi was decent. I read reviews of bugs everywhere and it being dirty. I didn't see one bug of any kind and I ALWAYS check beds at every hotel!! Balcony had some dirt on it...but with sand blowing from ocean, I would expect what I found there. It was filthy by any means. I'm not sure of the names of the 2 people at front desk when I checked in, but they were just fantastic! I arrived in town a bit early and my original reserved room wasn't ready, but they were able to get me into the same room type right then! So appreciated after long drive, and soooo unlike next hotel that we moved to after leaving the Lexington!! Devon checked us out when we left and was so friendly and asked how our stay was. I would definitely stay again and have added it to my future Daytona stops.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Best Western Plus Hardeeville Inn Suites; City: Hardeeville South Carolina; Review: We were happy with room. Clean and comfortable. Looked fairly new. Staff very friendly and helpful. Really easy to get to when exiting I-95. While I didn't take the time to have breakfast, I did grab a cup of coffee for the road and checked out breakfast area. It was very well stocked and looked like a great breakfast. We were on our way to Florida and will definitely stop on the way back through!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Baymont by Wyndham Bonita Springs; City: Bonita Springs Florida; Review: Clean fresh room, bedding and towels. Updated bathroom with fantastic shower. Pool was too cold to swim, but other than that..great stay. Breakfast was adequate, the usual waffles, scrambled eggs, sausage, danish. muffins, cereal, etc. Staff were all pleasant.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: StarTech.com Cat5e RJ45 Modular Inline Coupler - modular inline coupler - Ethernet coupler - cat5e coupler; Brand: StarTech; Review: Simply works best.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: iGuerburn Clear Transparent Case for Raspberry Pi 3 Model B/ Raspberry Pi 2 Model B/ Raspberry Pi 1 Model; Brand: iGuerburn; Review: Fits my RPI3, I don't know why a third heatsink was included. With this case there is no way a third heatsink (on the bottom) could be installed so its useless.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Keyboard Silicone Cover for Dell Inspiron 13-7347 13-7348 13-7352 13-7353 13-7359 15-7547 15-7548 i7347 i7348 i7352 i7353 i7359 i7547; Brand: CaseBuy; Review: Doesn't sit very well on keyboard since day one. Its been a few months of using it and I'm fairly disappointed in the quality of the protector.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Winplus Tech USB Type C Male To USB 3.0 A Male Charging; Brand: WinPlus Tech; Review: Worked perfectly with Nexus 6P. Very fast read/write speeds.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nest Cam and Dropcam USB Power Cable In White 13 Feet (4; Brand: Dropcases; Review: Worked well for five months. Short life.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Laguna Nights; Author: Carole Giorgio; Review: Just finished "Laguna Beach" and it needed much better editing. The prose was clunky in too many places, and where dialogue was needed, there was too much exposition/description. Normal people don't talk like Giorgio's characters speak, and it was a bit disconcerting. The characters' trip to San Francisco was well done, and she did do better job of writing in the sequel, "Sedona Rains." If you're looking for Xena-oriented uber fiction, take a look at Melissa Good's Dar and Kerry series. More believable characters (although the situations are a bit extreme), better dialogue, and not a clunk to be found. By the gods, Giorgio has promise...she needs a better editor.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Thicker Than Water; Author: Melissa Good; Review: Another great read from Missy Good! The only problem I had with this book was its short length. I'm used to her 300+ page books, with all those wonderful details, and this book came in at approximatley 230 pages. I wish her editor would've done a better job dividing the original on-line work ("Tropical High") so both books would've been of a comparable length ("Red Sky...," the first book, was over 300 pages). I guess I felt a bit cheated in terms of length and money spent (I read the book in one sitting, and that's not normal for a Missy Good story. I like to wallow in them and get lost in the characters, relationships, the conflicts, and the plot). Can't wait until 2005 when the next sequal comes out. I hope that book will be of a longer length like her first four books.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ten Big Ones (Stephanie Plum Novels); Author: Visit Amazon's Janet Evanovich Page; Review: Not a bad effort from Evanovich...just not one of her better ones. The story and characters needed more "fleshing out." Not enough development went into either. Perhaps another 25-50 pages would've alleviated those problems. And yeah, I'll probably buy #11 when it comes out as I've enjoyed the series over the years. I just hope this series won't go the way Lillian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who..." series has gone: flat writing, weak characterizations, and (rumor has it) ghostwritten books. C'mon, Janet...spend more time on your Stephanie Plum books. If you can't do justice to both series (Plum and the "Full" series), than dump or hand off one of them. Your readers deserve better, especially considering the $26 cover price.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Terrors of the High Seas; Author: Melissa Good; Review: Dar and Kerry are back, and this time, they're on a boat trip down in the Caribbean. And, of course, being Dar and Kerry, they can't help but get mixed up in another adventure during their "vacation." I enjoyed this print version even more than the online version. The action and dialogue flowed very well, and this was a perfect length for a Missy Good book. Complaints? Some of the language in places was course and rough, a bit of a departure from her other works. That would be my only complaint (and it's a mild one, believe me, as I'm no Puritan myself). However, the language did fit with the situations presented in the novel. I look forward to Melissa's next work, "Moving Target." I hope her editors will present this story in one book, and not split it up as they did with one of her previous stories. Kudos to Missy for another job well done!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Graceful Waters; Author: Visit Amazon's Verda Foster Page; Review: I loved this book, but it needed to be longer. The first two thirds of the book details the first six months of Grace's life at the boot camp. The last third moved too quickly through the next two years of Grace and Carey's lives, and not enough pages were utilized for this part of the characters' lives. Also, a bit weak on the motivation/characterization when one character realizes she's in love with another character. That needed to be handled with more finesse. Overall, a great read, though.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Flight Risk; Author: Visit Amazon's Kim Baldwin Page; Review: "Flight Risk" wasn't a bad book...just a bit unbelievable and a bit out there. Blayne witnesses a mob murder and goes into Witness Protection. And, as you can guess, she's not safe in that Witness Protection. So enters Alexi. Sparks fly and attraction is mutual between the two women. Blayne, however, is a pain in the butt. And that begins to get annoying after awhile, especially when Alexi pulls Blayne's butt out of the fire again and again and again. Not one of Baldwin's better books. Her earlier published books are better than "Flight Risk," especially the book about the firefighter (the name slips my mind at this moment).; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Compensation; Author: S Anne Gardner; Review: I read this with high hopes. What I got was disappointment. Victoria seeks justice for herself and her family. Danielle is a pawn in Victoria's game. The plot twists were not believable. The characters were not believable. The situations were not believable. As a result, one cannot connect with the plot, characters, or situations. I'm a fan of uber-Xena works, love Xena fan fiction, and have even written some. This book, however, will not stay in my collection. If you want an outrageous story with one dimensional characters, then buy this book. If you want a book with some depth of emotion and some character development, stay away. Far away. Sorry I couldn't recommend this book. I really wanted to.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Spanish Pearl; Author: Visit Amazon's Catherine Friend Page; Review: Just finished "The Spanish Pearl" for the SECOND TIME! Wowzers, what a fantastic book. The other reviews have summarized the plot points very well, so I won't be redundant. Suffice it to say, Friend's book is awesome...just awesome. Parts of it have stayed with me well after I've finished reading. Kate is a terrific heroine, and I love how her 21st century sassiness comes to play in 1085. I laughed out loud at many of her exploits, and teared up when she helped Luis find himself. I look forward to the sequel, so Catherine, please keep up the great work. Can't wait until November when the next (and final book) in the series debuts.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Out of the Fire; Author: Visit Amazon's Beth Moore Page; Review: A good novel by Beth Moore. Could it have been better? Yes. Better editing was needed in places, and some of the character development was a bit on the weak side. I had trouble with Ann's character doing a complete 180 degree turn in how she acted toward women and sex in the last half of the book. I can't picture her character doing what she did. Casey's character was pretty well developed. And her family was awesome. Some of the plotlines were tied up too neatly (re: Ann's mother), and Moore used more exposition/description/sumarization when dialogue was needed. All in all, a decent book, and with some better editing, she'll be putting out even better stuff in the future.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sequestered Hearts; Author: Visit Amazon's Erin Dutton Page; Review: A wonderful book by "Erin Dutton." I put her name in quotes because as I was reading, her style and sentence structure reminded me of Radclyffe! It was a great book, and I recommend it. You'll enjoy the drama and sexual tension between Cori and Ben.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Whiskey and Oak Leaves; Author: Visit Amazon's Jaime Clevenger Page; Review: This book had a promising start, but went downhill from there. Meg, a paramedic, meets June when June breaks her leg breaking in a horse. They meet again a year later. Rhonda, June's friend, is attracted to Meg. Rhonda brings Meg out to June's ranch to go horseback riding. Meg is attracted is June. Meg is sleeping with the local bartender. No sparks anywhere. June seems so self-centered and so closed up. And the author uses an annoying shifting point of view. Each chapter is told from either Meg or June's point of view. Sometimes, you forget who's telling the story! Things happen that are too coincidental (the Hudsons and the well, and how things are wrapped up). Things are wrapped up too quickly too, with Meg and the bartender, and with Rhonda and June's sister Karen. The book ends abruptly, and seems a chapter short. Save your money. This one's not a keeper. Maybe borrow it from a library or buy it used, but don't pay full price.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter (4 Volumes set); Author: Visit Amazon's J. K. Rowling Page; Review: That this series didn't have to come to an end. And it doesn't, Ms. Rowling!! This was one of the better books in the series. She worked with an editor who encouraged her to stop using so many -ly adverbs (angrily, hautily, etc.), and the writing's improved because of it. I've read where others complained that Hermoine and Ginny threw themselves at Ron and Harry. Balderdash. These characters are now 17 years old, not 11. Hormones are natural with teenagers, whether those teenagers are wizards or muggles. Rowling acknowledges that. Also, others complained about Ron's book which provides insight into girls. How is that different than reading Cosmo or any of those other magazines? And still others complained about the profanity. There isn't that much in a 700+ page book. Finally, one reviewer stated that she took this book away from her nine year old child. Excuse me, who would let a nine year old try to read this book? Probably the same kind of parent who takes a nine year old to an "R" rated movie and then complains about the violence and language. Sigh... Yes, "Hallows" was a dark book. But when you have an epic battle between good and evil, things will be dark (Stephen King's "The Stand," for example). And, as Harry phrases it, "This is war!" In every war, there are casualities and collateral damage. Jo Rowling does a great job of bringing the saga full circle. We see characters we haven't seen since the beginning. Wizards, giants, goblins, house-elves, other magicals, and muggles populate this book. The book did sag in the middle when our trio searched for the Horcruxes. That part was about 200-300 pages too long. It picked up again when they made their way to Hogwarts. But remember, this is an epic. And any epic worth its salt will be on the long side. As the story ends, there is an epilogue that takes place 19 years later. If Jo Rowling wants to stop writing, that's her choice. I wish she'd allow other writers to pick up this tale and fill in those missing years. I think people would have great fun with it. She once blasted fan fiction writers who wrote their own tales as a way to deal with the angst of waiting for her to finish these books. There is nothing wrong with fan fiction. Other writers would enjoy filling in that 19 year period, and we could have even more Harry Potter-related stories. Hey, it worked for Star Wars and Star Trek and James Bond; why not Harry Potter?? You'll enjoy this book if you've enjoyed the series. And to those who complain?? You remind me of a person who'd complain if he got a million dollars that he'd have to pay taxes on it. Take some deep breaths, relax, and eat a Chocolate Frog.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 2; Author: J.K. Rowling; Review: That this series didn't have to come to an end. And it doesn't, Ms. Rowling!! This was one of the better books in the series. She worked with an editor who encouraged her to stop using so many -ly adverbs (angrily, hautily, etc.), and the writing's improved because of it. I've read where others complained that Hermoine and Ginny threw themselves at Ron and Harry. Balderdash. These characters are now 17 years old, not 11. Hormones are natural with teenagers, whether those teenagers are wizards or muggles. Rowling acknowledges that. Also, others complained about Ron's book which provides insight into girls. How is that different than reading Cosmo or any of those other magazines? And still others complained about the profanity. There isn't that much in a 700+ page book. Finally, one reviewer stated that she took this book away from her nine year old child. Excuse me, who would let a nine year old try to read this book? Probably the same kind of parent who takes a nine year old to an "R" rated movie and then complains about the violence and language. Sigh... Yes, "Hallows" was a dark book. But when you have an epic battle between good and evil, things will be dark (Stephen King's "The Stand," for example). And, as Harry phrases it, "This is war!" In every war, there are casualities and collateral damage. Jo Rowling does a great job of bringing the saga full circle. We see characters we haven't seen since the beginning. Wizards, giants, goblins, house-elves, other magicals, and muggles populate this book. The book did sag in the middle when our trio searched for the Horcruxes. That part was about 200-300 pages too long. It picked up again when they made their way to Hogwarts. But remember, this is an epic. And any epic worth its salt will be on the long side. As the story ends, there is an epilogue that takes place 19 years later. If Jo Rowling wants to stop writing, that's her choice. I wish she'd allow other writers to pick up this tale and fill in those missing years. I think people would have great fun with it. She once blasted fan fiction writers who wrote their own tales as a way to deal with the angst of waiting for her to finish these books. There is nothing wrong with fan fiction. Other writers would enjoy filling in that 19 year period, and we could have even more Harry Potter-related stories. Hey, it worked for Star Wars and Star Trek and James Bond; why not Harry Potter?? You'll enjoy this book if you've enjoyed the series. And to those who complain?? You remind me of a person who'd complain if he got a million dollars that he'd have to pay taxes on it. Take some deep breaths, relax, and eat a Chocolate Frog.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Book 7; Author: J.K. Rowling; Review: That this series didn't have to come to an end. And it doesn't, Ms. Rowling!! This was one of the better books in the series. She worked with an editor who encouraged her to stop using so many -ly adverbs (angrily, hautily, etc.), and the writing's improved because of it. I've read where others complained that Hermoine and Ginny threw themselves at Ron and Harry. Balderdash. These characters are now 17 years old, not 11. Hormones are natural with teenagers, whether those teenagers are wizards or muggles. Rowling acknowledges that. Also, others complained about Ron's book which provides insight into girls. How is that different than reading Cosmo or any of those other magazines? And still others complained about the profanity. There isn't that much in a 700+ page book. Finally, one reviewer stated that she took this book away from her nine year old child. Excuse me, who would let a nine year old try to read this book? Probably the same kind of parent who takes a nine year old to an "R" rated movie and then complains about the violence and language. Sigh... Yes, "Hallows" was a dark book. But when you have an epic battle between good and evil, things will be dark (Stephen King's "The Stand," for example). And, as Harry phrases it, "This is war!" In every war, there are casualities and collateral damage. Jo Rowling does a great job of bringing the saga full circle. We see characters we haven't seen since the beginning. Wizards, giants, goblins, house-elves, other magicals, and muggles populate this book. The book did sag in the middle when our trio searched for the Horcruxes. That part was about 200-300 pages too long. It picked up again when they made their way to Hogwarts. But remember, this is an epic. And any epic worth its salt will be on the long side. As the story ends, there is an epilogue that takes place 19 years later. If Jo Rowling wants to stop writing, that's her choice. I wish she'd allow other writers to pick up this tale and fill in those missing years. I think people would have great fun with it. She once blasted fan fiction writers who wrote their own tales as a way to deal with the angst of waiting for her to finish these books. There is nothing wrong with fan fiction. Other writers would enjoy filling in that 19 year period, and we could have even more Harry Potter-related stories. Hey, it worked for Star Wars and Star Trek and James Bond; why not Harry Potter?? You'll enjoy this book if you've enjoyed the series. And to those who complain?? You remind me of a person who'd complain if he got a million dollars that he'd have to pay taxes on it. Take some deep breaths, relax, and eat a Chocolate Frog.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Imagining Reality; Author: Visit Amazon's Lynn Galli Page; Review: Lynn Galli's second book was just as good as her first. This time, we see the VA friends in their hometown setting...Jessie, Lauren, Quinn, Willa, etc, with visits by Austy and Elise. Galli does a great job, narrating from Jessie's viewpoint, and then shifting the viewpoint to describe events that happen to the other characters. Jessie seems to be a player, and as we get to know her, we find out she's a deep, caring person of great convictions. Even many of her friends are unaware of her multiple layers. Only Quinn really has insight into her because they've been the best of friends for years. You'll enjoy this book as events unfold and characters grow and develop. Galli stated this will probably be the last book featuring these characters. I wish she'd reconsider. I'd love to see a book on how Quinn and Willa began their relationship. I know Galli doesn't want to be handcuffed writing only about these characters; they should be good for at least one more book, though. Very nice sex scenes add to the dramatic tension. And you'll wish you had a group of friends as tight as these VA gals. Oh, if you go to Galli's website, you can read about her future books, and the "missing chapters" from her first book. THAT in itself was worthwhile. Lynn, thanks for creating these characters and sharing them with us.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Cottage; Author: Visit Amazon's Gerri Hill Page; Review: This wasn't one of Gerri Hill's best books. I read lesbian fiction to escape the realities of my own life. And this sure wasn't escapist fiction! No, this was based in reality, the notion of finding true love and then losing it just as quickly as it was found. I read this the same time as I read "Braggin' Rights" by Kenna White, and I have the same complaint with that book, too. Yeah, I guess I'm a sucker for a happy ending, where our girls will live happily ever after. Not a bad read...it was a tearjerker, and I guess I wasn't in the mood for a tearjerkin' book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sheridan's Fate; Author: Visit Amazon's Gun Brooke Page; Review: Gun's new book, "Sheridan's Fate," is a winner. Sheridan is trapped in a wheelchair. Lark is the physical therapist who tries to teach her and work with her. Sheridan's a tough cookie, and for her to be in this situation is quite traumatic. Lark shows her living with a disability is just that--living. Sheridan feels it is a fate worse than death. Lark lives in Sheridan's mansion, and her attempts to motivate Sheridan lead to the inevitable sparks. Misunderstandings ensue (as they always must in these books) before a resolution occurs. So why not five stars? Some of the content was a little unbelievable at times. Some things were tied up a little TOO neatly. If you've enjoyed Gun's other books, you'll enjoy this one, too. Not as depressing as Gerri Hill's or Kenna White's latest, so that's in Gun's favor, too. Enjoy!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Out of Love; Author: Visit Amazon's KG MacGregor Page; Review: KG's new book, "Out of Love," was a great litttle book. So why not five stars? The ending was too abrupt for what had been set up in the past pages. KG needed to add in at least three additional chapters to tie up the loose ends between Carmen, Judith, and their family members and friends. It was great to read a novel about forty-something lesbians looking for love. The story just ended so abruptly I sat there holding the open book, expecting more pages, more drama, more conflict, MORE STORY!! That part was frustrating. I don't expect a 400 page book...just a few chapters to bring things to their proper closure. Judith and Carmen are very likeable characters. Perhaps KG will write a sequel and fill in some of those missing details relating to Carmen's company, her family, Judith's family, and Brooke.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Braggin Rights; Author: Visit Amazon's Kenna White Page; Review: I usually adore Kenna White's books, especially "Romancing the Zone." That book was excellent. I realize Miss White is going through a rough patch in her personal life (that is stated in the dedication). I think it (inevitably) bled over into this novel. The first 2/3 - 3/4 of the book was solid. And then I felt like I was sucker-punched. And I know life isn't fair, and that those sucker-punches can hit any one of us at any time. It felt out of place in this book. I know I'm a bit of a Pollyanna and I like a moderately happy ending. This ending was more hopeless than anything else. And that part with the horse seemed too contrived. Yes, bad things happen to good people. Without hope though, none of us would have anything. This book really had no sense of hope at the end. And that's where it left me flat. Sorry, Kenna. I hate to sound harsh. This book was nothing to brag about.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Guinness World Records 2008; Author: Visit Amazon's Guinness World Records Page; Review: I miss the old Guiness record books. The big, thick paperbacks from the 1970s and 1980s filled with words AND pictures. These new books are produced for a generation of page-flippers, not readers. And that is so disappointing. Sure, it's a nice coffee-table book if you like those kinds of books. Many of us like books for the content, not the presentation. Substance more than style. I wish Guiness would offer two versions: this version for the page flippers, and a more complete, thorough book for true fans of reading about world records.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Crown of Valencia; Author: Visit Amazon's Catherine Friend Page; Review: Wowzers! A fantastic sequel to Friend's first novel, "The Spanish Pearl." Make sure you read that book first, or you'll be a bit lost reading "Crown." This time, Kate's ex-girlfriend Anna is causing the problems. Kate learns that Anna followed her back in time, and in doing so, did not follow through on the adoption of the orphan boy Arturo. Kate makes a gut-wrenching decision, and eight years after that decision, all heck breaks loose. A wild, rollicking ride. Make sure you read the entire novel, including the epilogue and author's note. I'd love to write more, but it would spoil the suspense. As it was, when the book arrived, I kept flipping around the pages, reading bits and pieces until I had the time to read it and absorb it. I'm so glad I finally found the time to jump in. Old, characters, new characters, and real people make for a wonderful piece of historic fiction. Enjoy, dear readers!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wasted Heart; Author: Visit Amazon's Lynn Galli Page; Review: Galli writes a wonderful story of Austy, an attorney, and Elise, an FBI agent. Austy carries a torch for her oh-so-married best friend, and Elise has to wait for Austy to come to her senses and what's in front of her. It's a fun book. Austy is a wonderully complicated character--very three-dimensional. She gets into trouble with local criminals, and her Virginia (VA) friends come to help her out. And maybe do a li'l matchmaking at the same time. Make sure you check out Galli's second book, too, "Imagining Reality." It's not a sequel to this book; rather, it is a parallel story about the VA crew and their loves and losses.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Aspen's Embers; Author: Diana Tremain Braund; Review: Braund's latest is a topical story, pitting an environmentalist against a forester. Will love endure between Aspen and Leigh? It was difficult to get into this book. No real groundwork was presented for the attraction between our two heroines. That was lacking. It seemed Braund was so interested in presenting the environmental side of the story that the romance side was not adequately developed. That was a definite weakness. The characters were flat...nothing jumped out at you as you read. And like many lesbian romances of late, the plot was resolved in the final four pages. FOUR PAGES DOES NOT A RESOLUTION MAKE!! Grrrr... If you're planning on buying this, buy it used, save yourself a few bucks, and then pass it on to the next reader. Not worth the list price of $10+.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: In the Name of the Father (Tori Hunter Trilogy); Author: Visit Amazon's Gerri Hill Page; Review: I know, I know...it's not as good as the first book, "Hunter's Way." This one wasn't that bad...it just couldn't live up to the hype. The story was topical (a priest who's having an affair with another priest is murdered). The diocese brings in a flack (Marissa) to deal with the press...and the flack is lesbian to boot! Not much was done with this book regarding the advancement of Tori and Sam's relationship. Much ado about politics and a politico's secret was the order of the day. Kudos to Gerri for creating Casey O'Connor. Casey and Tori paired up neatly once Sam was off to do some out-of-state training for the police force. And I wonder just how much of an investigation could be swept under the carpet...an interesting puzzle to ponder.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fully Involved; Author: Visit Amazon's Erin Dutton Page; Review: Erin Dutton's second book is a solid novel in its own right. Reid is a firefighter; her best friend Jimmy is killed in a fire, and Reid feels guilty about this. In swoops Jimmy's younger sister Isabel who comes to help take care of Jimmy's son, Chase. Reid has loved Isabel for years, and has held back (Reid is not one to just go and mess with her best friend's younger sister). Sparks ensue (pun intended) when the firefighter is attracted to the financial planner, and vice/versa. My only complaint? ATTENTION ALL AUTHORS...PLEASE QUIT TRYING TO WRAP UP A 233 PAGE BOOK IN A FEW SENTENCES. Grrrrrr.....Please, spare a few pages for a resolution. Doing so makes for a much better book. Enjoy!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Place of Exile; Author: Visit Amazon's Rose Beecham Page; Review: Rose Beecham's Jude Devine series is getting curioser and curioser. Jude's an undercover FBI operative working on a domestic terrorism unit out in the Four Corners part of the U.S. Lots of interesting characters hang out there, including her ex, Dr. Mercy Westmoreland. Beecham has a sly sense of humor with her acronyms for domestic terrorist groups (Aryan Sunrise Stormtroopers, and the Christian Republic of Aryan Patriots). She puts an interesting spin on recent events in the U.S., including the war in Iraq. This book is not for the faint Republican of heart. ;-) Lots of plots going on in this book: a murdered gay man, an attack on the Telluride Film Festival, and Sandy, the former soldier who plans on assassinating a major government figure. A VERY major government figure. Beecham's able to bring all the plots together for a pretty good conclusion. It is left open for a sequel, and I hope more will be revealed about Ben. Ben's situation has been discussed, but not yet resolved, and I hope Beecham will resolve it the way she thinks is best.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Keeping Mr. Right (The Secret Trilogy, Book 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Francine Saint Marie Page; Review: If you haven't read the first book in this series, "The Secret Keeping," please do so, or you'll be wandering in the wilderness to understand "Keeping Mr. Right." Characters from the first book are brought back, and new ones introduced. Especially interesting is Venus, Lydia Beaumont's protege at work. Yes, the author had fun with this book, and with the first book in the series. Luckily, this is a trilogy...I don't think I could stand the suspense if more books were waiting in the wings. You can't read these books quickly. To do so is an injustice. You will wallow with Helaine, Lydia, Paula, Del, Venus, Anna, etc. And if you don't like cliffhangers, you may want to wait until book three comes out before you read "Keeping Mr. Right." Much is yet to be resolved in book three, which won't come out until later this year, or early 2009.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Uncommon Emotions; Author: Visit Amazon's Lynn Galli Page; Review: Lynn Galli's book, "Uncommon Emotions," is another winner. Joslyn is a corporate turn-around specialist. Raven works at the company Joslyn is attempting to turn around. Sparks begin when Joslyn is ambushed by Kelly and kissed in the supply room. Joslyn always imagined she was straight, and this ambush begins her own turn around. If you enjoyed Galli's other book "Wasted Heart," you'll be glad to know that Austy and Elise make cameo appearances here. Elise is an old college friend of Raven. Seattle is our setting once more, and, like Austy, Joslyn loves tinkering with old cars. Raven is a car junkie as well, and that comes to play a part in this novel. Wonderful sex scenes add to the story as well. Yes, there are misunderstandings; what would a lesbian romance novel be without those misunderstandings? All is resolved for a solid, entertaining ending. Nice pacing, nice plot, cool characters. I wish Giovanni and Amalia had a restaurant in my town!! I can already taste the ravioli, rigatoni, and tiramisu.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Rainbow Cedar; Author: Visit Amazon's Gerri Hill Page; Review: Gerri Hill's latest book, "The Rainbow Cedar," is reminiscent of her earlier novels, and that is a good thing. I wasn't overly thrilled with her last two books--"The Cottage" and the Hunter sequel, "In the Name of the Father"--but this book has much going for it. Jay meets Drew literally by accident in Austin, Texas. They are attracted to one another, but Jay's in the midst of an eight-year relationship, and Drew won't be the one to break up that relationship. Jay's partner Katharine is a high-powered attorney, bucking to make partner and then strike out on her own. As a result of Katherine's ambition and workaholic ways, their relationship is on the rocks. And when a former lover of Katherine's comes in the picture, Jay can either stay and fight for what she has, or follow her heart. My only dislike? Ah, the habit of authors ending their books too soon! That knocked one star off my rating. A light read, a fun read, with enough sexual tension to keep you flipping to the next chapter. Welcome back, Gerri! You've been missed.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Deal with the Devil; Author: Visit Amazon's Ali Vali Page; Review: A third novel in the Cain crime family saga; unfortunately, this one wasn't as good as its two predecessors. Cain and Emma are back, as are Hayden and Hannah. This time, the action focuses more on the supporting characters of Remi Jatibon, Anthony Curtis (a rogue FBI agent), Muriel (Cain's lawyer cousin), Shelby (another FBI agent who has the hots for Muriel), Bob (what a slimy piece of work!), and Dallas Montgomery, an actress with a secret past. The action flowed in this novel...it just seemed a bit forced in places. And another thing...are all the hot, good looking lesbians located in New Orleans? Is New Orleans really a hotbed of lesbianism?? The female doctors, female lawyers, female FBI agents, female bodyguards, and female crime figures are all great looking, hot-to-trot lesbians??? Jeez, I like the fantasy life as much as anyone, but come on. It needs to be better balanced in places. It felt like "The L Word--New Orleans" at times, y'know?? Vali did leave it open for a fourth book. I hope that one will be more like books one and two.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shadow of the Knife (Celaeno, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Jane Fletcher Page; Review: Jane Fletcher's latest addition to the Celaeno series is very welcome indeed. If you've read the series, you're familiar with the fact that this society is entirely female. Most of you are familiar that the society as split into two factions, one of them being "the heretics," and most of the previous novels have dealt with that particular group of women. This book, however, focuses on the other group. It takes place earlier than any of the other books written so far. It details the story of Ellen, a Militiawoman, just finishing her probationary period. She learns of a group of thieves, the Knives, who are led by the Butcher. She works with the Rangers to gather information on the thieves, and during her investigation, meets and falls head over heels for Hal, a woman who claims to be a local farmer. Is Hal who she claims to be? That's for you to determine. And, like the other reviewers have stated, this is not a happy book. This is an edgy book focusing on loyalty, thievery, vengeance, and family. Fletcher balanced things out very well. Her writing gets better and better. In fact, after finishing this book at 2:00 A.M., I dug out one of her earlier Celaeno novels, "The Walls of Westernfront." Why? In "Shadow of the Knife," we briefly meet a young Ash O'Neil, a character featured more prominently in the "Walls" novel. I needed to touch base with Ash again. Great character development, emotional depth, erotic scenes, and divided loyalties make for an exciting read. Buy this one...you won't regret it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Stolen Kiss; Author: Visit Amazon's Francine Saint Marie Page; Review: Francine Saint Marie's third novel in the "Secret Keeping" series is wonderful, and it brings this worthy saga to an appropriate ending. As you may know, the second novel, "Fortune is a Woman," left the reader with an awful cliffhanger. This book wraps things up very neatly. And Lydia Beaumont...the woman who loves two women. Lydia, who loves her wife, Dr. Helaine Kristenson, and Lydia, who is in love with her at-work protege, Venus Angelo. Can we love more than one person at the same time? And how do we live with ourselves in this type of situation? How can things be resolved? Francine does resolve them...but not without some heartbreak, tears, and frustration. You may want to reread the first two books before you tackle this one. And yes, we do have several new characters: Marcus, Mariah, Li, and Nien. And we have the return of Sharon Chambers, the woman we all love to hate. Kudos, Francine, for a job well done.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blessed Twice; Author: Visit Amazon's Lynn Galli Page; Review: Lynn Galli has graced us with another winner. "Blessed Twice" tells the story of Briony Gatewood, a character from one of Lynn's earlier novels, "Imagining Reality." Briony is a widow; her partner died in a rock climbing accident several years ago, so she and her son move to Virginia for a new start in life. At the university, Briony meets the enigmatic M. That's right, M. And not the M from James Bond, either! M is a most interesting character. Seemingly cool and aloof with her colleagues, she shines in the classroom with her students. Briony and M are roped into team-teaching a summer graduate class, and Galli takes it from there. As Briony's friendship develops with M, the VA friends set her up on a series of disastrous blind dates. More and more, Briony realizes that she wants and desires M. M is not sure she can reciprocate. She's toting her own personal baggage, traumas from the past which have colored the present and jeopardize her future with Briony. I have to hand it to Galli. She's come up with another solid novel of longing and love. Kudos, gal! You sure deserve it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Salvation in Death; Author: Visit Amazon's J. D. Robb Page; Review: Like other reviewers have stated, parts of this novel seemed phoned in. Where is our edgy Eve, our cagey Rourke, our sassy Peabody?? It felt like the characters were just going through the motions. I was wondering where Mavis was when she suddenly popped in! No repartee with Summerset? And Robb has annoying habit of popping in information that helps solve the case. I've noticed that in every one of her books, where suddenly, she'll make a lightening leap of logic that enables her to solve the case. A flaw? Only if overused. Three stars for this novel.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year: 1983 Edition; Author: Charles Brooks; Review: Another solid collection of political cartoons, as edited by Charles Brooks. Many of the cartoons deal with our historic election of Barack Obama as our president. Also covered are Hillary Clinton, the war in Iraq, "W," etc. My only complaint? I wish there would be more cartoons present in these books. I love editorial cartoons, and this book could be double the size and I'd still want more!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Falling Star; Author: Visit Amazon's Gill McKnight Page; Review: Gill McKnight's book is a fun romantic romp. Like other reviewers, I wonder how McKnight came up with names like Solley, Gin, and Sniper. Watching Solley and Gin was heartwarming and heart-rendering. I rooted for them both, but understood their doubts and fears. Marsha and Janie were great secondary characters, Marsha especially as she advises Gin on the ins and outs of falling in love. All in all, a quick fun read. I wish McKnight would've spent a few more pages wrapping up everything. Too many lesbian romances end with loose ends and unresolved issues, and that was the case here, unfortunately.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Warming Trend; Author: Visit Amazon's Karin Kallmaker Page; Review: Kallmaker's latest book is another great read. Ani is an Alaskan, a budding glacial geologist, who has relocated to Key West due to her self-imposed exile. Yes, of course, she is running away! What is good lesbian fiction if a character isn't running away from something or someone? And yes, Ani left too many things unresolved when she fled Alaska three years previously. This leaves the door open for her to return to Alaska to tie up those loose ends, especially the ones involving Eve. And those ends are tied up very neatly, in Kallmaker fashion. Populated with a wonderful cast of supporting characters (Lisa, Tonk, and Tan), this novel is the latest in the line of wonderful Kallmaker books. Well worth your time, so dive in. Who would've thought that glacial geology was so fascinating??; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Partners; Author: Visit Amazon's Gerri Hill Page; Review: I just finished "Partners" at 3:00 this morning, and found it to be a solid read. I was doubtful about it, due to all of the less-than-stellar reviews, but it was pretty good. Yes, it could seem like a rehash of Sam and Tori's relationship; I prefer to keep an open mind (maybe something will fall in, y'know). And yes, some things are left unresolved. I see Ms. Hill writing one more book in this series to tie up the loose ends, and then she'll probably move on to her other books. Casey and Leslie are solid characters in their own right, much as Sam and Tori were solid characters. Give it a chance, especially if it's been awhile since you've tackled the first two books.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hurricane Watch (Dar and Kerry); Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Good Page; Review: Melissa Good's new version of "Hurricane Watch" is wonderful except for one item: this version did not contain Dar's birthday party and Jack arriving with Chino. Did I miss something? These events were in the first edition of the book. Other than that, this new version was even better than version one. Great job of revising a book and making it even better (Stephen King also did this with his book, "The Stand"). Four and one half stars. Kudos, Ms. Good; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Comfortable Distance; Author: Visit Amazon's Kenna White Page; Review: Kenna White returns to form with this novel of love set in the Pacific Northwest. Dana, a syndicated cartoonist, is in need of a break from her girlfriend Shannon and her relationship with her. Dana rents a houseboat and settles in to work. At a party, she meets Jamie, a marine biologist who is willing to help Dana examine and analyze her relationship with Shannon. What Jamie and Dana didn't count on were falling in love with each other. So why four stars? The ending was too abrupt, and Dana's actions at the end were not consistent with her character. That part of the novel was not comfortable.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tropical Convergence; Author: Melissa Good; Review: It's been far too long between Missy Good books, and "TC" delivers, albeit a bit incompletely. This book is the first half of the original online work. It's a great, long length, which is what you want with a Missy Good book. It begins with ILS battling for market share against up-and-coming Telegenics. Telegenics is run by two women who have a vested interest in seeing ILS, specifically Dar and Kerry, crash and burn. This book sets up Peter Quest's ship bid that will (hopefully) carry through in the next book in this series. The end papers of "TC" stated that "Storm Surge" will come out in May, 2010. "SS" is the next story, not the continuation of this one. Here's hoping that the continuation of "TC" will come out soon so we all can finish this marvelous story of corporate intrigue, technology, family, and love. So why four stars and not five?? I dinged a quarter star for the minor grammar errors, and three-quarters of a star for this being an incomplete story. I wish Ms. Good's publishers would publish her complete stories. This also happened with one of her previous stories (the story was divided between "Red Sky at Morning," and "Thicker Than Water"). She writes long stories, and these stories should be kept together and published together.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In the Works; Author: Val Brown; Review: A good novel by Val Brown, "ITW" tells the story of engineer Anne Schneider and her work with a paper mill in California. She is there to clean up its water problems. While there, she runs into Adehm Trent, the corporate executive who wants to save the mill rather than shut it down. The two women have a great professional relationship that begins to turn personal as their attraction for each other heightens. Each woman is carrying baggage that threatens the budding relationship. See how Ms. Brown pulls it all together and makes it work.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Family Affair; Author: Saxon Bennett; Review: "FA" details the improbable story of Chase and Gitana. Gitana goes in for a pap smear and comes out pregnant due to a medical error! Her partner, Chase, is a writer of lesbian fiction who is dealing with her own family demons. Chase fears becoming a parent, as many of us would. The novel explores the relationship of Chase and Gitana (which is wonderfully solid), and provides a great cast of supporting characters (Lacey, Addison, Delia, Peggy, Jacinda, Graciela, et.al.) who help Chase as she begins her journey to parenthood. A light fluffy read well worth your time. A bit reminiscent of Saxon Bennett's older novels, so if you like those, you should enjoy this one.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Secrets in the Stone; Author: Visit Amazon's Radclyffe Page; Review: Radclyffe normally writes an exceptional book. This book, "SITS," seems incomplete, as a previous reviewer noted. The story of Adrian and Rooke and Melinda starts out well, but seems to end without much of a resolution. Is the paranormal plane involved? Probably. Melinda is an interesting character...is she the devil?? Who's to say? Not Radclyffe. Plot points were thrown in and not examined. A frustrating read from a normally-strong writer. I don't know if she had a down day with this book, or was trying something different. But this book was lacking. It'll make me think twice about buying any of her future books. The last few haven't been as good as her earlier works. Maybe she needs to focus more on her writing and less on her company, BSB. There are only so many hours in a day. Perhaps she's being pulled in too many directions.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sea Legs; Author: Visit Amazon's KG MacGregor Page; Review: The drama begins when friends and strangers sail off on a twelve-day Caribbean cruise. Some are former lovers, some are current lovers, some want to be in love. Kelly bunks with Natalie. Their room is next to Pam and Didi's. Didi is Natalie's ex. Does Natalie want Didi back in her life? She thinks so. But someone else wants Natalie...her erstwhile bunkie, Kelly. KG weaves a neat little tale of love, lust, and trust. And yes, this book could use another chapter or two to tie up loose ends. All in all, a pleasant read to pass a few hours of time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Goldenseal (Garoul Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Gill McKnight Page; Review: Amy Fortune returns home to help her aunt Connie illustrate the Garoul family's annual almanac. All is not as it seems in Little Dip, the Garoul family's valley. Something lurks in the woods and mysteries abound. Where is Aunt Connie? What happened to her? What is her mysterious illness? Why is Leone, Amy's former lover, so intent on hovering over Amy? Will Amy and Leone find love again? And most of all, what is the Garoul family secret, the secret that separated Amy and Leone more than six years ago? Questions will be answered and raised in Gill McKnight's latest novel, "Goldenseal." A pretty good book from McKnight. Paranormal romances seem to be all the rage now, and this one fits right in. A nice balance of mystery, love, adventure, sex and paranormal elements makes for a fast, enjoyable read. I sense a sequel in the works with "Ambereye," McKnight's book due out in January, 2010. It should be a solid follow-up to this book. Worth your time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman; Author: Visit Amazon's Jon Krakauer Page; Review: Not a bad book from Krakauer, just not one of his better ones. Jon does a good job of covering Pat Tillman's journey into the Army and his friendly-fire death in Afghanistan. I did not enjoy his jabs at the right-wingers. If you're going to call Ann Coulter a harridan, at least have the decency to jab at the left-wingers while you're at it. Pick on CNN, not just FOX. If you pick on the Republicans, then dig at the Democrats, too. That was my biggest bone of contention with this book. And for the record, I'm more of a Democrat than a Republican. I believe information should be presented in a balanced, non-biased manner, and the reader can make up his/her own mind based upon the facts. In the words of Judge Judy, "Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining." Jon, there's urine running down my leg, and I don't like it. Just present the facts, sir. Just present the facts.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Erosistible; Author: Gill Mcknight; Review: Benny and Win are former lovers who have moved on...or so they think. Win shows up at Benny's hotel with her new girlfriend, Amira, the international singing sensation. Benny realizes that letting Win out of her life was the worst decision she ever made. And Benny is determined to correct that mistake. The Aegean Sea is calm and the sky blue as Benny attempts to pull Win back into her life, into her bed, and into her heart. Another winner from Gill McKnight. A fun, fast-moving romp. Enjoy, folks. You won't regret it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: No Strings; Author: Visit Amazon's Gerri Hill Page; Review: Gerri Hill's newest book, "No Strings," is a winner. Morgan and Reese hook up just for sex...no strings. But of course we can't have that!! And we wouldn't want that. The fun is watching them get tied up in those non-existent strings, and falling in love. A quick read and a fun book with some hot sex scenes. Give it a try. You might hear the zings of your own heartstrings as you dive in to friendship, lust, sex, desire, and love.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Breaking the Ice; Author: Visit Amazon's Kim Baldwin Page; Review: The other reviewers provide a synopsis of the novel, so I'll not bother. A good book by Baldwin. It touches upon several events in her own life, and as a result, the book works rather well. So why not five stars? That annoying habit in soooo many lesbian fiction novels of wrapping up a 250+ page book in less than two pages! C'mon, folks. Please, can authors not have some say in their works and provide at least 5-10 pages for a proper resolution? Doing so makes for a better, more satisfying read. Authors, you put your blood, sweat, and tears in your books; are proper endings and resolutions lost in the editing process? I'm not picking on Ms. Baldwin, not at all. This is a trend I've noticed the last few years in lesbian fiction, and it bothers me. As a reader, I invest my time in a novel, and I want my investment to pay off. The payoff isn't so great when endings are lopped off and removed. I want the whole enchilada, and I don't mind paying for it. I don't like an enchilada that's short on ingredients. And now that I've mentioned food, I'll go grab a bite to eat. Perhaps an enchilada?? Who knows.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers; Author: Visit Amazon's Cathleen Falsani Page; Review: I like Cathleen Falsani as a writer (I read her column in the Chicago Sun-Times). I liked this book. I hoped for more. She provided background information on the Coen brothers, and that was much appreciated. She also provided summaries of each of the their movies, and that was wonderful. What lacked was more of an in-depth analysis of the movies and the gospels. The summaries were right on target; the analysis was too short in comparison to the length of the summary. Sometimes a summary would be 8-10 pages, and the analysis would be one page. That was my only complaint. Otherwise, it was a great read. More analysis = better book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Yours for the Asking; Author: Visit Amazon's Kenna White Page; Review: Kenna White's latest takes place in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, not far from Branson, MO. I didn't realize Eureka Springs was quite so gay-friendly, as it's located in the buckle of the Bible belt. The main character runs a bed-and-breakfast and has an older sister upon whom the theatrical spotlight of Branson shines. Again, we have a story in which both sisters are lesbians who compete for the same women; I'm not sure how realistic that is. The innkeeper falls for her appraiser. The appraiser is interested in the innkeeper, but must keep her professional distance. An old flame re-appears. A dog has puppies. All is resolved for a satisfying, albeit short ending. This is not one of Kenna's better books. It was strong coming out of the gate, but as soon as the older sister arrived on the scene, things in the story fell apart. A three-star effort from a writer capable of crafting a five-star book. Story lines seemed forced, and if my older sister acted as irresponsibly as the one in this story, I'd b! tch-slap her in a heartbeat, I kid you not. And for it to happen repeatedly was too convenient. It didn't add to the story; it detracted and weakened it. Buy at your own risk. I'd rate it at 2 1/2 stars.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ambereye (Garoul Book 2); Author: Gill Mcknight; Review: This is McKnight's second book in her Garoul family series, and it was wonderful, even better than the first book. Hope becomes the personal assistant to Jolie Garoul, a workaholic with a heart of stone. Or so it seems. Jolie suffers more from insecurities and social awkwardness than harboring any ill will, and McKnight brings that out in her character. I just found it a little hard to believe that someone as good looking as Jolie is socially awkward! Hope has baggage and insecurities of her own as she's recovering from a very serious illness. Will these two get together? Does a bear (or wolf) poop in the woods?? Enjoy the ride as Jolie and Hope break down barriers and learn to trust in love.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fantasy in Death; Author: Visit Amazon's J. D. Robb Page; Review: "Fantasy in Death" was not one of J.D. Robb's better novels. Others have summarized the plot enough, so I'll not waste your time. What was wrong? It seems Ms. Robb's become complacent with this series. Summerset was only in for 1-2 scenes, as were Nadine, Mavis, Trina, and Leonardo. The interaction with Peabody was great, and it's wonderful to see Peabody coming into her own as a detective. The plot seemed weak and this book seemed shorter to me than her other books. And when Roarke lashes out at her at the hospital? I don't think so...they've been together two years now. That part seemed forced by the author. I can't see him telling her those hateful things, not when he turns around and thinks of her as his warrior. Everything seemed either flat or forced. Not one of Robb's better efforts. I'm glad I got this from the library rather than buying it. I'll save my money for other things.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Holiday in Death[HOLIDAY IN DEATH][Prebound]; Author: Visit Amazon's J.D.Robb Page; Review: "Fantasy in Death" was not one of J.D. Robb's better novels. Others have summarized the plot enough, so I'll not waste your time. What was wrong? It seems Ms. Robb's become complacent with this series. Summerset was only in for 1-2 scenes, as were Nadine, Mavis, Trina, and Leonardo. The interaction with Peabody was great, and it's wonderful to see Peabody coming into her own as a detective. The plot seemed weak and this book seemed shorter to me than her other books. And when Roarke lashes out at her at the hospital? I don't think so...they've been together two years now. That part seemed forced by the author. I can't see him telling her those hateful things, not when he turns around and thinks of her as his warrior. Everything seemed either flat or forced. Not one of Robb's better efforts. I'm glad I got this from the library rather than buying it. I'll save my money for other things.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Starting From Scratch; Author: Visit Amazon's Georgia Beers Page; Review: Georgia Beers' latest book, "Starting From Scratch," is a fantastic novel. Well developed characters and a solid story make for a great book. The only minor flaw: Elena's reaction to Lauren's pronouncement to Avery while at the restaurant towards the end of the book. Her actions towards Avery seemed out of place for someone as rational as she was portrayed to be. That was my one and only complaint. A fun, heart-warming, and at times, heart-wrenching read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tell-All; Author: Visit Amazon's Chuck Palahniuk Page; Review: After hearing so much about this author, I thought I'd check him out. This is my first CP book. I sure hope it won't be my last. Sigh. I guess I should've started with "Fight Club" rather than this mish-mash-mosh of a book. I love reading. I love Hollywood. I love reading about Hollywood. I did not love this gossipy-TMZ-Inside Hollywood kind of book. I won't rehash the plot. Other reviewers have done so (please check them out). The boldface of names became quite annoying after the first 10-15 pages. And I was hoping for a longer book. My copy clocked in at a lowly 179 pages. I wish he would've relied more on characterization and story telling than the boldface/story-told-in-present tense/screenplay method. A disappointment after I heard so many good things about CP and his books.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Mental Floss History of the United States: The (Almost) Complete and (Entirely) Entertaining Story of America; Author: Visit Amazon's Erik Sass Page; Review: Just finished this book, and it was pretty good. I noticed several errors in it, though (p. 100 in the "Dancing Shoes" section there's a series of symbols instead of words, and on p. 237. I thought it was "Nanking," not "Nanjing.") Also, to be nitpicky, please cut back on usage of the word "basically," It's an -ly adverb; using it too many times is a sign of weak writing. There was no works cited page; I would think the authors have to mention the sources who provided the information used in the book. Maybe it'll be in the final edition. The tone is a bit snarky, which I liked. I don't mean that in a bad way; it seems to me the authors assume people reading the book have a sense of humor, and that made this book both informative and lively. It covers the gamut of American history, from 25,000 years ago to 2009. I see this as a "bathroom book," one to peruse and flip through while taking care of nature's business. Again, that's not a derogatory comment. People use "Readers Digest" for the same reason. And even though I'm pretty well-versed in history, I did learn some new facts (I was especially fascinated how FDR arranged to get all that Saudi Arabian oil in 1945; that I did not know). A book that's entertaining and worth your time. I'm glad I flipped through it and learned something.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Storm Surge; Author: Melissa Good; Review: I'm very disappointed with Yellow Rose, the publisher of this book, and the previous book "Tropical Convergence." Why? As readers, we are being short-changed. These published books are incomplete versions of the original online stories. It also happened with the fourth Dar and Kerry online book, which was broken up into two books ("Red Sky at Morning," and "Thicker Than Water"). At least those versions were complete. This version of "Storm Surge" is incomplete as well, and is "to be continued." What about the second half of "Tropical Convergence?" The ship bid story? Will that part of the story ever be published? Will there be a "Tropical Convergence, Part Two?" I sure as heck hope so. As I see it, Ms. Good's publishers owe us the rest of "Tropical Convergence" (known as "Moving Target" online), and the rest of "Storm Surge." Why not just publish the full version and charge more for it? Yellow Rose, don't get greedy. You're resembling the character of Shari, and it's very unbecoming. Publish these wonderful stories the way they were originally written and presented. I don't like buying half of a book; I don't like reading half of a book. I WANT TO BUY AND READ ONE WHOLE BOOK. Ms. Good puts a lot of time and effort into these stories; why would you anger her readers. I just don't get it...I really don't. Why would you take her story about the 9/11 attacks and do such a disservice to it. The story itself is great; the publishing of it over two books is regrettable and greedy and opportunistic.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Because Digital Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in Online and Multimedia Environments; Author: National Writing Project; Review: as it contains little useful material for classroom teachers. Too many books for teachers are like this; long on history and research, short on practical application in the classroom. Yes, our students write a great deal outside the classroom. Point taken. Now, can you provide some actual, practical lessons that we classroom teachers can use?? Until it can provide that, this book will sit on my shelf with the other useless education-related books people publish.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: My Thoughts Be Bloody: The Bitter Rivalry That Led to the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln; Author: Visit Amazon's Nora Titone Page; Review: A well-written book by author Titone. I enjoyed it very much, and will not summarize it, as many other reviewers have done that (including the fact that too much time and space is spent on Julia Ward Howe). As much as I enjoyed it, I felt something was missing...I'm at a loss to quite figure what that "something" is, and, please, I'm not being disparaging towards Titone. As evidenced by the extensive bibliography, Titone is a master researcher (in fact, she's better known for those skills). I did have some unanswered questions: What happened to Edwina Booth (Edwin's daughter). When did she pass away, how close was she to her father towards the end of his life, what did she do with her life? I'm glad Titone didn't completely rehash the assassination and JWB's fleeing the scene: however, would a few more details have hampered the story? Likewise with the jailing of the members of the Booth family after the assassination, a few more details would've cleared up some questions. And was it ever stated what happened to the son JBB had with his legitimate wife Adelaide? Some things were researched so thoroughly (Laura Keane and Julia Ward Howe), and other topics were just lightly touched upon (the lives of the Booths after the assassination, for example). I know all things cannot be examined in one book; Titone's book was quite good, and I did enjoy it and I do recommend it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Devil at My Heels: A WW II Hero's Epic Saga of Torment, Survival, and Forgiveness; Author: Visit Amazon's Louis Zamperini Page; Review: I just finished reading "Devil at my Heels," and what a wonderful book! So why not five stars? I WANTED MORE!! For once, I wanted more in a book. I've not yet read Laura Hillenbrand's book (that's next on my list), so I wonder if that WILL have more information. I loved Louis' voice, and co-author Rensin did a great job capturing it. From his delinquent childhood, to his running days, to his war experiences, to his post-war life, the authors did a marvelous job. I just wish there had been more details. Not puffery, mind you, just more details I could wallow in. A great read and well worth your time. Enjoy, folks! UPDATE TO THIS REVIEW: I just finished Hillenbrand's book, "Unbroken," and in it, I found the details that were lacking from Zamperini's book. "Unbroken" was excellent, and I think it would be good to read them both, reading Louis' book first. Hillenbrand's book added in the missing details I sought.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Those in Peril (Hector Cross); Author: Wilbur A. Smith; Review: As a Wilbur Smith fan for years, HOW THE HECK CAN THIS RATE AS "ENTERTAINMENT?" Jeez, where to start...granted, I got it for free via the Vine program. I wish I could send it back; I don't even want it in my library. Young rich girl gets kidnapped by a group of Muslims; money is involved, as is revenge. All is not resolved satisfactorily. Sorry, but I didn't want to give away any spoilers in this review, even though I didn't like the book (I'm sure some others out there will enjoy it). I was not satisfied with the content; I found it far too graphic for my tastes, both sexually and in terms of violence (and I'm no one's prude when it comes to sex, let me tell you). I'm not a fan of gratuitous violence, and that's what ran rampant in this book. I found it very distasteful, especially after reading wonderful Wilbur Smith books like "River God," and "The Sunbird." Take a pass on this book, or if you must have it, wait a few more months when others find out just how bad it is and you can get it at a discounted price. And now I'm going to flush my eyeballs to rid them of the poisonous vapors of this novel...; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: As Far as My Feet Will Carry; Author: Josef M. Bauer; Review: I recently finished this book, and I found it pretty good, overall. Yes, it lacked in some detail, especially towards the end. The ending felt a bit rushed, considering the time that was spent on the "reindeer wranglers," and the "gold miners." I felt the book could have been a bit more balanced. Also, what happened to our protagonist after his escape?? Did he reunite with his family? Did he settle in OK? I wish those questions would have been addressed as well. Ah, well...perhaps in a future edition, they will be addressed.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Greater Journey (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction Series); Author: Visit Amazon's David McCullough Page; Review: Lest you think I'm not a fan of David McCullough, be assured I am. With that being said, I was disappointed with his latest book. It was well-written; I had problems with it. Too many words were spent on Morse and Cooper; not enough words were spent on the medical students and the cholera epidemic. Entire chapters were devoted to Morse and Cooper, where the epidemic was mentioned in one chapter, and the medical students were found mainly in chapter four. Chapter Four was the best chapter out of the book. I wish McCullough would've focused more on the women who visited Paris, too. Most of the people seemed to be mentioned in passing, with the exception of Morse and Cooper; that's why I felt it lacked balance. Perhaps because he had no central figure (ala Truman or Teddy Roosevelt), that weakened this book. It will not remain in my collection (thank God for libraries). I am still a fan of McCullough, just not a fan of this book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fishing for Dummies; Author: Peter Kaminsky; Review: This is a great starter book, or even refresher book, for fishermen of all ages. The book is divided into sections on tackle, bait, lures, types of water, freshwater fish and saltwater fish, among others. My only complaint? The book alludes to fishing gimmicks to stay away from, and then didn't discuss those gimmicks!! Do the authors have to worry about lawsuits, is that why they aren't mentioned? A good reference book to keep on hand.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated; Author: Visit Amazon's Alison Arngrim Page; Review: I never watched "Little House on the Prairie" while growing up; I always thought it was too sugary for my taste. I saw the author on "The View," and thought I'd check out the book. It was a real hoot, and I sure enjoyed it. It was great to see things from the "villain's" point of view, and I thought Arngrim delivered. So, why four stars? I wanted more. I could have easily read another 100 pages!! I thought the sexual abuse angle was handled very well, as was her entry into the world of activism. Kudos, Allison. And, will there be a volume two?? Just asking...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin; Author: Eric Larson; Review: I just finished this book, and I had some problems with it. It focused mainly on the years of 1933 and 1934, although Ambassador Dodd served until December, 1937. So...what happened during 1935, 1936, and 1937? What happened with Bill, Jr., during these years? Most of the book focused on Ambassador Dodd and daughter Martha's frequent and various love affairs? Did Bill do anything other than work on his advanced college degree and drive the car around Germany? And, how about Mrs. Dodd? Her thoughts/reactions/feelings about the events occurring in Germany? She had them...where are they? How did she feel uprooting her family and moving to Germany? And Vice-Chancellor Papen? It's not mentioned if he even survived until the epilogue! Everybody ran around Berlin wondering what happened to him after the events of June 30, 1934, and he's mentioned as an afterthought in the epilogue? I felt far too much of the book focused on Martha and love interests. The title says, "American Family," yet two of the members (Bill, Jr., and Mrs. Dodd) are hardly mentioned. This is why I felt it was disjointed and lacking.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: High Stakes: The Rising Cost of America's Gambling Addiction; Author: Visit Amazon's Sam Skolnik Page; Review: This book was very well-researched, and got into detail describing the American governments love affair with gambling. Not so much at the federal level; more at the state and local level. Yes, the state and local governments welcome gambling as the solution to all of its funding problems. The problem they conveniently overlook is the problem with addiction. The author is a self-admitted gambler, specifically live poker. I felt this added credence to his thesis that there is a problem with government relying so much on the gambling industry for funding. It makes me wonder how much governmental waste is out there, that gambling must be brought in to shore up funding. Don't get me wrong: I love to gamble myself (everything BUT live poker). How can a society exist if its government supports itself upon the losses of its citizens in games of chance? And what about people who DO become addicted to gambling? Not much funding is out there to help these problem gamblers (most of it is provided by the gambling industry, as mandated by law). So....why 3 1/2 stars? I wish it would've been more human, less clinical. More stories of gamblers fighting the addiction. Also, in one chapter, the author discusses a friend of his who worked in the casino industry, who told him how the casinos worked...AND THEN NEVER WROTE ABOUT TOPIC AGAIN. Aughhhh, I was frustrated! Here he had the chance to provide an insider's perspective, and he didn't do it. All in all, a good book that will give you much to think about. Maybe, in a future edition, more of those personal stories will be added, along with that insight into the workings of a casino.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West; Author: Visit Amazon's Dorothy Wickenden Page; Review: I just finished the book, and I had some problems with it. Not the story. The story was wonderful. In fact the book NEEDED more of the story of the two girls teaching in Colorado. That part was awesome. Too much back story, I felt. Did we really need all the back story about the construction of the railroad? About the Moffats? The girls' European trip after college? I just felt it detracted from the story. Yes, we get it, these were two society gals who lived a life of privilege in the East, who went out West to teach, in essence, to find themselves. We learn about their journey, their struggles in the West, living with the Harrison family, meeting Bob Perry and Ferry Carpenter, teaching at the rural school, working with these kids. This was the heart and soul of the story, and it came up a bit short. I know they taught there for only a year; they had such a profound impact on their students you'd think the author would've put more in there about their year teaching in the West. At the end, I had another problem. In the epilogue, the author describes what happened to Ros and Bob Perry. What ever happened to Dorothy? To Ferry Carpenter? Are they still alive? Dead? Any children? Still alive?? The book just...ended. I'd rate this 3 1/2 stars, as it sure didn't live up the hype. So much was promised and so little was delivered. Check it out from the library; save your money.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West; Author: Visit Amazon's Dorothy Wickenden Page; Review: I just finished the book, and I had some problems with it. Not the story. The story was wonderful. In fact the book NEEDED more of the story of the two girls teaching in Colorado. That part was awesome. Too much back story, I felt. Did we really need all the back story about the construction of the railroad? About the Moffats? The girls' European trip after college? I just felt it detracted from the story. Yes, we get it, these were two society gals who lived a life of privilege in the East, who went out West to teach, in essence, to find themselves. We learn about their journey, their struggles in the West, living with the Harrison family, meeting Bob Perry and Ferry Carpenter, teaching at the rural school, working with these kids. This was the heart and soul of the story, and it came up a bit short. I know they taught there for only a year; they had such a profound impact on their students you'd think the author would've put more in there about their year teaching in the West. At the end, I had another problem. In the epilogue, the author describes what happened to Ros and Bob Perry. What ever happened to Dorothy? To Ferry Carpenter? Are they still alive? Dead? Any children? Still alive?? The book just...ended. I'd rate this 3 1/2 stars, as it sure didn't live up the hype. So much was promised and so little was delivered. Check it out from the library; save your money.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: New York to Dallas (In Death); Author: Visit Amazon's J. D. Robb Page; Review: A pretty good J.D. Robb mystery this time around. I won't summarize it as other readers have done so. It's a bit angsty, but that's OK. We see Eve and Rourke grow through the love they have for each other. I know other reviewers didn't like that. It was OK by me. Don't get me wrong, Eve is not mellowing. She's still a butt-kicking NYPSD lieutenant. I liked the new characters, missed some of the older ones. And curious to see where Robb will go next after this book. So why not five stars? I had a bit of difficulty with the dialogue, like knowing who's speaking at a certain time. That wasn't always clear. Other than that, good stuff!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spencer Tracy: A Biography; Author: Visit Amazon's James Curtis Page; Review: I realize that is a strange statement, so let me explain. In my opinion, author James Curtis does not like or even respect Spencer Tracy, and this is his attempt to show Tracy, warts and all. I feel he is more sympathetic to Mrs. Louise Tracy; that is why the book starts out with HER life story. That Spencer Tracy was a complete cad towards Louise and his family, and he is going to show that...in spades. For 884 pages. I did not come to this realization lightly; I've read EVERY SINGLE PAGE CONSISTING OF EVERY SINGLE BLOODY DETAIL. And I came to this realization at the point Tracy was making a movie on p. 648, and that "both (Dore) Schary and (Eddie) Mannix dismissed Tracy's behavior as typical of his preproduction jitters." Umm, there wasn't that much evidence in the book before this time that Tracy HAD many preproduction jitters. From then on, the stories of his "preproduction jitters" become more numerous, his behavior even more erratic. He appears to be more of a prima donna in terms of the behavior he exhibits. He doesn't libel Tracy; far from it (the book is meticulously researched, documented and cited). It strikes me that the facts and the presentation of the facts make Louise (Mrs. Tracy) appear to be almost saintly; that she remains on the sidelines and in the background, focusing on the children at the expense of herself. Almost martyr-ish in a way. If Tracy's life was exhausting, the reader is exhausted reading about it. Not that Curtis should worship the ground Tracy trod. A balance must be struck. And I find little balance in this book. Also, do we need to know every li'l thing about Spencer Tracy from the time he was born until he died? I think not. As a fan, I'm interested in his film career; the gossiper in me is interested in his relationship with Kate Hepburn. I think I learned more about the Tracy/Hepburn alliance in Garson Kanin's book on the subject (considerably shorter, and infinitely more readable). Pick up at your own risk. If you feel Spencer Tracy was the best thing since sliced bread, you'll have the gloss taken off that viewpoint rather fast. If you feel he was a flawed human being, and want to read about those flaws in exhaustive detail, then this book is for you. Only three stars due to the problems I had with the book, as outlined above.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Balance of Forces: Toujours Ici; Author: Visit Amazon's Ali Vali Page; Review: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD SO BE WARNED: Ali Valli's latest book was excellent; I found it had only one flaw: Piper, the second female lead. Why, do you ask? Because she crossed the line from feisty to jerky. Her conduct crossed the line many times. As far as I could tell, the only reason Kendall was interested in her was her resemblance to someone from the past. Her turnaround was not believable. She seemed so shallow and two-dimensional compared to Kendall, who seems so deep, so many-faceted. At times, Piper was too much like the man who tries to trip her up; those two seemed made for each other. And to be so straight and then "suddenly" have a change of heart. Puh-leaze. Not believable at all. And yes, I know this is a fantasy book; as a reader, I do want some believability when it comes to the relationship portion of the story. Now, Kendall, on the other hand...what a wonderful creation. I wanted so much more for her, and, in my opinion, Piper wasn't it. Piper wasn't worthy of her Kendall's love. The relationship between Kendall and her mentor was beautiful, very moving. I love the concept, I loved the idea of this book. I love the fact that (hopefully) there will be more books, and very soon. Piper needed more development, especially to be connected with someone as well-developed as Kendall (yes, pun intended). Enjoy!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Never-Ending Search for a Cure; Author: Visit Amazon's Jim Murphy Page; Review: I didn't know when I ordered this that it was more of a children's-oriented book. With that being said, this was a pretty good book. There was one area that I thought was overdone: chapter seven, "The Outsiders." I felt this chapter was too melodramatic regarding the lack of available treatment for certain populations. It felt out of place compared to the other chapters. I like the pictures, and the inclusion of part of author Betty McDonald's personal TB story. In fact, it reminded me how good her book, "The Plague and I" really was. Not bad, and it could even be a bit longer. The problem I had reading it was the typesetting. It was so choppy. Good list of sources. All in all, not a bad li'l book. Provides a good introduction to young readers about the evils of TB.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In the Unlikely Event...; Author: Visit Amazon's Saxon Bennett Page; Review: SPOILERS AHEAD, FOLKS!! Oh, Saxon Bennett, you've done it again! Another solid entry in this series, now numbering three. Bud is all of six years old, and Chase and Gitana are enjoying their lives and their daughter. We see the same characters Saxon introduced us to in the first two books. Chase's best friend Lacey is having some control issues which affect the lives of others in the community. Chase is such an character, as is Bud. We see new skills Chase has, skills she never knew she possessed. And, yes all ends well, as it must. Although...the ending makes me wonder if this will be the last book in the series. If that's the case, that's OK. I don't know if Saxon wants to go any further with these characters. And maybe it's time to explore new territory. A light, fluffy, fun read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hiking Through: One Man's Journey to Peace and Freedom on the Appalachian Trail; Author: Paul Stutzman; Review: The author lost his wife to cancer, and lost his way soon afterward. He found himself, and his way, by hiking the AT from Georgia all the way up to Maine. It was a great story. I enjoyed it very much, and I hope the author has now found more peace within himself and within his life. Some readers may find it preachy; he's a Mennonite, and he's not ashamed of it, nor is he ashamed of sharing his vision of God's goodness. And a reader can always skim past the "preachy" parts, if so desired. I wish my Kindle version's pictures showed up better, and I'd like to know how he's doing now, four years after the hike. All in all, worth your time and effort.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mending Defects; Author: Visit Amazon's Lynn Galli Page; Review: Ah, another wonderful Lynn Galli novel set is Aspen, CO, the setting of her more recent books, "Mending Defects." Vivian, a designer, meets up with Natalie, a contractor. Many characters from "MD" are here, including Glory, Lena, Mei, and others. A sweet story of romance and love, where each woman woos the other, and they're not falling into bed with each other on the second date. My only complaint? It needed more pages; about 20-30 more to flesh out the ending. That's a common complaint I have with much contemporary lesbian fiction; it makes me wonder if the publishers have some sort of template they require the authors to follow.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Out on the Panhandle: A Decky and Charlie Adventure; Author: R. E. Bradshaw; Review: Decky and Charlie, having survived "Out on the Sound," make a journey back to Charlie's home state of Oklahoma. Decky works on a genealogy project for Charlie's mother, and long-kept family secrets surface in a most wonderful way. I hope another book is in the works; this one stayed with me long after I finished it. I loved the Old West element; I wish we would've had more modern-day elements, too. Gotta find out what happens to CJ and Daisy, so please work on the next volume, Decky! Kudos for a job well-done, lady.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Out on the Sound (Adventures of Decky and Charlie); Author: R. E. Bradshaw; Review: Just finished this book, and its sequel, "Out on the Panhandle." It was great to read about thirty-something aged women meeting and getting together. Soulmates bonding over softball. Their story was great; Decky's mother is a bit over-the-top. And it does get angsty towards the latter half, when the women are (well, I don't want to spoil it for any readers).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Smuggler Nation: How Illicit Trade Made America; Author: Visit Amazon's Peter Andreas Page; Review: A solid readable book detailing America's rich history filled with smuggling. From colonial America to the drug and chemical smuggling of the modern day, this book presents a very detailed, well-researched treatise on the history of smuggling in America. It is not really for the casual reader; rather, it is for those more interested in American history and the foundation of the country. All in all, a good, readable book. I look forward to the real book coming out early next year (2013).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: No Game for A Dame; Author: Visit Amazon's M. Ruth Myers Page; Review: If you love a strong female lead, who just happens to be a private detective, get this book. If you love your mysteries with a great set of supporting characters, get this book. If you love mysteries set back in the past, get this book. If you just love mysteries in general, get this book. It was a good read, and I enjoyed it so very much. I can't wait to jump into the second book in the series. It really grabbed me and held me. I hope you enjoy it, too.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Legends: The Life of Harry Houdini; Author: Visit Amazon's Charles River Editors Page; Review: For a quick read on magician and contortionist Harry Houdini, this book is a good place to start. I learned some things about him I did not know (how, in his later life, he worked hard to expose the mystical charlatans who preyed on people, his silent movie career, and that he was an author, himself). All in all, a solid, informative book. I did notice some typos towards the end, with the final chapter (Houdini in Pop Culture) and in the endnotes. Otherwise, it was well-researched li'l book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stormy Waters (Dar and Kerry); Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Good Page; Review: Yellow Rose Books, I hate you with a passion. You take a perfectly wonderful story and parse it out...and then it's not even parsed out properly. This book DOES NOT complete the portion started with "Tropical Convergence." I paid good money for a partial book. I am p! ssed beyond belief and so disappointed. To go 312 pages, and end with a "to be continued" sucks BUTTERMILK, folks. BUTTERMILK. I would encourage every fans to NOT buy this book and get suckered in like I did. Save your money and read the online versions. Hell, download them off the net and get them converted to Kindle language so you can read them on your Kindle. You really want to parse this story out over THREE books? Yellow Rose, YOU SUCK. And I'm done.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Tough Cookie; Author: Visit Amazon's M. Ruth Myers Page; Review: Dayton, Ohio, gumshoe Maggie Sullivan is back in the series' next entry. She's hired by a millionaire to find the man who swindled him and other investors. As soon as Maggie starts searching, she becomes a target. This is a great follow-up to the first book, "No Game for a Dame." I have only one problem with this series: the book ends too quickly after the mystery is solved, after Maggie confronts the bad guys. Please, Mrs. Myers, could you add another chapter or two to wrap things up with the next book? The reader just catches her breath after the events, and the book ends! Another chapter or two would be a welcome addition. Thanks for your consideration.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Death Check (The Destroyer) (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Warren Murphy Page; Review: Did anyone else notice that the Kindle version seemed incomplete? I noticed this especially in the portion where Remo and Deborah (the Jewish doctor) are talking in her cottage. It was disjointed, choppy, and didn't flow properly. It seemed as if parts of the conversation were missing. It wasn't a bad book...that part, though, was the most confusing. All in all, not bad for book #2.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Throne of Glass; Author: Visit Amazon's Sarah J Maas Page; Review: Finished this book at 7:00 P.M. last night, but before I read it, I did read the four prequels. I suggest other readers do that, too. Doing so gives insight into the character of Celaena Sardothien. I think calling her "Warrior Barbie" is a bit of a disservice. Yes, she is young. 18 when the book begins. I see her more as a survivor. She has endured many hardships, and I expect, she will endure many more. If you're a fantasy fiction fan, check it out. I'm not usually a fan of that genre, and this book enthralled me (and I'm 49 to boot). And yes, I thought the cover artwork looks a lot like the author, too! ;-) Enjoy! You'll have a wild ride. Buckle up and hold on.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Calculated in Death; Author: Visit Amazon's J. D. Robb Page; Review: J.D. Robb's newest "in Death" book wasn't that bad. It's not in the top ten, but I'd put in in the upper half. It's a sadder book then some of the others. An innocent accountant is murdered by some reprehensible wealthy men. The focus is on the lust for wealth and making hasty, irrevocable decisions on the spur of the moment. Loyal Peabody and McNabb are present, as are Dr. Mira, Baxter, Truehart, Mavis and Leonardo. And Roarke, as always, has Eve's back, front, and everything in-between. Justice is served and the bad guys are caught in the end. A worthy way to spend a few hours.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tides; Author: Anne Azel; Review: I read this and was disappointed by it. It's not so much a lesbian fiction book as a treatise on the last 60 years of history and how Jackie Cunningham experienced it and related to it. Not one of Azel's better books, and I've read all of her other books. Choose at your own risk.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Last of the Doughboys: The Forgotten Generation and Their Forgotten World War; Author: Visit Amazon's Richard Rubin Page; Review: Durbin, luckily, interviews American doughboys, soldiers who survived World War I. I say luckily, because as of today, none of these people are still alive. It's a fascinating account of finding these individuals (itself daunting), interviewing them, and then sharing their tales with us, the public. What is also excellent: he provides the titles of long-forgotten books about World War I, including "Company K" by William March, and "Over the Top" by Arthur Guy Empey (available for free in the Kindle format). As this was a preview edition, it had no bibliography, no index, and no pictures. That deterred a little from the enjoyment. I hope the final copy has some pictures of these wonderful survivors. What they looked like then, and photos of how they looked when Durbin spoke with them. That would make it so much more enjoyable. Also, there are some digressions that pull away from the interviews and the interviewees. I thought it was a fluke, but then it kept happening! Please, focus more on the soldiers, sailors, etc., who fought this war. Let's hear from them. They're not with us anymore. YOU are their voice, Mr Rubin. Please, make them heard. And yes, I DO PLAN on buying the final version when it comes available. This is a good book, and I recommend it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wilson; Author: Visit Amazon's A. Scott Berg Page; Review: I do enjoy nonfiction, especially biography. I've read some good ones ("Mornings on Horseback") and some not-so-good ones (the biography that came out last year about actor Spencer Tracy). And I MOSTLY enjoyed Berg's latest book, "Wilson." First, Berg just didn't start with a chronological telling of Wilson's birth and early life. He set the stage in the first chapter, highlighting Wilson's trip to Europe in late 1918, just after the end of World War I; then Berg jumps back to the past to show us Wilson's parentage and his early life in the post-Civil War American South. I enjoyed how this book did start out. Wilson's faith in Providence is evident in the text, especially shown by Berg's use of Biblically-oriented chapter titles. Normally, I would see that as a gimmick, and it would turn me off; in this context, I found it appropriate, as I did the Bible verses to start off each chapter. I learned a great deal about the man that I didn't know: I didn't know the works he implemented during his administration provided the framework for FDR's New Deal. I didn't realize he was held in such high esteem. The man did have his flaws, however; it was during his administration that the "Jim Crow" laws in Washington D.C. were instituted, a reflection (I believe) of his Southern roots, and the Southern roots of those who live in D.C. Berg shows us Wilson, warts and all, and does a pretty good job. Informative, engaging, interesting, and relevant. It does bog down in some heavy detail at times (when Wilson is in Europe after WWI negotiating treaties with other foreign heads of state). I do have a suggestion for improvement: one more chapter is needed. Perhaps Berg could call it "Revelations," where we find out what happened to the people in the book without having to Google them all. Folks like his daughters, their spouses, and their children. Tumulty, Ike Hoover, his Cabinet, and the GOP senators who stonewalled the League of Nations. His Princeton allies and enemies. Maybe if Berg focused on the people shown in the pictures, that would help narrow it down. Just a thought.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Park Avenue (Fifth Avenue); Author: Visit Amazon's Christopher Smith Page; Review: SPOILERS AHEAD, FOLKS: I think it's time Leanna Redman change her name. Jeez...talk about overkill (pun intended). How many times is she gonna be stalked/shot/stabbed/slashed/shot at/followed? This time, she and her family are targeted by multiple assassination attempts, from multiple sources. I found the ending rushed and dissatisfying. I'm glad I got it on the cheap; I would've been angry if I'd paid full price for this one. Also, may I say am I the only one who regretted that Celine Redman was drowned in the first book by the assassin? I found it very disturbing. I know it was done in order to advance the character of Leanna, but it still bothered me that an innocent was killed in such a way.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mommy Had a Little Flask (The Tales of Imperfection Series); Author: Visit Amazon's A.K Turner Page; Review: This book felt much like the author describing her half-marathon efforts: in the first part, you get the following impression from the author, "Oh, my God, why am I writing another book? I'll never finish it! What was I thinking!" I felt that way after reading the first 2-3 stories. IMHO, they weren't that strong. Then, like the mini-marathon, the book picks up and gets better. After awhile, you feel the author thinking, "Yes! I will finish this book, and it will be good! I can do it! I'm writing a second book!!" And it is good, and the stories get better. I read this book after reading her first book. I think that helps. You get a feel for AK's writing style, and an introduction to the characters present in the second book. I hope she has more books coming down the pipe. No, she's no angel, but she's no devil, either. AK is human, with human quirks, foibles, and frailties. I found her honesty and humor refreshing, and felt both volumes were good efforts. They will keep you engaged and entertained.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moonbeams And Skye; Author: Visit Amazon's Kate Sweeney Page; Review: First, I must preface this review by stating I love Kate Sweeney's books, I truly do. I had some problems with this book, the biggest one being the negative terms of endearment. Yes, negative terms of endearment. To continually call your partner an idiot, or clumsy, or to say to each other, "I hate you" repeatedly, etc., is not endearing. It borders on cruel. I don't mean the characters have to fall over each other with words like "honey," "sweetheart," or "dear,"; I mean referring to your partner with words of respect and love. The plot was OK; the story picks up roughly six months after Tara's birth, and we see the new family grow and deal with the changes and struggles life throws at them. And Skye really has that kind of positive impact on EVERYONE she meets? Hmmmmm....sounds a bit too convenient for this reader. I know Casey and Liz love each other; Ms. Sweeney, let us see that love through your words. These are YOUR characters; own them, please, and do better by them like you did in the first book, "Winds of Change." Thank you.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Death of Santini: The Story of a Father and His Son; Author: Visit Amazon's Pat Conroy Page; Review: Author Pat Conroy always writes of his actual life in his fictionalized books. This book, however, is the nonfiction account of his life living with his abusive father, Don (the "Great Santini), his long-suffering mother Peg, and his damaged brothers and sisters. Conroy himself states, that of the the seven children Don and Peg created, five tried to commit suicide, and one did succeed (Tom, who threw himself off of a 14-story building). Writing "The Great Santini" caused a rift in his family, father Don becoming angry and showing up at his book signings, reminding readers that the book WAS fiction. But, writing the book also helped heal the contentious relationship he had with his father, a relationship detailed in this newest book, "The Death of Santini." It is a difficult book to read, full of violence and pain, but also full of the beautiful language Conroy is known for. We do see the "Great Santini" stand up for his eldest son, and readers see that famous line from "The Prince of Tides" come to life: "In families there are no crimes beyond forgiveness." You will grit your teeth in anger, clench your fists with rage, and weep at the power of forgiveness shown in this book. It is well worth your time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Allegiant; Author: Visit Amazon's Veronica Roth Page; Review: Oh, Ms. Roth...I so wanted to love this book as I enjoyed the first two books in the series. Alas, I could not. The first two books were filled with action, excitement, daring, battles, struggles. And this one? It was filled with angst and regret. Yes, I am disappointed with what happened to Tris towards the end. Could I see why you did it? Of course. As the author, you have the right, power, and choice to do what you want with your characters. And I could see why you chose to go the route you did. I don't have a problem with that. The problem I had was that nothing much happened in this book. All the suspense and tension was missing. And I did not like the Tobias/Tris changing point of view narration. As a reader, I could not tell which character was telling the story, as they both sounded so similar. It's almost as if you ran out of steam after book two. There was a tremendous set-up at the end of book two; perhaps you just....got tired. I wish I could've liked this book. It took me month to get through it, and I zipped through the first two. I felt like I was slogging in mud to finish this, like I was obligated to. I did enjoy learning more about Tris' mother, and what lay outside the city. But, it felt flat, underdeveloped.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Don't Dare a Dame (Maggie Sullivan mysteries) (Volume 3); Author: Ms. M. Ruth Myers; Review: Yes, yes, yes!!! Myers has the next installment out regarding Maggie Sullivan, one of my favorite female P.I.s If you've not indulged in Myers' books, I highly recommend them, especially if you're into nostalgia. She's a fine writer, with a clear style and she's developed a clever heroine to boot. You won't be disappointed if you read this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sphere; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Crichton Page; Review: I read this years ago, back when I was in high school. I loved it...until the ending. THE. ENDING. SUCKED. ROYALLY. In fact, it was the only book I've ever read that I've thrown across the room when I finished it. And I've read thousands, folks. Thousands. I enjoy Crichton's books, but the ending here was a cop-out.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Enola Gay; Author: Visit Amazon's Gordon Thomas Page; Review: I like the different point of views presented: the scientists, the soldiers, the enemies. A good, solid piece of non-fiction. Well worth your time, and at a good price, too. Now that's I've finished it, I can finish the review. My only complaints were the loooong build-up to the bombing, and the aftermath. It was all very rushed after the first bomb dropped. Even the afterward wasn't as detailed as I hoped it would be. A prime example of a short and rushed third act (act one: the build-up; act two: the bombing). Not a bad book; it could've been so much better.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Concealed in Death; Author: Visit Amazon's J. D. Robb Page; Review: I'm noticing problems with this book as I'm reading it. The character voices don't sound like they've sounded in earlier books. Peabody is sassy, not rude or nasty. There was comment where she said to Eve, "Are you effing with me?" I can't conceive of Peabody saying that to her partner and boss, even in private. And I thought Roarke got the button off of her ill-fitting dress, not a coat, as was stated in a chapter mid-way through the book. This book stated the button fell from a coat Mavis loaned Dallas to wear back in "Naked in Death." No way would Roarke want a button from Mavis's coat. Also, where was Feeney? Whitney? McNabb? Charles? Louise? J.D.Robb? This book doesn't flow as smoothly as earlier ones...I have concerns, serious author-related concerns. I tried to post an earlier review stating those author-related concerns, but amazon would not allow it. In addition, my mother, who also read this book, had the same concerns I did about it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her; Author: Visit Amazon's Melanie Rehak Page; Review: As a long-time Nancy Drew fan, I had high hopes for this book. Yes, I knew as an adult the books were ghost-written. Of course, I didn't know that when I read the books as a child. Here are my problems with this book: loads of research about the founder of the Syndicate, almost too much. It was if the author had all of this research and she felt obligated to use it. Then, in the middle of the book, after the World War II years were covered, the amount of detail dropped off. It was a bit unbalanced. And, as a non-fiction book, how about providing some pictures of the people involved with this Syndicate: the founder, his two daughters, his wife, some of the ghost-writers and their spouses, etc. Maybe even some pictures of the book covers so the reader can visually see how Nancy Drew's image changed over the years. It wasn't that it was that bad; I was hoping for more. As a Nancy Drew fan (who still has all of the books from her childhood), I wanted more. I guess I'm greedy that way. Not bad if you can get it at a good price. I have the Kindle version. Perhaps the print version has pictures? I don't know.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Lord of Opium; Author: Visit Amazon's Nancy Farmer Page; Review: This is a worthy follow-up to Farmer's first book in the series. Matt begins to learn and understand his purpose in life as he finds love and friendship. It may start out a little slowly, but it does pick up in the latter half of the book. You will enjoy reading this.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lion and the Journalist: The Unlikely Friendship Of Theodore Roosevelt And Joseph Bucklin Bishop; Author: Visit Amazon's Chip Bishop Page; Review: Not a bad book showing the relationship between T.R. and Bishop. My one complaint? Too much supposition and assumption. There were some things not known, so the author would put it a line like, "One can suppose..." or "One can imagine..." I mean, if you don't know, you don't know. Not everything is known in life, and that's OK. An author should stay with the facts, not make assumptions.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: First World War For Dummies (For Dummies Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Sen Lang Page; Review: Initially, I thought this would be a somewhat snarky look at the First World War. Imagine my surprise when I read it and saw that it was a lively, interesting look at the war. Well organized, thoughtful, articulate. It covered the events leading up to the war, major battles, life on the home front, the armistice and its aftermath, and some of the famous sites to see associated with this war. My one complaint, and it's a biggie: no listing of sources used for this book. With any historical book, that is a must. It is my hope that the source material will be provided in the final draft.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Prime Minister's Secret Agent (Maggie Hope); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Elia MacNeal Page; Review: If you've not yet found this series, please do yourself a favor and dive into it. Please, start with the first book, though. It provides the groundwork you'll need for the later books. MacNeal creates a lively heroine, Wellesley-educated Maggie Hope, and puts her in London at the start of World War II. Maggie is British by birth, but was raised in America by her gay aunt Edith when her parents died in a car accident. In the first book, "Mr. Churchill's Secretary," Maggie searches for her parents' grave, and finds only one. This is when she learns her father was not killed, and is still alive, working at Bletchley Park (now, if the Brits were smart, they would've put up TWO grave markers, thus eliminating Maggie's curiosity to seek out her father. I nitpick, I know. I criticize because I care, though). In book two, "Princess Elizabeth's Spy," Maggie heads to Windsor Castle to keep an eye on the princesses and prevent a kidnapping. Book three, "His Majesty's Hope," finds Maggie in Berlin living through a series of most-improbable and oh-so-exciting events. This book picks right up where book three ended. In "The Prime Minister's Secret Agent," a damaged Maggie tries to find her equilibrium after the traumatic events in Berlin. She does...eventually. And it's a heckuva journey for our heroine. This book ends with the crew preparing to come to America, as Japan has just bombed Pearl Harbor. And speaking of Pearl Harbor: it is evident though ALL of the books that MacNeal has done extensive research. I felt too much time was placed on the Pearl Harbor events in this book. All of that wasn't necessary. What MacNeal does, that I absolutely adore, is allow her books to have a proper ending. In the past 15 years, I've read hundreds of books that wrap up the conclusion in 3-5 pages. I hate that. It's a disservice to the reader who has engaged these characters for the hours it takes to read the book. She takes the time to end the story properly. And that is so very enjoyable. Another thing she does that is great is her books have gay characters (her aunt Edith, David, David's boyfriend Freddie, etc.). And they act the way that gay people of the time would act (they are forced to be closeted, sometimes they are harassed by bullies, the secret signs and signals, terms like "Boston Marriages" and "Friends of Dorothy," etc.). And the cover artwork for the books is exquisite, too. Just gorgeous. Now for the things I must nitpick about: some of the terms and words used in the books were not in usage during these times. Things like "antibiotics" (first used in 1942), and the C.I.A. (not formed until 1947). Now, MI-5 WAS a term used during this time, as was "Friends of Dorothy," so kudos to her for that. Sometimes, I think she lets the research get in the way of the story, though (all the Pearl Harbor information, for example). Now I have to wait for the next; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: From the Hat Down; Author: Visit Amazon's Andi Marquette Page; Review: This is the first book I've read by this author. I did enjoy it. Meg and Gina meet ten years before, fall in love, and begin a relationship. However, when each wants something different out of life, they break off the relationship. What they didn't count on was still remaining in love with each other after that life-changing break-up. Ten years later, the story picks up. Meg, the veterinarian, has gone through several relationships, not finding what she wants in life. Gina, the globe-hopping journalist, finds herself in the same predicament. Will they be granted a second chance at reconnecting? Read and find out! Some problems I had with this book: lots and lots of minutiae and detail. How many times do I need to read that Meg uses dry coffee creamer? I felt it took a little too long to get to the meat and potatoes of the story, and I felt the ending could've gone on just a little longer. I loved the veterinarian details; it's obvious the author did her research. I may pick up her other book, detailing the events of ten years before when Meg and Gina first met. I would enjoy a sequel to this book, as some things were not resolved, and could be further developed and explored. All in all, a good book worth the money. I think all of us wish we had a Sean and Ginny in our lives.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hypnotizing Chickens; Author: Visit Amazon's Julia Watts Page; Review: This was my first title for this author. It wasn't bad at all. More was needed though, especially at the end. Professor Chrys gives up her academic life for a love life with Doctor Meredith. Love life soon bottoms out when Doctor Meredith trades Chrys in for a younger model. Chrys goes home, back to Appalachia, and reconnects with her family, especially her grandmother, Nanny. As she reconnects, she meets Dee, who is Nanny's physical therapist, and a connection of another sort was made. This book could've been used about fifty more pages, I think, especially towards the end, hence the "more bang for the cluck" header. Good beginning, good middle, rushed ending. Too typical of much lesbian fiction, especially in the last ten years. Solid writing, and I think I'll read more by this author. Well worth a few hours.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Departure from the Script (The Hollywood Series) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Jae Page; Review: Jae has written another wonderful book. Femme actress Amanda gets drunk at an anti-Valentine's Day party, and wakes up in the bed of butch photographer Michelle, who took her home to keep her safe. Both ladies must overcome their biases; Amanda never considered dating a butch, and Michelle abhors actresses, as two of her exes were Hollywood divas. Fortunately, love does conquer all. So, why only four stars? I WANTED MORE!!! This book has great sequel potential, and I hope Jae considers that in the future. Maybe have Amanda and her actress grandmother star in a movie together. Maybe explore more with the ladies' exes, or more with Michelle and her nieces and nephews. This was a great book written by a great author. You won't go wrong in buying it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Charms of Miss O'Hara: Tales of Gone With the Wind; Author: Visit Amazon's Phillip Done Page; Review: Author Phillip Done has done it (sorry 'bout the pun, folks). Done befriended Ms. Rutherford, talked with her, jotted down her stories, and let her tell HER stories about the golden age of Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. He went from fan to friend, and it shows. This is a wonderful book about Rutherford's life. The pictures enhanced the text, too, something that is missing from too many biographies. We read how Rutherford's career began in radio, segued to movies, and finished up in television. I love how devoted Rutherford was to her fans, autographing memorabilia, recounting stories, talking, etc. This was a very enjoyable book. So why not the fifth star? Simply, I wanted more. More of her stories, more stories about her from her contemporaries and "sorority sisters." This is well worth your while, and you will enjoy it...immensely, especially if you're into nostalgia or love tales of old-time Hollywood told by someone who was there.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year 1991; Author: Charles Brooks; Review: A good addition to this series, all of which I have. It wasn't quite as good as the Brooks books, but it's almost there. I anticipate this editor/author will improve, and future entries will be as good and complete. I would suggest reading the earlier books if you are new to the series, so will see what I mean. Worth it, in terms of money and time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Festive in Death: 39; Author: Visit Amazon's J. D Robb Page; Review: OK, Ms. Roberts, WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE EVE DALLAS UNIVERSE? In the previous book, there was much ado about Eve's button. And in this book, you mention that Eve signed a pre-nup before marrying Roarke. WTF is going on? There is NO WAY she would've signed a pre-nup, and Roarke would not have made her do so! And the line of Roarke about Eve's lawyers "looking it over." No way, folks. No way. Eve wouldn't have had lawyers. Roarke never answers to a board of directors. Typos are one thing. This is a major continuity error. And the conspiracy races its ugly head once again. Regarding the story...it wasn't one of the better "in Death" books. The last few haven't been that good. I DO love how Eve and Roarke are settling in to their marriage. I love her circle of friends. I love the NYC of the future. It's missing some oomph, though. The recent books have been more clinical, colder. I keep hoping for an improvement. I did have to to ditch Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series due to poor writing. I sure hope I'll never have to ditch Eve Dallas. That would hurt my heart.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II; Author: Molly Manning; Review: This was an excellent book, and I enjoyed it very much. I loved learning how desperately books were needed/wanted by our volunteer armed forces personnel. And, how that love of reading helped so many as AFTER the war as they took advantage of the G.I. Bill and went to college to better themselves. My one complaint about the book, and I hope it's fixed in a future edition: please, provide a complete works cited appendix of sources used for this book. Other than that, this book was perfect. I enjoyed it so much, I bought two versions of it Kindle, and hardcover, and am now collecting ASEs myself.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: One-Off; Author: Visit Amazon's Lynn Galli Page; Review: This was another wonderful book from Lynn Galli. The narrator, Skye, tells the story. Skye is in the television industry, and her best friend, Dallas (a TV personality), plans to marry her male co-anchor. Dallas wants Skye to organize the wedding, with help from her fiancee's female cousin. Skye used to room with the cousin, and two other female roommates, back when they were all in college fourteen years before. There was a love-hate relationship between Skye and Ainsley, the female cousin back then (both were attracted to one another, but couldn't admit it to themselves, and both were too driven to finish undergraduate and graduate school and begin their professional lives). Now they meet again, and the sparks and witticisms fly, as both women are dumped into becoming pseudo-wedding planners. Now, the bad part: the part of Gaylord/Gary the actual wedding planner needed some work and development. He needed to step up, rather than be a foil/comparison to Skye's competence. His part was weak. The part where the women are getting gussied up for the wedding? Too much information. A wonderful cast of supporting characters, as always in Galli's books, makes this a four-star entry for your library. Well worth the time. And Ms. Galli? How about an epilogue to the epilogue, say seven months' ahead where this left off? THAT would be great. Thank you for sharing your talents.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bill Bryson African Diary; Author: Visit Amazon's Bill Bryson Page; Review: I love Bryson's books; that's why I was so disappointed with this slender volume. On a Kindle, the actual diary takes up only 50%; the rest of the book is taken up with an excerpt from one of his other books, a book I had already read. I am glad I got this book for only $1.99; I don't mind the proceeds going to CARE. I celebrate that, and that's the only reason I'm not returning it. Now, how could it have been better?? He traveled with a photographer. Why were there no photos in this book? Include some photos of his travels through Africa with the CARE organization. Now THAT would've made this book even better. A chronological journey of words and photos through Africa. Last of all, it ended so abruptly, with a, "Well, that's the end of this diary..." Very disappointing. So, if you can get it at the reduced price, go for it, or if you don't mind making a larger contribution to CARE, buy it at the full price. Hmmm....I wonder if I can write this off as a tax deduction as a charitable contribution. LOL and JK, everyone.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Wall; Author: Visit Amazon's John Hersey Page; Review: Wow. What can I say other than wow. I wanted to read of the Warsaw ghetto and the uprising, and this book was recommended to me (I almost chose Uris's "Mila 18" instead. Maybe later), by amazon.com. Excellent book. It reads almost as a non-fiction book rather than fiction, it is that detailed. I would classify this as fiction based in fact, and it was great. The reader meets all the characters, and gets wrapped up in their survival and daily lives. It stays with you, and after you finish, I suggest reading "Bread for the Departed" to get a child's viewpoint of the ghetto. In fact, you'll want to read "Bread..." twice (the end helps you better understand the beginning). An excellent read, well worth the time and money.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Biking Across America: My Coast-to-Coast Adventure and the People I Met Along the Way; Author: Paul Stutzman; Review: I read Stutzman's first book, about walking the Appalachian Trail, and I enjoyed it very much. I thought this book would be comparable. Unfortunately, it wasn't. This book was far too preachy and religious for me. I wanted to read more about his journey biking across America; the sights, the people, his impressions, any problems, etc. Instead, this book preached at me, and that turned me off. I don't think I'll read anymore of his writings, and that's a shame.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: One Young Fool in Dorset: The Old Fools Prequel; Author: Visit Amazon's Victoria Twead Page; Review: Mrs. Twead wrote a marvelous prequel to her series, and yes, more are needed. It was so cool to read about her childhood and her parents. My one niggling complaint was the repeated references to her mother's "secret" which was revealed in the latest "Old Fools" book; we were then directed to read that book if we wanted to know it. Sigh...I know it was there as I had read it already. Would it have hurt very much to allude to it in a tantalizing way, thus ensuring other readers would do so, rather than to baldly state that it would not be mentioned in this book? Blech... Yes, more prequels are needed. How about "One Young Fool in College," or "One Young Fool Begins Teaching," or "Two Young Fools Fall in Love and Start a Family"? She is a wonderful writer, and I do enjoy reading her books. They are very affordable, and well worth your time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Go Set a Watchman: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Harper Lee Page; Review: For everyone freaking out over this book, please remember one thing: this was Lee's FIRST draft of what became the "Mockingbird" story, as submitted to her editors. This is not a new book, folks, nor is it a sequel. This is prime way to see the writing and editing process at work. It took Lee two years to re-work "Watchman" into "Mockingbird." As the reader can see, "Mockingbird" is the superior story, thanks to that reworking and reediting and rewriting process. This shows the importance of that process. I plan on introducing it that way to my students when I return to school in the fall: "Watchman" as the rough draft, "Mockingbird" as the final draft (this is especially important as so many students feel that their first draft is "good enough"; this shows it often isn't). IT IS a misrepresentation to say this is a new book by Lee. It isn't new, and that part bothers me. I wish the powers that be would've advertised this as the first draft of "Mockingbird," and then let the readers realize how much the story changed shape during the editing process. But, I guess there's no way to make money that way. And that's a darn shame.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Flare; Author: Jonathan Weldon Maas; Review: Oh, boy, where to start. I won't do a summation; others have. I was disappointed in how the story was written. Mr. Maas, I think you need an editor who can work with you on pacing and style. Some parts plodded along, and then, zip, hey, let's blow up an oil tanker! And then, not tell us if it did or didn't blow up. I couldn't tell if this was the beginning book of a trilogy or a stand-alone, as several plot points were never resolved. If you want a good, adult, end-of-the-world fiction piece, stick with "The Stand" by Stephen King, or "Swan's Song" by Robert McCamon. "Flare" is nowhere near the caliber of those two books. Whoof...even if you get it for free, it still costs too much in terms of time spent to wade through it.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War; Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Roach Page; Review: Another well-researched book from Ms. Roach. I do enjoy her humor, snark, and the ever-eventful footnotes. I felt too much time was spent on the phallic end of things (pun intended). Yes, that is important, but this book was on the short side anyway, and to devote two chapters alone to this topic was too much. It started out examining Army issues, and then segued to the Navy when it examined the issue of submarines and sleep deprivation. I would imagine sleep deprivation is a problem in ALL military branches, not just the Navy, and I imagine phallic injuries happen in other branches than the Army. More length was needed with this book, and a bit of editing with what WAS present, to better balance things, would've been helpful. If you are a Roach fan, like me,, you will enjoy it, but like me, you will be a bit disappointed more information wasn't available.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Young Frankenstein: The Story of the Making of the Film; Author: Visit Amazon's Mel Brooks Page; Review: One of my favorite movies, one of the best comedies of all time, and this is all that Mel Brooks could come up with? Jeez, it feels like you phoned this in, Mr. Brooks. The font/print on the pages was YUGE! BIGLY even!! (LOL and JK, folks) And this was done just to stretch out the text (I've written enough papers in my time to know how stretch/condense work by manipulating font and margin size). The photos were great to look at, but, as a reader and fan, I wanted more. Mere snippets about Madeline Khan, Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman, etc. Mr. Brooks, you worked with these people. Why not delve more into these wonderful actors and their antics on the set? Many are gone now...tell us about them, and working with them. I loved the behind the scenes information: the green tint to Peter Boyle's make-up, so it would appear better on the black and white film stock, and how Mr. Boyle met his wife on the set. The original machinery from the original "Frankenstein" movie, and the man who stored it and provided it to the filmmakers. This book should've easily been twice this size, so scrunch the type and expand the information. And why waste space with a forward provided by someone not attached to the movie?; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Whole Town's Talking: A Novel (Random House Large Print); Author: Visit Amazon's Fannie Flagg Page; Review: I just finished Ms. Flagg's latest book. It was pretty good. The history of a town and its inhabitants, from the 1890's to today...and beyond. I don't want to give away too much, but if you read other reviews, some minor spoilers are present. It's pretty much chronological, with some hopping back and forth in time. All in all, a good day's read. I had only one complaint, and it's hard to write it without spoiling things; why did people leave? What triggered it? That was my only bone of contention. If someone could fill me in about that, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain; Author: Visit Amazon's Bill Bryson Page; Review: Mr. Bryson's most recent book is pretty good. It reads much like his other travelogue books, so if you like those, you'll probably like this, too. Yes, he does complain at times. I feel he is expressing his frustration at the changes he notices in society at large. Yes, he does have strange conversations with people that turn out to be imagined conversations in his head. I think that is something many of us are guilty of doing ourselves. The only difference is, most of us aren't published authors. All in all, an enjoyable book. I love reading about the museums he encountered in his travels around Britain. My hope is, if I ever get there someday, I'd like to see some of those museums myself. One can dream.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Anybody Can Do Anything; Author: Visit Amazon's Betty MacDonald Page; Review: What's with all the British words and spelling variations? Did amazon post the British version for American audiences?? If so, I'd like the American version, please. Betty was an American writer, and that should be reflected in the book. Otherwise, it's good. A little of Mary Bard goes a long way, though...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Egg and I; Author: Visit Amazon's Betty MacDonald Page; Review: Betty's first and most famous book, about her life on the chicken ranch in the Pacific Northwest. I say semi-autobiographical as she had to change some names/locations so she wouldn't offend her neighbors. It also provides some great details about her early life before her marriage, and what life was like during the Great Depression. Much better than the film version with Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray, and that was a pretty good little film.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Comrades: "Brothers, Fathers, Sons, Pals"; Author: Visit Amazon's Stephen E. Ambrose Page; Review: Ambrose writes a great book about Easy Company: its training, battles, casualties, and life after the war. I wish he wrote more about the Pacific theater of WWII; many of his books seems to be centered in the ETO: European Theater of Operations. He writes so well about that, that I wish he would've had time to write more about the other areas. Also, if you've seen the mini-series, this is a great companion piece for that as well. Excellent book all around; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Comedians: Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels, and the History of American Comedy; Author: Visit Amazon's Kliph Nesteroff Page; Review: If you are into comedians and reading about their lives, this may be for you. It details the lives, warts and all, of many famous (and infamous) comedians. If anything, it made me want to find their vinyl work and listen to it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert M. Poole Page; Review: A wonderful book about the history of Arlington National Cemetary, and how it came into being. It was very thoroughly researched, and provided much detail about Robert E. Lee's family, who lived there before the Civil War. When Lee chose the southern side in the Civil War, the northern powers decided to take over the homestead and bury the dead soldiers there, so if Lee ever returned, he would have a daily reminder of his choice. It really gets into the politics of the time, and why things happened the way they did.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Atomic Accidents: A History of Nuclear Meltdowns and Disasters; From the Ozark Mountains to Fukushima; Author: James Mahaffey; Review: This was a very interesting book about the history of nuclear power world-wide, and accidents associated with it. I enjoyed the stories. My gosh, the technical details just about wear you down, though. They are a necessary evil, as many of us don't have the background to understand nuclear power/bombs/power grids/power plants/uranium, etc., so it's understandable why he wrote it this way. Good stuff if you like the topic, or want more information about atomic-oriented accidents.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gwendy's Button Box: A Novella; Author: Visit Amazon's Stephen King Page; Review: King collaborates with another author on this slim volume. It's more akin to his novellas in "Different Seasons"; it wasn't bad. I read it in a couple of hours, which, for a Stephen King book, is short! LOL I like the concept, that Gwendy is the guardian of the button box. I found it interesting that children were entrusted with it, rather than adults. That says something about our species. I think you may be better off getting it from the library rather than paying full price for it. It was only 180 pages, with a larger font, and lots of space on the page (jeez, I HATE when publishers do that, make you think you have more book than you actually do).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Becoming Richard Pryor; Author: Visit Amazon's Scott Saul Page; Review: I enjoyed reading about Pryor's early life in Peoria, which set him on the road for his stand-up career. It became repetitive, though: get high, perform on stage, slap around his woman, move out, move on. This was a set pattern in his life, and in this book. It seemed very rushed towards the end, and his later life was not examined as much as his earlier life, and that was a shame.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lee and Grant: A Dual Biography; Author: Visit Amazon's Gene Smith Page; Review: An excellent parallel biography about the two Civil War generals. Lee is highlighted in one chapter, Grant in the next. The two come together, of course, during the Civil War, especially towards the end when their two armies battled each other. It also has solid information about their lives before and after the war as well. If you like the parallel biography concept, you may want to check out Stephen Ambrose's book, "Crazy Horse and Custer"; that was a good book, too.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Plague and I; Author: Visit Amazon's Betty MacDonald Page; Review: This is Betty MacDonald's second book, and is more of a follow-up than a sequel to her monster hit, "The Egg and I." It details her diagnosis of TB, and her time spent in a sanitarium as she heals and regains her strength. It takes place during the late 1930s, during the tail-end of the Great Depression. It does provide a fascinating glimpse into the health care of that era, and the psyche of people who are forced to deal with a serious illness. It's well worth your time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Onions in the Stew; Author: Visit Amazon's Betty MacDonald Page; Review: Betty MacDonald's fourth and final book, written about her days on living on Vashon Island in Washington state, with her two daughters and her second husband. Not as rollicking and raw as "The Egg and I"; a good book detailing her life and the publication of "The Egg and I." She only wrote the four novels/pseudo-autobiographies, BUT, she did write several children's books, which are good as well, if you're interested.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Elleander Morning: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Jerry Yulsman Page; Review: I found this back in my high school days, in hard cover, through one of my book clubs. I thoroughly enjoyed it back then, as it combined my love of the Titanic, with my interest in war, and a sprinkling of H.G. Wells to top it all off. I knew it would enjoy a spot on my Kindle as well. A great example of alternative history, if you enjoy that sort of genre. Elleander has the chance to go back and change the past, and she does so. Her descendants find out she did this; that's pretty much the premise of the novel...that, and how history has a nasty tendency of repeating itself. Good stuff, well worth your time.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The World of Jimmy Breslin; Author: Visit Amazon's Jimmy Breslin Page; Review: I've not read much Breslin, but I sure enjoyed this book. It contains a series of articles he wrote for his newspapers, and they were excellent. It makes me want to check out more of Breslin's work, and that's a good sign. The articles in here about JFK's gravedigger was worth the price.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The World Of Jimmy Breslin; Author: Visit Amazon's Jimmy Breslin Page; Review: I've not read much Breslin, but I sure enjoyed this book. It contains a series of articles he wrote for his newspapers, and they were excellent. It makes me want to check out more of Breslin's work, and that's a good sign. The articles in here about JFK's gravedigger was worth the price.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend; Author: Visit Amazon's Katarina Bivald Page; Review: and you can't quite do so. Only three stars for me; I liked the idea, the stranger coming from Sweden, to Broken Wheel, IA. I loved learning about new authors I hadn't read before; I loved some of the town characters. Something was missing, though, and I'm not quite sure what it was. Maybe the characters weren't as defined as they could've been, and that prevented me from picturing them and their circumstances. Not a bad read, just not as good as it could've been, and that hurts to write, as I really wanted to like this book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Talking to the Dead: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Harry Bingham Page; Review: Fiona Griffith is the heroine/protagonist, and she's indeed a character. The first book is a bit slow, just a bit, but they pick up nicely. What I like is that characters, crimes, and and events from this first book recur in the subsequent books. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "(Fiona) is riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." I sure hope Harry Bingham writes more Fiona Griffith books. I've plowed through the first four books this week, and they are fantastic, as is the Welsh setting.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beyond the Pale by Elena Dykewomon; Author: Visit Amazon's Elana Dykewomon Page; Review: I wasn't sure if I would like this book. Boy, am I glad I gave it a chance. You may want to, too. The book starts with Gutke, the midwife, and her story in journal form. Then it shifts to Chava, one of the children Gutke brought in to the world; we learn about Chava and her life in Europe and later in America as an immigrant. Gutke also moves to America, and they meet again in New York City. I don't want to give away too much of the story. It's best if you plunge in, and give yourself time to read and absorb. Also, I decided to re-read it, as now I'll better understand some of the things I read the first time. I do wish the author would've done one thing: much of the story is from the perspective of Gutke and Chava, with a very little bit from Rose. I wish the author would've put in more from Rose's perspective, and even that of Dovid and other characters, such as Bina, Miriam, or Isadora. Finally, I wish the perspective shifts would've been a bit clearer. A wonderful read, well worth your time. I was able to get it for $1.99 last week; if it comes on sale again, buy it. You won't be disappointed.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Seventh Sojourn Original Master Recording; Brand: The Moody Blues; Review: This CD includes the song "For My Lady". Listening to that song on the way to work makes the drive more enjoyable.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Her Very Best; Brand: Gogi Grant; Review: I purchased this because it includes "Wayward Wind". Beautiful song from my childhood. Wish I could find the LP that had it along with other folk songs.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Green Green; Brand: New Christy Minstrels; Review: Great album. Hope I don't wear out "Today" or "Green, Green" by playing them too many times.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lost Recordings; Brand: Jim Croce; Review: Liked it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Facets; Brand: Jim Croce; Review: Neat having his first album.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Folk Hits Collection; Brand: The Highwaymen; Review: Gypsy Rover.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Every Good Boy Deserves Favour; Brand: The Moody Blues; Review: Not as good as Seventh Sojourn.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Long Distance Voyager; Brand: The Moody Blues; Review: Got it for "Talking out of Turn".; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_CDs_and_Vinyl |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Aston Hill Motor Lodge; City: Port Macquarie New South Wales; Review: A couple of weeks ago, I stayed at the Aston Hill Motor Lodge with my 9yo daughter. Fortunately for me, they have a room with a queen bed and a single bed. My daughter got the single bed (she rolls around and kicks during the night!). We stayed here while having a fun weekend visiting the highlights of Port Macquarie including horse riding, laser tag and rock climbing, the rainforest and more! The owners were really friendly and helpful. My daughter played with their grandkids and had a blast. The room's TV was hooked to the security cameras in the car park so I could watch them play in safety while I relaxed in my room. The room was clean and nicely presented. The room service was prompt and the food, delicious. I'd highly recommend the Aston Hill Motor Lodge to anyone wanting to stay in a quality motel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nebula Motel; City: Cooma New South Wales; Review: I stayed in a twin bed room with my daughter. I had the queen bed and she had the single bed. The motel was nice and clean and the staff were friendly. We had a lovely breakfast brought to us in the morning.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Monte Villa Motor Inn; City: Hoppers Crossing Greater Melbourne Victoria; Review: My daughter and I stayed here a few nights recently. The staff were very friendly and the rooms were attended to daily, with fresh towels supplied each time. The room was very spacious and the beds comfy. We booked a twin room and my daughter had the single bed while I slept in the queen. They have a lovely restaurant on-site with a buffet dinner Thursday nights which we took advantage of as it was their re-opening night. A delicious spread and not expensive.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hume Country Motor Inn; City: Albury New South Wales; Review: A few other people complained about the owner's barking dog which also annoyed us. The beds were uncomfortable and we had little sleep. There was no milk in the fridge which is unusual since every place I've stayed at has had that available when I've checked in.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Willows Motel Goulburn; City: Goulburn New South Wales; Review: My family was tired from the trip from Melbourne and we made a last minute booking in Christmas eve. The owners were very accommodating (heh) and friendly and we soon had a family room for five. A very quiet motel with everything you'd expect. I'd gladly stay again any trip.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Advance Motel; City: Wangaratta Victoria; Review: We stayed at this motel with two kids. They were very excited to see the swimming pool and we had it mostly to ourselves. It was quiet at night and we slept rather well for a couple of mostly insomniacs. The spa was a welcome addition and relaxed our muscles from a weary 2-day drive.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Posthouse Motel; City: Goulburn New South Wales; Review: The receptionist was very friendly and helpful. She suggested a local Thai Restaurant to visit for dinner and the food there was superb. We had a lovely sleep in comfortable beds. It was very quiet and we slept soundly. They were very accommodating with requests for extra linen and plates/cutlery.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gabriel Motor Inn; City: Gundagai New South Wales; Review: The staff are friendly and the bed was more comfortable than beds I've paid more for in other motels. For a quick overnight stay, this place is quite nice. Breakfast is on paper plates with plastic knives and forks, but for the price it's ok.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Macquarie Waters Hotel Apartments; City: Port Macquarie New South Wales; Review: The room was very suitable, the staff very friendly and we loved our comfortable bed. We slept better than most motel/hotel stays. The motel was very quiet and there was plenty of parking in the garage. The only suggestion would be a shade for the swimming pool. We were there on the hottest weekend in February and could only swim for 15 minutes as it was too hot. The spa on the roof had very warm water so we could not use it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: BIG4 Colonial Holiday Park; City: Harrington New South Wales; Review: My sister's family stayed here in their tent and I got a cabin for my daughter and myself. The cabin was clean and freshly laid out. Having my own bathroom and A/C was bliss! The other park patrons were very quiet and the staff were very friendly and accommodating. I decided to bring my dog to stay overnight the second night and they are dog-friendly so he had his first night away from home in a holiday park. The BBQ area was clean and all BBQs were in working order. All in all it was a wonderful stay and highly recommended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Quality Inn City Centre; City: Coffs Harbour New South Wales; Review: My daughter and I stayed here overnight and it was the best motel we've stayed in on our holidays. The rooms were immaculate, the staff very friendly, the restaurant is classy. Our room was very quiet even though near the main Coffs Harbour road. We decided to eat in the motel restaurant and the food was divine. There's really nothing to complain about. The rooms were very clean and incredibly roomy. I would choose this over other motels the next time we pass through Coffs Harbour.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: CBD Motor Inn; City: Coffs Harbour New South Wales; Review: The room was very clean and quiet, despite being next to the main road of Coffs. The staff were friendly and helpful and eager to please. The Inn is close to the main CBD and we easily walked to restaurants nearby.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Ridge Apartment Hotel; City: Brisbane Brisbane Region Queensland; Review: The room we booked was very spacious with two levels. My daughter slept in the room on the bottom floor and I slept in the upstairs room with a nice connected ensuite. We did not hear traffic as there is adequate isolation from the city noises.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Kite Runner; Author: Visit Amazon's Khaled Hosseini Page; Review: Excelllent book by wonderful author. Thanks.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Kite Runner (Chinese Edition); Author: Visit Amazon's Khaled Hosseini Page; Review: Excelllent book by wonderful author. Thanks.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thin Thighs in 30 Days; Author: Wendy Stehling; Review: I've kept a copy of this book for thirty-five years and needed a new one. The exercises are simple and results are more than average. Thanks.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Posture, Get It Straight! Look Ten Years Younger, Ten Pounds Thinner and Feel Better Than Ever; Author: Janice Novak; Review: Great book. I got a lot of helpful tips which I sorely needed for my bad back. Thanks.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Each Day a New Beginning: Daily Meditations for Women (Hazelden Meditation Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Casey Page; Review: Excellent meditations book for women.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: First Knight (1995); Genres: Action, Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Galaxy Quest (1999); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mask of Zorro, The (1998); Genres: Action, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: River Wild, The (1994); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sneakers (1992); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Glory (1989); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Primal Fear (1996); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thomas Crown Affair, The (1999); Genres: Action, Mystery; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Bowfinger (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Conspiracy Theory (1997); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Lady and the Tramp (1955); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Go (1999); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Patriot Games (1992); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Payback (1999); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Risky Business (1983); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Saint, The (1997); Genres: Action, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stripes (1981); Genres: Comedy, War; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Silence of the Lambs, The (1991); Genres: Crime, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Minority Report (2002); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Braveheart (1995); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Batman Begins (2005); Genres: Action, Crime, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shawshank Redemption, The (1994); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spider-Man (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Incredibles, The (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Toy Story (1995); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aladdin (1992); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Musical; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fugitive, The (1993); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Matrix, The (1999); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Apollo 13 (1995); Genres: Adventure, Drama, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shrek (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Monsters, Inc. (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Finding Nemo (2003); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Army of Darkness (1993); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fargo (1996); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Gattaca (1997); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hero (Ying xiong) (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Top Gun (1986); Genres: Action, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Brazil (1985); Genres: Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Paprika (Papurika) (2006); Genres: Animation, Mystery, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Clerks (1994); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Goodfellas (1990); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Fight Club (1999); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fountain, The (2006); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Little Mermaid, The (1989); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spider-Man 2 (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ocean's Eleven (2001); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: V for Vendetta (2006); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: X-Men (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: X-Men: The Last Stand (2006); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Inside Man (2006); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Moulin Rouge (2001); Genres: Drama, Musical, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Matrix Reloaded, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Matrix Revolutions, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Election (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Zoolander (2001); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: EuroTrip (2004); Genres: Adventure, Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Snatch (2000); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: American History X (1998); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Fast and the Furious, The (2001); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pitch Black (2000); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jet Li's Fearless (Huo Yuan Jia) (2006); Genres: Action, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fist of Legend (Jing wu ying xiong) (1994); Genres: Action, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Legend, The (Legend of Fong Sai-Yuk, The) (Fong Sai Yuk) (1993); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Ichi the Killer (Koroshiya 1) (2001); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: 28 Days Later (2002); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari no Totoro) (1988); Genres: Animation, Children, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Laputa: Castle in the Sky (Tenkû no shiro Rapyuta) (1986); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Children, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible II (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible III (2006); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Black Hawk Down (2001); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Saving Private Ryan (1998); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark) (1981); Genres: Action, Adventure; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989); Genres: Action, Adventure; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Back to the Future (1985); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Usual Suspects, The (1995); Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Godfather: Part II, The (1974); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Iron Man (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Twelve Monkeys (a.k.a. 12 Monkeys) (1995); Genres: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Memento (2000); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Pulp Fiction (1994); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Departed, The (2006); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Godfather, The (1972); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Donnie Darko (2001); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: American Beauty (1999); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Amelie (Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le) (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Léon: The Professional (a.k.a. The Professional) (Léon) (1994); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Bourne Ultimatum, The (2007); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bourne Supremacy, The (2004); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bourne Identity, The (2002); Genres: Action, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Casino Royale (2006); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001); Genres: Adventure, Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dogma (1999); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mallrats (1995); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Before Sunset (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Before Sunrise (1995); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: WALL·E (2008); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ratatouille (2007); Genres: Animation, Children, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Burn After Reading (2008); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Professional, The (Le professionnel) (1981); Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Princess Mononoke (Mononoke-hime) (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Road Trip (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: I, Robot (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Iron Giant, The (1999); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Transformers (2007); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Princess Bride, The (1987); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lucky Number Slevin (2006); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aliens (1986); Genres: Action, Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Good Will Hunting (1997); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Die Hard (1988); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Office Space (1999); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Stardust (2007); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Avatar (2009); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Sherlock Holmes (2009); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Shutter Island (2010); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: District 9 (2009); Genres: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Star Trek (2009); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lethal Weapon (1987); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Predator (1987); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Musical, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Red Cliff Part II (Chi Bi Xia: Jue Zhan Tian Xia) (2009); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Up (2009); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Howl's Moving Castle (Hauru no ugoku shiro) (2004); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Alien (1979); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sixth Sense, The (1999); Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Enter the Dragon (1973); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Terminator, The (1984); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Better Tomorrow, A (Ying hung boon sik) (1986); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gladiator (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Serenity (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Heat (1995); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ninja Scroll (Jûbei ninpûchô) (1995); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Rain Man (1988); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Taken (2008); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Swordfish (2001); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beerfest (2006); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hangover, The (2009); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: 300 (2007); Genres: Action, Fantasy, War, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | movielens |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Collections Etc - Flashlight Friends - The Huggable Loveable Child's Flash Light Puppy; Brand: Collections Etc; Review: I ordered two of these as gifts, one was fine, the other ones light flickered so I took it apart and found the wires weren't connected properly; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Academy da Vinci Clock; Brand: Academy Models; Review: Looks cool, doesn't work well or for very long; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wooden Rubber Band Gun Black Bear Destroyer Shotgun with Extra Rubber Bands Ammo and Army Men Targets; Brand: White Fox Toys; Review: Well made, and funn; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Aurora Plush 9" Barn Owl; Brand: Aurora; Review: Just as advertised; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Aurora World Inc. 8" Snowy Owl; Brand: Aurora World Inc.; Review: Just as pictured; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Baby Einstein Octoplush Plush Toy; Brand: Baby Einstein; Review: Just as advertised; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fun Express Assorted Sticky Stretchy Toys (100 Piece/Unit); Brand: Fun Express; Review: Just as advertised; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fun Express Plastic Jumping Frogs - 144 Piece Pack; Brand: Fun Express; Review: Just as advertised; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rhode Island Novelty Assorted Jumbo Dinosaurs Up to 6" Long Toy Figures, 12-Pack; Brand: Rhode Island Novelty; Review: Just as advertised; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rhode Island Novelty Foam Glider Assortment Vehicle (Pack of 72); Brand: Rhode Island Novelty; Review: Just as advertised; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bamboo Finger Traps (12 Pack) Assorted Colors.; Brand: Fun Express; Review: I expected them to be cheap, but they are a bit too cheap, you can just pull hard and they will break; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: FUN Emoji Face Squeeze Balls- 12 ~ 3'' Stress Relax Emotional Toy Balls ~ Fun Office Holiday Gift; Brand: Rhode Island Novelty; Review: Just as advertised; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fun Express Plastic Balls Puzzle (4-Pack of 12); Brand: Fun Express; Review: Fun, and harder than it looks; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 3 x Fun Express Assorted Sticky Stretchy Toys (100 Piece/Unit); Brand: Fun Express; Review: Just as advertised; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Syma S107/S107G R/C Helicopter with Gyro- Red; Brand: SYMA; Review: Good for the price; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: E-MODS GAMING 2.5" Handheld Game Console Built-in 162 Games with Speaker - Red; Brand: E-MODS GAMING; Review: Kids love it; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: E-MODS GAMING 8-Bit Retro 2.5" LCD 162x Video Games Portable Handheld Console (Orange); Brand: E-MODS GAMING; Review: Kids loved it; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rhode Island Novelty RN VEPULL3-12 0885949654305 12 Pull Back Racer Cars, Pack, Multi Colored; Brand: Rhode Island Novelty; Review: Good for the price; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aurora World Miyoni Great Horned Baby Owl Plush; Brand: Aurora; Review: Adorable; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: World Pride Kids Childrens 2 In 1 Black/White Wooden Standing Easel Chalk Drawing Board, 21-25.6 x 14.8 x 13.4"; Brand: World Pride; Review: Decent; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Doctor Who - 12th Dr. Sonic Screwdriver with Touch Controls and Removable Power Core; Brand: Doctor Who; Review: The button works about half the time... when it fails to go sonic, I look like a fool while trying to unlock doors.....; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Monster Plush 6-Pin Bowling Game With Carrying Case; Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: Purchased this for my 2 year old nephew, he loved it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pokémon Assorted Cards, 50 Pieces; Brand: Pokemon; Review: As advertised; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk (Amazon Exclusive); Brand: Disney Princess; Review: They loved it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Make-Your-Own Fuzzy Monster Puppet Kit With Carrying Case (30 pcs); Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: The children had fun; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cra-Z-Art Creative Art Studio - Draw, Paint, Color Super Art Set (250 Pieces); Brand: Cra-Z-Art; Review: Good for the price. Quality isn't great; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Right Track Toys Wooden Blocks - 100 Pc Wood Building Block Set with Container (Rainbow Colored) -; Brand: Right Track Toys; Review: One of the kids' favorites; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Bed Bath & Beyond; City: Wynnewood, PA; Review: Since customer service is non-existent in most retail chain-type stores, a trip to the Wynnewood Bed Bath and Beyond is a breath of fresh air. I have never been to this store without at least two employees asking if I need help finding anything. All of their cashiers are cheerful and helpful and you can use the 20% off coupons on everything in the store. You also get free gift wrapping on gift registry items which is great if you're like me and can't stand dropping another $10 to wrap a gift for which you already paid a lot of money. I received a KitchenAid mixer as a bridal shower gift but I didn't have the opportunity to open and use it until well after a year after my wedding. After trying it out, I decided I wanted to exchange it for a better model. I brought it back to Bed Bath and Beyond and not only did they not hassle me about it, they exchanged it with a smile! This store is fantastic! Keep up the good work!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Diamond Spa; City: Philadelphia, PA; Review: This place is the best for manis and pedis. The staff is so friendly, the spa is immaculately clean and they give you a free mini massage while your nails are drying! They are meticulous at making sure their work is perfect and they always have the latest OPI colors. The spa pedicures are to die for and getting to watch the food network for an hour while sitting in their massage chairs is icing on the cake! This is the only place to go for top notch nails!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Salon l'Etoile; City: Jenkintown, PA; Review: I've been going to L 'Etoile in Jenkintown for a few years now after searching long and hard for a stylist that can give me a great cut and highlights. Sadie does an excellent job of making me look like a [cough, cough] natural blonde. The salon is always loud and bustling but it's worth tolerating for a great cut and color. I would give them five stars if they accepted debit or credit cards. Yes, that's right, this place is cash or check only. Ummm, hello...it's 2008. Please start accepting plastic!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Old Eagle Tavern; City: Philadelphia, PA; Review: The Old Eagle might be the best local spot for great brews. They have a wide selection on tap and so much more in the cooler. There is always something new and tasty to drink. We've never tried the food but it always smells delicious! I love this place because it's one of the only local bars that has real dart boards and not those silly plastic-tip darts. A great place to go to shoot some pool and listen to decent music. And don't let the large dog walking around scare you, he's friendly!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Murphy's Tavern; City: Philadelphia, PA; Review: There's always a story whenever we go to Murph's. It's undoubtebly a neighborhood dive bar and we might have never gone there if we didn't live close enough to crawl home. The bartenders are usually friendly and some know you by name. Thursday nights are $5 pizzas which taste pretty good as far as cheap bar pizza goes. This is usually our last stop after a night out. The bartenders make a lethal red bull and vodka. They serve it in a pint glass...say no more.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Henry James Saloon; City: Philadelphia, PA; Review: Henry James is a small local bar with your better than average bar fare. My husband always gets their signature sandwich, a Hank Jim, which is chicken fingers, pepperoni, sauteed spinach, sweet roasted peppers and provolone cheese on a toasted football roll. I love the chicken fingers sans the sandwich. They always have fast take-out too!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mad River Manayunk; City: Philadelphia, PA; Review: We went to the new Mad River that used to be Grape Street that used to be Chemistry for a friend's birthday. The decor seemed odd, the music even stranger. In our 3 hours there, the dj switched from Pearl Jam to Beyonce to playing drunk college girl favorite's like Jesse's Girl and Shout. Odd. They did add some neat booths to the front of the bar that each have their own TV. Might be a fun spot to watch a game if you can get there early enough to snag one of the booths. All in all, I'd rather stay home.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: OXO Tot Silicone Tub Drain Stopper- Aqua; Brand: OMOTON; Review: for the bathtub; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: South Shore Libra Collection 4-Drawer Dresser, Pure Black with Metal Handles in Pewter Finish; Brand: South Shore; Review: upsets me to look at it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tuft & Needle 5-Inch Mattress, Queen; Brand: Tuft & Needle; Review: this is my bed and it is comfy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stylish Sturdy Oil Rubbed Bronze Metal Wire Small Dish Drainer Drying Rack; Brand: Neat-O; Review: this product is really value; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bellaa 24009 Enraptured in Love Nude Lovers Romantic Funny Skeleton Couple; Brand: Bellaa; Review: I can't say enough good about this. My life is so much better now. I've set this in the window and it gets compliments all the time. My wife loves it. Thank you.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Miley Cyrus clarifies Instagram remarks about sexuality being a choice, plus more news; Abstract: Miley Cryus responds to criticism of Instagram comments about sexuality. Plus, more celebrity news for Oct. 21, 2019.; Category: entertainment
Title: Caterpillar just flashed the latest warning sign for the global economy; Abstract: The construction equipment titan a bellwether for global industry posted a 6% drop in sales and an 8% drop in profit per share.; Category: finance
Title: Humphrey scoops Edelman fumble, scores on 70-yard return; Abstract: The New England Patriots appeared set to finally take a lead on the Baltimore Ravens when a Julian Edelman fumble helped swing the momentum back in the Ravens' favor.; Category: sports
Title: Sunday Night wrap-up: Ravens hand Patriots their first loss; Abstract: The plays Lamar Jackson made early were impressive, because they came so quickly. The ones he made late were more so, because they took so long. The Ravens quarterback led his team to an early barrage, but a long touchdown drive that started in the third quarter and ended in the fourth was the thing [more]; Category: sports
Title: Ex-NFL player Winslow Jr takes plea deal before rape retrial; Abstract: VISTA, Calif. (AP) Former NFL player Kellen Winslow Jr. pleaded guilty Monday to raping an unconscious teen in 2003 and to sexual battery involving a 54-year-old hitchhiker in a deal that spared him the possibility of life in prison. Winslow initially hesitated and seemed to agonize over his decision. "I'm sorry. I'm just not thinking very clearly," Winslow told the judge at one point. He asked the judge for more time before he finally entered...; Category: sports
Title: Pompeo Aide Quit Over Envoy's Treatment: Impeachment Update; Abstract: House committees investigating President Donald Trump started releasing transcripts from their closed-door depositions. The link to former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch's transcript is here; the transcript of Michael McKinley, former senior adviser to the secretary of state, is here.; Category: news
Title: Opinion: Panthers QB Cam Newton's NFL career could be at a crossroads; Abstract: The Panthers will have to decide whether to bring back Cam Newton in 2020. If they don't, things could get dicey for the former MVP.; Category: sports
Title: Keanu Reeves holds hands with Alexandra Grant as the Internet swoons, plus more news; Abstract: The Internet is even more in love with Keanu Reeves after Alexandra Grant PDA. Plus, more celebrity news for Nov. 5, 2019.; Category: entertainment
Title: Patrick Dempsey Is 'Grateful' to Offer Free Cancer Care After His Mother's 'Devastating' Battle; Abstract: The actor opened the Dempsey Center in his hometown of Lewiston, Maine, in 2008.; Category: health | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Haggar Men's LK Life Khaki Straight Fit Flat Front Utility Pant; Brand: ; Review: It is pretty good, very comfortable and soft. It does not look like a utility pant , and I use it for every day office wear.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Levi's Men's 514 Straight Leg Leveler Jean; Brand: ; Review: It is a little tight for the size and , it is uniformly fade , IO was expecting it would have worn look , but it does not :(; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Port & Company Gym Bag, Royal; Brand: Port & Company; Review: Very nice product for the price. It has s shoe pocket, where I can tuck my guy shoes. It is water resistant and very spacious. I highly recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dickies Men's Regular-Fit 5-Pocket Jean Heavyweight Cotton Denim Work Pants; Brand: ; Review: May be I got the wrong size or something , but the inseam seems much longer than what I had purchased.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dickies Men's Regular-Fit 5-Pocket Jean Heavyweight Cotton Denim Work Pants; Brand: ; Review: May be I got the wrong size or something , but the inseam seems much longer than what I had purchased.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Levi's Men's 514 Straight Pacific Flap Jean; Brand: ; Review: Size was too small , I had to return it.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Lucy; Brand: Scarlett Johansson; Review: It was ok; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lucy; Brand: ; Review: It was ok; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure; Brand: Mae Whitman; Review: daughter loves; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fifty Shades of Grey; Brand: Dakota Johnson; Review: love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cinderella; Brand: ; Review: Love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Movies_and_TV |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Best Winter Hats Big Kids Lightweight Neon Russian/Trooper Faux Fur Hat(One Size); Brand: Best Winter Hats; Review: for 10 and under, I would guess. Not as heavy as it looks in the photo but definitely bright yellow. The color is INSANE!; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Clarks Women's Clarks Alto Disco Wedge Sandal; Brand: ; Review: THey run just a speck big but are really comfortable and I pack them in my travel bag a lot for walking around shoes. They go with everything and are just right; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clarks Women's Casylynn Cheryl Wedge Sandal; Brand: ; Review: Oh man I love these shoes. They are so comfortable and I am not a big heel person. very stylish and I get tons of complements; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GoLoveY Women's Fashion Racerback Mesh High Neck One Piece Swimsuits; Brand: GoLoveY; Review: Very cute, well fitting suit.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Levi's Men's 513 Slim-Straight Jean; Brand: ; Review: Looks and fits my 14 year old awkwardly tall and thin son great....; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Inov-8 Women's F-Lite 240 (S) Cross-Training Shoe; Brand: ; Review: The sizing was somewhat confusing and I think I ordered an 8.5 women's but they seem a tad big. About the width of my finger big. Not enough to exchange due to the hassle though. Otherwise they seem really comfortable and look cool.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Clarks Women's Hevely Ordo Wedge Sandal; Brand: ; Review: Love these shoes!!! Fit great. Look good with skirts. Can walk all day. They even fit over my ankle support strap when I sprained my ankle.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Contagious; Author: Visit Amazon's Jacqueline Druga Page; Review: I cold not stop reading this book and did not want it to end when I had to. Loved it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Saint Odd; Author: Visit Amazon's Dean Koontz Page; Review: I am going to miss Od but I am happy he and Stormy are together again. Now bring back Christopher Snow!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Drone Wars: The Beginning (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Mike Whitworth Page; Review: I was really into this book from the beginning until I got to the part about hanging him from a tree for treason. I had to go back and see when this book was written then I became disappointed. It seems after that, especially the characterization of the president it became silly. I had to stop and write this post. I agree that there needs to be change but you m afraid of which time frame of the constitution we should go back to.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The UNCERTAINTY Of TOMORROW; Author: Visit Amazon's Ralph V. Gregorio Page; Review: I like the story line but reading this book was like someone reading it to me in monotone. The paragraphs didn't flow easily.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bunker (Mission Critical Series) (Volume 4); Author: Visit Amazon's Jay J. Falconer Page; Review: I love Bunker, but Stephanie works on my nerves. Great series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Skywalker--Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail: Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail; Author: Visit Amazon's Bill Walker Page; Review: Good overall depiction of the trail and encounters along the way. Being of similar size I was interested in Bill's point of view on hiking the Appalachian Trail.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Own Hike: A Woman's Journey on the Appalachian Trail; Author: Visit Amazon's Nancy Shepherd Page; Review: After reading other books of the AT I wanted to see a womans point of view and this book full filled my wishes.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wool - Omnibus Edition; Author: Visit Amazon's Hugh Howey Page; Review: Overall I enjoyed the book. It's outside the box but not too far Similar situations could evolve in the near future; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rethinking Life on the Appalachian Trail: The 2008 Thru-hike of "Rethinker"; Author: Visit Amazon's Gary Bond Page; Review: Many correlations were noticed with me and the author on the thoughts and aspirations of a thru hike. The second half of the book was more actual details of the trail it self, (which I really liked) where as the first half was about the overall society that one steps into when starting the trek . Friendships and just being a part of the AT hiking society seems to be a very big part of the adventure ( which I also enjoyed ). Maybe it was just the departure of the everyday routine that life can put you into and help answer the question about man;s life without really living...... Glad to have read this book... Dale; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail; Author: Visit Amazon's Cheryl Strayed Page; Review: very good read. read it in short order, kept me looking forward to the next page and that is a good book!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Awol on the Appalachian Trail; Author: Visit Amazon's David Miller Page; Review: GREAT BOOK..... KEPT MY INTEREST START TO FINISH; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Vampire Most Wanted: An Argeneau Novel (Argeneau Vampire); Author: Visit Amazon's Lynsay Sands Page; Review: Wonderful book. Totally loved it. Can not wait for the next one to come out. Hope it is very soon.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dark Lycan: Number 24 in series ('Dark' Carpathian); Author: Visit Amazon's Christine Feehan Page; Review: I just loved this story. Hated when it ended. I would tell all of my friends and family to read it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Circle of Fire (Damask Circle); Author: Visit Amazon's Keri Arthur Page; Review: This is such a great book just like all of her other books. I can't wait to read the second one an I would recommend all my friends to read this.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: All Just Glass (Den of Shadows); Author: Visit Amazon's Amelia Atwater-Rhodes Page; Review: I loved demon . In my view and I loved it. So I have all of her other books and love them to.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Iced: Fever Series Book 6; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Marie Moning Page; Review: I just love her books. I have them all but the new ones. I love how young and old mega is. Can't wait to read more fever books.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Shadow Prince (Mortal Enchantment, Book One); Author: Visit Amazon's Stacey O'Neale Page; Review: Good book. Can't wait to read more. Exactly a type of book that I like to get in to and enjoy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: TUI SENSIMAR Makarska; City: Igrane Split Dalmatia County Dalmatia; Review: Currently staying in this hotel and it is just perfect . It is situated in a quiet village, right on the beach. The room is very clean and spacious. The staff are wonderful and very attentive. The food is fabulous, good choices, cooked beautifully and very well presented. The desserts are wonderful. If you are looking for a quiet, relaxing holiday in beautiful surroundings then this is the place. I could not fault this hotel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Nottingham Road Hotel; City: Nottingham Road KwaZulu Natal; Review: Set off the Midlands Meander. An overnight stay on the way to Lesotho. Stayed in room 1 on the ground floor nar the reception. Bit noisy, could hear freight trains going past, noise from the bar and people sitting outside. Did not sleep well because of noise from the trains and the bar.Only 10 minutes of free Wifi !! It was advertised as free so not happy about that. Room and bathroom were okay with usual amenities but could do with a good cleaning. Okay if you like "shabby chic." Area looks a bit dodgy with not a lot else around. Pub was very lively in the evening. Had dinner in the restaurant which was okay. Breakfast was acceptable.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: San Lameer Resort Hotel Spa; City: Southbroom Margate KwaZulu Natal; Review: Quiet peaceful location and lovely beach. Located within golf resort, good access to Hibiscus Coast. Executive room very good but not enough towels. Good service in the restaurant, good breakfast buffet and excellent curries. Can recommend.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Champagne Castle Hotel; City: Winterton Drakensberg Region KwaZulu Natal; Review: This was my second time staying at Champagne Castle. I requested an upstairs room which we had and it was wonderful. The views were amazing. The room was very comfortable, a little old fashioned but this added to the charm of the place. It was quite spacious with a small balcony and a large bathroom, which could do with a bit of an update. The room was kept very clean and the nightly turn down with chocolates was a lovely touch. The service was wonderfull by all the staff. Great choice of food ( plenty of it too) and very good quality. I am vegetarian and there was plenty of choice. I joined the daily guided walks which were good and also enjoyed exploring the whole area with my husband. It's situated in a great spot if you want complete relaxation in a stunning location. Can't wait to go back again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Premier Hotel OR Tambo; City: Kempton Park Greater Johannesburg Gauteng; Review: Very convenient for airport. Free shuttle to and from the airport. Room was very clean, bed comfy and good breakfast. Just what you need after a long flight and arriving late at night. Staff also very friendly.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Estuary Hotel Spa; City: Port Edward KwaZulu Natal; Review: Lovely location but not so good service. Set in a stunning location with great views. Room was large and adequate but lacking in character and luxury. The bathroom although large was looking a bit tired and needed updating. We arrived at lunchtime but staff were too busy preparing for two evening functions to see to our needs. We arrived at lunchtime and waited an hour for a sandwich and then one of them wasn’t what was ordered. We decided to eat elsewhere in the evening.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Crawford s Beach Lodge; City: Chintsa Eastern Cape; Review: Great spot on the Wild Coast, set on an unspoilt beach. Room was quite spacious with good white bed linen. Towels were also soft and fluffy. Everything was monogrammed with “Crawford’s Beach Lodge.” The room could do with a revamp and modernising, especially the bathroom, which was a bit tired looking. Some areas of the bathroom, especially the shower screen had black mould. Needed a good clean. In the restaurant, there was a dog roaming freely around, which pooped right next to my chair. Since the restaurant is very dimly lit, I did not see it and trod in it! My shoes were covered in it. The manager did apologise but it was too late by then. Dogs should not be in food areas. Not very hygienic. We only stayed one night as we were on our way to Port Elizabeth. We had been recommended to stay there but I wouldn’t go back.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Gmax G1320027 Open Face Helmet; Brand: Gmax; Review: I have had this helmet for mmore than a year now. I like it as well as the day I received it. Features that are outstanding: light weight, integrated fli[p smoke shield open and closed air vents, removable liner, and excellent true size fit. One exception, if you need glasses to ride, then your glasses may interfere. The Amazon price is a great value and the helmet has quality of others that cost 5 times as much.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BLACK+DECKER BM3B 6V and 12V Automatic Battery Charger/Maintainer; Brand: BLACK+DECKER; Review: Works as expected and described. Connectors provided for easy attachment for battery and quick connect when in use.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mighty Max Battery YTX9-BS Battery Replacement for 2003-10 Suzuki AN400/S Burgman Battery brand product; Brand: Mighty Max Battery; Review: Did the trick, seems to be good quality battery, bought my Burgman used and got 2 years out of the existing old battery. This one should last 3 or more years at a good price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: K&N KN-132 Suzuki/Hyosung High Performance Oil Filter; Brand: K&N; Review: Q and A says filter comes with O- rings, it does not. I do not like reusing O rings on the new filter. Otherwise it is ok filter.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Philips 9006 VisionPlus Upgrade Headlight Bulb with up to 60% More Vision, 2 Pack; Brand: Philips; Review: Fits Burgman 400 with slight and easy modification of flattening to tabs. This is easily done and has no affect on holding bulb securely on place. Much brighter light than $40 stock bulb and extremely brighter when using on high beam.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BESTEK? 400A Peak Current Portable Car Jump Starter Power Bank with 10000mAh Capacity(Built-in LED Flashlight,1A&2A USB Charging Ports); Brand: BESTEK; Review: Nice package of complete items to use my back up jump start kit. However the built in flash light while a nice feature I am sure does not work. It did not turn on once.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: BikeMaster Blind Spot Mirrors (Pair); Brand: BikeMaster; Review: Nice addition and small enough to give wide angle look from my smaller Suzkli Burgman mirrors; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: FRAM CA10086 Extra Guard Rigid Panel Air Filter; Brand: Fram; Review: Quality cabin air filter with easy DIY install; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Automotive |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Idea Factory; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Love love love this place. I only would have found it via Yelp - otherwise it would have gotten lost amongst the many souvenir shops littering the French quarter. But this place is unlike any gift store you have ever been in. The woodwork here - amazing. You will be able to find quality handcrafted items at reasonable prices for everyone on your list. I must have spent at least a half an hour to 45 minutes browsing, and then finally buying, many gifts. I only wish they had a branch in the northeast as well - although you can shop online, luckily! [url]/; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cafe Envie & Espresso Bar; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Actually strong coffee in New Orleans (which can be hard to find, for Starbucks-esque diehards like me). Nice change of pace from other shops, with a true coffee shop vibe in the French Quarter which I admire.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: New Orleans Ernest N Morial Convention Center; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Let's just say this place gives you a workout while you're attending your convention. I don't know how many miles I walked but I sure walked plenty! What was frustrating is that the rooms themselves are quite spaced out and so it can be hard to hop from one talk to another given the significant commute. It has a starbucks on the first floor which is convenient, and has good strong coffee, but would recommend cafe du monde for some local flavor instead!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport MSY; City: Kenner, LA; Review: Confused that most stores and restaurants were closed when my plane rolled in at the ripe old hour of 8pm...thank goodness I had eaten dinner in Houston, or else I would have been trolling for granola bars in the newspaper shop for dindin...oy. I guess this was the last flight in for the night?; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Cornstalk Hotel; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Choosing an inn in the French Quarter can be daunting knowing that they can be hit or miss. I felt really lucky to have discovered the Cornstalk which fit the bill all around: a grand antique interior which was immaculately kept, and a wonderful owner who was available for any questions and last-minute accomodations. Not to mention that it's on Royal street so it's a nice oasis from the nightlife, but close enough to the action! The only downside - no private balconies to street-watch but there was a nice common balcony which was perfect to watch the crewe de vieux parade going by. Definitely a winner in the FQ, you won't be disappointed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Luke; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Disclosure: this review was written for their happy hour $1 oysters. The ambiance was a kind of French-bistro feel, reminding me of the likes of Thomas Keller's Bouchon, which gave me high hopes. Unfortunately both service and food quality were lacking. We ordered a dozen oysters during their happy hour, and I was quite surprised to find how flavorless and large these oysters were. They were almost gross they were so big. Needless to say we tried a couple and sent the rest back. When we expressed our displeasure with the oysters there was no apology and no effort on the part of the waitress to right the situation. Very, very unfortunate to encounter that level of attitude, especially in such a friendly city like New Orleans! Perhaps it was the choice of entree - the burger a customer had ordered next to us looked quite good. And admittedly the pizza we got was very tasty - but we still were hungry after sending back the oysters. And the cocktails (while half price during happy hour) weren't roll-over impressive either. Needless to say we moved on to greener dinner pastures.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Hotel Rwanda (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Magnolia (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Last Samurai (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love Actually (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Maid in Manhattan (2002); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Notebook (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: House of Sand and Fog (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Stepford Wives (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Prince and Me (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Runaway Jury (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Garden State (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Out of Time (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Station Agent (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Sea Inside (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Sopranos: Season 5 (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Greenfingers (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Croupier (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Magdalene Sisters (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Italian Job (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The School of Rock (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Count of Monte Cristo (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: You Can Count on Me (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Corporation (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0 | netflix |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Hello Kitty Tote Bag Black 81414; Brand: Hello Kitty; Review: JUST AS ADVERTIZED; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: WonderWink Women's Scrubs Silky Long-Sleeve T-Shirt; Brand: WonderWink; Review: VERY SOFT; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: WonderWink Women's Scrubs Silky Long-Sleeve T-Shirt; Brand: WonderWink; Review: SOFT SOFT SOFT; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bali Women's Comfort Revolution Seamless High-Cut Brief Panty; Brand: ; Review: Fits well, soft to touch; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bali Women's Comfort Revolution Seamless Hi Cut, Black Diamond, 8/9; Brand: ; Review: Fits well, soft to touch; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lancardo Silicon Nurses Lapel Pin-on Brooch Fob Watch (12 Designs Pattern Print); Brand: Lancardo; Review: GAVE MY CNA STUDENTS THESE---NOW EVERYBODY ELSE WANTS ONE; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Los Angeles Lakers: 50 Amazing Years in the City of Angels; Author: The Los Angeles Times Sports Staff; Review: This book is a must for all Lakers fans and it is an awesome way to chronicle the Lakers history in the City of Angels...Especially a great way to read some of those who have covered the Lakers over the years, I especially liked reading some of Jim Murray's old columns...I wish the Times had done the same thing with Dodgers but since they haven't been to a series in twenty-two years they probably don't have enough good articles to include...Definitely get this if you call yourself a Lakers fan...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 100 Things Lakers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die (100 Things...Fans Should Know); Author: Visit Amazon's Steve Springer Page; Review: Lots of interesting trivia and great stories that tell the Lakers history...Plenty of insight and details of important Lakers games, moments, and legends...If you're a long time or new Lakers fan you will enjoy this book...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association; Author: Visit Amazon's Ed Willes Page; Review: Great book, similar to Terry Pluto's book about the ABA..Very entertaining and a great read about a unique period in Pro Hockey...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family; Author: Visit Amazon's Nicholas Pileggi Page; Review: Pileggi does a great job helping the reader weave their way through the in and outs of the life of real life gangster...Great storytelling and great detail of an unvarnished life in crime...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The NHL: 100 Years of On-Ice Action and Boardroom Battles; Author: Visit Amazon's D'Arcy Jenish Page; Review: This book was eye opening in it's detail of how the business of hockey and the NHL has been done...The meticulous information included covering important events in the history of the NHL make this book even more interesting. if you're a fan of hockey and the NHL you will enjoy this book, but I think casual reader will enjoy reading just what goes into forming the pro leagues many follow; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House; City: St Petersburg, FL; Review: We stopped in on March 8th. Our waitress Samantha was very good. I had special mahi mahi with scallops couscous and grilled vegetables. The fish was very good the vegetables were burnt to a crisp. Not sure why a chef or kitchen manager would allow that to leave the kitchen and be delivered to a customer. Don't believe we will be back or recommend.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Annata Wine; City: St. Petersburg, FL; Review: We stopped at Annata Wine after reviewing the menu online. We ate outdoors, listened to live music, which was great. The food was excellent. We had fig & pig flat bread, braised pork and the pistachio encrusted scallops. Perfect portion sizes. The service is also great. If you are looking for smaller portions, almost tapas, and meat and cheese charcuterie this is the place. As a bonus if you go on Sunday's the bottles of wine are 1/2 price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bodega; City: Saint Petersburg, FL; Review: Bodega is a must stop if you are in St Petersburg. The cuban is phenomenal along with their house made sodas. The rest of the offerings are also excellent as is the service. I recommend eating out front if you can get a table or if it might rain eat out back under the shed roof.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Strachan's Ice Cream & Desserts; City: Dunedin, FL; Review: I'll keep this simple. Best homemade ice cream. If you are near or in Dunedin make this a must stop.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AJ's Press; City: Tampa, FL; Review: We found AJ'S while visiting Steinbrenner stadium. The owners greeted us, they are very friendly and welcoming. We had a Cuban sandwich and a Cuban bowl. Both were excellent. Lots of flavor and perfectly made. We also sampled the jalapeño hush puppies, again excellent. We will be back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hungry Harry's Family Bar-B-Que; City: Land O' Lakes, FL; Review: Our visit to Hungry Harry's. Great BBQ. We had platters of brisket and chopped pork. Both were delicious. Sides were collard greens, corn, cole slaw and mac & cheese. All were very good. Waitstaff are friendly and helpful. Definitely will return when we are in the area again. Make sure you try the peanut butter pie.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Annata Wine; City: St. Petersburg, FL; Review: Annata Wine never disappoints! Great food! Great Service! Great Wine! Again Sunday night 1/2 off bottles of wine. Highly recommend the fig & pig flat bread. We also chose one of the specials, bangers & mash on flat bread. Chef created this from St Patrick's day special, it was delicious. If you like small plates, great service and great choices of wine this is the place!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buya; City: St Petersburg, FL; Review: Had to try Buya after hearing about it on triple D. Great Ramen! Great Service! Highly recommend the crispy duck! Very good selections of beer, sake and whiskey. If you like ramen or just want to try it this is the place. We will make Buya a regular stop!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Keegan's Seafood Grille; City: Indian Rocks Beach, FL; Review: We wanted to try Keegan's after hearing about it on triple D. We were not disappointed. It was great, both food and service! We both tried a special, Parmesan encrusted grouper cheeks, on a roll with lettuce & tomato. It was delicious. Highly recommend you save room for dessert, in particular the key lime pie. It's made in house and it was one of the best I have ever had.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Central Melt; City: Saint Petersburg, FL; Review: If you love grilled cheese this is the place! Great selection, service and friendly staff! I highly recommend the "Eddie Muenster". We also tried the "roast beef on fleck", also delicious. Don't forget to order a side of hand cut fries and tomato soup.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Tap Room At The Hollander; City: St. Petersburg, FL; Review: Breakfast, lunch, dinner or anything in between, this place rocks! Great food, great and friendly service, great drinks! Twenty one craft beers on tap all the time. Specials through out the week. Save room for dessert!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: 'Wheel Of Fortune' Guest Delivers Hilarious, Off The Rails Introduction; Abstract: We'd like to solve the puzzle, Pat: Blair Davis' loveless marriage? On Monday, "Wheel of Fortune" welcomed as a new contestant trucking business owner Blair Davis, who offered a biting introduction for himself. When host Pat Sajak asked the man from Cardiff, California, about his family, Davis plunged into one of the darkest personal summaries the show has likely ever heard. "I've been trapped in a loveless marriage for the last 12 years to an...; Category: tv
Title: Brock Osweiler retires; Abstract: Brock Osweiler is calling it a career. Osweiler, the quarterback who had stints as a starter for the Broncos, Texans and Dolphins, told Mike Klis of 9 News in Denver that he is retiring. "I'm extremely grateful for the time I did receive playing in the National Football League,'' Osweiler said. "The experiences I did [more]; Category: sports
Title: Boxer Patrick Day dies after suffering traumatic brain injury in super welterweight fight; Abstract: Boxer Patrick Day, 27, died on Wednesday after being knocked out against Charles Conwell on Saturday. He had surgery and had been in a coma.; Category: sports
Title: Report: Ezekiel Elliott's dad investigated after police shoot wild cat near his home; Abstract: The father of star Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is being probed after Ohio police shot a wild, Serval cat near his home, according to NBC4i.com. The mid-sized, spotted feline - a breed that can stand two feet at the shoulder and weigh ...; Category: sports
Title: President Donald Trump gets mixed reaction at UFC 244 in historic milestone for MMA; Abstract: ; Category: sports
Title: Ito Smith out for season with concussion; Abstract: Falcons running back Ito Smith will miss the rest of the season with a concussion. The Falcons announced today that Smith has been placed on injured reserve with the concussion he suffered two weeks ago. Smith is second on the team in rushing with 22 carries for 106 yards this season. Theoretically, Smith could return [more]; Category: sports | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Lost at the Con; Author: Visit Amazon's Bryan Young Page; Review: I finished reading this last night and I thought it was very well written. While a fun piece of fiction, there was a certain depth to it that is not always seen in popular fiction. The characters are well written so we can really understand where they are coming from, and even their arguments about things in particular are hard to argue in their logic. Great read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Swords and Swordsmen; Author: Visit Amazon's Mike Loades Page; Review: Well thought out and executed, this book does exactly what it sets out to do. This book covers far more than I would expect, with excellent pictures so that the reader can get a better idea of what is being discussed. His coverage of the material presented does so very well while still leaving the reader enough room to research each a bit further to their likes. His first hand experience handling these weapons and in some cases using replicas in real testing gives the reader a great idea of the mechanics and feel of all of what is covered!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: So Youre Going to Wear the Kilt; Author: Charles J. Thompson; Review: This was suggested to me by my clan Cheiftan, and not only is it a good one to read over it is also a good reference guide in case you have questions about, or thoughts about it that you have forgotten. Written in a nice light style it is a quick and easy read which not only covers the Kilt but also all the clothes to go with it, and even how to address your Cheiftan or lord in correspondence. Full of good information, it is definitely something that I would highly suggest to anyone who is planning on buying or wearing a kilt and wants a good reference guide to some of the history and what is the "right way" to wear it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ; Author: Visit Amazon's Penny Simkin Page; Review: Really good information for the first time or repeat birth partner. I learned a lot from it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Book of Martial Power; Author: Visit Amazon's Steven J. Pearlman Page; Review: Very helpful at covering fundamentals. Well written.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Talhoffer Society; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Edelson Page; Review: Whether you are intrested in swords and swordsmanship or just looking for an exciting read, this book delivers. Both in its story telling as well as its of all of the action (and believe me there is a lot of action!) The story is gripping and the characters are so well written you may feel you know them already.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Flower of Battle: MS Ludwig XV13; Author: Colin Hatcher; Review: I have been practicing Fiores art for 8 years and am still fascinated at the things I learn with a new, good translation. This layout is very well conceived, and the quality of this book is exceptional. Will it help you win 5 duels and walk away without being scratched? It is up to you to practice the art well. But with this book, a great class and some good practice partners, anything is possible.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cutting with the Medieval Sword: Theory and Application; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Edelson Page; Review: This book is excellent at explaining the key points of proper body mechanics not only for cutting, but also for improving proper body mechanics as they translate to martial practice. It covers multiple aspects of bio-mechanics, progressive drills on proper use, as well as nuts and bolts of sword maintenance, sharpening, and diagnosing proper cuts. I highly recommend this to all practitioners of the Historical European Martial Arts.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Norse Mythology CD; Author: Visit Amazon's Neil Gaiman Page; Review: Gaiman really brings these stories to life in a fantastic way. Well researched he really makes these stories come to life; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: American Pie (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Bug's Life, A (1998); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Legends of the Fall (1994); Genres: Drama, Romance, War, Western; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Toy Story 2 (1999); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Big (1988); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blair Witch Project, The (1999); Genres: Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Shining, The (1980); Genres: Horror; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Liar Liar (1997); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ransom (1996); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut (1999); Genres: Animation, Comedy, Musical; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Cable Guy, The (1996); Genres: Comedy, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989); Genres: Adventure, Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Office Space (1999); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rumble in the Bronx (Hont faan kui) (1995); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Rush Hour (1998); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Hitch (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Supercop (Police Story 3: Supercop) (Jing cha gu shi III: Chao ji jing cha) (1992); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Keeping the Faith (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fever Pitch (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Toy Story (1995); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Miracle (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Happy Gilmore (1996); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park (1993); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Father of the Bride (1991); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sandlot, The (1993); Genres: Children, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Fugitive, The (1993); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Back to the Future (1985); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lion King, The (1994); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama, Musical, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Aladdin (1992); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Musical; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Wedding Singer, The (1998); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Elf (2003); Genres: Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jerry Maguire (1996); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tarzan (1999); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Few Good Men, A (1992); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Spider-Man 2 (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spider-Man (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Apollo 13 (1995); Genres: Adventure, Drama, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Nothing to Lose (1994); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Coming to America (1988); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shanghai Noon (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Western; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spies Like Us (1985); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Cast Away (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fletch (1985); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Mystery; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Green Mile, The (1999); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hoosiers (a.k.a. Best Shot) (1986); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Forrest Gump (1994); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Patriot, The (2000); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Lethal Weapon 2 (1989); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Monsters, Inc. (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Beauty and the Beast (1991); Genres: Animation, Children, Fantasy, Musical, Romance, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mulan (1998); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Drama, Musical, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Field of Dreams (1989); Genres: Children, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Time to Kill, A (1996); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Speed (1994); Genres: Action, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Polar Express, The (2004); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); Genres: Children, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Men in Black (a.k.a. MIB) (1997); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The (2005); Genres: Adventure, Children, Fantasy; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: King Kong (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Zathura (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Children, Fantasy; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Ringer, The (2005); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | movielens |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: InSinkErator 74028 Evolution Compact 3/4 hp Household Garbage Disposal; Brand: InSinkErator; Review: so quiet its as if its not even working...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Culligan ISH-100 Inline Filter for Use with Existing Shower Heads, White, Single Unit; Brand: Culligan; Review: This one I got for my Mom, she loves it, as do I, am very happy with mine.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lithonia Lighting OFLR 9LN 120 P BZ Integrated LED 3-Light Outdoor Security Flood Light with Dusk to Dawn; Brand: Lithonia Lighting; Review: Great lights, love them, and they work, unlike cheap one I bought at local Home depot; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TerraLUX TLF-3002AA-OR LightStar300 3-Watt LED Aluminum Flashlight, High Visibility Orange; Brand: TerraLUX; Review: Sweet, love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: King Electric PHM-1 1500-watt Portable Milkhouse Heater; Brand: King Electric; Review: Works ok, but was damaged; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_Tools_and_Home_Improvement |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Drawing and Painting Fantasy Landscapes and Cityscapes; Author: Visit Amazon's Rob Alexander Page; Review: And not great. A few inspiring images, mostly mediocre work. There was however at least one image that was so inspiring that it was worth the small price. An ok fantasy reference book for your art collection.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Erotic Fantasy Art; Author: Duddlebug; Review: The book was not in the condition they said, no way. And the contents were not that great. The image on the cover is the best work in the book.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Future of Fantasy Art; Author: Aly Fell; Review: But not bad. Im an artist and got this book as a visual reference for contemporary fantasy art. Its a nice reference book for the shelf. But really, you can save images to a folder from google for free. To be honest I only picked up this book because there was not much else to choose from. Having said that there is some nice work in the book. And has some interesting and inspiring images.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: How to Draw and Paint Fantasy Architecture: From Ancient Citadels and Gothic Castles to Subterranean Palaces and Floating Fortresses; Author: Visit Amazon's Rob Alexander Page; Review: I do not buy these "how to draw" books to learn to draw. I buy them for visual reference as I am a digital artist. I have bought a large number of new art reference books here at Amazon. I can tell you most of them are not worth the money, since you can get better and more imagery/info on-line for free. But this book, is an exception. It has a lot of good imagery inside, and is useful to me for inspiration. Indeed even the learning material is useful, although not something you can't find anywhere else. But over all yes its worth the money (used). Or to put it another way... If you don't like this book, for sure you won't like the other fantasy art books available on amazon at the time of this post. I have bought a good number of them, and this one is the best. The only books better that I have found on Amazon are the digital art books published by "/BALLISTIC/" (make sure to look for them too!) they are very very good.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Creative Essence: Creatures; Author: Ballistic; Review: Ballistic publishes the best digital art reference material there is in print. This book is right up there with the rest of their library. My only complaint is that I wished there was a lot more pages to this book. But its a good thing to have on your shelf if you are a character artist or a fan. Or digital sculptor or digital artist. The book is beautifully made and presented.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Clipper Car Mount Universal Vehicle Swivel Holder By Luxmo; Brand: Luxmo; Review: Suction doesn't hold well; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Eco-Fused Replacement Kit compatible with Samsung Galaxy S4 Screen including 1 Replacement Screen Glass for Samsung Galaxy S4 i9500; Brand: Eco-Fused; Review: Fixed my dads s4; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Galaxy S6 Car Charger, Note 5 Car Charger, Shackle Dual Ultra Fast Coiled USB Car Charger for Samsung Galaxy; Brand: Shackle; Review: Great charger!! Charges my Note 5 fast!! Approx. 10% in 5 mins; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SAKO Black Advanced Armor Hard Hybrid Case Cover Military Stand Holster Combo Case for Samsung Galaxy Note 3 N9000 N3; Brand: SAKO; Review: This case has saved my phone so many times!! Even bouncing down concrete stairs!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: amFilm LG G4 Tempered Glass Screen Protector, 2.5D Rounded Edge for LG G4 LGG4 2015 (1-Pack); Brand: amFilm; Review: Great screen protector.. Easy to install and protects well; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Selfie Anytime Monopod Selfie Stick with Extendable Handheld Wireless Bluetooth Built-in with Handle for Iphone 6 Plus 6 5s 5c; Brand: Selfie Anytime; Review: Decent selfie stick; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Note 5 Screen Protector,Kaptron (TM) Tempered Glass Ultra-Clear High Definition Screen protector perfect fit for Samsung Galaxy Note 5; Brand: Kaptron; Review: Very nice screen protector.. Packaging included 1 wet wipe, 1 dry wipe, and microfiber cloth for cleaning the screen before installing. I really appreciate when screen protectors come with everything you need to install properly and this one absolutely did. Fitment is good and quality is good. Should protect screen very well. Does not affect visibility or touch sensitivity. Was very easy to install and line up. Very good protect at a good price. I would definitely recommend this protector. I received this item at a discount or free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Glass Screen Protector for SamSung Note; Brand: InaRock; Review: Was easy to install and provides good protection of screen. Nice item I received this item at a discount or free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LG G4 Screen; Brand: MiHua; Review: Good screen protector. Easy to install.. Provides good protections and doesn't hinder screen viewing or usage I received this item at a discount or free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Note 5 Case, Galaxy Note 5; Brand: BENTOBEN; Review: Great case.. Really provides protection for phone. Has a kickstand on back of case and also the belt clip will act as a kick stand. First received wrong case but problem was quickly resolved I received this item at a discount or free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ailun Screen Protector for LG G4[2 Pack],Tempered Glass,9H Hardness,2.5D Edge,Ultra Clear Transparency,Anti-Scratches,Case Friendly-Siania Retail Package; Brand: AILUN; Review: Good protectors.. Come in a pack of two. Easy to install and does not affect screen visibility or touch sensitivity. Great protection from scratches and fingerprints I received this item at a discount or free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DULEES High Pressure Massage Hand Held Shower Head, Chrome Detachable Shower Head Handheld with Adjustable Brass Bracket Holder; Brand: MGXIN; Review: Fantastic shower head. We love it and recommend it to anyone looking for a rain type shower head. Produces good pressure and all the different angles you can accomplish is amazing; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: T-Mobile Prepaid Complete SIM Starter Kit; Brand: T-Mobile; Review: Bought for alarm system. Was easy to setup, install, and get working; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hilda Screen Protector for Galaxy Note 5,Premium Tempered Glass,9H Hardness,2.5D Edge,Ultra Clear,Anti-Scratch,Case Friendly-Siania Retail Package; Brand: HILDA; Review: Good quality screen protector and does a very good job and protecting the phone screen without any obstruction to use or functionality I received this item at a discount or free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wireless Charger by Mongoose ★ New 2016 Premium Quality Qi Wireless Charging Station ★ For Samsung Galaxy S6; Brand: Mongoose; Review: Works great!! No more wires to plug in and fight with. Now I can just lay my phone on the nightstand at night and not have to worry about the cords. Good product I received this item at a discount or free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Cell_Phones_and_Accessories |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Novum Hotel Rieker Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof; City: Stuttgart Baden Wurttemberg; Review: For their prices, the location could not be more excellent! The central train station was right across the road! In the station you could easily find fast food, café and small supermarget which saved us as we arrived late on Christmas day and the whole avenue was closed. The hotel was 2 minutes walk to the king street and shopping center. It was a huge shopping avenue and to me was more interesting than the Champs Elysees even when every store was closed! P&B from Sweden; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ibis Styles Nice Vieux Port; City: Nice French Riviera Cote d Azur Provence Alpes Cote d Azur; Review: Nice : Unfortunately, we visited Nice after we had visited Monaco so it was a hard work for the city to impress us more than we were in Monaco. The old town was small and had not much to do or see. Anyway, the brand name shopping street was very fun to explore. The restaurant Paradice on the restaurant avenue(we did not know what the area was called but you can not miss it because there were many restuarants on both side of the walking street which was use as flower market everyday except on moday the street was transform to antique market) The food was very good and very fresh. The hilight was their frenchfried!!! Try it and you will see why! :) The hotel : For the price, location and hard working staff we had nothing to not be satisfied with! The room was big, comfortable bed and roomy bath room. Wifi was quick and free :) We had lower expectation with the breakfast but they impressed us big time here! The staff worked hard to do their job and it was well done. I loved the variety of yogurts and their beverages! Especially fresh-squeeze juice :) Snacks and bakeries were given generously. Free coffee and drinking water at the breakfast area for guest 24 hr :) The staff at the reception were enthusiasm and helpful. Parking 13€/day was right under the same buiding. Convinien and safe. Supermarket was in walking distance and if you were there try thier milk :) For me I think the best silvernere from France should not be perfume but thier milk! You welcome us well All Seasons. Thanks for everything and it will be you to accomodate us againwhen we visit Nice next time :) P&B from Sweden; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Austria Trend Hotel Anatol Wien; City: Vienna; Review: Can not say much about the hotel and the locatioan as we checked in very late and checked out very early but the room was nice and quite big. We got one double bed and one single bed for 2 people. Interesting! Haha Love the high pressure rain shower and their 3 in 1 shower-shampoo-conditioning gel!! ;D Free parking on the street at night untill 9 a.m.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Elite Hotel Savoy; City: Malmo Skane County; Review: The hotel has a perfect location. Centralstation for trains to Copenhagen is just right across the bridge. The room(202, corner) is bigger than everage size of a hotel room in Europe. The room is well equipted and decorated. The bed is comfortable and the down pillows are so soft. There are a suana room and a small gym in a relax zone with complimentary fruit and drink in the hotel. Breakfast is pretty good for the price we pay. If you like traditional yet elegant style hotel with a cozy atmostphere on the best location with a reasonable price, Elite Hotel Savoy is definately the best choice for your Malmö-Copenhagen visit!! We are also happy to share pictures from hotel and hope our review and photos will be useful for you and hope you have a nice trip as we do too! :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grande Hytteutleige og Camping; City: Geiranger Stranda More og Romsdal Western Norway; Review: My boyfriend and I stayed 3 nights at Grande Hytteutleige og camping in the begining of October. There were very peaceful and lots of lovely Autumn colors in Geiranger at the time. For us who seeked a peaceful and romantic trip, it was just a perfect time to visit Norway. The camping offered much more than I expected. The location just right by the water was very lovely. We stayed in a cabin for 4 with a living space, free in-room wifi, big flat screen television, warm water with high pressure, fully equipped kitchen, including a refrigerator and an oven, where all you need was just raw material for your cooking. We felt at home in our small cabin at Grande Hytteutleige og camping. The owner, Mr. Thomas with Th haha :D, was very friendly and helpful. We missed the grocery opening time in the centre on our second day and had no food for our dinner but Thomas was kind enough to share with us 1 box of cold milk and 4 eggs from his family's refrigerator! We were very impressed and thankful for his carring move. For a trip abroad, we couldn't ask for more than a nice and personal hospitality from the owner of a camping that make us felt at home! Everything is just right :) We will surely visit Geiranger again and whenever it will be Grande Hytteutleige og camping will be our one and only choice of stay again!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: 321 STRONG Foam Roller - Medium Density Deep Tissue Massager for Muscle Massage and Myofascial Trigger Point; Brand: 321 STRONG; Review: I have this in green. I have never used a deep tissue roller before, so wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with it. Originally I thought it would be something that someone else could roll over your back to help massage it. When I opened the package, I was excited about being able to roll on it myself. It didn't come with any instructions, which is a bummer, but you can google deep tissue rollers online and it will give you lots of ideas of how to use it. You can use it to roll your legs, calves, back, neck, shoulders, ect. I have found that the roller is pretty hard at first. It actually bruised my back really badly. But then I found out that I wasn't using it the correct way. I was putting all of my weight on it as I was rolling back and forth. Apparently you have to use some "core" muscles to help with your strength. I do love that I can roll my lower legs after a long day at work, and feel like its loosening my muscles up. I tend to carry a lot of my stress in my neck and shoulders, so to roll that part of my body feels really good. I love to put the roller under my neck and rock back and forth, The roller has different sides to it. Patterns that can be used for different types of massage. Two sides have smoother longer ridges, and the other 2 sides have smaller more rough ridges kind of like tire treads. They both feel great, but for different uses. I love that the roller comes with a lifetime guarantee. I know that after using this for several months, its not going to fall apart. I love that they will guarantee it with normal wear and tear. I received this product at a discount for my honest review. I definitely use this deep tissue massage roller a lot. My kids love it too. They love to roll around on it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Xtreme Bright Illumilock Blade Bike U-Lock (Inside 16cm x 7cm) Bicycle Headlight & Tail light Combination All-in-One; Brand: Xtreme Bright; Review: I love this idea and concept, but needs a little more execution and practicality. They head and tail lights are awesome. The lock is really heavy duty. The only problem is that the U-lock is too small to lock to a bike rack. My son rides his bike to school everyday, and I thought this would be a great product for him to have. Unfortunately he can't lock it to the rack at school. If they could fix this problem and make it a little wider and longer, I would definitely buy this product again. I was really impressed with how thick the lock was. Hopefully this review will help future purchasers, and also the company to improve size.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Oak Leaf Ultra Bright Portable LED Camping Lantern for Outdoor,Emergency,Hurricanes,Hiking,Hunting,Storm (Black, Collapsible); Brand: Oak Leaf; Review: This is the perfect size camping lantern, or lantern to keep by your bedside. The LED lights are extremely bright. You slide the lantern up which automatically turns the lantern on. When you push it down, it turns the lantern off. This is very compact and small. It has 2 metal carrying handles. Perfect to keep on a boat also. Expands/collapses so it takes up minimal space with long lasting battery life and very lightweight. I would recommend having one of these for emergency use also or in place of a flashlight. Great buy!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dynamis Fat Burning Weighted Hula Hoop; Brand: Dynamis; Review: This is a pretty neat hula hoop. It is pretty heavy so it takes a little while to get used to. It took me several days before I was able to keep it going in a continuous circle around me without dropping it. My kids can do it a lot easier than me. I felt like it hurt the first couple days but that is probably because I am way out of shape. It is padded, but the weight of it makes your sides a little tender. All in all I would say its a great hula hoop. Might be better for someone who is more advanced or not afraid to really get their hips moving! I would definitely recommend for purchase. Oh- and the colors are really cool. Very colorful and bright.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Swim Goggles + Reversible Swimming Cap + Protective Case • Exclusive Set; Brand: SWIM ELITE; Review: This is a good set of swimming goggles. The goggles have silicone cushions for comfort, have 100% U.V. Protection, and a Anti-Fog Coating. Anti-Shatter lenses, and an adjustable strap. You have 180 degree field of vision with no blur and no glare. They are very clear under the water. Fully leak proof. This is a great set of goggles to purchase for swimming leisurely or for swimming laps. This is a good product.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Scarleton Vintage Top Zip Satchel H111304 - Brown; Brand: Sunzel; Review: I bought this bag a few months ago , so spacious and strong.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jechin Women's Rose Gold Plated Skeleton Dangle Earrings; Brand: Jechin; Review: Perfect for my daughter.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cherokee Women's SRANGEL-W, Black, 7 M US; Brand: ; Review: Good quality, I ordered a size 7 and got 7 1/2 too large.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kenox Casual Style Canvas Travel School College Shoulder Bag/Bookbags/Daypack for Teenage Girls/Students/Women Floral Pattern; Brand: Kenox; Review: Looks sturdy but I do not like the quality of the material, looks old and use. Will send it back.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Jason Maxwell Women's L/s Mixed Stich Roll Back Collar Cardigan Sweater; Brand: Jason Maxwell; Review: Too large and long for a petite person, very thick. Will fit a regular size person.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Skechers Sport Men's Vigor 2.0 Serpentine Memory Foam Sneaker; Brand: ; Review: My husband always have a problem with sneakers, this is the first skecher I bought that fits him perfect. no complaint. will buy another pair.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Native Union Retro Bluetooth POP Phone - POPBT-RED-FLA-ST - Flash Red; Brand: Native Union; Review: Phone looks great, feels great, but it's about the use of the phone, the talking, and the person on the other end cannot hear you. There is an echo that does not go away.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Ballistic LS1046-M985 Smooth Series Case for Apple iPad Mini 1st/2nd/3rd Generation with Retina Display - Purple; Brand: Ballistic; Review: This case has protected my iPad mini for years now. I have dropped my iPad many times and it has always been protected and never damaged. Smart buy!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: iXCC 6-Feet 3.5mm Male to Male Universal Aux Audio Stereo Cable for Smartphones, Tablets and MP3 Player; Brand: iXCC; Review: Great Aux cord and long enough for ease of electronic placement. Quality cord at a price that makes sense. Thank you.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ProtoCASE - 15-Inch Laptop and Tablet Bag, [2in1] Laptop Carrying Case Cover Sleeve Messenger Bag with Side Pockets for; Brand: iMacket; Review: Finally found a laptop bag that is both protective and sharp. My 15" MacBook Pro Retina fits in this bag like a glove. The interior of the bag is super soft to protect my investment. The protective padding is just enough and not too bulky as to make this bag awkward to carry. This bag, along with it's discount, is priced just right and worth the purchase. Great bag that will stand the test of time.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Belkin TuneTalk Stereo for iPod 5G, 5.5G (Black); Brand: Belkin; Review: Okay product; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Altec Lansing inMotion iM600 Firewire-Charging Portable Audio System for iPod (Black); Brand: Altec Lansing; Review: Battery didn't last too long; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: LED USB Reading Light; Brand: defenderX; Review: Cool little gadget to have. I have used it while typing up notes at night and it allows me to not have to turn a big overhead light on and wake my wife up. For that she loves it too. Its very bright and definitely gives you the light you need to see. The only downside for my would be the length but its not really that big of a deal. The way that I have to plug it into the USB port on my computer I have to bend it so that the light faces down but thats also not that big of a deal. Overall a great little tool to have and the light is bright enough. I received a discounted price on this light for my review but would pay full price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Strike Banana Plugs, 14-Pair, By Sewell Direct; Brand: Sewell Direct; Review: Very handy, especially when you have a lot of sound equipment throughout your house and you may want to move things around a bit. These make it very convenient to do just that, quickly disconnecting and reconnecting with a full and a rush. Thank you for a great idea and product. Great that I received a discounted price for reviewing these as well. Will pass along the product info to friends as well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: WINCAN Golf Putting Mat Green Indoor Outdoor Auto Ball Return Professional Portable Putting Trainer Set Mini Training Aids; Brand: WINCAN; Review: Just what I was looking for in a cable organizer. When I travel I travel with a lot of electronics but the power cords have always been scattered about throughout my luggage and carry on bags. This tote has brought all of my cords together and has helped me to keep organized This was a must have for me and probably for you as well if you travel with a lot of electronics and the cords that come with them. I received a small discount for my feedback.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MiraBox Capture Card,USB 3.0 HDMI Game Capture Card Device With HDMI Loop-out Support HD Video HDCP 1080P Windows 7 8; Brand: Mirabox; Review: Nice way to wrap your electronics cords. Keeps them all tight and together and looks a lot more organized. No more of that messy look behind your television screen. Wish I would have found this product a long time ago. I received a small discount for my review of this product.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: FRiEQ 3.5mm Male To Male Car and Home Stereo Cloth Jacketed Audio Cable (4 Feet/1.2M) for iPhone, iPad,; Brand: FRiEQ; Review: Best cable for the money. full stop.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black); Brand: BaoFeng; Review: Fun and durable, cheap. Lots of hackability. This thing is the Arduino of HAM radios. Who doesn't own one that is a /k/ommando?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tontec Premium Aluminum Alloy Metal Case for Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, Pi 2 Model B & Pi; Brand: Tontec; Review: I sent this unit back. It simply would not correctly accomodate a RPI with all the ports and ethernet jack lining up. It's a shame as the quality was otherwise seemingly good, they simply failed to attend to certain of it's design details.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Raspberry PI 5MP Camera Board Module; Brand: Raspberry Pi; Review: It works. It takes some figuring to get the ribbon positioned in the slot. But other than that it works. Why it's so expensive compared to the actual board is beyond me but hey it works and I'm happy.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Transcend 32GB JetFlash 710 USB 3.1/3.0 Flash Drive (TS32GJF710S); Brand: Transcend; Review: Outstanding little USB flash drive. Previously used a Gorilla drive but then lost that so went with this. It's fast on USB 3.0 and very small, easy to lose so keep a key ring on it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cat 6 Ethernet Cable 50 ft Black –with Cable Clips Flat Internet Network Cable–Cat 6 Computer Cable With Snagless Rj45; Brand: Hping-tec; Review: Works. The price is considerably lower than some, ahem, vendors who may stock such an item or items in their electronics department. Would recommend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Mellanni Premium Waterproof Mattress Protector - Dust Mite, Bacteria Resistant - Hypoallergenic - Fitted Deep Pocket - Better Than; Brand: Mellanni; Review: These have all ripped at the seams, within 5-6 months.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: OLIA DESIGN OliaDesign Beautiful Lady's Silk Hand Fan with Green Sequins; Brand: OLIA DESIGN; Review: This is really beautiful. Especially for the price! My 4 year old was in heaven; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Typhoon Frosted Glass Oil Drizzler; Brand: Typhoon; Review: I like it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Contigo AUTOSEAL West Loop Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug with Easy-Clean Lid, 24 oz, Stainless Steel; Brand: Contigo; Review: keeps warm.. but nothing like a cozyna travel mug. and dishwasher has wrecked color on all of mine ( I bought 4 originally); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Insulated Travel Mug for Coffee And Tea by Cozyna, Stainless Steel, 16 oz, Cream; Brand: Cozyna; Review: When I bought this travel mug, I also bought some contigo mugs.. The contigo kept heat alright, but nothing in comparison to this one. It stays the same temperature for hours... like 8 hours. Truly incredible! also dishwasher wrecked the others but this one hasn't changed a bit in color or durability. I drink tea almost every day with this, and as a mother of 4 toddlers I never get to sit and have one drink. I keep coming back throughout the day and it is still warm. I've never seen one this good! THE BEST HANDS DOWN!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jusalpha 6-Tier Strong Acrylic Cupcake Stand Tree Tower Dessert Display; Brand: Jusalpha; Review: Cute! Well put together. Looks really nice.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Leg Avenue Petticoat; Brand: ; Review: I really liked this item. It was cute by itself as a tutu and it was even cuter when a friend of mine wore it under a short dress as an actual petticoat. I was pregnant when needing to wear this item so I ordered 1x-2x thinking that would be plenty of room for baby. No such luck. I had to wear down low under belly and was not comfortable. My friend is a small girl and it fit her well. I don't think this would work for someone who is truly plus size.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Leg Avenue Petticoat; Brand: ; Review: I really liked this item. It was cute by itself as a tutu and it was even cuter when a friend of mine wore it under a short dress as an actual petticoat. I was pregnant when needing to wear this item so I ordered 1x-2x thinking that would be plenty of room for baby. No such luck. I had to wear down low under belly and was not comfortable. My friend is a small girl and it fit her well. I don't think this would work for someone who is truly plus size.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Halloween Baby Skeleton DT Costume Maternity T-Shirt Tee; Brand: City Shirts; Review: I thought this was absolutely adorable and I received so many compliments. I wish I could wear it more than just on Halloween! I felt that it fit me well although I'm not sure it is really a maternity shirt. It does not seem to have the typical ruching or stretch that a true maternity shirt would have so I would suggest buying a size up if you are far along in your pregnancy. I was only 20-weeks when I wore this so my belly fit just fine but I don't think it would have if I had been much further along.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GlitZGlam Butterfly Wing / Fairy Wing Costume for Girls – Rainbow; Brand: GlitZGlam; Review: Adorable. I used these on Halloween and attached them to my baby carrier to make baby a butterfly. My daughter is only 9 months now, but I imagine these will hold up for some time and become a great future costume accessory and be super fun for playing dress up.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Children's Place Baby Girls' Short Sleeve Graphic Bodysuit; Brand: ; Review: Super Cute! Fits as expected and at a great deal for a normally pricier brand.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MYZIN Women's Zipper Genuine Leather Slim Wallet/Clutch Handbag Card Holder; Brand: Myzin; Review: I like the look of this wallet, it's pretty, and the zipper is very smooth which is a plus. I am only rating 3 stars (which is a stretch) because... 1. It's not really leather as advertised 2. Definitely cannot fit my phone in it, in fact, I can barely fit my checkbook in it (my main reason for buying. I wanted something that closed up, completely secure-zipper-and held everything including my checks. Call me old-school, but I am still a check writer) 3. The card slots SUCK! On each side of wallet there is a long money/coupon opening on back, then 4 card slots on each side. Normally these are tapered so you can see all of your cards and have easy access to them. In this wallet the front 2 slots hold the cards HIGHER up than the two behind them. It is completely non-functional and annoying. **Edit** I mentioned that the zipper is great. When I filled the wallet the zipper split. I was able to get it back on track but I don't have much confidence that this wallet will last very long.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Pioneer Hotel Gambling Hall; City: Laughlin Nevada; Review: This place has good and bad. The good liked the park by your room and not the long walks through the casino to the elevator then the long hallways, friendly staff and good feel. great price for a bed for the night The bad the showers water valve was all hot or when the temp was good not much water came out. My bed was good but my friends was not in his room. The snow birds that live in the rooms that can't hear blast the tv and talk loud to each other all night and day.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ragged Point Inn and Resort; City: San Simeon San Luis Obispo County California; Review: We stayed in an upstairs cliff view room with a small balcony that had a beautiful ocean sunset view. The room was super clean comfy bed, also had a fireplace. We enjoyed walking around the property looking at the sights. Went and had a drink on the patio by the pond was nice. We will be back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: America Inn Suites; City: Ridgecrest California; Review: This place has no sound board in the walls to keep the noise from the neighbors out. Ive stayed here twice and both times you here the room next to yours conversations and them snore after they finally pass out. The rooms are clean but are a little ruff for as new as they are. The reason I stayed here is the price.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Econo Lodge Inn Suites; City: Ridgecrest California; Review: This was the first time staying here. Room was clean . The lady at the front desk was very helpful at check-in. Had breakfast one day and was good more things than most places. The coffee in the rooms was better than the coffee in the lobby. Next time I'm in town I will stay here.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: BlueWater Resort and Casino; City: Parker Arizona; Review: Stayed 4 nights to go off-roading. The price was ok ,room was nice great view of the river and desert from the balcony. The cleaning staff was better during the week more attention to detail than the weekend. The casino is small but nice and clean, slots were very tight. I would stay here again. The lady at the check-in was very friendly also the valet guys at the front doors were friendly always saying thanks for visiting.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Buffalo Bill s Resort Casino; City: Primm Nevada; Review: This place is in need of a remodel and scrubbing. The room was clean but warn. The biggest problem was the restaurants were closed and only open on the weekend evenings. The only choices were Denny's or Mcdonalds .; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Masterpiece Hotel; City: Morro Bay San Luis Obispo County California; Review: The room was large nice and clean. It had a small balcony with 2 chairs. The comp. breakfast was your basic waffles danish coffee and juice. Bed was good and nice bathroom. Check-in Girl was friendly. I would stay here again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cambria Pines Lodge; City: Cambria San Luis Obispo County California; Review: Had a great stay in Cambria and at the Cambria Pines Lodge. Room was nice and clean with a fireplace. The gardens are always well taken care of. Breakfast had lots of good items. The lounge was nice with a band that started around 9:00pm.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Suites Bakersfield Central; City: Bakersfield California; Review: We stayed here a few times. The rooms are large and nice. Very clean, great bed and nice bathroom. The breakfast had more things than most continental breakfast. Great location close to the freeway and restaurants.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Captain s Cove Inn; City: Cambria San Luis Obispo County California; Review: Great price for Moonstone Beach. This place is a little warn and dated but it is clean and cozy. The guy at the front desk was very friendly. The goody basket of treats was nice. They have movies to loan in the office. Moonstone Beach is across the street. I will stay here again when I'm in Cambria.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Longstreet Hotel Casino; City: Amargosa Valley Nevada; Review: Like most people staying here we were going to see Death Valley. The price was good, room was big (got the king bed upgrade) and clean. The only thing is the mattress was very hard with no padding and could feel the springs in it. Ac is a wall mount and they are all noisy but worked well. Ate breakfast at the cafe 2 times and it was good.Servers were friendly. The lake is neat to watch the ducks and goose walk around from the balcony. The only thing that wasn't good was the Casino, If you wanted to move to another machine or wanted to cash out you had to find someone to cash you out because they don't have coupons to cash out with. Just before we left we were playing a machine and won a small bonus and wanted to cash out. We had to go to the check-in desk, than this other guy had to come and see how much the payout was.Then to the cage where all casinos keep the money so I followed him to collect my money and in a rude tone said I pay at the machine.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Harbor Lite Lodge; City: Fort Bragg Mendocino County California; Review: Check in was good. We were early and room wasn't ready yet but we got the keys and were told it would be ready in 20 minutes. We went exploring town and came back to a nice room. Turned on the Tv and didn't work. Called the desk and a nice guy showed up to fix it, very friendly and didn't quit until it was right. Breakfast was good nothing special. Price was good.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Motel 6 Petaluma; City: Petaluma Sonoma County California; Review: It is motel 6. the price was I thought a little high for this room. The place is full of work trucks because it was a Thursday night. The guys were sitting on the sidewalk smoking and drinking in front of there rooms; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Francis Creek Inn at The Red Front Store; City: Ferndale Humboldt County California; Review: Nice room that was clean and price was reasonable. The staff was very friendly and helpful. This place is right on main street so you can walk every place you need to go. Free coffee or tea is in the store that is the office. We will stay here next time we are in Ferndale.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Saddle West Hotel Casino and RV Park; City: Pahrump Nevada; Review: This place is good for the price. The furniture is mismatch and a little warn but the room was clean. If I had to choose a room I would ask for a upstairs room. We had a downstairs room with someone from Front Site staying above us. They started making noise at 5am until 6am by walking back and forth the hole hour than at 6am slam the door .; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Laughlin River Lodge; City: Laughlin Nevada; Review: Had a great time here. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. The room was clean and the bed was good. The only thing was the room was warmer than I like. Had the thermostat turned down all the way on cold and had to open the window to cool it off some more this is in January. I liked this place other than the cooling.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Sound Storm LOPRO10 Amplified Car Subwoofer - 1200 Watts Max Power, Low Profile, 10 Inch Subwoofer, Remote Subwoofer; Brand: Sound Storm Laboratories; Review: Decent sound in a relatively compact package. A bit of a pain to get all the wiring installed, but once it's all straight it works nicely. Beware the extremely bright LED on the remote, it really lights up the interior at night and could be a distraction if mounted in the wrong place. Mines in the center console behind my right elbow and it still lights up the mirror at night.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: banshee Titan- 10.8v 3000mAh High Capacity Battery for Euro-Pro Shark XBT800; Brand: banshee; Review: The battery is well made and fits into the Shark well, but the latch to hold the battery in is all wrong. I had to dis-assemble the unit and file the latch down to get the battery to lock into the Shark. I can clearly see why many people have had problems. The latch is probably the lest expensive part in the whole assembly and really should be corrected.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: CAIG DeOxit Cleaning Solution Spray, 5% spray 5oz; Brand: Caig Labs; Review: This is the best electronics contact de-oxidizer ever, bar none. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ooma Telo Free Home Phone Service. Works with Amazon Echo and Smart Devices; Brand: ooma; Review: Switching from TW to Ooma was the best financial move I've made in years. It's paid for itself many times over. Setup was easy and call quality is as good as any other service, no problems. About $4/month in local and state taxes for unlimited nation wide calling and they have some international plans for those needing that. I highly recommend Ooma as a home phone.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: VicTsing HDMI to VGA Adapter Converter Gold-Plated for PC, Laptop, DVD, Desktop and Other HDMI Input Devices - Black; Brand: VicTsing; Review: Works great, as listed. Plug & play. Great price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Christmas Party LED Projector Light- Tunnkit 14 Switchable Slides/Patterns Decorative Light for Any Holiday,4 Speed Modes, IP65; Brand: Tunnkit; Review: Delivered really quick. Love, love, love these ties!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GRDE Lavnav Modern LED Sensor Motion Activated Toilet Nightlight, White; Brand: GRDE; Review: To bad they only last a few months; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: IllumiBowl Toilet Night Light (As Seen On Shark Tank); Brand: IllumiBowl; Review: great while it lasts. Only last about a few months is all; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moen DN8408CH Preston Paper Holder, Chrome; Brand: Moen; Review: Much better than the standard crap. High quality & easy to install. The handle part is also adjustable. So if you want it farther from the wall. It tightens; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: KES Aluminum Bathroom Glass Rectangular Shelf Wall Mounted Tempered Glass Extra Thick Silver Sand Sprayed, A4126A; Brand: Kes; Review: Great looking. Easy to install. I absolutely love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Tools_and_Home_Improvement |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Camco Durable Mini Dish Drainer Rack and Tray Perfect for RV Sinks, Marine Sinks, and Compact Kitchen Sinks- White; Brand: Camco; Review: Drains your dishes, the quality seems to be good.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thermos Funtainer 10 Ounce Food Jar, Disney Cars; Brand: Thermos; Review: Bought this to keep my childs food insulated (warm) while at school. It does a great job.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AcuRite 00986M Refrigerator/Freezer Wireless Digital Thermometer; Brand: AcuRite; Review: I bought this set when I first purchased a travel trailer, they worked flawlessly. Then when I purchased another travel trailer I moved this one to my kitchen fridge and bought a new set for the new trailer which didn't work out so great. When I first purchased them they seemed to work but the temperatures weren't accurate compared to a mercury thermometer and the other set that I purchased earlier. Because it had been several months and I failed to contact amazon or the seller, I didn't bother with mentioning anything.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GermGuardian Air Purifier Filter FLT4825 GENUINE HEPA Replacement Filter B for AC4825, AC4825E, AC4300BPTCA, AC4850PT, AC4900CA,; Brand: Germ Guardian; Review: I replace my filter 2-3 times a year, these work just as good as the originals!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: HOSPITOLOGY PRODUCTS Sleep Defense System - Waterproof/Bed Bug/Dust Mites - PREMIUM Zippered Mattress Encasement & Hypoallergenic Protector; Brand: HOSPITOLOGY PRODUCTS; Review: Dermatologist recommended this for people with allergies. It hard to tell if it really helps, especially if you keep the room/area very clean. If not, at least you get the waterproof factor out of it in case of spills!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: HOSPITOLOGY PRODUCTS Sleep Defense System - Waterproof/Bed Bug/Dust Mites - PREMIUM Zippered Mattress Encasement & Hypoallergenic Protector; Brand: HOSPITOLOGY PRODUCTS; Review: Dermatologist recommended this for people with allergies. It hard to tell if it really helps, especially if you keep the room/area very clean. If not, at least you get the waterproof factor out of it in case of spills!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: EZ-DUZ-IT Deluxe Can Opener with Black Grips; Brand: EZ-DUZ-IT; Review: Purchased this to use in our camper and it works great. It opens the can without issue, not difficult to turn either.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The State of Me; Author: Visit Amazon's Nasim Marie Jafry Page; Review: Nasim Marie Jafry's The State of Me is a clever and tightly written novel which documents the life of Helen Fleet who suffers from M.E. More commonly known in the Unites States as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and even more commonly misunderstood, this bright and witty debut paints a clear and often laugh-out-loud portrayal of a woman suffering from an illness no one understands or even believes in. Few authors are able to really describe the inner world of a character and I found myself nodding in recognition at some of Helen's neurotic and dramatic thoughts and hilarious foibles. This novel is immensely appealing - not only to someone suffering an illness, but to anyone who has been in love, who has wished, like Helen Fleet, that they had a photo of a happy family in their wallet rather than one of her cat, or to anyone who just wants to be lost in the world of a remarkably drawn character. I loved it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Haloman: A Memoir of Survival Against All Medical Odds; Author: Visit Amazon's Alan Goodfried Page; Review: It was a pleasure to be privy to Alan's personal story and a must-read for anyone who has gone through a traumatic physical experience. Alan's humor and personal grace are quite evident in his book and most likely is one of the reasons he has been able to surmount the obstacle of being "halo-man."; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands; Author: ; Review: This was a fun book to read but I found myself becoming sad for this woman and a little tired of her endless pursuit of meaningless sex and mindless drinking. (Of course - the title does give it away!) There are moments that are laugh out loud hilarious and clever - and those make the book worth it. A great read for the beach - and one to give away to a friend after reading. Not one to save and treasure for rereading.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Elizabeth Street; Author: Visit Amazon's Laurie Fabiano Page; Review: I really enjoyed Elizabeth Street - although it was quite sad at times. Seemed very realistic and truthful. Definite recommend.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Way of the Happy Woman: Living the Best Year of Your Life; Author: Visit Amazon's Sara Avant Stover Page; Review: I liked some of the ideas in the book - but find it a bit too confining and found the yoga posture illustrations a bit difficult to follow. Interesting recipe for avocado chocolate mousse. One of the richest desserts I ever ate!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Easy Spanish Phrase Book: Over 770 Basic Phrases for Everyday Use (Dover Easy Phrase); Author: ; Review: I had hoped that I could get around Nicaragua with my very limited Spanish and this phrase book - but I really just needed a dictionary. It was useful for a few things - such as finding a room in a hotel - but it would have been more helpful had there been possible responses included as well since I was stuck once I repeated my phrase, I would just bring a dictionary next time.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Valley of Amazement; Author: Visit Amazon's Amy Tan Page; Review: I love all of Amy Tan's work but did not enjoy this novel. In many ways, I looked forward to it being over. The characters felt lifeless and shallow and I was continually frustrated by their choices and mistakes they were historically making. That being said, characters are flawed just like humans and so it does smack of truth but the book never really gets into the interior of the soul of any one character. Amy Tan's writing is always good; hence the three stars but I was disappointed.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Secret Keeper: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Kate Morton Page; Review: I liked the Secret Keeper but never really connected to any of the characters although I enjoyed the story. Not one of those books I will read again.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Covenant (Abram's Daughters) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Beverly Lewis Page; Review: I read this book because I was travelling to PA and wanted a little bit of inside information to the Amish (even if fictionalized). I enjoyed the book - but realized that it was basically the same sort of the soap opera story set in Amish country. Typical boy meets girl - boy lies to girl - girl becomes pregnant - etc. The fact that it was set in 1946 is irrelevant as well - since the Amish have not really changed in hundreds of years. It is part of a series - so you need to read further books to conclude the story. I chose not to do so.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Etched in Sand: A True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island; Author: Visit Amazon's Regina Calcaterra Page; Review: This is a really well written book. I was captivated by her story and just horrified at what she went through. There was no redemption for the cruelty, narcissism and lack of love by the mother - but Regina certainly survived and thrived despite the enormous odds faced. Unfortunately - there are lots of children who go through horrendous childhoods - and so many of them end up incarcerated - and do not have the success - or the books to tell their story. I would have liked to have known how her siblings fared as well.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: We Are Water: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Wally Lamb Page; Review: I enjoyed We are Water once I actually got into it but was disappointed. I have loved all of Wally Lamb's book - and this did not come close to passing muster. I became irritated at the characters and felt that certain plot points felt completely unnatural and forced. An entire new family was introduced in one chapter or two - and other than a brief mention with the character Belinda in the end - it went absolutely no where and seemed pointless to me. The character of Viveca seemed stereotypical without any depth whatsoever. She was painted as a rich selfish snob through the entire book - then there seemed to be some attempt to redeem her at the end without ever showing any change in the character at all. I thought it should have ended numerous times and found myself racing to finish it because I was so ready to have it over.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Let's Pretend This Never Happened: (A Mostly True Memoir); Author: Visit Amazon's Jenny Lawson Page; Review: The book was entertaining but honestly - I got very tired of being in the head of the author all the time. There were constant "asides," and they felt endless at times. I just wanted to read her story - which seemed interesting - and not constantly be talked to over by the author over and over.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: He's History, You're Not: Surviving Divorce After 40; Author: Visit Amazon's Erica Manfred Page; Review: Although my circumstances were not the same as that of the author of this book (my ex-husband did not cheat on me (that I am aware of), I am younger than the author and I filed the papers - enough of it resonated with me to be very helpful. You need things like this when going through the painful hell of divorce - and I wish the author and her readers well.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love and Trouble: A Midlife Reckoning; Author: Visit Amazon's Claire Dederer Page; Review: This was a self-absorbed memoir that neglected to captivate my interest at all. I expected more and was quite disappointed.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Rabbit: The Autobiography of Ms. Pat; Author: Visit Amazon's Patricia Williams Page; Review: Pretty amazing story. I'm glad it has the chance to be told.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: AccuSharp 001C Knife Sharpener; Brand: AccuSharp; Review: Works great!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vidalia Chop Wizard 67366, Large, Green; Brand: VIDALIA CHOP WIZARD; Review: It works great!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Baker's Secret Basics Premium Nonstick 6-Cup Muffin Pan; Brand: Baker's Secret; Review: Perfect for my toaster oven!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AUCH 1Pcs Multifunctional Vegetable/Fruit/Melon Yarn Cutter/Slicer/Chopper; Brand: Auch; Review: It works great!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pack of 6 Bread & Bagle Clips; Brand: Chef Craft; Review: These are wonderful!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Ready Player One; Author: Visit Amazon's Ernest Cline Page; Review: I really enjoyed this novel! As someone who has played World of Warcraft, has participated in the virtual world of Second Life and is a former high school teacher, I felt the world Cline creates is very plausible and I could relate to it. The characters were so likeable, real, and well developed it made me care about what happens to them. I had a hard time putting this one down. This novel was very well written and I look forward to reading more of his work.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Agent to the Stars; Author: Visit Amazon's John Scalzi Page; Review: I really enjoyed reading Agent to the Stars. It was just so funny, absurd and witty. It made me giggle quite a few times and the characters were all so quirky but also surprisingly normal when you think about it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Flowertown; Author: Visit Amazon's S. G. Redling Page; Review: This book was a fun read. I really liked the main character, she wasn't your stereotypical female so I could relate to her. The premise is very plausible and with all the chemicals that are transported every day, something I could believe could happen. I am looking forward to reading more of S. G. Redling's work.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Domain of the Dead; Author: Visit Amazon's Iain McKinnon Page; Review: The story started with an interesting plot line and the first chapter wasn't bad; intriguing enough to get me to purchase it, anyway. As I read further into it, I became more and more annoyed at how no effort was given to character development. Characters were as flat, as uninteresting and as predictable as cardboard. Along with the numerous typos, grammatical errors, misspelling of words that jerked me out of the story repeatedly; the lack of anything other than a stereotypical flat character was perturbing. I managed to slog through it, as I do love zombie tales, because it had such promising beginnings; but then, it ends abruptly and you are told the story continues in the next book. The first book I would not even consider a whole book as it ended in the middle of what was meant to be a climatic moment. Major editing and a writing coach may have saved this book. I just felt like it was high school student's first big writing project. A very disappointing, amateurish and annoying read.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Reamde: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Neal Stephenson Page; Review: I really loved this book, I have enjoyed his other novels as well, but this one was pure fun. I could really relate to some of the gaming society being an online gamer myself.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane CD: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Neil Gaiman Page; Review: Another greatly entertaining read from Neil Gaiman. I really enjoyed his world and main character. I had a hard time putting this one down.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Orphan Master's Son: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Adam Johnson Page; Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The main character was easy to identify with and the setting was an eye-opener into what it might be like to live in a country with an absolute dictator. Sometimes the similarities between North Korea and the American media were a bit eerie.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Mote in God's Eye; Author: Visit Amazon's Larry Niven Page; Review: It took me a long time to slog through this one. At first, I was really into it, but then it just seemed to draaaaaaag.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Trudge: Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Shawn Chesser Page; Review: This book was just awful, very childish, grammar usage was horrible, characters were flat and unrealistic, prose was stilted and awkward. Don't waste your money or time on this.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: So Long, Lollipops: Book 1.5, An Until the End of the World Novella; Author: Visit Amazon's Sarah Lyons Fleming Page; Review: A very fun read!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pulling Up Stakes; Author: Peter David; Review: This was a good story, but a bit disappointing. The main character is likable. It is not a full book though. It ends abruptly at a climatic point. I guess the resolution is to be found in the next book. I won't be buying it. The story was a not unpleasant diversion, but not intriguing enough to make me want more.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Grace Lost (The Grace Series) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's M. Lauryl Lewis Page; Review: An okay story, if you're into the helpless female types who are about as emotionally mature as 7th graders. One of my pet peeves is that it is not a complete book. There is no resolution because I guess I am supposed to buy the next book to see what happens after the sort of climatic moment of finding out she's pregnant. But the characters and the writing just aren't enough to make me want to buy the next installment.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Lee Women's Petite Curvy Fit Elena Straight Leg Jean; Brand: ; Review: Bought it for her because of all of the 5 star ratings. They were not lying - her favorite pants by far. Good points ;); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lee Women's Petite Curvy Fit Nina Bootcut Jean; Brand: ; Review: My wife is picky about her clothes with respect to style and fit. This product passed her test. Good job; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Avia Men's A339M; Brand: ; Review: I've always liked Avia, and the low price on this model was the clincher. Glad I went for it. Feels solid and comfortable - now my favorite shoe.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wrangler Men's Big & Tall Rugged Wear Relaxed Fit Jean; Brand: ; Review: No better value in clothing. Amazon always has my size. The fit is perfect, they look good, and they last.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ASICS Men's GEL-Contend 3 Running Shoe; Brand: ; Review: Super fit, very light, comfortable, and looks good. The upper breathes well. Happy customer here.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort and Spa; City: Tucson, AZ; Review: I ate at the restaurant with my parents. The view is stunning and they have outside seating either in the open or under shade. Get the homemade chips, they are awesome. I had the Chicken Cobb salad which had lots of chicken and my Dad had the burger with bacon and cheese. Mom just had a side salad and chips. All very good. I haven't stayed at the resort but it appears very nice. Gift shop has nice things but a little pricy. It is an older place so maybe people were expecting something more modern when they hear "resort".; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Whole Foods Market; City: Tucson, AZ; Review: Another excursion with my parents during my trip to Tucson from Fort Worth, Texas, was to the new Whole Foods store. We have one back in Arlington, Texas, but it is not as big as this one. This one is spacious and the produce department has more room for people to navigate with carts than most of their stores. We grazed on the free samples and enjoyed viewing various products. I love the cute bar they have in this store. The prepared foods looked very good with lots of choices for every diet.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sabino Canyon; City: Tucson, AZ; Review: I have been here several times with my parents who live in this area. This recreation area has many hiking trails for all levels of hikers. On the main triails they periodically have rest stops so if that is important to you this is the place to hike. A contractor operates a tram which goes uphill on the main road then turns around and comes back down the hill. So you can tram up and hike down or vice versa. The desert is beautiful and you will see lots of other hikers unless you offroad it. They have a visitor center with a nice gift shop and various picnic areas. I'm not a seriuos hiker so read some of the other postings for more detailed information. If you live in the area the season pass is the best way to go financially.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gaslight Theatre; City: Tucson, AZ; Review: I have been here several times and it is funny! It is small and you must make reservations, but well worth it. Usually packed with the mostly the senior citizen crowd but the shows are always for a wide range of audiences. You can order food to eat while you watch, beer, and ice cream. One drawback is only a few toilets on the premise so you must hold it or wait in line. You get free popcorn to munch on and the pizza is great. Shows are always very funny with singing and dancing and slapstick comedy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Living Rainbow Gift Shop; City: Mount Lemmon, AZ; Review: Very cute gift store on Mt Lemmon with a variety of items. The owner makes various bell strands and bead items but also has t-shirts and other more touristy items available. Prices are reasonable. This shop had burned down after the fire some years back and is now rebuilt.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sawmill Run Restaurant; City: Mount Lemmon, AZ; Review: I ate here today with my parents on Mt. Lemmon. As mentioned below in other reviews it is a little more pricy than if you ate somewhere in Tucson proper, but since you can count the number of eateries up there on one hand you can account for the higher price. My parents had the reuben and I had the brisket sandwich. Very good, lots of meat, etc, in the sandwiches. You pick your side, we had the cucumber & tomato salad. They have great deserts, we had the bread pudding with ice cream which was huge. The interior is modern and has relics/photos from the mountain's past on the walls. Also a nice fireplace, bar, and outside patio eating area. If the price bothers you they have picnic areas on Mt. Lemmon and you can bring you own food instead.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Art of Persuasion: Winning Without Intimidation; Author: Visit Amazon's Bob Burg Page; Review: I kept asking myself why I couldn't see this stuff until I read this book! Now I am armed. Now I understand myself better, and I understand how to deal with people who have been able to manipulate me in the past. Great book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: X3001 Final Odyssey; Author: ARTHUR C CLARKE; Review: Good story if you can just dismiss the initial premise - the science just doesn't work. But if you can ignore that and go with it, it was a good book. It's not a typical Clarke book because his science is usually solid. In this book, Clarke does go on to paint a picture of a very plausible future for humanity. I'm not in love with the explanation about the monoliths, but I'm not sure what would have been a better explanation. Mostly I enjoyed reading what Clarke thinks our lives will be like in 3001. If you've ever read "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and know how much of what Jules Verne described actually came true, than you may enjoy wandering around in the "probably pretty accurate" future with Clarke in "3001".; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Atomic Times: My H-Bomb Year at the Pacific Proving Ground; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Harris Page; Review: Wow. I thought I knew what happened . . . apparently I did not. This is a multi-generational book: I read it, then bought a copy for my father and my son. We all loved it. It's not a "feel good" story, so I admit I put it down occasionally and took a break. But it's a story that should be told to the world. The author did a magnificent job at putting us in his shoes. Buy it. Read it. Share it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Scent of the Missing: Love and Partnership With a Search-and-Rescue Dog; Author: Visit Amazon's Susannah Charleson Page; Review: I had no idea that SAR teams are usually volunteers. Susannah Charleson: thank you for all you do, and thank you for sharing the details of search and rescue (behind the scenes). The book is well written and makes you want to run out and volunteer somewhere for something.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Don't Let Me Go; Author: Visit Amazon's Catherine Ryan Hyde Page; Review: Great read! Great characters! This was a wonderful book and did not dissapoint (I had high expectations from the author of Pay It Forward). I did find myself asking if this child would have that sort of presence, but then I'd decide I didn't really care. I just went with it and enjoyed the story tremendously.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In Her Name: The Last War; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael R. Hicks Page; Review: As always, Hicks delivers! He is an accomplished author who deserves the kudos he receives. This is one of three books, so you have to be ready to head into a trilogy, but that just means your worst problem is that you'll be shushing people who are trying to get you to watch TV, go to work, clean the house, buy groceries . . . So disconnect the cable, fake an illness so your employer will let you stay home and read, hire a maid, and stock up on frozen food - and then head out on a grand adventure.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: From Chaos Born (in Her Name: The First Empress, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Michael R. Hicks Page; Review: I found this author's book on how to self-publish and almost fainted. I'd read all his other books and I would have bet money that they were edited by professionals at a big name publishing house! ALL of his books are well written, and the kudos he gets from the vast number of his readers is well deserved. This one did not disappoint. GREAT read. Unfortunately - and you should know this going into this trilogy - book 3 is not out and the author has finally announced that although he will finish it at some point, he has decide (for his own reasons) to work on new material first and get back to this trillogy at a later date.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Forged in Flame (in Her Name: The First Empress, Book 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Michael R. Hicks Page; Review: Thumbs up yet again! Great read. Well written as usual. Unfortunately the author began this trilogy and then decided to put off release of the final book in favor of new projects. As a loyal reader, this doesn't sit well with me. We, the readers, start a trilogy based on an implied commitment on the part of the author: that by the time we get to book 3, it will be out or at least scheduled for release in a timely manner. Hicks is one of my favorite authors and I will continue to purchase his books - but in future I will wait for all the books in a series to be released before purchasing them. I initially gave this book 5 stars because book three was promised and a release date set. Then the date was revised and promised again. Recently the author announced that there is no release date set for the final book. A trilogy is a book in 3 parts. We who purchased books one and two in this trilogy are in the middle of the story and have been left hanging. I'm taking off two stars because the series remains incomplete with no foreseeable final book forthcoming.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sihpromatum: I Grew My Boobs in China (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Savannah Grace Page; Review: Just buy it and read it - it will change your views on life. This is a story that is destined to be a classic. It's rich and deep; poignant; and the type of writing that makes you forget you're not "there." Again: just buy it and read it. You will love it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Becoming Human: A Dystopian Post Apocalyptic Novel (Exilon 5 Book 1) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Eliza Green Page; Review: Clear your calendar, buy some frozen dinners, and shut off your phone. You're not going to want to put this one down until the very last page. And then you might want to take a little break to clean house, run errands, and return calls before you order book two and do it all again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Annihilation of Foreverland; Author: Visit Amazon's Tony Bertauski Page; Review: I must admit, I saw the ending pretty early in the book. But the writing was tight and fast-paced, and enjoyable anyway. Even though I figured out the ending, I knew there was a sequel so I was intrigued enough to buy book two, to see where ELSE the story is going. Yes, I would recommend the book. Character development was outstanding. I just enjoyed "spending time" with the characters. They were fleshed out nicely and very believable.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The God Particle: If the Universe Is the Answer, What Is the Question?; Author: Visit Amazon's Leon Lederman Page; Review: Who writes a book about particle physics and has people stitches? Leon Lederman! I can't tell you anything or I will ruin it for you, but this is one of the most entertaining books I have read, and you'd think the subject would be boring! It probably is boring - but Lederman is hilarious - he makes you laugh and learn, and love all of it. I have no background in math or physics, but this was actually a great read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Caprice; Author: Visit Amazon's Laura Parker Page; Review: If you like Historical or Contemporary Romance, you'll love Laura's books. Her books have it all - substance, intrigue, tight-writing, and yes, also romance. I must admit, I am not a Romance fan per se. But Laura's books read more like classic historical fiction. So please give her a look, no matter what you typically read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Foreverland is Dead; Author: Visit Amazon's Tony Bertauski Page; Review: Good read. It does have quite a few distracting typos, but the story was a nice continuation of book one. I did wonder what happened to the girls, so this wrapped up the plot nicely. DO NOT PEEK or you will spoil the story for yourself, but the very last line of this book was an OMG line! Brilliant.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Gathering Darkness (The Fourth Awakening Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Rod Pennington Page; Review: The premises had me skeptical at first, but the story turned out to be believable and something I easily lost myself in. This story picked up where book one left off, and I thought book one was seriously complete. I couldn't imagine what else there could be to the story, but I was wrong. Rod Pennington did an amazing job of producing two books that stand on their own, but expand into another story if you read them both. Brilliant. My worst problem was that I missed doing a lot of chores in favor of getting back to this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Fourth Awakening; Author: Visit Amazon's Rod Pennington Page; Review: Penelope Drayton Spence is just trying to get back to work as a journalist now that her husband and kids have moved on. Her first assignment changes her life forever, and tosses her into a no-turning-back adventure that is beyond compelling. Suddenly she is in the thick of a mystery whose solution will change the whole world. She oscillates between being fascinated by, and utterly terrified of, a man she is asked to simply interview. But this is no ordinary interview and this is no ordinary man. Is he the malicious and dangerous person the government says he is? Or is he a brilliant revolutionary who is literally the key to a new era about to dawn on man-kind? In this fast-paced, tightly written gem of a story, the author sends Penelope (and us) on the ride of a lifetime, and manages to keep us from guessing at the ending until the very last line. Possibly one of the best books I have ever read. If you like Dan Brown, you'll like Rod Pennington.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Short History of the World; Author: Visit Amazon's Christopher Lascelles Page; Review: I got this because it was recommended by a friend. Surprisingly great read! I didn't think I needed or had time for a world history lesson, but it's a short book: and in an amazingly small text Lascelles grabs historically significant people and places and tells you how they tie together. Very well written - surprisingly interesting - easy to read. My only complaint is that the maps were hard to see on my Kindle and couldn't be enlarged. But that's a function of my Kindle and not the author's fault.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: When I Found You; Author: Visit Amazon's Catherine Ryan Hyde Page; Review: I've read 3 of Catherine Ryan Hyde's books and they're all outstanding. She takes a small event and spins a tale around it that just takes your breath away. I love her outlook on life. All 3 books made me examine my own thought processes. Very good; yes I recommend this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Getting Rid of It: The Step-by-step Guide for Eliminating the Clutter in Your Life; Author: Ms Betsy Talbot; Review: The book is nice. If you're not an especially organized person, there are a lot of ideas in this book for you. But I hoped for some 'outside the box' techniques and I'd already thought of almost everything in the book. That said, my mother was a neat freak, so maybe not everyone has thought of this stuff. I'd say if you are finding it difficult to get organized, give this book a try. If you know what to do but just need to find the motivation, save your money. I fall in this last catagory.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Xenophobia; Author: Visit Amazon's Peter Cawdron Page; Review: Peter Cawdron has given a LOT of thought to the 'what if's' regarding first contact. In this book he shows us that, whether we fear or yearn for contact with extraterrestrial life, not many of us have given much thought to how we will establish communications in the event we ever do make contact. We can't even have a meaningful dialog with most of the inhabitants on earth, including other species and even humans raised in a culture other than our own. How then are we to 'talk' to ET if he pays a visit? And what will ET think of humanity when he/she/it looks down on the planet from orbit and sees us warring with each other? Mr. Cawdron addresses all of this in Xenophobia and he does it well. A huge high five to this indie author for the 'finger wagging' I've seen him aim at fellow indie authors: the gist being "Pease hone your craft and don't put out substandard prose just because there is no one in your way." Quite right. I've read some amazing indie novels and I applaud those who are disciplined enough to put out a manuscript without an editor hovering and nagging. But I am sad that so many of these authors seem to miss the idea that writing is an art that has to be learned. It's sad to read a great first draft, full of typos and other distracting mistakes - a book that could have been brilliant but was released prematurely (out of ignorance or arrogance). Cawdron is either paying a professional editor or he is a true writer in every sense of the word. His work is compelling and his technique gets better and better with every book. More over, his first publications were leagues better than most independent books. I have great respect for this author and will continue to look for his next work, and the next one, and . . . Bravo!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Feedback; Author: Mr Peter Ronald Cawdron; Review: The blurb on this book probably caught your attention, or you wouldn't be reading the reviews to see if you want to order the book. Order the book. As interesting as the blurb was, the book is exponentially more exciting. Hire a maid, put the dog in a kennel, tell your friends you are off to a desert island on vacation and there is no cell phone reception, and pull the shades . . . you're not going to want to put this one down until you read the very last word. I've read 4 Cawdron books, which were recommended to me by a very unlikely source. If this person tells me to read a book, I expect excellence. I picked up my first Cawdron book with some hesitation because I could not believe the recommendation was for an indie author. I said it in a review for another of his books, but i will repeat it here: either Cawdron is paying a professional editor or he is a true writer in every sense of the word. He is honing his craft nicely and each new book is better than the one before.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wool - Omnibus Edition; Author: Visit Amazon's Hugh Howey Page; Review: I hate to classify this as disutopian, because it's a cross-over on several unexpected levels. I would also classify it as mystery, scifi (with solid science and not in space where so many scifi's seem to take place), and maybe even romance-lite. I won't sum up the plot, because other reviewers have already done that. But I will tell you something amazing. I edit manuscripts professionally, and I used to shy away from indie authors because I find myself wanting to print the book, get out a my old-school red pen, mark up the manuscript, and send it to the author. NOT ONCE while reading Wool Omnibus did notice the prose in Hugh Howey's books. I was just a reader! What a treat! I am looking for my next Howey book and I will continue to read Howey, Cawdron, Pennington, Hicks . . and I will continue to watch who these 'cream of the crop' authors recommend and read. Well done! Just . . . well done!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need; Author: Visit Amazon's Andrew Tobias Page; Review: It's a good guide on how to plan for retirement and gives specific steps to follow. Our only complaint (and this may not be a negative for everyone) was that the author devoted quite a bit of the book to explaining how to "live small" which is good advice, but the book was advertised as an investment guide. He does finally get to the investing part. (As I said, the initial advice may be beneficial to others, but we were already living that way). The investment strategies are sound and well laid out. The advice is definitely from a qualified source. It's well written and easy to understand, even if you don't have a background in economics, banking, investment . . . definitely written for a broad audience. Yes, we do recommend it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Anomaly; Author: Mr Peter Cawdron; Review: You're standing in front of the UN building and suddenly a small section of your visual field starts to do strange things. Your mind can't quite figure it out. What is happening? Your brain can't believe your eyes when you do start to interpret what you're seeing. And now that you're looking at this anomaly with some idea about what's going on . . . Wow. No! How can your idea be true? And if it is true, what does that mean? Is there danger? You're definitely intrigued! What in the world (or not) could possibly be doing this? Whatever you think the answer is, you're probably only close. There is a twist and it's a doozy. I've read several Cawdron books and he has an interesting mind to be sure. Moreover, he is a very dedicated and talented writer who takes great pride in his craft. If the blurb caught your attention, go ahead and buy the book. The plot is thicker than molasses. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sand; Author: Visit Amazon's Hugh Howey Page; Review: "Other men concern themselves with getting their family up on their feet. Rose had fallen for a man who left her on her back." These two sentences say so much more than it would seem - and that is one reason I admire Hugh Howey. I love his mastery of prose. He writes a great story, and he does it well. You'll have to read the book to find out why these two sentences are artful, but this is just one example. Howey's prose hits the ground in a "dive" and the pace never lets up. Try it. You'll like it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Curtain - A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Patrick Ord Page; Review: This is not the smoothest prose on the planet - the author definitely needs to hone his craft or hire an editor - BUT read the reviews at least, because you should know. I'm not closing any social media accounts and I do want those club discounts, but it is a decision I make with my eyes open. We all should. We all know what we're doing, right? I'm here, you're here . . . we're sharing info on a number of sites . . . pictures, wish-lists . . . and we all read those user agreements of course. Don't we? I mean who signs a contract without reading it? I know I pour over the user agreements on everything, including updates to software on my devices - I make an appointment with my attorney before electronically signing - NOT! We have profiles here, on Google, on Facebook. We have club cards for our favorite stores so we can get those bonus points and coupons. No biggie. Right? At very least, read all the reviews here. The book would have been better as a non-fiction publication, but the author apparently felt he would reach a wider audience with a work of fiction. He certainly got my attention.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Synchronic: 13 Tales of Time Travel; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Bunker Page; Review: What would it be like to go back in time and have a "do-over" - to be able to fix a horrible mistake? That would be wonderful, wouldn't it? But how do we know what is a mistake and what is destined to be? And after you've fixed that big event, will you be tempted to go back over and over, fixing this and that? What if the one true love of your life was born in another time, and you could only see each other in a mathematically ordained sequence of moments? Would you take the time that was available to you, or would you settle for less? These ideas and more are explored in Syncronic. One nice thing about an anthology is that you can pick out a story and read it at the doctor's office or in one sitting before bed . . . A novel - a good one - threatens to disrupt your day. It keeps whispering "come back to me" and the dishes pile up and you neglect work . . . On the other hand, it's almost a given that you'll like some stories a lot and others not so much in an anthology. Such was the case for me in Synchronic. That said, the majority were good reads from my point of view.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eleanor: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Jason Gurley Page; Review: Eleanor is the story of "what if; if only; I wish, and, I should have . . ." It is the story of what happens when lives are lived as if those lives are absolutely your own - as if your choices have no effect on those who journey with you, or on those who come after or through you . . . and then what if some event woke someone up? I can't tell you any more without spoiling the story, but I can tell you this is a tale that will have you examining your own life, your own choices, and living more carefully ever after. Eleanor is a coming of age story: of moving from adolescence into adulthood, and of learning to take stock and own up. I have seen it described here as fantasty/scifi/time-travel. I see it is a much broader book, and I think those elements are seen in Eleanor more because of Jason Gurley's track record than because the book belongs to any of those genre. I am glad to see Gurley branching out. I always thought he was capable of more. He continues to hone his craft and his prose has greatly improved with each book. Eleanor is his best work yet.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pennsylvania; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Bunker Page; Review: An Amish SciFi. If you're not intrigued, check your pulse. LOL But this NOT a gimmicky book. I won't rehash the plot, because so much of it has already been laid out in countless reviews already. I'll just tell you why I can definitively say, yes, go ahead and buy the book if the plot interests you--because the writing is good and the talent is there. I have been following Michael Bunker for a while now and I have to say, he has clearly read the greats: Asimov, Bradbury, Vogut, Clark, Heinlein . . . He's a bit of a walking conundrum, but that is what makes his material new and different. (You can actually find him online and he is a very interesting guy, but it's a bit like pulling back the curtain and seeing the wizzard. lol) He really does live in two worlds. "Pennsylvania" is definitely different. Had I not been familiar with his work, I would, without a doubt, have scoffed and passed on this book. I'm glad I knew better! I loved this book and I'm looking forward to the release of Oklahoma. Michael gets better with every new release, and he has a very interesting take on life. As a writer, he is exceedingly disciplined, and although he is still a young writer, he writes like someone with more much experience than he has. The book is quite good and I highly recommend it. It's not formula scifi, that's for sure.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A History of Wales; Author: Visit Amazon's John Davies Page; Review: Easy to read, informative, comprehensive, and more entertaining than you would think considering it is a history book. I got it as a reference, but it has proven to be an enjoyable read as well.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Sweet Satan; Author: Mr Peter Ronald Cawdron; Review: The mysteries start on page one. Jasmine Holden isn't sure which "reality" is real--is she here or is she there? Then she's not sure if the one person she recognizes, and should be able to trust--utterly-- is really "him" or some alternate version of her "him." To top it off, there is something very wrong with the entire mission. The crew are fighting an enemy, that much is certain. But who is the enemy and what is his or her motive? Is it the obvious suspect, or is there some sort of subterfuge going on? That strange message from Saturn's moon, Bestla . . . the very reason they're out there. What to make of that? If there is something or someone on Bestla, why would they send such a message? "I want to live and die for you, Satan." What sort of conversation starter is that? Is that what's going on? What the heck is going on? I thought I had it figured out, but nope. Cawdron managed a twist at the last minute that I didn't see coming. Smart, engaging, fast-paced, and yes, I do recommend it. I enjoyed the book enough to read it in one sitting.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Monsters; Author: Visit Amazon's Peter Cawdron Page; Review: "Monsters" . . . dystopian? Yes, but it's much more than that. In Cawdron's tale man has been displaced as the pinnacle species; life is a struggle, cheap, and short. But the thing that could change everything is lost--the thing that is always lost when humans have to spend all their time staying alive and finding enough to eat day to day--knowledge. And knowledge (of history, science, the medical arts . . .) becomes legend, and then mythology, and eventually threatens those in power and is regarded as superstition. Anyone who is able to read is a threat to authority and must be eliminated. Humans are not only hunted by the enormous animals that have become over sized due a cataclysmic event, but they're living in the dark ages again. There are only two choices for the characters in Cawdron's book: survive or try to really live. Neither promises a long life, and both choices guarantee frightening choices. So it comes down to conscience and making choices about what your life is worth in the long run, and for what are you willing to sacrifice everything. I've read several of Cawdron's books and no two are alike. The only thing they all have in common is a streak of wit and evidence that the author has a very interesting mind. Yes, "Monsters" is highly recommended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dark Revenant: Chronicle of the Five Book One (Volume 1); Author: Garek Rohan; Review: A first work by this up and coming author, Godrik not only creates a suspenseful YA tale but he manages to avoid a pitfall that plagues many adults writing to this genre: insulting your audience. Godriks dialog is natural and believable and moves the story. Moreover, he does not shy from tough subjects. Rather than sterilizing the prose, topics that real youth face are touched upon appropriately, but with sensitivity. Kudos to this author for his honesty and bravery, and I hope we see more from him in the future.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gene Cards (Skyler Donohue) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's E. E. Giorgi Page; Review: Gene Cards by E.E. Giorgi kept me up nights: 1.) because I just couldn't put the book down and 2.) because the science in this scifi thriller is spot on. A brilliantly written, fast paced, dystopian tale set in a very credible future. Giorgi calls on her background as a scientist to create this future world and the circumstances, and none of it is a stretch. Add to that the fact that the characters possess such depth and complexity that you feel like you know them personally. Skyler and Yulia are polar opposites but Giorgi puts you inside their heads to just the right degree, and you find yourself identifying with both, rooting for both. Fresh, unique spin on this genre, definitely didn't see the ending . . . wow. I see a sequel in the future . . . or at least I hope so! But this book is definitely a stand-alone in any event. Highly recommended. .; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The A.I. Chronicles (The Future Chronicles); Author: Visit Amazon's Samuel Peralta Page; Review: Well now I wish I had a time machine so I could go back and read the stories again, and not know the end! This was certainly a timely topic for this installment of The Future Chronicles: Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, Lord Martin Rees have been in the news. They and other "names" went so far as to write an an open letter asking for a change in A.I. research priorities: Hawking having voiced his concern that the development of A.I. could spell the end of the human race; Musk likening it to summoning demons. Whether you agree or not it's immensely entertaining (and maybe a little bit educational) to "go there" in our heads, especially via the minds of talented scifi writers who have thought long and hard on the subject, and then written exceptionally well. Wonderful stories all! I was impressed by the diversity of style and vision. No spoilers, but here is a little teaser for each: The Syntax of Consciousness (Pavarti K. Tyler) You've won the lottery! You have total access to everything, all the time: holo-displays, instant data . . . everything on the net . . . All of it--plus your own personal assistant to run and interpret everything for you! No need to hook into a port or pop into an internet cafe . . . just listen to that little voice in your head. What could go wrong? Piece of Cake (Patrice Fitzgerald) What if you didn't have to worry about finding the perfect spouse, or maintaining perfect weight or getting the perfect amount of exercise? What if all of those bothersome little details were taken care of for you? It's simple, really. All you have to do is follow the program. Seriously . . . don't go there. Just follow the program. Its for your own good. Really. Restore (Susan Kaye Quinn) What if you programmed a robot with one "law"--unconditional love. Now it's an emotion, not a simple law. Laws are easier to reconcile as "if/then" statements. Emotions can be ambiguous. How will a robot tasked with healing the human masters it loves, deal with an impossible choice, especially when forced to feel the emotions of the choices made? Narai (E.E. Giorgi) When a family physician is forced to take a back seat to the new artificial intelligence that replaces all diagnosticians. . . . Well that is quite an adjustment. But then he suspects the A.I. is wrong about the death of a patient and he has a decision to make. Does he fight the system? Or does he shut up and keep his job? As it turns out, the company psychotherapist helps him get a grip; helps him get a handle on whos who, how things are run, and what happened to the patient. And that lets the doctor finally decide what he's going to do about it all and to whom. Left Foot on a Blind Man (Julie E. Czerneda) Funny and smart, this story explores something we see every day. Prosthetics: arms, legs, feet . . . Artificial; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tales of Tinfoil: Stories of Paranoia and Conspiracy; Author: Visit Amazon's Nick Cole Page; Review: A wonderful collection of short stories by a host of "who's who" indie authors, edited by none other than David Gatewood . . . brilliant! It's like someone packaged a sampler and said "Here. You've heard of them, but maybe you haven't read each of them. Here is a little something by every author. And this time they're all writing about the same topic so you can see their different styles side by side." And of course there is this conspiracy thing . . . I mean, the stories ARE all works of fiction. Right? Right! I must say though, Chris Pourteaus The French Deception will have me looking at the Lincoln Memorial differently the next time I visit. I will study that statue and wonder if that really is the face of the man from Kentucky or . . . And Peter Cawdrons Heil Hitler! made me shudder. Perhaps Dj vu is more than a curious feeling. Maybe it is the residual of something terrifying! Edward W. Robertsons The Final Flight of Michael Aoki touched my heart and was a nice spin on one of our oldest conspiracy theories (UFO's). Richard Gleaves Under the Grassy Knoll is my new favorite Kennedy assassination theory. Makes more sense than anything offered up thus far! Jennifer Elliss Manufacturing Elvis is hilarious and just plausible enough to make you think twice. All of the stories are great. Definitely recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Akaela (Mayake Chronicles) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's E. E. Giorgi Page; Review: E. E. Giorgi is a favorite author for me and it's no surprise that her debut in YA is nothing short of spectacular. Her characters are at once familiar and heroictangible, true to life teens born into a post-apocalyptic world (that even the adult characters find almost overwhelming), yet the young characters face life head on. The spirit of youth carries the story, reminding the reader that when a generation grows weary of life, it is right of passage that keeps the species alive; and when rules and regulations threaten to stagnate a culture, it is the vernal yearning for freedom that stretches (and sometimes breaks) the bindings, by necessity. Young life always stretches up and out, never accepting the idea of hiding safely away. In this story of hardship in a new harsh world, Giorgi reminds us all that young hearts and minds are our greatest resource, and her tale inspires a new generation to reach out, past whatever challenges might exist in their personal worlds. Well done!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: What We Left Behind (Zombie Nightmares) (Volume 1); Author: Mr Peter Ronald Cawdron; Review: Cawdron's zees are the not dumb, shuffling, good-for-target-practice creatures weve seen in early zombie tales. These are cunning predators; zombies who hunt you back. And Cawdron reminds us that these monsters were once our mothers and sons, neighbors and friends, which makes them even more terrifying, because your instinct is to want to help someone who used to love you. All the while, young Hazel mourns the comforts and joys that are in the past, as she seeks to create a meaningful life in the world as it is now and find a way to make that life worth living. The science is plausible, which makes the tale that much scarier. All of the emotions run high in this very insightful tale. Well thought out; well written; highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Z Chronicles (The Future Chronicles); Author: Visit Amazon's Samuel Peralta Page; Review: Well, zombies are everywhere: on TV, in comics, all over Hollywood . . . And they're getting faster, meaner, deadlier. Weve pretty much seen it all right? Not! Oh no, you aint seen nothin yet! And, hey, while you're conjuring up how these Zombies could be new and improved in ways you have yet to imagine, consider what sorts of weird things humanity, entertainment, science, and just about every aspect of civilization might get up to while this apocalypse is going on. Heres a little teaser (no spoilers) on each of the stories. "Vindica" by Ann Christy: The apocalypse . . . its always just around the corner in one form or another. But those of us who are privileged have the money to buy a little real estate and guarantee our survival. Easy! Yeah, but were going to need services. I mean, who will clean the gym, the pool . . . the common areas? Who's going to whip up those culinary delights, serve them, and then do the dishes? Well not us, of course. Oh! I know! The have-not-quite-the-price-of-admissions! Yes! Allow them to pay as much as we can squeeze out of them (capital is king); give them a spot--not a plush one, but a guarantee of survival; and let them work off the rest of the debt. Well figure out the details after we lock the doors. What could go wrong? Theyre underlings. Theyre used to taking orders and should be darn grateful to be inside, safe and sound. And besides, if they were smart enough to organize some form of insurgence, they wouldnt be underprivileged to begin with. And what would they do anyway? Rebellion would be suicide, at least as far as I can tell. By the way . . . where is the clean-up crew? There is some sort of disgusting liquid out in the hall. And what is that horrid smell? "Six Days" by Theresa Kay: Sarah and her husband, Devin, were doing alright after the zombie plague. Instead of heading for the cities, they fled to the back woodsisolation kept them safe and mostly free to live a normal life for two whole years. But then their 8 month old son, Benjamin, needed some simple things. Did he really need those things or did Sarah just want them for him? Either way, Devin went looking for them and paid dearly. And now Sarah is in a desperate race to save Benjamin . . . before she cant help herself . . . before she is less Mommy and more monster, and finally feasts on that delicious little boy. "Kamika-Z" by Christopher Boore: Who does he think he is! She brought that loser into our house. He can never replace Dad. Family is something he could never understand! But who knew Hell was lose and on the prowl? Even when they hit, we thought we were fighting for our lives, not our souls. I had to do it. I had to! I am 14 years old, but sometimes life demands that you grow up right; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: All Our Tomorrows (Z is for Zombies) (Volume 2); Author: Peter Ronald Cawdron; Review: At this point I'm ready to petition Amazon to implement a feature another Cawdron fan coined "BNMW" which translates "buy no matter what" -- just put his books on auto-buy. If you're a zombie affectionado, you're in for a treat. Here's a new twist you will never see coming. If you're not a zombie tale zealot, not to worry. Cawdron may win you over, because this is not the old shuffling zombie, limbs falling off, "Why the heck don't they just run away from them? They're slow and stupid!" stories that make you wonder if the author was daft or drunk, or hoped you might be both when you read the story. This is a very smart story, the zombies are a WHOLE new breed, and the science is OMG-scary-plausible. I'm impressed, but then I really shouldn't be. It is, after all, Cawdron. I've come to expect fantastic from this author. If he ever writes less than that I'll just pout. But from what I've seen, that's not very likely. So, HEY AMAZON! Can we have that auto buy button please? Just add it to my account. No need for an opt-in. Hook me up to Cawdron and don't even ask. Yes, I want them all, all the time. Good stuff. Highly recommended . . . again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nomad (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Matthew Mather Page; Review: I love a good scifi tale, but this one darn near left me with PTSD because its scary-plausible. Mather did his homework and then some when he set up this scenario. But he went a step further and created characters its impossible not to care about. Actually one of the worst things about the book was that when I finished it, I missed the characters. I wanted more. Well written, thought provoking, and action packed, NOMAD is a real page-turner. Be forewarned: if you start reading this, you better clear your calendar, buy some microwave dinners, and shut off your cell phone, because you're not going to be happy about putting it down until the very last page. And even then, youll be looking for the sequel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The King and the Corpse: Tales of the Soul's Conquest of Evil; Author: Heinrich Zimmer; Review: One of the most well written and comprehensive books on mythology and symbolism I have ever read. This is not a book you will read in one sitting. Rather, it is a work to be read in doses, and one to which you will referred over and over during your lifetime.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Athel (Mayake Chronicles) (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's E. E. Giorgi Page; Review: At this point, when E.E.Gorgi releases another story, I just buy it. She's that good. In this second book of her Chronicle series, we learn more about the Mayake and their struggle for survival in the wake of a devastating plague and subjugation by another race, the Gaijins. Seventeen year old Athel and his friends have discovered that the fabled city of Astraca is real, and they realize that finding it may be the only way to save their people. The Mayake have run out of places to hide and the Gaijins are on the warpath again. But there may be a reason no one has looked for the city until now. Legend suggests that Astraca holds secrets--deadly ones. Even if Athel deciphers the legend and opens the door to Astraca, is he opening the door to a haven, or unleashing a threat worse than the enemies they are fleeing?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Craft of Writing; Author: Visit Amazon's William Sloane Page; Review: I was surprised by Sloane's view on contemporary fiction--he supports and encourages it. I expected a lecture on why we should all aspire to write like "the greats" but nope. He distinguishes between captive readers (students who are forced to read assigned literature in, say, a college class) and voluntary readers (today's Amazon and book store customers), and he supports the idea that an author must write to his/her intended audience. I was surprised by this statement, which he makes early in the book: "When a book is not passing under the eye of a reader, when it is on a shelf, it is nothing but ink, paper, and cloth--an artifact. If it has permanence, if it is a classic, it still has no separate life." He suggests that a reader is a participant, not a spectator; that contemporary authors should learn to captivate the reader and make themselves invisible, and, surprisingly, he does not advocate writing for "posterity." He then goes on to discuss very specific techniques about writing, in detail: how to write a scene, how to know when the scene is finished, the difference between "theme" and "plot" . . . Personally, I would put this book on the "must have" list, right next to Strunk and White.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (7S7S) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Hank Garner Page; Review: Garder grabs you by the throat on page one and never lets go. To say that the main character, Oliver, has a secret is an understatement. It's just a small thing involving nothing less than an apocalypse. He and his little band are an unlikely group: a girlfriend, a dog, and a conspiracy nut. Great. We're all doomed! If only the dad hadn't disappeared! Put on your seat-belt and keep your hands and feet inside at all times, because this is going to be one wild ride, with twists and turns that will keep your head spinning. And I don't care if you are an FBI agent and solve mysteries for a living: you will NEVER see the end coming.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alien Space Tentacle Porn; Author: Peter Ronald Cawdron; Review: A smart little first contact story with a heck of a sense of humor. The blurb says it all: naked man, duct tape, bananas . . . How can this possibly all fit together? Well it does, and in a very entertaining (and thoughtful) way. I don't care if you have a crystal ball, you will not see the end coming. Then again, it's Cawdron, so duh! Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Starship Mine; Author: Mr Peter Cawdron; Review: Alluring, dazzling, charming, beautifully written. Cawdron's characters are people you will miss when you close the book. The story is one that will make you think about everything you hold dear. Absolutely everyone (including the police officer who pulls James over for speeding) has had a vivid dream about a blue planet with rings--everyone except James, that is. But James gets in on the deal soon enough, only in a much more personal way. He is the unwilling candidate aliens choose to represent the human race in first contact. And it could cost him everything. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Kaiser Affair; Author: Visit Amazon's Joseph Robert Lewis Page; Review: Already a fan of the Drifting Isles series, I read this one in a single sitting. Clever, fast-paced, well written, well developed characters . . . What can I say? Buy it, read it, you'll love it. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Black Mercury (The Drifting Isle Chronicles); Author: Visit Amazon's Charlotte E. English Page; Review: Fun, witty, a good read! Warning: The Drifting Isles World is addictive, so plan on buying all the other books as well. ;-); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Immortality Chronicles (The Future Chronicles); Author: Visit Amazon's Samuel Peralta Page; Review: I have "The Future Chronicles" series on a list of "purchase when released, because the track record says it's a sure bet." This series is where I go to find the next "great" in modern SciFi. I love anthologies, because they don't require the commitment of a novel. You can read story here or there in one sitting. But the best thing about a really good series is the opportunity to discover new authors. "The Immortality Chronicles" gave me three new names, and every story was one to remember. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Evolutions (In the Days of Humans) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Terry R. Hill Page; Review: Entertainment and education all rolled into one. Wow. Terry Hill is aerospace engineer employed by NASA, so all of his stories are SciFi for Geeks, jam-packed with real science. I love that! On top of it all, he's an excellent storyteller. Although this is book three of the Exodus series, it stands alone. Warning: you will be compelled to go back and read the rest of the series and you will become a shameless groupie. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Half Way Home; Author: Visit Amazon's Hugh Howey Page; Review: The list chapters caught my attention--it starts at "zero" for a reason. The first paragraph cinched it. "I was a blastocyst, once. A mere jumble of cells clinging to one another. A fertilized egg. Of course, we were all in just such a state at some point in our lives, but I excelled at it in a way you didnt. I spent more time in that condition than I have as a person. Hundreds of years more, in fact." The author has clearly thought a great deal about the subject of how a class III civilization would colonize new worlds, and come up up with a unique and highly plausible idea. But it's the characters that drive the story. In all good stories, something goes awry. That there is a glitch in the plan, isn't surprising. What the characters do, when faced with this unforeseen situation, is what keeps you reading. And Howie definitely knows how to surprise, delight, and engage the reader. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The In-Betweener (Between Life and Death) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Ann Christy Page; Review: Whether you're a fan of zombie tales or not, you'll like this story. This is a tale about life, about survival in a world where right and wrong are no longer easily defined. Definitely a new take on an old genre, but not JUST a new twist. This idea is totally plausible. It's not often that a book has me checking the locks on my doors and making emergency plans, but this one did. I'm hooked. Great character development. Suspenseful. Does NOT end the way you think it will. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mars Endeavour; Author: Mr Peter Cawdron; Review: An international crew of Martian colonists was trained for every situation, every possibility except one. What if there is a catastrophic event on Earth? And what if there is reason to believe that one of the nations represented is at fault? Will that bring the colonists together, since --now, more than ever--they must rely on each other for survival? Or will they split into factions? Once they figure it out, are they looking at the real culprit? Or is there another explanation for what happened? Can they trust the data? Is there any way to know what's real and what's disinformation? The big question is: does it matter? What's more important: survival as a colony or political ties? Cawdron always does a twist, and you never see it coming. The red herring in this one is a doozy. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Revolver eBook; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Patrick Hicks Page; Review: Thought-provoking, extremely well read (I listened to this book through Audible). You may or may not like the political views of the main character but read (or listen) anyway. The story is complex and timely. The author managed to surprise me at the end, and that is a rare treat. I definitely didn't see that coming. Well done.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ultraviolet; Author: Visit Amazon's Joseph Robert Lewis Page; Review: Rand-esque story of a society under the thumb of greedy corporate leaders who underestimate a gutsy heroine with a simple, but the exceedingly powerful idea ... one the corporation must eliminate at all cost. Part super-heroine, part freedom fighter, Carmine is determined to free her people ... using a 3D printer. This one is a must read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Helping Helper; Author: Visit Amazon's Tara C Allred Page; Review: Kora and her husband, Tony, have been having a tough time, but they are headed for a new town and a new beginning. Things are looking up ... until the car breaks down. Then things go horribly wrong. Tony has been lying to Kora. He doesn't have the money to fix the car, but he doesn't want to let her down ... again. So he does something that makes sense to him at the time, but which leaves Kora lost, confused, and at the mercy of strangers. What Kora does, what Tony does, and what the residents of the town of Helper do ... Well, that's quite a tale. And it's one you'll want to read. I've been a big fan of Tara Allred since reading "Sander's Starfish" and "Unauthored Letters". This new book is classic Allred. Her characters are always exceptionally well developed--so much so, that you miss them when you close the book. Her stories (and this is no exception) are about life; about events that could happen to you or me; situations that change the course of her character's lives, taking the reader through a range of emotions and thought processes along the way. On some level, her stories are philosophical. She creates people you can imagine living next door to and caring about, and puts them through the ringer. But in the end, the reader and the characters have shared a trial and come away changed. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Maelstrom; Author: Visit Amazon's Peter Cawdron Page; Review: Fast paced story about what would happen if alternate realities started to "touch" in space and time. The ending is brilliant. Nice twist. This is actually three books in one, but the story line and characters carry through. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance; Author: Visit Amazon's Laurie Garrett Page; Review: Considering when this was written ... It's like the author had a crystal ball. This isn't light reading but really is a must. Head's up: you'll likely become very conscious about germs before you finish the first chapter, but in a good way.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How Democracies Die; Author: ; Review: Must read. History does indeed repeat itself and it's a good idea to recognize the pattern. Oddly easy read considering the genre. Well written, accurate, insightful.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Ghostwalker File; Author: Visit Amazon's Kevin Robinson Page; Review: For me, the mark of a good book is that you miss one or more of the characters when you finish the story. I miss John. A heart-warming, thoughtful tale that will make you look for more from this author. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Memento (2000); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Amelie (Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le) (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Dark Knight, The (2008); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ocean's Eleven (2001); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shrek (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Inception (2010); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Catch Me If You Can (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004); Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Snatch (2000); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: X-Men (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Incredibles, The (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Minority Report (2002); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (a.k.a. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) (2001); Genres: Adventure, Children, Fantasy; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Lost in Translation (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: X2: X-Men United (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: High Fidelity (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: WALL·E (2008); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Iron Man (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Prestige, The (2006); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Casino Royale (2006); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Shrek 2 (2004); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Big Fish (2003); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Little Miss Sunshine (2006); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Matrix Revolutions, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Pan's Labyrinth (Laberinto del fauno, El) (2006); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Patriot, The (2000); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Ratatouille (2007); Genres: Animation, Children, Drama; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Perfect Storm, The (2000); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Chocolat (2000); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 40-Year-Old Virgin, The (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Others, The (2001); Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Children of Men (2006); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Bruce Almighty (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gone in 60 Seconds (2000); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Love Actually (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: American Psycho (2000); Genres: Crime, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Chicago (2002); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Musical; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Mystic River (2003); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hot Fuzz (2007); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Mystery; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Django Unchained (2012); Genres: Action, Drama, Western; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Dark Knight Rises, The (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mulholland Drive (2001); Genres: Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: What Women Want (2000); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bridget Jones's Diary (2001); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: 300 (2007); Genres: Action, Fantasy, War, IMAX; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Batman Begins (2005); Genres: Action, Crime, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: V for Vendetta (2006); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible II (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Sin City (2005); Genres: Action, Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Royal Tenenbaums, The (2001); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Men in Black II (a.k.a. MIIB) (a.k.a. MIB 2) (2002); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hangover, The (2009); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: About a Boy (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Legally Blonde (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Shutter Island (2010); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Pearl Harbor (2001); Genres: Action, Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Mummy Returns, The (2001); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Thriller; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Avengers, The (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Collateral (2004); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: King's Speech, The (2010); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Zoolander (2001); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Sherlock Holmes (2009); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Enemy at the Gates (2001); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Black Swan (2010); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Social Network, The (2010); Genres: Drama; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Whole Nine Yards, The (2000); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Troy (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, War; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Ocean's Twelve (2004); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The (2005); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: K-PAX (2001); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lord of War (2005); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller, War; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Gosford Park (2001); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Mystery; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Insomnia (2002); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Aviator, The (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001); Genres: Adventure, Comedy; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Moon (2009); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Kick-Ass (2010); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: The Imitation Game (2014); Genres: Drama, Thriller, War; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Swordfish (2001); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Machinist (2004); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Intouchables (2011); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Iron Man 2 (2010); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The (2004); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pay It Forward (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Space Cowboys (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Gone Girl (2014); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Grand Budapest Hotel, The (2014); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shallow Hal (2001); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Constantine (2005); Genres: Action, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Identity (2003); Genres: Crime, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Burn After Reading (2008); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Notebook, The (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: 28 Days (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Babel (2006); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mexican, The (2001); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Zodiac (2007); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: From Hell (2001); Genres: Crime, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Skyfall (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Devil Wears Prada, The (2006); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Despicable Me (2010); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Shaft (2000); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: America's Sweethearts (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Madagascar (2005); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Pride & Prejudice (2005); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Quantum of Solace (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Limitless (2011); Genres: Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The (2011); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Closer (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Silver Linings Playbook (2012); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Match Point (2005); Genres: Crime, Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: 13 Going on 30 (2004); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Inside Out (2015); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Transporter, The (2002); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Red Planet (2000); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: I Heart Huckabees (2004); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Serendipity (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Sweet Home Alabama (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Darjeeling Limited, The (2007); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Midnight in Paris (2011); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Moneyball (2011); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gone Baby Gone (2007); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wanted (2008); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Broken Flowers (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Kate & Leopold (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Twilight (2008); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Something's Gotta Give (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Along Came Polly (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Along Came a Spider (2001); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Brotherhood of the Wolf (Pacte des loups, Le) (2001); Genres: Action, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Secret Window (2004); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Help, The (2011); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Return to Me (2000); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Two Weeks Notice (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Gift, The (2000); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: 27 Dresses (2008); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Bandits (2001); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Red (2010); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: The Queen (2006); Genres: Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holiday, The (2006); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: After the Wedding (Efter brylluppet) (2006); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Descendants, The (2011); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nebraska (2013); Genres: Adventure, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Maid in Manhattan (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Runaway Bride (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Bucket List, The (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Salt (2010); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Johnny English (2003); Genres: Action, Comedy, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Small Time Crooks (2000); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Importance of Being Earnest, The (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Ideal Husband, An (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Twelfth Night (1996); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Emma (1996); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Shakespeare in Love (1998); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Fall, The (2006); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Horrible Bosses (2011); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: American Hustle (2013); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Expendables, The (2010); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Proposal, The (2009); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Interpreter, The (2005); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Quiet American, The (2002); Genres: Drama, Thriller, War; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: 102 Dalmatians (2000); Genres: Children, Comedy; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Grizzly Man (2005); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Julie & Julia (2009); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Hidalgo (2004); Genres: Adventure, Drama; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: 17 Again (2009); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Now You See Me (2013); Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: The Artist (2011); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Public Enemies (2009); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Despicable Me 2 (2013); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy, IMAX; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Men Who Stare at Goats, The (2009); Genres: Action, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tailor of Panama, The (2001); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Twilight Saga: New Moon, The (2009); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Mamma Mia! (2008); Genres: Comedy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Autumn in New York (2000); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Music and Lyrics (2007); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Murder by Numbers (2002); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bone Collector, The (1999); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Taking Lives (2004); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Lincoln (2012); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Big Kahuna, The (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Ghost Writer, The (2010); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Sahara (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Hunt, The (Jagten) (2012); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Smokin' Aces (2006); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sex and the City (2008); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Dr. T and the Women (2000); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Something Borrowed (2011); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: My Best Friend's Wedding (1997); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Wedding Date, The (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: No Strings Attached (2011); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Picture Perfect (1997); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Valentine's Day (2010); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Someone Like You (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: He's Just Not That Into You (2009); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Wimbledon (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Hostage (2005); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The (2013); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Twilight Saga: Eclipse, The (2010); Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Education, An (2009); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Seven Psychopaths (2012); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ides of March, The (2011); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Pirate Radio (2009); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Elite Squad (Tropa de Elite) (2007); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Elizabethtown (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: John Wick (2014); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Unknown (2011); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Paris, I Love You (Paris, je t'aime) (2006); Genres: Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Alfie (2004); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Date Night (2010); Genres: Action, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011); Genres: Drama, Film-Noir, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Failure to Launch (2006); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Matador, The (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Legend of Zorro, The (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Western; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, The (Luftslottet som sprängdes) (2009); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Time Traveler's Wife, The (2009); Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Australia (2008); Genres: Adventure, Drama, War, Western; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Family Stone, The (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Be Cool (2005); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Musical; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Single Man, A (2009); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: What a Girl Wants (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Ugly Truth, The (2009); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Waitress (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Tourist, The (2010); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Dictator, The (2012); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Scoop (2006); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Crimson Rivers, The (Rivières pourpres, Les) (2000); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1, The (2011); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: X-Files: I Want to Believe, The (2008); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The (2011); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Bride & Prejudice (2004); Genres: Comedy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Dinner for Schmucks (2010); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Brothers Bloom, The (2008); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Just Friends (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: It's Complicated (2009); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monster-in-Law (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Hollywood Homicide (2003); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Libertine, The (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Vie en Rose, La (Môme, La) (2007); Genres: Drama, Musical; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rumor Has It... (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: American, The (2010); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Derailed (2005); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hangover Part III, The (2013); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Headhunters (Hodejegerne) (2011); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Becoming Jane (2007); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fifty Shades of Grey (2015); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Repo Men (2010); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Good Year, A (2006); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Possession (2002); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bounty Hunter, The (2010); Genres: Action, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Vanity Fair (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Duchess, The (2008); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Jacket, The (2005); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: King Arthur (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, War; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014); Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Domino (2005); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Way, Way Back, The (2013); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Laggies (2014); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: In Bruges (2008); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Strange Days (1995); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: English Patient, The (1996); Genres: Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Schindler's List (1993); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Bernard and Doris (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Alex and Emma (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: No Reservations (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Minions (2015); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Raising Helen (2004); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Focus (2015); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, The (2012); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, IMAX; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Red 2 (2013); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: I'm Not There (2007); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mongol (2007); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eat Pray Love (2010); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Couples Retreat (2009); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Made of Honor (2008); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Begin Again (2013); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Young Victoria, The (2009); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Transylvania (2012); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Million Dollar Hotel, The (2001); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Pride and Prejudice (1995); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Age of Innocence, The (1993); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Persuasion (2007); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Severance (2006); Genres: Comedy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cambridge Spies (2003); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Onegin (1999); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GoldenEye (1995); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Die Another Day (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: X-Men: First Class (2011); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, War; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Shame (2011); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Dangerous Method, A (2011); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Road, The (2009); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Jane Eyre (2011); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Only Lovers Left Alive (2013); Genres: Drama, Horror, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Anything Else (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Miss Potter (2006); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Into the Blue (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Friends with Money (2006); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: This Means War (2012); Genres: Action, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Laws of Attraction (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Sabrina (1995); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Sex and the City 2 (2010); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Lawless (2012); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Horrible Bosses 2 (2014); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Monuments Men, The (2014); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Gangster Squad (2013); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Micmacs (Micmacs à tire-larigot) (2009); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: American Dreamz (2006); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Young Adult (2011); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Amour (2012); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Our Idiot Brother (2011); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Because I Said So (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Judge, The (2014); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Nanny Diaries, The (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Remember Me (2010); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Under Suspicion (2000); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Killer Elite (2011); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Magic Mike (2012); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Man on a Ledge (2012); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Jane Austen Book Club (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: One Day (2011); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Killers (2010); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: When in Rome (2010); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios) (1988); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Volver (2006); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Live Flesh (Carne trémula) (1997); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: High Heels (Tacones lejanos) (1991); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Flower of My Secret, The (La flor de mi secreto) (1995); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kika (1993); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Haywire (2011); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Dorian Gray (2009); Genres: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Fair Game (2010); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: De-Lovely (2004); Genres: Drama, Musical; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Moonstruck (1987); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Trip, The (2010); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Portrait of a Lady, The (1996); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: French Lieutenant's Woman, The (1981); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Valhalla Rising (2009); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Last Chance Harvey (2008); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: All About Steve (2009); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: What's Your Number? (2011); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: August: Osage County (2013); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Blue Jasmine (2013); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Age of Adaline (2015); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Beyond the Sea (2004); Genres: Drama, Musical; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Seven (a.k.a. Se7en) (1995); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Glengarry Glen Ross (1992); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Usual Suspects, The (1995); Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: L.A. Confidential (1997); Genres: Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Looking for Richard (1996); Genres: Documentary, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Time to Kill, A (1996); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Swimming with Sharks (1995); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ref, The (1994); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Outbreak (1995); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Working Girl (1988); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shipping News, The (2001); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Henry & June (1990); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Negotiator, The (1998); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Consenting Adults (1992); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Bug's Life, A (1998); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Quick and the Dead, The (1995); Genres: Action, Thriller, Western; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Beauty (1999); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Far from the Madding Crowd (2015); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Suite Française (2015); Genres: Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Little Chaos (2014); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: The Loft (2014); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: New York, I Love You (2009); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Magic in the Moonlight (2014); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: North & South (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Jobs (2013); Genres: Drama; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Last Vegas (2013); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Back-up Plan, The (2010); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Piano, The (1993); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How Do You Know (2010); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: New in Town (2009); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Deception (2008); Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: This Is Where I Leave You (2014); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Being John Malkovich (1999); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grosse Pointe Blank (1997); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bullets Over Broadway (1994); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Wild Target (2010); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hope Springs (2012); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Léon: The Professional (a.k.a. The Professional) (Léon) (1994); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Godfather: Part II, The (1974); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Godfather, The (1972); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Pulp Fiction (1994); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Barton Fink (1991); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Raising Arizona (1987); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Clerks (1994); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Fargo (1996); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Office Space (1999); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Secret in Their Eyes, The (El secreto de sus ojos) (2009); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: When Harry Met Sally... (1989); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Big Lebowski, The (1998); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fugitive, The (1993); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Amadeus (1984); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rush (2013); Genres: Action, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Full Monty, The (1997); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Beginners (2010); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Remains of the Day, The (1993); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: As Good as It Gets (1997); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fish Called Wanda, A (1988); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Graduate, The (1967); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Casablanca (1942); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vertigo (1958); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Princess Bride, The (1987); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Platoon (1986); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gone with the Wind (1939); Genres: Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Shawshank Redemption, The (1994); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Cool Hand Luke (1967); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Dead Poets Society (1989); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: North by Northwest (1959); Genres: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Groundhog Day (1993); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Crying Game, The (1992); Genres: Drama, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Maltese Falcon, The (1941); Genres: Film-Noir, Mystery; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | movielens |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Why Are All the Good Teachers Crazy?; Author: Frank Stepnowski; Review: Although the book is written in a light-hearted manner, there were several points in the book, as a teacher, where I had to put it down and dis-engage because of the intense truth of the situation. When you love your job and the students, as much as Stepnowski does, it's hard not to become emotionally involved with your students. As all good teachers do. But with our current educational system's lack of backbone & balls, the education system just sets the teacher up for abuse, frustration, strain, and disappointment, because the reality of teaching is not what the ideal was to become a teacher. Keep fighting the good fight, Frank. Every kid does matter.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: S.C.R.E.W.E.D.: An Educational Fairytale; Author: Frank Stepnowski; Review: Although a "fiction", there are so many credible ideas in S.C.R.E.W.E.D. that I would love to see become reality . . . The most prevalent and most needed, "parents need to put their big people panties on and be held accountable!" Period. Thanks to Frank Step, for having the true character of integrity to be brutally honest with ballsy humor! Lethal combo!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bossypants; Author: Visit Amazon's Tina Fey Page; Review: Funny, funny, funny! Love Tina Feys mind because her funny doesn't just come from the silly or obvious but comes from being an insightful Smart-ass lady!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Two Roads: part one of the two roads trilogy; Author: Visit Amazon's Eliza White Buffalo Page; Review: The book immediately brought me back to being raised by two Irish Grandmothers in Philadelphia. The sternness, directness and the inherent tenacity that Rose had to move ahead and to get through tough times with her head held high, was truly inspiring, very heartfelt and very resiliently Irish, to me. The author Eliza's writing style immediately moves you into the families inner workings and makes you feel your very connected to them. You feel that the journey you are reading about is your own and through Rose's spiritual connection, the awareness and lessons become your own. Very intimate and profoundly awakening into our very own Heart Song and Awakening.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Teaching Sucks - But We Love It Anyway! a Little Insight Into the Profession You Think You Know; Author: Frank Stepnowski; Review: I've only just begun reading "Teaching Sucks but we love it" by Frank Stepnowski and I'm already psyched that someone who lives, breathes and loves the teaching profession as much as I do, is having a forthright and blatantly blunt conversation about how teaching really is by waking up the populace of today's classrooms struggles, triumphs and tragedies. It does break a good teachers heart when a kid fails. Bravo Frank for Keeping it real!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Shadowland (The Mediator #1); Author: Visit Amazon's Meg Cabot Page; Review: Entertaining read! Teenaged female protagonist discovers a ghost living in her new bedroom uses her power to help transition unsettled ghosts.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Marked (House of Night, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's P. C. Cast Page; Review: Great Read for high schoolers! A strong, gifted, but uncertain teenaged female protagonist with special powers, intriguing storyline of her finding her calling and her place. Blend of fantasy creatures, Egyptian mythology, and forces of nature.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Angel Experiment: A Maximum Ride Novel (Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's James Patterson Page; Review: Great Series for 6 graders to get them reading. Misfit experimental children ban together to survive against the scientists that want them back. Strong, imperfect female lead.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ghost Huntress Book 1 (The Ghost Huntress); Author: Visit Amazon's Marley Gibson Page; Review: Great Read! A strong teenaged female protagonist who discovers she can speak with ghosts uses her power to help transition unsettled ghosts.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition); Author: Visit Amazon's Ally Carter Page; Review: Great Reads & strong characters! Teenage girl in spy school slowly discovers her parents' past and mysterious careers while she goes on dangerous missions.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bite Me: Demon Underground Book 1; Author: Visit Amazon's Parker Blue Page; Review: Love this series. Great Read! Independent, strong, teenage vampire slayer discovers an underground of paranormal peoples. Mystery, action, and call for equal rights.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Heist Society (A Heist Society Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Ally Carter Page; Review: Great Read! Reformed teenage expert girl thief is forced into crime to to save a family member, solve a mystery, and make a few mistakes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hex Hall (A Hex Hall Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Rachel Hawkins Page; Review: Great Read! Unsuspecting teenager with special powers learns to fight the forces of evil to save herself, her friends, and her school. Strong female lead.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Angel Experiment: A Maximum Ride Novel; Author: James Patterson; Review: Great Series for 6 graders to get them reading. Misfit experimental children ban together to survive against the scientists that want them back. Strong, imperfect female lead.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Graceling; Author: Visit Amazon's Kristin Cashore Page; Review: Great Read, 7 & up! My latest favorite, teenage female protagonist graced with the ability to kill, gains independence, discovers her true grace, true love, and embarks on impossible, selfless journey.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, Book One) (The Maze Runner Series); Author: Visit Amazon's James Dashner Page; Review: Great 7 & up read! Original storyline of a teenage boy that appears in a life-sized maze with other boys, vicious creatures, mysterious diseases and no memory of his life before.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Born at Midnight (A Shadow Falls Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's C. C. Hunter Page; Review: Teenage girl protagonist struggles with identity as she discovers her supernatural powers, the powers of others, deals with her unraveling parent marriage, and is conflicted in romance at a camp for supernaturals.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bar Code Rebellion; Author: Visit Amazon's Suzanne Weyn Page; Review: Great ideas, sci-fi & dystopia, grades 7& up. Teenage protagonist conflicted about whether or not to received the government imposed bar code tattoo, loses her parents, her home, and learns of her larger role in the governmental conspiracy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Once a Witch; Author: Visit Amazon's Carolyn MacCullough Page; Review: Teenage protagonist grows up in the shadow of a family of gifted witches discovers powers she had been told did not exist is tricked into retrieving powerful heirloom.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Monstrumologist; Author: Rick Yancey; Review: Chilling but intriguing YA read! 12 year old orphaned boy is the assistant to a doctor of questionable practices. Disgusting, dark descriptions surround the mysterious quest to uncover the truth behind the origins of the multiplying monsters.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Pledge (The Pledge Trilogy); Author: Visit Amazon's Kimberly Derting Page; Review: Great YA Read! Teenage protagonist hides her ability to understand multiple languages, a sign of royalty. Some mystery, some romance, and an evil queen!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Future of Us; Author: Visit Amazon's Jay Asher Page; Review: Intriguing YA read. Two teenagers install AOL CD and fast-track to their futures via their own future Facebook postings and then seek out ways to change it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Maze Runner. Correr o Morir / Maze Runner, Run or die (Spanish Edition); Author: Visit Amazon's James Dashner Page; Review: Great 7 & up read! Original storyline of a teenage boy that appears in a life-sized maze with other boys, vicious creatures, mysterious diseases and no memory of his life before.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Push and Shove (The Academy) (Volume 6); Author: Visit Amazon's C L Stone Page; Review: CL Stone continues to make the characters interesting but lacks this one lacks in plot. How long is he going to drag this high school drama out?; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: QuarteiraSol; City: Quarteira Faro District Algarve; Review: We stayed at this hotel in july 08. We had only booked 1 room but when we arrived at the hotel we were given a suite as it was my husband and i and our 4 yr old. We had a large balcony looking out to the shops which was lovely for just sitting and people watching.Renovations were taking place at the time but we were hardly disturbed. Breakfast was ok. Plenty of shops and restaurants to eat out near the hotel and on the promenade which was about 3minutes away from the hotel. Quarteira has a gorgeous beach which was never too packed. It is also close to vilamoura, about 4 euros by cab. The staff were quite helpful and would return there for a quiet relaxing break.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Steigenberger Hotel Berlin; City: Berlin; Review: My husband, daughter and I came for a mini break at this hotel staying 3 nights.The hotel looks nice and the rooms were ok, maybe a little on the small side but adequate for our needs. The bathroom was gorgeous and the room had lots of storage space and a decent enough safe. There were a few issues that put us a little off this hotel. Firstly, we are kind of used to a lovely warm and welcoming welcome when we check into a hotel, especially higher end hotels, but we found the staff quite cold and clinical, barely raising a smile which was weird. When we got to our room the key card took ages to work and neither my husband or I were particularly interested in facing the reception staff anymore so we kept trying till we got in. That particular card gave us problems throughout our stay but it was no big deal really because the other card worked ok. The other annoyance was the wifi. A hotel that advertises itself as 5 star should have at the least, decent wifi. The wifi kept cutting off every few minutes and you had to keep logging in to stay online which was frustrating. However the hotel is in a fantastic location. Tons of shops, restaurants, bars and transport links to everywhere in Berlin just a few minutes walk away. There was also a Christmas Market at Keiser WIlhelm memorial church just a few minutes walk away and it was awesome for grabbing good on the go and absorbing the holiday spirit.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Beach Palace; City: Cancun Yucatan Peninsula; Review: We spent the day here recently while holidaying at Moon palace. The view from the Sky bar on the 14th floor is AMAZING!! I definitely recommend some quality time up there. The beach was amazing and loved the close proximity to La Isla mall. However, the service was rather disappointing after the amazing service we got at Moon and I missed the great spacious lobby areas at Moon, Beach was so crowded you couldn't relax. It's nice but I'd rather stay at Moon and do a couple of day trips here to enjoy the beach and shopping.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Britannia Hotel; City: Rome Lazio; Review: We booked our hotel room with Expedia in May for an August visit and received all the confirmations and even had another confirmation from Expedia 2 days before travel. We arrived at the hotel around 11pm on our check in day only to be told there was no record of our booking. I was shocked as if paid up front and we had all the confirmation records and everything. The lovely man at reception (Antonio) was very apologetic and tried his best for us. He looked through all their records and we were not on any of their lists but he did find us on the Expedia list whatever that means. Up to this day I am uncertain of wether it was Expedia or the hotel at fault. Antonio found us a room, very charming room but there was a double bed and it was my husband, 13 year old daughter and I and we had booked a triple room. Antonio was very apologetic but couldn't do much as he had no authority and could only wait till the following morning for manager to come to work. He did offer us a second room for the night for my husband to sleep in but I told him to wait as I would call Expedia to sort the mess out.After chatting to Expedia who were so unhelpful and we trying to send us off to some dodgy hotels elsewhere, I asked Antonio if the room offer for my husband was still available and he placed my husband in another room. Next day the reception informed us they would manage to put another bed in the room if stayed in. They literally squeezed a little bed for my daughter in there and we could barely move without bumping into something but at this point I just wanted to get on with my holiday so just got on with it. Beds are comfortable and the rooms are charming. Bathrooms are small but look nice. Tea and coffee making facilities in the room and free mini fridge items in the fridge on arrival which was nice and we used the fridge to store our own drinks which was so necessary as it was hot in Rome. Breakfast was very nice, a nice little variety, everyone had something they liked on the menu. Staff were polite and mostly friendly. On one of the days we went for a day trip and when we returned we found the toilet not working properly and unfortunately we found out after my daughter had used it already and it was not flushing properly. We informed reception who said they'd look at it while we went out to eat. When we returned the toilet was still out and upon calling the reception we were informed that they had looked and unfortunately nothing could be done till the morning and sorry for tonight. There was no advice on where to find alternate toilets or nothing and we had to keep scurrying downstairs to use public loo which was a nightmare to find as; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Metropole; City: Brussels; Review: Stayed here for 3 nights over the Easter weekend. The hotel is very grand, beautiful reception areas. The room however was a bit of a letdown. The wall paper and carpet were a very bizarre colour and the combination just didn’t work. Anyway, we were there to spend time visiting the lovely city so it wasn’t really a big deal. Bed was comfortable but pillows were more cushions than pillows and I normally like a good pillow to sleep on. Really loved that there was a mini bar with 6 complimentary drinks. 2 beers, 2 cokes and 2 waters. Very nice touch. And we were able to get more drinks and keep them cold in the fridge which was helpful as it was quite warm out. Only downside was there was a dirty sock in one of the drawers. Discovered it morning after we arrived so didn’t really make an issue of it but it got us a bit weirded out and wondering a bit. All in all, we would stay stay here again. Wonderfully located. Walked 5 minutes to Grand Place so within all amenities.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Smallville: Season 1 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Taken (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Count of Monte Cristo (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: X2: X-Men United (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Rundown (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Mists of Avalon (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Timeline (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gone in 60 Seconds (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Underworld (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gulliver's Travels (1996); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Fighting Temptations (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Somewhere in Time (1980); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rush Hour 2 (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Don't Say a Word (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Skulls III (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Xena: Warrior Princess: Series Finale (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 3 Ninjas (1992); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Young Sherlock Holmes (1985); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Paycheck (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dangerous Child (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Mummy Returns (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stuck on You (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Fast and the Furious (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Top Gun (1986); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Willow (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dark Angel: Season 1 (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Boss's Daughter (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dune (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Emperor's Club (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Queer as Folk: Season 3 (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Roswell: Season 1 (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Deeds (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Big Fish (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Children of Dune (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dark Angel: Season 2 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pitch Black (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Superman: The Movie (1978); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Three Musketeers (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Hills Cop (1984); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Hills Cop III (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Miss Congeniality (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Entrapment (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Hills Cop II (1987); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pearl Harbor (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 3 Ninjas: High Noon on Mega Mountain (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Superman II (1980); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lethal Weapon 4 (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Independence Day (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Superman III (1983); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 3 Ninjas: Kick Back (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pay It Forward (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Roswell: Season 2 (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Queer as Folk: Season 4 (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 5 (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cruel Intentions 3 (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Vanity Fair (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Runaway Bride (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: X-Men (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 4 (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Troy (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 7 (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tomb Raider (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 3 (1998); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Queer as Folk: Season 1 (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0 | netflix |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Calling Invisible Women: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Jeanne Ray Page; Review: Poorly written, unfunny because utterly predictable - I would not have finished this book except that it had been selected for my book club, and I didn't want to be a bad sport. Then I learned that the woman who recommended it didn't read it. Reads as if written for adults who don't like reading.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: My Father's Tears and Other Stories; Author: Visit Amazon's John Updike Page; Review: Powerful, emotionally rich stories about the phase of life when the freshness of youthful discovery is replaced by the depth of memory. "A Walk with Elizanne" is terrific - 50th high school reunion sparks memory of a specific moment when something wonderful seemed possible between a boy and girl, but somehow it all slipped away. A meditation on growing older. "Free" a poignant story of an affair that ends but is never forgotten and a marriage that lives on. "Personal Archaeology" - the human, emotional associations of an old estate as experienced through its aging current owner.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared; Author: Visit Amazon's Jonas Jonasson Page; Review: At first I greatly enjoyed the unexpected turns and deadpan style of this book. It kept me amused and reading for about half the book. Then, because I was not deeply engaged with any of the characters, I lost interest and stopped reading.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Painted Girls: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Cathy Marie Buchanan Page; Review: This book is set in a fascinating time and place. Unfortunately, the characters did not come to life for me, so I quickly lost interest.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Beauty of Humanity Movement: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Camilla Gibb Page; Review: A compelling and satisfying novel set in a country I know little about at a time when it was undergoing profound change. The characters are believable and, if not in every case fully admirable, certainly human and understandable. Gibb does a great job of gradually releasing information about the past which makes sense of puzzling aspects of the story's present without dampening suspense. Her descriptions of the locales are richly detailed. Although the ending was tied up a little too neatly for my tastes, I really enjoyed this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Longbourn; Author: Visit Amazon's Jo Baker Page; Review: Interesting and well written. Gives a picture of life on the service side of genteel life in Jane Austen's time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Honeydew; Author: Visit Amazon's Edith Pearlman Page; Review: Engaging details, vivid writing an an empathetic warmth in the author's voice.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Deadly Touch of the Tigress. Ian Hamilton; Author: Visit Amazon's Ian Hamilton Page; Review: An interesting and entertaining book, with a unique and compelling lead character and lots of fascinating information about places I've never seen (Hong Kong, Bangkok, Guyana) and the international seafood business and all its financial complexities.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: An Unsuitable Job for a Woman; Author: Visit Amazon's P. D. James Page; Review: Strong start, with interesting circumstances and settings and strong development of an appealing new detective, a young female. The story lags in the middle, though, and the ending is a dull drawn-out explanation including a link to Inspector Dalgleash which is unnecessary and in my view detracts.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dissolution: A Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mystery; Author: Visit Amazon's C. J. Sansom Page; Review: Interesting glimpse at characters in a monastery under siege from Henry VIII policies. Vivid sense of life in Tudor times, Tudor; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cloudstreet: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Tim Winton Page; Review: Vivid beautiful eccentric language to tell a story of two impoverished families who find themselves sharing a house with a past. They choose very different paths to financial survival, and the vivid characters among them strike intricate relationships.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Loving Frank: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Nancy Horan Page; Review: I found this a fascinating story. Horan wove detailed information about Wright and his work and about Mameh and the fight for a larger role for women into the book so smoothly that it felt part of the tale. The central love story is compelling, with much at stake for many people. Horan avoids black and white interpretations and examines the cost of committing to a passionate illicit relationship from all points of view. Worth reading.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Ortho's All About Pruning (Ortho's All About Gardening); Author: Visit Amazon's Judy Lowe Page; Review: I was surprised to see everyone liked this book. I purchased this book and it was terrible so I went to my local library and rented several books on pruning. One of the books, "Pruning Made Easy" by Lewis Hills is far superior to all the others for a basic pruning book. The Ortho book talked about a subject or would mention a term that they already expected you to know. The book by Hill is basic but indepth.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Pruning Made Easy: A Gardener's Visual Guide to When and How to Prune Everything, from Flowers to Trees; Author: Visit Amazon's Lewis Hill Page; Review: If you're looking for a good basic book on pruning this is it. I purchased the Ortho book on Pruning and it was a terribe. I went to the library and rented several books on pruning and this was by far the best.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Danny Proulx's Cabinet Doors and Drawers (Popular Woodworking); Author: Visit Amazon's Danny Proulx Page; Review: The book should just be titled Cabinet Doors. It's very incomplete on the drawer section. Also you'll need another book to fill in the gaps. I was disappointed because it should have covered more information.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East: 1776 to the Present; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael B. Oren Page; Review: this book could have been cut down to only a few pages. Even then I wouldn't believe what he told me. Very one sided that is stated as fact.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Pen Turner's Workbook: Making Pens from Simple to Stunning; Author: Visit Amazon's Barry Gross Page; Review: Although I think he could have written more on the advance techniques, it's the best one I've seen out there so far. The section on advance turning covers segmented pens, closed end pens, single cross pens and laser kits. I wish he had gone into making wood caps and clips. If you like pen turning this book has some good tips that I haven't found anywhere else.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Woodwork Right Technique (Reader's Digest Woodworking); Author: Visit Amazon's Bob Moran Page; Review: I read a lot of book regarding woodworking and this is by far the best one. Just like all the other reviewers, I highly recommend this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 How-Tos: 100 Essential Techniques; Author: Visit Amazon's David Karlins Page; Review: I completely agree with J. Conroy's review (but I wouldn't even give it a star - it's a BIG waste of money!). I purchased this book and The Missing Manual. This book is not worth purchasing even for a novice. The book is set up as a list of 100 techniques you should know about Dreamweaver. Each topic is cover in 1 to 3 pages BUT the print is large and there's about an 1 1/2 inch margin on the top and bottom of the page then add the images and you're not left with much. (Also the side of each page has 2 inches of space. Sometimes there are short notes put in this space but not often). The book is thin and it appears they were struggling to make it thicker. You sure can't learn how to use Dreamweaver with this book. I guess it you wanted to understand a conversation about Dreamweaver it would be good, like the old Cliff Note books, but to actually use it to build a website - No way! Everything in the book you can search online and locate video tutorials for but if you really want to learn about Dreamweaver I'd recommend The Missing Manual. It's a very well written book that comes with the CD. The beginning of each chapter is an in depth explanations about a subject then at the end of the chapter you do an exercise to make sure you really understand how to do it. The CD contains the exercises so you can practice it on your own computer. As far as the How-to essentials - trust me it's not essential, it's not even useful.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Dreamweaver CS4: The Missing Manual (Missing Manuals); Author: Visit Amazon's David Sawyer McFarland Page; Review: There are some very good reviews here so I'm not going to go into too much detail about the book. I just wanted to add my 5 stars because I think it's a very good book. I had also purchased the How-to 100 essential techniques book and reviewed it with 1 star, don't waste your money, but with The Missing Manual you're really learn how to use Dreamweaver. The beginning of each chapter has an in-depth explanations about a subject then at the end of the chapter you do an exercise to make sure you really understand how to do it. The CD, that comes with the book, contains the exercises so you can practice it on your own computer. Great Book for a great price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Royal Pain (A Royal Spyness Mystery); Author: Visit Amazon's Rhys Bowen Page; Review: I noticed is people don't like negative reviews. Take a look sometime and see how many people find negative reviews not helpful compared to positive reviews. With that said I'm still going to post my review (my opinion) of the book. I purchased this book because it was nominated for the Agatha award. I'm glad it didn't win because the award is given to good books and this isn't one of them. It was suppose to be set back in the Victorian era but the writer had no concept of that time period. The book is so inaccurate and even the dialoged was horrible. It's a shame that other authors spend so much time trying to get the time period that they are writing in to be so precise then to have another author just slap some words together. Also, I got tire of the main character's friend telling her she would be so much better after she had sex and going into detail about she needed to find her a French lover. Every time they met that all she talked about. The other characters were just as shallow as the plot. The idea of the book is great but the book isn't. I won't be purchasing any more of this series. I discovered this series by searching the Past Agatha Award Winners & Nominees. Other books you might be interested in are Blind Justice - series by Bruce Alexander, Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear (several time a winner of the Agatha), Mrs. Pollifax - series by Dorothy Gilman, author Anne Perry, Louise Penny (several time a winner of the Agatha); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: iPad 2: The Missing Manual; Author: Visit Amazon's J. D. Biersdorfer Page; Review: I'm not sure why Amazon felt the need to put the reviews from the Ipad Missing Manual under the Ipad 2 Missing Manual but this review is for the Ipad 2 Missing Manual. I have almost completed the book but I would have said that what I learned in the first 50 pages alone was worth the price of the book. I also had a question about something that was mentioned in the book. I was able to Email my question in and I received a quick response from the people at the Missing Manual. Since this first email didn't resolved my questions, they continued to work with my, via emails until all many questions were completely resolved. Note that I had also contacted Apple tech support. They didn't know anything about the subject I was asking them about. I was basically told it didn't exist on the Ipad 2. After further discussing the situation with the people from the Missing Manual, I located the information I was searching for on my Ipad 2. So in the end the Missing Manual's information was accurate while the Apple's Tech information was incorrect. The apple manual is very good and covers most of the information most people would need. But if you're like me and want more information (the apple manual did not contain any information regarding the subject I was looking for, it exist but it's not in the Apple manual) and you like to have a manual in book form then I can't imagine there could be a better book out there.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Murder on Astor Place: A Gaslight Mystery; Author: Visit Amazon's Victoria Thompson Page; Review: My comment is exactly in line with Rocco Dormarunno's entitled "Touch call". I enjoyed the book enough but the story was not even close to being original. By the 5th chapter, the book has 14, I could tell how the book was going to end. So basically the mystery in the book was useless but I enjoyed the development of the two main characters. I enjoyed it enough that I will purchase the next book in the series to see it the mystery is better and to see the progress of the two characters. It would be hard to recommend this book without knowing the type of reader that wants the recommendation. If you want an in-depth well developed mystery then it's not for you. If you're like me and enjoy the character but don't really care about the mystery then you'll enjoy it. Judging a book is very subjective so to help you better understand what I like to read: Massie Dobbs, Mrs. Pollifax, and Bruce Alexander's John Fielding books.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rodale's Illustrated Cabinetmaking: How to Design and Construct Furniture That Works; Author: Bill Hylton; Review: This is book is about designing and constructing, it's not a how to book. For example there's a large chapter on joints. It talks about all different types of joints, when to use them, why use certain one, and has great diagrams of the joints but it won't take you step by step on how to make the joint. Most of the book is like this. It's not a book plans; instead it provides numerous example and ideas of ways to construct furniture. For me this is what I was looking for. I'm really glad I purchased it. My only problem with the book is its lack of dealing with molding. The book has about 4 pages regarding molding, where to use it, how to install it, and the different names of the shapes along with some additional information about it scattered throughout the book but adding accent molding is such an important part about constructing furniture that I which it included a complete chapter on it. On a side note, if someone out there can recommend a good book regarding furniture and molding drop me a comment.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Relic: The Morelville Mysteries - Book 1 (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Anne Hagan Page; Review: I like the way the book is written and I like the story. That being said, I wonder if the author has ever met anyone in law enforcement. The book is so inaccurate from a law enforcement point of view that's it was frustrating to read. If you're not in law enforcement or you can suspend reality, it's a good book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Blindsided; Author: Visit Amazon's Karis Walsh Page; Review: I thought it was a typical romance. I've read better but I've read worse. That being said I'm not sure another book has had the impact on me as this book has since I signed up to be a puppy raiser and I get my first puppy on June 5th. So although the romance was the usual Lesbian romance the story was not. Any story that can affect a person that much must be good.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Warrior's Valor (Supreme Constellations); Author: Visit Amazon's Gun Brooke Page; Review: I rarely write book reviews anymore because it seems like if your don't like someone's favorite author people hate the review but in this case I really like this author. I've read most of her book and while they are good they follow pretty much the same formula. Two women get together, can't stand each other, one gets injured or is in some type of damage and the other one can't imagine living with out them. All that being said I love the supreme constellations series. I bought the books back in 2012 and have read them numerous times over. The first one sets the scene for the rest of them so I'd say read that first. The second book, rebels quest, is a great story. I like the new characters. The third book, Warrior's Valor, is by far my least favorite. I'm not crazy about the characters or the supernatural/mystical stuff at the end. But the secondary story follows the other books so I'd still recommend it. The last book, Pirate's Fortune, is my favorite. I like the characters, I like the bad guys and I love the story. She later wrote Change Horizons, which is three short stories with has charters from the previous books. I didn't like any of these stories. While actually I read the first two and didn't start the third one because I was so tired of the same plot line, I don't like you but I'm attracted to you. I've started her new scifi series and while I enjoy it it doesn't come close to this series. I highly recommend this series and if you like this one I would also highly recommend The Celaeno Series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pirate's Fortune: Supreme Constellations Book Four; Author: Visit Amazon's Gun Brooke Page; Review: I rarely write book reviews anymore because it seems like if your don't like someone's favorite author people hate the review but in this case I really like this author. I've read most of her book and while they are good they follow pretty much the same formula. Two women get together, can't stand each other, one gets injured or is in some type of damage and the other one can't imagine living with out them. All that being said I love the supreme constellations series. I bought the books back in 2012 and have read them numerous times over. The first one sets the scene for the rest of them so I'd say read that first. The second book, rebels quest, is a great story. I like the new characters. The third book, Warrior's Valor, is by far my least favorite. I'm not crazy about the characters or the supernatural/mystical stuff at the end. But the secondary story follows the other books so I'd still recommend it. The last book, Pirate's Fortune, is my favorite. I like the characters, I like the bad guys and I love the story. My only problem is by this time I'm so sick of the main characters from the first book that I don't care about them. By this time they've both had so many near death experiences and feeling sorry for leaving the other person, while you the read know they aren't going to die, that I started skipping over this part of the story. She later wrote Change Horizons, which is three short stories with has charters from the previous books. I didn't like any of these stories. While actually I read the first two and didn't start the third one because I was so tired of the same plot line, I don't like you but I'm attracted to you. I've started her new scifi series and while I enjoy it it doesn't come close to this series. I highly recommend this series and if you like this one I would also highly recommend The Celaeno Series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Protector of the Realm (Supreme Constellations); Author: Gun Brooke; Review: I rarely write book reviews anymore because it seems like if your don't like someone's favorite author people hate the review but in this case I really like this author. I've read most of her book and while they are good they follow pretty much the same formula. Two women get together, can't stand each other, one gets injured or is in some type of damage and the other one can't imagine living with out them. All that being said I love the supreme constellations series. I bought the books back in 2012 and have read them numerous times over. The first one sets the scene for the rest of them so I'd say read that first. The second book, rebels quest, is a great story. I like the new characters. The third book, Warrior's Valor, is by far my least favorite. I'm not crazy about the characters or the supernatural/mystical stuff at the end. But the secondary story follows the other books so I'd still recommend it. The last book, Pirate's Fortune, is my favorite. I like the characters, I like the bad guys and I love the story. She later wrote Change Horizons, which is three short stories with has charters from the previous books. I didn't like any of these stories. While actually I read the first two and didn't start the third one because I was so tired of the same plot line, I don't like you but I'm attracted to you. I've started her new scifi series and while I enjoy it it doesn't come close to this series. I highly recommend this series and if you like this one I would also highly recommend The Celaeno Series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Walls of Westernfort (Celaeno); Author: Visit Amazon's Jane Fletcher Page; Review: I love this series. Some people have written some well through out reviews so I'm not going to say much but I still wanted to get my positive rating in on this series. I've read each book numerous times, except The Shadow of the Knife which I just can't get into. I like the characters, the plot of each story and the overall story of the series. Also I highly recommend reading the appendix. My kindle will often show the story has ended but there is still the appendix and it adds so much to the story's setting. I would recommend not reading them in order of publishing date instead read them in this order. The Rangers at Roadsend The Temple at Landfall The Walls of Westernfort Dynasty of Rogues I like the characters so much that I want to know what they're doing now.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rangers at Roadsend (The Celaeno Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Jane Fletcher Page; Review: I love this series. Some people have written some well through out reviews so I'm not going to say much but I still wanted to get my positive rating in on this series. I've read each book numerous times, except The Shadow of the Knife which I just can't get into. I like the characters, the plot of each story and the overall story of the series. Also I highly recommend reading the appendix. My kindle will often show the story has ended but there is still the appendix and it adds so much to the story's setting. I would recommend not reading them in order of publishing date instead read them in this order. The Rangers at Roadsend The Temple at Landfall The Walls of Westernfort Dynasty of Rogues I like the characters so much that I want to know what they're doing now.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rebel's Quest (Supreme Constellations); Author: Visit Amazon's Gun Brooke Page; Review: I rarely write book reviews anymore because it seems like if your don't like someone's favorite author people hate the review but in this case I really like this author. I've read most of her book and while they are good they follow pretty much the same formula. Two women get together, can't stand each other, one gets injured or is in some type of damage and the other one can't imagine living with out them. All that being said I love the supreme constellations series. I bought the books back in 2012 and have read them numerous times over. The first one sets the scene for the rest of them so I'd say read that first. The second book, rebels quest, is a great story. I like the new characters. The third book, Warrior's Valor, is by far my least favorite. I'm not crazy about the characters or the supernatural/mystical stuff at the end. But the secondary story follows the other books so I'd still recommend it. The last book, Pirate's Fortune, is my favorite. I like the characters, I like the bad guys and I love the story. She later wrote Change Horizons, which is three short stories with has charters from the previous books. I didn't like any of these stories. While actually I read the first two and didn't start the third one because I was so tired of the same plot line, I don't like you but I'm attracted to you. I've started her new scifi series and while I enjoy it it doesn't come close to this series. I highly recommend this series and if you like this one I would also highly recommend The Celaeno Series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Temple at Landfall (The Celaeno Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Jane Fletcher Page; Review: I love this series. Some people have written some well through out reviews so I'm not going to say much but I still wanted to get my positive rating in on this series. I've read each book numerous times, except The Shadow of the Knife which I just can't get into. I like the characters, the plot of each story and the overall story of the series. Also I highly recommend reading the appendix. My kindle will often show the story has ended but there is still the appendix and it adds so much to the story's setting. I would recommend not reading them in order of publishing date instead read them in this order. The Rangers at Roadsend The Temple at Landfall The Walls of Westernfort Dynasty of Rogues I like the characters so much that I want to know what they're doing now.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dynasty of Rogues; Author: Visit Amazon's Jane Fletcher Page; Review: I love this series. Some people have written some well through out reviews so I'm not going to say much but I still wanted to get my positive rating in on this series. I've read each book numerous times, except The Shadow of the Knife which I just can't get into. I like the characters, the plot of each story and the overall story of the series. Also I highly recommend reading the appendix. My kindle will often show the story has ended but there is still the appendix and it adds so much to the story's setting. I would recommend not reading them in order of publishing date instead read them in this order. The Rangers at Roadsend The Temple at Landfall The Walls of Westernfort Dynasty of Rogues I like the characters so much that I want to know what they're doing now.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Battle Scars; Author: Visit Amazon's Meghan O'Brien Page; Review: I usually avoid any books that deal with the military or law enforcement because authors just get it wrong. I saw the positive reviews but still avoided this book until I was able to get it from the library. I was so pleasantly surprised was a well written book it was with a great story. I read a lot and lately all the books seem the same, so much so that I lightly read over the words but in this book I found myself taking my time and even rereading a section. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something a little fresh; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Heart Trouble; Author: Visit Amazon's Jae Page; Review: This review is difficult to write without providing spoilers, especially since I believe the main plot will be the reason you either like or won't like the book. First off I really like the writer and have read many things she has written. Also, of the last four books Ive read, this is the only one Ive actually finished. I read a lot and the books are starting to seem same thing so it was nice to actually have a book that is a little different. The story is based around two woman. One, Laleh, is a waitress in her aunt's Persian restaurant while the other, Hope, is an ER doctor. Laleh is rushed to the ER where she meets the doctor, Hope. When Hope saves Laleh's life an unusual event occurs which causes a mysterious connection between the two women. Through this connection they develop a deeper understand, and attraction, for one another. Spoiler Basically the connection allows the two women to exchange knowledge where Laleh knows all of Hopes medical knowledge while Hope becomes fluent in Farsi and now is a pretty good cook. It was this mysterious connection and how they dealt with it that bothered me at first but as I continued reading it became less of an issue and I became more involved in the romance part of the story. On a side note. Laleh is Persian and the family's Persian restaurant is located in Glendale, CA. Having worked many years in this city, I thought the author was spot on with the family. Conclusion I did enjoy the book and I would recommend it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love on Call (A Rivers Community Romance); Author: Visit Amazon's Radclyffe Page; Review: It's a lot like the first one in story but worse. One of the lady loves the small town the other is from a big city and never thought she'd find herself leaving it. You have all the same players and nothing is new. Not unexpected and rather predictable, an emergency happens right at the beginning to get everyone impressed with the new person. The story continues with the loner thinking she might take a chance while the other one isn't sure, so what happens well like most of her books one is hurt. Of course this makes the other one realize how short life is. I'm not sure if she can write a book where one of the parties isn't hurt or injured in some way. I enjoy Radclyffe the books and her writing style. Would I reread it like ive done many of her other books, no it's not that interesting of a story. Even the characters, I didn't really like them or care about them. I found them predicable and boring. If your tired of her books and hope she has written something a little different or really good, you will not like this book.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Mass Effect: Andromeda: Nexus Uprising (Mass Effect series, Book 4); Author: Visit Amazon's Jason M. Hough Page; Review: First I'm a big Mass Effect fan. I even really like the new game, Andromeda, and have over 200 hours in the game. Yes there are glitches but Id rather be playing the game with all its glitches instead of them delaying it again. That said this book was a huge let down. The title of the book should be Sloan Kelly the story of a Traitor....It was all from Sloan's point of view. Yes other people that you meet in the game are mentioned but everything revolves around her and deals only with her story. Personally I cant stand her and don't care about her so it was very difficult to even finish this book. She even bothers me in the game because theres no way this loser would be offered the position of director of security of anything let alone of the Initiative. In the game I don't have to deal with her much so to have a book thats all about her..well it was boring and frustrating. This story would have been much better as one of their comic series and not as a complete book. If you want to read about Sloan Kelly and what she did before the game, that is what this book is about, and only about that.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Passionate Rivals (Pmc Hospital Romance); Author: Visit Amazon's Radclyffe Page; Review: Finally a Radclyffe book I really enjoyed reading. The last 2 Radclyffe books left me uninvolved and unimpressed. The last one I couldn't even finish because I thought it was so boring. This book I really liked the story and the all characters. The character are well developed. I cared about them and wanted to more know about their story. The story had all the elements of one of her older stories. I also like that Honor and Quinn were brought into the book and were blended into the story. Sometimes when she includes characters from older book she has a couple of chapters thrown in with them having sex then moves on. I like that she didn't do that in this book, instead they were placed in the story to add to the main characters story. The ending seemed a little rush. Almost like the deadline was approaching and she just had to get it done. That said it also might be because I didn't want it to end and wanted more about all the characters in the book. I hope she writes another story about all the characters involved in this book because it wasn't enough for me. I can finally recommend a Radclyffe book again. Im glad because she one of my favorite authors.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: var aPageStart = (new Date()).getTime(); var ue_t0=ue_t0||+new Date(); window.ue_ihb = (window.ue_ihb || window.ueinit || 0) + 1; if (window.ue_ihb; Brand: PANDORA; Review: I just received this bracelet... I am unsure of the authenticity of it because it appears to look a little cheap. I am unsure if it is sterling silver even though it DOES have the 925 stamped to the clasp. I don't own a real pandora so I can not make the comparison but I would like to believe that the real pandora would be a little bit nicer looking. I took pictures of my product to share. Also, I am wearing it all the time to see if it turns green or something. I will update this review in a few weeks if there is a problem.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: California Costumes Toys Little Mermaid Costume; Brand: California Costumes; Review: This is a nice costume, it does run kinda long. My daughter is 5 and is very tall for her age, I got a size small (children) and it fits her perfectly on top but it sort of drags at the bottom. I rather it be long than short though, so I am happy. Maybe she will be taller by the time halloween comes around. My daughter loves it and feels like a princess.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: RuffleButts Infant/Toddler Girls Ballet Bow Leg Warmers; Brand: ; Review: Very cute! Loved the ribbon detail, they fit perfectly on my chubby one year old's legs.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Elesa Miracle Hair Accessories Sweet Baby Girl's Gift Box with Chiffon Lace Hair Bow Flower Headband; Brand: Elesa Miracle; Review: I bought this for the purple bow which was beautiful just as the picture. The green bow, however, looks like it could have used a stone or pearl in the middle because you can see the thread. Very beautiful bows though.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sterling Silver Italian Ball Bead Chain 1mm 1.2mm 1.5mm 1.8mm 2.2mm 925 Italy New Dog Tag Necklace; Brand: ; Review: Live it! It is very feminine due to it being thin, which is exactly the look I was going for.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sterling Silver Genuine Blue Sapphire Turtle Charm; Brand: Amazon Collection; Review: So cute and perfectly well made. I love it and can't wait to give it as a Christmas gift!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sterling Silver "Count Your Rainbows Not Your Thunderstorms" Cuff Bracelet, 7"; Brand: Amazon Collection; Review: Love it, bought as a gift so I'll have to invest in one for myself!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: PANDORA Women's Iconic Standard 925 Sterling Silver Charm Bracelet 590702HV; Brand: PANDORA; Review: Ive already posted a review for this but wanted to update because the bracelet has faded significantly. See pictures.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Twin Size - Solid Wood Platform Bed Frame - Clean, Unfinished, Chemical Free Pine - Made in USA; Brand: Room Doctor Platform Beds; Review: This bed was easy to assemble and looked gorgeous stained in a dark wood color. it took a few days to stain and gloss but when it was all put together it looked like some of the many expensive beds i had considered buying before finding this one. Putting it together is simple, just don't mix up the bolts! love this bed frame.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 2 Pcs/pack Home One Trip Grips Shopping Grocery Bag Holder Handle Carrier Lock Kitchen Tool; Brand: Rebecca; Review: Cheap and came unpackaged..I had wanted to give these as a gift but since they arrived looking used I couldn't really do that. However, they do work as described; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker, Black; Brand: Mr. Coffee; Review: We have a rental and the number one question we got from rentors during there stay was how to use the fancy coffee pot and complaints about the coffee...we switched to the mr. coffee and not one complaint since! It's easy (idiot proof) to use and makes a good cup of coffee. Well worth the $20; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thermos Foogo Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel 7-Ounce Soft Spout Sippy Cup with Handles, Blue/Yellow; Brand: Thermos; Review: Overall a great sippy cup. It keeps his milk cold and my son seems to enjoy it. It does leak a bit and I wish it came with a cap. So far I haven't had any problems with dismantling it and cleaning it. It was actually surprisingly easy to clean. I haven't found an insulated sippy cup that's comparable so I'll be buying another one.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ella Celebration Love Letters Gold Balloons 40 Inch Extra Large Letter Wedding Party Decoration (Gold); Brand: Ella Celebration; Review: These were a big hit at the engagement party I hosted. They lasted throughout the party and added just the right decoration.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 40 Inch Giant Jumbo Helium Foil Mylar Balloons for Party Decorations (Premium Quality), Matte Gold, Letter H; Brand: Balloon Red; Review: These were a big hit at the party. A perfect way to decorate for the newly engaged. Everyone loved them and they lasted for the whole day.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lexitek baby Toothbrush Dispensers,kids Hands Free Toothpaste Dispenser children Automatic Cartoon Cute Animal Toothpaste Squeezer Good Gift for Children; Brand: BigNoseDeer; Review: Big hit as a white elephant gift, but it's a cheap product and not really great for more then a gag gift.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: World of Eric Carle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Polar Bear; Brand: Kids Preferred; Review: I don't know what it is about this little polar bear but out of a lot of stuffed animals this is always the favorite and most comforting. Other kids also seem to be always drawn to him and want to get in a little snuggle. We wish they would bring back the larger size, but in the meantime we will continue to love on our little "popo the polar bear"; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Brita 636178 FBA_35034 Water Dispenser and Filter, 18 Cup Ultramax, Grey; Brand: Brita; Review: Had it for a couple of weeks now. Works great. Easy to refill. Holds more than our pitcher. It is a bit inconvenient to stand with the fridge door open and in our fridge at least, we have to slide it out and back in to actually use it. We got it because at just a hair lower than 9 inches high it slide right into the shelf we have.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Schneider Industries Micro Vacuum Attachment 7 Piece Kit; Brand: Schneider Industries; Review: We suckered for this POC because it was "frequently bought together" according to amazon. I'm not sure what's smaller than "micro" but this certain is. The tubes are too small to be useful for cleaning your car of anything besides dust. Leaves? Nope. Rock/pebbles? Nope. Paper? nope. AMZN should manually remove this items since it is deceptively posted with the handheld we bought. And at $7 it will cost more to return it that to throw it away. I would rather have had a cheap lunch than this POC. In this review "cheap" does not mean inexpensive, it means low quality product. Go elsewhere.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: MARATHON CL030049BK Budget Value Line - Digital Wall Clock with 4.5 Inch Large Display, Alarm, Temperature, Date & Moon; Brand: MARATHON; Review: Works ok. Like many others we have a limited viewing angle so had to position the clock carefully. You MUST read the directions closely because for reasons unknown this atomic clock has a setting that DISABLE receiving the radio signal that sets the time. Kind crazy. Real crazy is that the display shows "OF" when it's enabled (you know - the reason you bought the clock) and ON when it's disabled (why is this even a choice?) Aside from the large hour and minute we can't see all of the stuff on right side of the display. The clock is a little deep - if you mounted it on a wall it would stick out almost two inches. And we got the mirrored frame which actually works too well. I probably wouldn't buy it again but plan to keep this one. Needed to replace a model that worked fine but stopped syncing.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Zak Designs 1454-7005 Confetti Mixing Bowl Sets, 4-Piece, Assorted-Orange; Brand: Zak Designs; Review: love 'em; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cuisinart CSB-75PK Smart Stick 2-Speed Immersion Hand Blender, Pink; Brand: Cuisinart; Review: love it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cuisinart CSB-75SM 2-Speed Series Smart Stick Hand Blender, Sapphire, Regular; Brand: Cuisinart; Review: love it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rachael Ray Enamel on Steel 16-1/2-Inch Roaster with V-Shape Rack, Red; Brand: Rachael Ray; Review: C'mon, when i read 16 1/2 inches that means the inside area, not the distance between the handles! Ok pans but smaller than we were hoping for. I'd like to see the product listings for roasting pans list both the inside dimensions and clearly list the overall dimensions separately. We would not have bought these if we had known how much smaller they were than the lasagna pan we were trying to replace.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Winco UT-9 Coiled Spring Heavyweight Stainless Steel Utility Tong, 9-Inch; Brand: Winco; Review: Definitely get the Winco brand. We had el-cheapo before and this one is on a level by itself above all the rest. I almost feel like "losing" the other tongs we have just so I can replace them. I don't give a lot of 5-star reviews but this $5 product truly deserves it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vitamix 760 Tamper Tool, Black; Brand: Vitamix; Review: Overpriced but original equipment.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: J World New York Lola Lunch Tote, Blossom, One Size; Brand: J World New York; Review: A bit small in size if you have the Costco snap top stuff. But wife has been using it daily for a couple of months now and generally likes it well enough to keep using it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fox Run 4-Inch Marble Mortar and Pestle; Brand: Fox Run; Review: Great addition to any kitchen. This rolling pin has many many many many many many many pies ahead of it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Compost Pail Container Replacement Filters - Charcoal 4 sets - Fits 1 Gallon Compost Pail; Brand: Gardenatomy; Review: Very thin probably one quarter inch and the diameter is a bit less than advertised so they did not fit our pail. Even if the size was right would still return because they are just too thin. Seller might consider including thickness in their listing to cut down on returns.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pampered Chef Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer #2430; Brand: Pampered Chef; Review: This is the premiere corer slicer to get just not from this deadbeat seller. I have two because we wore one out after only 20 years; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: [Improved] Mandoline Slicer V-Blade + FREE Cut-Resistant Gloves - Stainless Steel Adjustable Vegetable Mandolin Food Slicer, Julienne Cutter; Brand: Grocery Art; Review: Great pie plates. Would buy them again in fifty years once these get chipped and cracked. Thank you Amazon for requiring so many words; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Burly moving blanket from Forearm Forklift-1 moving blanket “Blaze” orange/black | full size 72 x 80; Brand: Forearm Forklift; Review: Heaviest moving blanket available on Amazon right now. Shipped in a nice reusable plastic bag. Got this one for a particular item we want protected with extra care. I think we'll go with some that are a little more cost effective for general packing though. For the use we expect though this is an excellent moving blanket. Look for it to be reposted here as Used once our move is complete. I would recommend this product for anyone looking for a top-of-the-line moving pad for a piece that needs extra TLC during a move.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nordic Ware Microwave Compact Bacon Rack; Brand: Nordic Ware; Review: Looks like this one might be a factory second or irregular. Maybe a return. It has the factory wrapper but one of the get is chipped and blackened. However our old one held up well for years and very happy we can replace it. For the other doubters we put a paper towel over and under the bacon. It holds up to six pieces without a problem. Cleanup is a snap with a bit of prep. Fifth star withheld based on condition.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: The Mountain, Smokin' Jahman T-shirt Adult, Green, SIZE: Medium; Brand: ; Review: This shirt looks greater in person than on the computer. I got this as a gift for my brother in law and he loves it!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Swarovski Elements Austrian Crystal Diamente Four Leaf Clover Heart 2126Mm Pendant Necklace With 45Cm Chain Pink; Brand: Angel Brand; Review: This was a gift for my sister who loves the color pint (a little too much) and she absolutely loves this necklace.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tioneer Sterling Silver Cubic Zirconia Heart Infinity Ring; Brand: Tioneer; Review: I would definitely recommend this product to others as it is so beautiful and good quality for the price. I bought two for my sister and I and we just love them. very happy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pu Leather European Cross Design Bracelet Adjustable Size 7 to 9 Inches; Brand: Authentic stud earrings; Review: I really love the looks and quality of this bracelet. The only issue I had was getting it to me took about a month as the first package was lost in the mail. Other then that I wear this bracelet everyday and won't take it off I love it that much.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Black Pu Leather Skull Bracelet Adjustable Size 7 to 9 Inches.; Brand: Authentic stud earrings; Review: The bracelet is ok I guess. I think that the skulls are kind of cheap looking and not very detailed at all. But it is made very well so I cant complain to much.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Axis (Spin); Author: Visit Amazon's Robert Charles Wilson Page; Review: This novel really had me engrossed in the story, the characters and the premise. Unfortunately, the buildup, while nicely written, doesn't really lead to any answers about any of the things you care about. Mr. Wilson should have spent more time developing the story arc and a resolution to the activities of the Hypotheticals rather than spending time fleshing out numerous characters and documenting the strangeness surrounding their situation. I thought "Spin" was a great novel, well thought-out and it really established a mood. I had hoped that "Axis" would resolve some of the questions postulated by "Spin", but unfortunately it doesn't really do much of that.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: How Rich People Think; Author: Visit Amazon's Steve Siebold Page; Review: This book has some really inspiring ideas as well as practical details on how to achieve them. The book and concept is quite well laid out. Unfortunately, the Kindle formatting on this book is terrible! I don't know if anyone at Amazon ever reviews book formatting, but this book is filled with spelling errors, upper-lower case mistakes and general formatting mess-ups. I would give the book more stars if it were easier to read! perhaps the author should download a copy and apply some of his own principals towards improving the book on Kindle!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Practical Electronics for Inventors; Author: Visit Amazon's Paul Scherz Page; Review: This is an incredibly useful book for anyone wanting to learn electronics. The theory and practical detail is extensive and exceeds most textbooks in terms of content and clarity. There are lots of details on the kinds of circuits most people would want to create as well as extremely clear explanations of how everything works. I just can't say enough good things about this book really. If you have any interest in learning electronics quickly, this is the book to get. I think the authors should consider creating an interactive iPad edition too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: C++ Primer (4th Edition); Author: Stanley B. Lippman; Review: This is the best book for learning C++ out there. Unfortunately it seems nobody at Amazon or the publisher read this Kindle ebook edition. It is full of formatting errors and misaligned strings. I returned it and purchased the PDF and ePub editions from Addison Wesley directly. There are no errors in those editions.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Annotated Build-It-Yourself Science Laboratory: Build Over 200 Pieces of Science Equipment! (Make: Technology on Your Time); Author: Visit Amazon's Windell Oskay Page; Review: Not a bad book, but the things in it are dated. It's like you are building a science laboratory from the 1950s. Now this isn't necessarily wrong as many things haven't really changes since then in regards to the kinds of experiments you might perform in such a lab, but that detail is not really mentioned in the book description.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Design as art (Pelican); Author: Visit Amazon's Bruno Munari Page; Review: A fascinating study of design and how artistic choices are made. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Seveneves; Author: Visit Amazon's Neal. Stephenson Page; Review: An enjoyable and very detailed future history. You have to admire the scale of Stephenson's world-building effort. He goes into a lot of detail on some things, but seems to not explain others as much. All in all, you get a very real sense of this very original story and its characters. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wool - Omnibus Edition; Author: Visit Amazon's Hugh Howey Page; Review: Loved the story and writing. Hard to put down once you start reading it. Definitely worth your time to read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dust (Silo Trilogy) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Hugh Howey Page; Review: An excellent conclusion to the series. Not all the questions are answered, but that leaves room for another series. Loved it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Existence; Author: Visit Amazon's David Brin Page; Review: This is a science fiction classic. Brilliant in its scope and thought. Exactly what science fiction should be.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Neuromancer (Penguin Galaxy); Author: Visit Amazon's William Gibson Page; Review: Keep in mind that the ideas in this book were conceived by Gibson far before anything that we would today call "cyberspace". Truly an amazing book; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Aurora; Author: Visit Amazon's Kim Stanley Robinson Page; Review: Lately there has been a trend towards "hard" sci-fi. This is a trend that seems to be in line with some of the cynicism and static thought our society has been going through for the past 30 years. To me, science fiction used to be about putting people into interesting, fantastical situations that had an element of wonder to them that was far beyond anything we could experience normally. The key to keeping the stories interesting is writing the characters and situations in ways that are self-consistent as well as making sense from a wider scope. Too often, science fiction writers break these rules by introducing technologies and situations into their stories and then forgetting about what they really mean in a fully integrated sense. This is a failure of world-building and often a bias by the author to make a certain point, despite the fact that they have painted themselves into a corner with some interesting technology. In "Aurora", Kim Stanley Robinson does an amazing job of building a convincing world (well...spaceship) that tells the story of a generation ship on the way to Tau Ceti. I loved Robinson's "Mars" books and so I expected his attention to detail in terms of characters and situations in this book. I was not disappointed. There were many things I absolutely loved about this story - The character development, the narrative with Ship (the ship's computer) and the ideas presented about how the legacy of one generations decisions are not necessary appreciated by successive generations. Robinson basically takes some of the bigger ideas we have in trying to understand how humanity works and distill them into a much smaller scope within which he can express some of his thoughts. Robinson is excellent at character development. I marvel at how he puts so much detail and thought into how his main characters react to and think about the world they live in. Unfortunately, he has a bad tendency to counter those characters with very simplistic antagonists who act in ways that aren't really believable. This happens several times in the book. This breaks the illusion of the story as it makes you suddenly think "No, that person would not just do that. WHY did they do that?". It's clear why he does this - he wants to rush some development of his main character, but doesn't want to spend too much time on why something happens. Towards the end of the book, I found this happening more. "Aurora" is at once both a hopeful book and a very cynical one. The big decision that happens near the middle (I won't reveal it here for fear of spoilers) is well-described, but completely silly. At this point the book takes a ridiculous turn into having its characters do something that really doesn't make any sense. Much of this is offset with the narrative that is done via "Ship" - the Ship's AI. This is a fascinating delving into the nature of intelligence, motivations, goals, and reasons for why people strive as contemplated by a nonhuman intelligence. I; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A World Out of Time: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Larry Niven Page; Review: Excellent story that combines imagination and great characterization in a very Larry Niven way :-); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Fold: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Peter Clines Page; Review: Excellent novel with some original ideas. The characters and situations all make sense eventually but you are kept guessing throughout. A prequel of sorts can be found in his previous novel "14". I listened to the audiobook and thought the VO actor did a great job as well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 14; Author: Visit Amazon's Peter Clines Page; Review: Takes place in the same universe as "The Fold". Gives an interesting backstory with its own original ideas. Clines does a great job creating very interesting situations in his world-building. You really feel like you are exploring something new. The audible edition has the same voice actor as "The Fold" and he does a great job.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Half Way Home; Author: Visit Amazon's Hugh Howey Page; Review: Great Story with some twists. Howey is great at world-building and detailed character descriptions.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ready Player One; Author: Visit Amazon's Ernest Cline Page; Review: Great central idea with very interesting characters and 80's Nostalgia galore! Gets a little too into details of things, but it keeps your interest. Wil Wheaton did a great job narrating though he maintained a fairly high-energy pace throughout the story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dark Matter; Author: Visit Amazon's Garfield Reeves-Stevens Page; Review: Great Story! Told entirely from a first-person perspective with some awesome ideas. The characters and situations are well-thought-out with some interesting twists that kept me intrigued. I could see him making a series out of the ideas he explores in this novel too. Definitely one of the better sci-fi novels I have read in a while. Highly recommended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Death's End (Remembrance of Earth's Past); Author: Visit Amazon's Cixin Liu Page; Review: An excellent conclusion to the series with plenty of new ideas and situations.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Dark Forest (Remembrance of Earth's Past); Author: Visit Amazon's Cixin Liu Page; Review: A very original idea and an in-depth imagining of how civilizations interact at a galactic scale.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth's Past); Author: Visit Amazon's Cixin Liu Page; Review: Definitely a classic. Some amazingly original ideas and very memorable characters.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kiln People (The Kiln Books); Author: Visit Amazon's David Brin Page; Review: Loved the characters and story. Brain has broken some new ground with this story. The familiar elements of a gumshoe story mixed into a story about a very intriguing new technology.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Titan : The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.; Author: Visit Amazon's Ron Chernow Page; Review: Excellent book. Audible add-on is also very very well done. This book is basically a great overview of Rockefeller's life and influences both by him and upon him. It's difficult to sum up such a long and influential life in a single book, but you really get a sense of it here along with the politics and economics of the time. Chernow is an excellent writer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Bobiverse); Author: Visit Amazon's Dennis E. Taylor Page; Review: Explores some very interesting concepts and the characterization is very well done.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: For We Are Many (Bobiverse); Author: Visit Amazon's Dennis E. Taylor Page; Review: I really loved the characters and writing. The story is interesting and keeps you hooked. Looking forward to book 3!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Designing Sound (The MIT Press); Author: Visit Amazon's Andy Farnell Page; Review: This is an excellent book with great theory and some amazing practical examples. Should be in every technical sound library.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Abandon; Author: Visit Amazon's Blake Crouch Page; Review: Not a bad novel, but not as good as his other one - "Dark Matter". Crouch likes playing with timelines and he does a great job at that. This story has some interesting twists and turns but overall it is kind of plodding and depressing. I listened to the Audible version.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations that Transform the World; Author: Visit Amazon's David Deutsch Page; Review: This is a pretty deep book. Parts will require re-reading, but the effort is worth it. The reader will be rewarded with an increased understanding of things that everyone wonders about but does not easily find the answers to. Fantastic book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club); Author: Visit Amazon's Sidney Poitier Page; Review: This autobiography of Sidney Poitier started out very strong, very powerful, very inspiring and very entertaining. The middle of the book moved rather slowly for me, with not as much insight through introspection. The ending was again strong, but maybe just a bit over my head, philisophically. Sidney Poitier is an actor whom I respect and admire a great deal. He has always seemed to me to be a sincere, genuine, quality human being first, and an actor second. I enjoyed the insight into his life that I gained through reading his book. It was a good book...just not GREAT. Still, Sidney Poitier is a man who truly "Measures Up" to me!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Night Before Easter; Author: Visit Amazon's Natasha Wing Page; Review: This little book was the perfect accompaniment to my one year old grandson's Easter basket!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The President's Lady: A Novel About Rachel and Andrew Jackson; Author: Visit Amazon's Irving Stone Page; Review: This was my favorite book in Junior High and I am now over 60! I bought it and read it and enjoyed it again! Great seller! The book was in perfect condition and arrived very quickly. A very satisfactory transaction; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Firefly Lane; Author: Visit Amazon's Kristin Hannah Page; Review: I really enjoyed this book and could relate to the struggles and victories found in being a mom and having a lifelong friend. I found it a little slow in the beginning, but the momentum picked up and eventually swept me away. I would recommend this book to women, ages 30 to 70.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Incriminating Evidence (Mike Daley, Book 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Sheldon Siegel Page; Review: Not quite as good as Mr. Siegel's first novel, Special Circumstances, but still a real page turner which I enjoyed very much! I will continue to read the entire series as the Kindle price comes down!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The One That Got Away; Author: Visit Amazon's Simon Wood Page; Review: This was a very disturbing story, but so well written! I love that the main character was a very strong and resilient woman and that the outcome was a good one. A great story!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wreckage; Author: Visit Amazon's Emily Bleeker Page; Review: This was a great get away from reality story, and I enjoyed it very much. The author managed to describe the plane crash and survival on the island in a way that took the reader along instead of just observing from a distance. If not entirely believable, this book was totally enjoyable. A good read!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Special Circumstances; Author: Visit Amazon's Sheldon Siegel Page; Review: Great courtroom drama! If you like Grisham, you will love Siegel! There is so much attention paid to detail in the build up to and during the trials. And yet, the story is not confusing and the characters are so knowable and believable. I love getting lost in Siegel's exciting and propelling stories!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Family Affair (Truth in Lies) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Campisi Page; Review: This is a charming, though predictable love story. The characters are well defined and easy to relate to. The story moves at a leisurely pace and the ending is a happy one. This book would make a day at the beach just that much more enjoyable!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Miramont's Ghost; Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Hall Page; Review: The characters in this story are well developed and I found myself either loving or hating them. The twists and turns in the story line had me guessing the eventual outcome over and over. The real ending was not anticipated by me, nor did I know until the afterword that the story was loosely based on a true story. Not light reading with a happy ending, but this was certainly a compelling read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Younger; Author: Visit Amazon's Suzanne Munshower Page; Review: This story had great potential, but was just too complicated with the over done spy vs spy games. There were too many players who were not developed enough to remember who they were and what their roles were in all the twists and turns of the story. I just kept reading, in hopes it would all come together in the end. It didn't...not completely anyway. This book was just OK in my estimation.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Final Verdict; Author: Visit Amazon's Sheldon Siegel Page; Review: I have come to love Sheldon Siegel legal thrillers! They have a good balance of suspense, drama, humor, and happy endings! They are all fun, easy, entertaining reads! You can't go wrong!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Passion of Marie Romanov: A tale of Anastasia's sister; Author: Visit Amazon's Laura Rose Page; Review: There is no way to enjoy such a detailed account of manor inhumanity to man. Yet I read each word, each gruesome detail of the account of the demise of the Romanov family. This was a story that had to be told and chronicled and preserved for all time. Power corrupts! Politics can turn men into beasts! This book was difficult to read. I want to wipe it from my memory. I need to remember it for all of my days. God rest their souls! Eternal peace to the strong and brave Marie.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Altar Girl: A Prequel (Nadia Tesla); Author: Visit Amazon's Orest Stelmach Page; Review: I only moderately enjoyed this book. The story seemed to move very slowly at times, and the characters were not remarkable. It was interesting enough for me to finish the book, but I anticipate it being forgettable. I won't be reading the series.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Glassblower (The Glassblower Trilogy); Author: Visit Amazon's Petra Durst-Benning Page; Review: This was simply a sweet, enchanting story from beginning to end. The characters were introduced early and developed well. The story moved swiftly with no slow spots along the way. The village and the art of glassblowing which gave it it's character became familiar and welcoming to the reader. I wanted good things to come to these 3 sisters. I feel the adventure has just begun, and I am looking forward to the next two books in th trilogy. Bon Voyage Ruth, Wanda and Steven! Welcome to America!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Perfect Son; Author: Visit Amazon's Barbara Claypole White Page; Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and was reminded of just how strong the ties of family love can be. What is a perfect family? Is it one with no struggles or adversaries or human tragedies? No! It is instead very flawed and damaged individuals who choose to pool their strengths to shore up one another's weaknesses. And "family" can include those related not by blood, but of the heart. Harry said it best..."we are not our diagnosis! " Love casts out fear! Love rises vicariously above labels. I am inspired!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Everything I Never Told You; Author: Visit Amazon's Celeste Ng Page; Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book! At under 300 pages, it is a quick and easy read. This is the story of really good people who form a family that struggles with serious issues. From the outside, they look like perfection. They have goals and ambitions and dreams for themselves and each other. They love deeply yet imperfectly. The pressure and the stakes are high, and the results are tragic, yet ultimately hopeful for the future. I loved and was frustrated with all of these characters. And it was in this conflict of emotion where I found the quality and pleasure in this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crow Hollow; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Wallace Page; Review: I read the first 100 pages and knew it was not my taste. I removed it from my Kindle without finishing it.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Life and Other Near-Death Experiences; Author: Visit Amazon's Camille Pagán Page; Review: I was a bit surprised to have enjoyed this book as much as I did. I thought it might turn out to be a Hallmark movie in a book, way too sad as to be depressing, or just too heavy. But it was none of those things. The story was well and honestly told, with just the right mix of conflict and resolve. It moved quickly and the characters were mostly believable. I enjoyed this book very much...surprisingly so!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Comfort & Joy: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Kristin Hannah Page; Review: This is a Hallmark movie set to print. It is a sweet, predictable if not believable story. It is innocent and full of Christmas magic. I enjoyed it as a holiday spirit jump starter. But it won't change your life or anything. For me, it will probably be quite forgettable.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Comfort and Joy; Author: Visit Amazon's Kristin Hannah Page; Review: This is a Hallmark movie set to print. It is a sweet, predictable if not believable story. It is innocent and full of Christmas magic. I enjoyed it as a holiday spirit jump starter. But it won't change your life or anything. For me, it will probably be quite forgettable.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Advocate; Author: Visit Amazon's Teresa Burrell Page; Review: This story held my interest long enough to finish reading it. But I found it rather average and forgettable.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Winter Men; Author: Visit Amazon's Jesper Bugge Kold Page; Review: This is the story of two Average German brothers who are sucked into the unspeakable evil of Hitler during WWII. It was a difficult story to read at times, but it really opened my eyes to see that the German people were also victims of this great evil. Even though these men did terrible things themselves, there were shades of gray along the way that made them blind to the direction they were heading until it was too late. This is not a happily ever after ending either. But as difficult as this read was at times, it is an important story to be told and to learn from in current times.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Winter Men - Kindle edition; Author: Visit Amazon's Jesper Bugge Kold Page; Review: This is the story of two Average German brothers who are sucked into the unspeakable evil of Hitler during WWII. It was a difficult story to read at times, but it really opened my eyes to see that the German people were also victims of this great evil. Even though these men did terrible things themselves, there were shades of gray along the way that made them blind to the direction they were heading until it was too late. This is not a happily ever after ending either. But as difficult as this read was at times, it is an important story to be told and to learn from in current times.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Secret Healer; Author: Visit Amazon's Ellin Carsta Page; Review: Put me to sleep. Returned it.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: My Sister's Grave (Tracy Crosswhite); Author: Visit Amazon's Robert Dugoni Page; Review: This was an exciting cliffhanger that kept me flipping pages like mad! There were more than a few twists and turn, and just enough blood and gore to make my heart pound. It was a good one with a very satisfying ending.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Small Great Things: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Jodi Picoult Page; Review: I loved this book, and it's message is one that will stay with me for a very long time. Jodi Picoult is not afraid to tackle tough, contemporary societal issues in the telling of her engrossing stories. I love how she develops each of her characters in a way that you come to know them...how they think and feel...And draws the reader in to share their challenges, struggles, conflicts and victories. I sighed. I cried. I shouted for joy! A really good read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Confession; Author: Visit Amazon's Sheldon Siegel Page; Review: Love Mike and Rosie! They have come to feel like friends. Fun, easy read. Enjoyable!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: What She Knew: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Gilly Macmillan Page; Review: This story lagged at certain pounts, but I am very glad I stuck with it. I am impressed by the truth that even when an abducted child is returned to his oarents, all concerned remain lost in one degree or another. Great story!; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: MERCURE Saint Malo Balmoral; City: Saint Malo Ille et Vilaine Brittany; Review: Our stop at the Mercure St Malo - Balmoral was short and very pleasant. One night before taking the Ferry Across to Jersey with our Grandchildren. Much appreciated the accommodation of the Suite. Very good selection for Breakfast. Would recommend; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crowne Plaza Hotel Brussels Airport; City: Diegem Flemish Brabant Province; Review: Professional welcome at reception, recognized as a Spire Elite Member Comfortable Sky Lounge with a nice variety of drinks and snacks Amenities were suitable Quiet, clean and modern rooms Excellent location if travelling in-and-out of airport; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crowne Plaza Vilnius; City: Vilnius Vilnius County; Review: Stayed at The Crowne Plaza - Vilnius during my short stay in Vilnius. Located in a nice residential and quiet area (between the airport and the Old City center) The hotel could do with a bit of renovation. Rooms are spacious Breakfast room is "basic", but elativ nice choice of food Nice spa, with swiming poool, jacuzzi and Gym Must go to 16th Floor to see the City panoramic view on 360° - nice restaurant as well; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Lille Centre; City: Lille Nord Hauts de France; Review: Member of IHG, we had to choose the Holiday Inn in Lille Excellent central location. Hotel Parking available. Comfortable small rooms. Quiet and restful. Only negative point was: Poor selection at breakfast. Staff very friendly and helpful; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grand Hotel del Gianicolo; City: Rome Lazio; Review: Hotel is in a "area residential area" close to the Vatican and nearby parks Close to the Trastever Area. Must visit....bars, restaurants...lively place The Hotel is an old Roman "palacio", with a beautiful pool area. Rare to find in central Rome Rooms are not too spacious, but fine & restful. Breakfast is a must for the VIEW Dining and menu is good Excellent, top restaurants in the area; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Puerto Madero; City: Buenos Aires Capital Federal District; Review: The Hotel in general could do with a little "refreshning" - rooms as well Situated near the trendy area of Puerto Madero and walking distance to the Shopping Mall Pacifica and Florida pedestrian street. Also to BuqueBus station if travelling to Montevideo, Colonia - Uruguay; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Schmelmer Hof Hotel Resort; City: Bad Aibling Upper Bavaria Bavaria; Review: In the countryside, near the local baths / springs / rehabilitation centers / specialized clinics Quiet, intima place The restaurant can be recommended. Nice breakfast selection. Rooms are basic and comfortable for a short stay.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: ARCOTEL Camino; City: Stuttgart Baden Wurttemberg; Review: Very nice Hotel, near train station & town center. Well located. Nice welcome at the Front Desk and very comfortable rooms. Modern and well equipped rooms Restaurant is also to be recommended Excellent selection for breakfast Cosy "spa / gym room"; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Cordoba; City: Cordoba Province of Cordoba Central Argentina; Review: Situated outside the city center. Nearby Dino Mall - shopping , good restaurants Close to new areas of entertainment & local restaurants - Av Nunes Offering a quiet place to relax. Nice pool, sauna & gym Rooms are comfortable - request room with Pool view; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Pulitzer Roma; City: Rome Lazio; Review: Tried a new Hotel while in Rome, since we needed to be in the EUR area ad Bio Medica University Hospital Easy access from Fiumicino Airport Rooms are cozy and modern Good selection for breakfast Nice bar with relaxing ambiance; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: 3 Pack Black Military Tactical T-ring Tring Adaptor for Molle Pals Acu Duraflex; Brand: Pantel Tactical; Review: Now that I have the review if found out my thinking was right. Thought I ordered a 3 pack but I only got a 1 pack. The packing list showed only 1 and the price for one. Some one got the rest of the money and it wasn't me. Pretty expensive one pack. It does work good but I will make sure that I don't order again. I can buy a lot of other ones that work just as good a lot cheaper for many more.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: SNIPER Ribbed Stealth Slip on Rubber Combat Butt Pad for 6 Position Stock; Brand: Sniper; Review: Great fit. Reduces the recoil on my AR-10; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Galati Gear Cartridge Belt; Brand: Galati Gear; Review: Love it. Used it for AR-15 ammo. Not really sure that it would hold 7.62 ammo as the elastic loops are too close together. Their bandolier works great for 30 cal.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: RCBS Hex Lock Ring Wrench, 1-3/16-Inch; Brand: RCBS; Review: works great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Outers 70072 Universal 32-Piece Blow Molded Gun Cleaning Kit; Brand: Outers; Review: Great price. Keeps everything in one place for cleaning all calibers of guns.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nohma Leather 1” Leather Rifle Gun Sling, Chestnut Color, Amish Handmade; Brand: Nohma Leather; Review: Perfect fit on my M-1 Garand.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: UTG Deluxe Pistol Case; Brand: UTG; Review: Works great for multiple pistols and magazines.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: RCBS Deburring Tool (.17-.60 Cal); Brand: RCBS; Review: works like all other RCBS products. Great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BARSKA Loaded Gear CX-600 Tactical Belt; Brand: BARSKA; Review: love the belt. This one was for a friend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Solo Active Universal Tablet Sling, Grey; Brand: SOLO; Review: I bought this for my Transformer Infinity, fits perfectly. There's more room in this pack than you might think. Yet still keeps a slim profile. Well worth it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sharp HT-SB40 High Power SoundBar and Wireless Subwoofer; Brand: Sharp; Review: Love this unit. Very sleek and stylish. Only concern was as mentioned with the sound cutting out. A quick change of the channel corrects it.... just not sure if its the low cost optical I have been using All and all this is a very good unit. Good treble and more bass than you can believe.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bornd Silent Mouse M120, 90% Noise Reduction - Red; Brand: Bornd; Review: Silent mouse but you do seem to need to make your clicks known. Maybe its because one grew accustomed to hearing a click; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mountek nGroove Snap 2 Magnetic Car Mount for Smartphones and Mini Tablets; Brand: Mountek; Review: Got the Mountek snap 2 for my Samsung Note 3... this product does exactly as stated, your phone will not drop. Much better than mounting your phone on the windshield soaking up heat on a drive.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: ASUS M32BF-US005S Desktop (3.4 GHz AMD A4-5300 Processor, 4GB DDR3, 1TB HDD, Windows 8.1) (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Asus; Review: Amazing computer for the price. Purchased for light multimedia use and a light server on 1 partition. The amd chip in here is their lower model. But still performs as good as the Intel chip at a cheaper price. Tower does not have built in WiFi. Just a FYI even though it does not state it would. Great computer for the price, I have no regrets; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Walkman Car Connecting Pack for MD Walkman and CD Walkman (Model# CPA-9C); Brand: Sony; Review: Works much better than the FM transmitters. There is a slight clicking noise, but with the volume audible with road noise click can't be heard. We all forgot what tapes sound like. Sound is also better, not faded as the FM tended to be.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: EVGA 1GB GeForce 8400 GS DirectX 10 64-Bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card Model 01G-P3-1302-LR; Brand: EVGA; Review: Fan was annoying loud...maybe it was a bad unit, but fan was running full speed 100% of the time. Working on an Asus M32 series desktop with upgraded RAM and PSU, this card would optimize everything but gaming on Windows 8.1. Because of decibel range and limitations on compatibility this is an example of a graphics card to substitute integrated graphics.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Logitech S150 USB Speakers with Digital Sound; Brand: Logitech; Review: Great little speakers for general purpose; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: ASUS Corporate Stable Model 2 GB Graphics Cards GT610-2GD3-CSM; Brand: Asus; Review: Good little GPU for the price; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Skip Hop Silver Lining Cloud Ball Trip Activity Toys, Multi, (3/pack); Brand: Skip Hop; Review: I loved these toys and so did my little one. They are so adorable! I placed them on his skip hop play gym when we're at home and then when we go out I attach them to his stroller. They all make some sort of noise -- the sun's rays :: crinkling noise, the moon & star :: bell noise, and the rainbow :: rattle noise.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nuby 2-Pack Tub Tugs Floating Boat Bath Toys, Colors May Vary; Brand: Nuby; Review: my son loves watching these cute little boats float during bathtime. I think they are just adorable.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kidz Delight Tech Too, Tech Set Trio; Brand: Kidz Delight; Review: I bought these for my son because he was always trying to grab my keys and the tv remote. the phone looks so real and I love the sounds all the toys make -- so realistic!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Skip Hop Silver Lining Cloud Rattle Moon Stroller Toy, Multi; Brand: Skip Hop; Review: super cute. used it on the baby's play gym, but now that he's bigger, we toss it in the diaper bag and give it to him when he gets bored.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eureka Winter Sticker Book; Brand: Eureka; Review: it's cute and really affordable.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Fridge Food Wooden Play Food Set (9 pcs); Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: super adorable set. we love it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Slice-and-Bake Wooden Cookie Play Food Set, Pretend Play, Materials, 28 Pieces, 10.5" H x; Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: honestly the cutest pretend cookie set I've ever seen. the cookies really stick to the pan. great product for your little baker!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Slice & Sort Wooden Eggs (13 pcs) - Play Food Educational Toy in Wooden Tray; Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: awesome learning toy and super cute to have in your play kitchen.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Wooden Pantry Products Play Food Set (9 pcs); Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: I really love this. They're adorable and made out of wood -- which I love! I have a baby boy so he's definitely in need of durable toys.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House! Stainless Steel Pots & Pans Play Set for Kids, Construction, 8; Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: love these little pots. amazing quality!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Everything We Keep: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Kerry Lonsdale Page; Review: I didn't realize this was a typical romantic novel, and therefore not the type of book I usually read. For the type of book it is, it was pretty good, but I don't think I would recommend it to my friends.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Alexander Hamilton; Author: Visit Amazon's Ron Chernow Page; Review: A captivating and informative portrait of a very interesting man who was able to overcome tremendous odds to become one of the most influential people in our history.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lost Symbol (Dan Brown); Author: Dan Brown (Author); Review: The best of Dan Brown's books; most informative about the Masons, and held my interest throughout.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Feel the Fear . . . and Do It Anyway; Author: Susan Jeffers; Review: A positive, inspiring book that makes you look at life differently.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The 5 Love Languages Military Edition: The Secret to Love That Lasts; Author: Gary D. Chapman; Review: Very thought provoking book about relationships, very well written and easy to understand.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: All Quiet on the Western Front (with Related Readings); Author: Eric Maria Remarque; Review: Beautifully written novel about the horrors of war. I became totally engrossed in the story and could not put it down.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: All Quiet on the Western Front (World War I) by Erich Maria Remarque (2014-03-15); Author: ; Review: Beautifully written novel about the horrors of war. I became totally engrossed in the story and could not put it down.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Before We Were Yours: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Wingate Page; Review: A fascinating book. There were times when I couldn't put it down. I loved the juxtapositioning between the past and the present. The "mystery" was a wonderful and fascinating surprise. To find out that it was actually based on fact, and that children and families were actually treated this way, was eye-opening.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye: A Lisbeth Salander novel, continuing Stieg Larsson's Millennium Series; Author: Visit Amazon's David Lagercrantz Page; Review: Not nearly as good as the books written by Stieg Larsson, but an entertaining read nevertheless.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Great Alone: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Kristin Hannah Page; Review: Having read and loved The Nightingale, I looked forward to reading this book. I loved it even more and found it really difficult to put down. The story and the characters were riveting. I highly recommend it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Golden Coast Beach Hotel; City: Protaras Paralimni Famagusta District; Review: The Hotel was fantastic for families, i felt that the staff and entertainment team were very friendly. The food was must better that i had epected, cooked fresh and a huge choice for both adults and children. The entertainment at night was do-able for young children but older teens wouldnt like it as it is based for youngsters. The rooms were as described, very clean, great towel service so i was more than happy with that. The hotel hosts mainly Russians about 70% but they keep themselves to themselves and to be honest, they dont talk to you and some even look down on other Europeans, but again no issues. I will recommend this great hotel and i would go back again, location, staff and hotel is excellent.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spring Hotel Bitacora; City: Playa de las Americas Arona Tenerife Canary Islands; Review: The hotel is currently under going a 3 month refurb, but I stayed for a week in the Easter holidays and I shall tell you about my experiences. If you are like me then you will take values with this report, I like a holiday where I get my money's worth, a clean hotel with plenty of facilities, well this hotel had all of this, the rooms were cleaned well everyday, the hotel was very clean throughout and a nice place to stay. Negative part: the food in the hotel (which we were all inclusive) was below average we all thought. There were plenty of choices for breakfast which we thought was the best meal of the day, lunch everyday was awful, so we ate out and dinner was not the greatest. There were a few nights when seafood was very nice, if you like seafood, but it was very bland and not really enjoyable. I am someone who normally eats anything and doesn't moan, but it was a bit poor to be honest. The snacks by the pool side were very good though, burgers, hotdogs, fries, onion rings etc, ideal just to pick away at if your by the pool. The entertainment in the hotel for both kids and adults is shocking, it's boring. There is normally a show on from 2045hrs which some of them were ok, but after the show, someone sings, and it's worse than sitting in an old bar in benidorm listening to karaoke. They should put a disco on afterwards, but it felt as it,"you've had your entertainment-now go to bed" it really needs to liven up a bit. The hotel is either the older generation, or families, which was nice, however the older generation are perfectionists at getting up at 5am to put the towels out by the pool, so good luck with trying to get a subbed, I got up at 6am one morning to find the sunbeds all taken, quite a nightmare. Once by the pool, it's as if your not allowed to have fun, no balls, soft toys or anything in the pool, unfair for the kids really, you can only swim or be prepared for the life guard to blow his whistle at you. I had a nice holiday. The final point which I didn't like was you were given a band to wear showing you we're all inclusive, but every time you go to the bar for a drink you have to take your room card regardless, at was really annoying, it was pointless wearing a band your wrist. I wouldn't stay at the hotel again which I am sorry to say, there is no fine balance within the hotel. I hope this review has been of help, and sorry it's negative.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: De Vere Selsdon Estate; City: Croydon Greater London England; Review: I have stayed at the hotel for the past 3 weeks now and initially I didn't take to it so if I may give some reviews of it, I would like to start With the: Negatives - some of the rooms are very outdated, especially the ground floor rooms, the menu needs updating and when there are large corporate functions on, it's difficult to get served food from the bar....but at the end of the day, they are also there to look after corporate events. Positives - the hotel is very old and somewhat quirky, it's great to stay in a hotel where there is a great deal of history. Although I was given a room on the ground floor and wasn't to my taste, the staff on reception were very accommodating and moved me to a better room......"if you don't ask you don't get" What I thought was fantastic was some of the staff, I must firstly point out the hotels restaurant manager, he was flawless for the whole 3 weeks, a man that takes good control of his staff in delivering a top service, he is also a man that puts great attention to detail in every task, the hotel should be very proud to have this man! Secondly was two bar staff members, both Jon & Emma who always ensured we were taken care of and always had a smile on their faces, a great credit to the staff and finally what made our day each morning was Kate, who served breakfast and is new to the hotel. She always put a smile on our face with her politeness and positive "can do - will do attitude" so if the GM reads this comment, I would be most thankfull If my gratitude can be passed on to your staff as mentioned, these are the foundation of your hotel and drive your good name forward.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pentahotel Birmingham; City: Birmingham West Midlands England; Review: I love this hotel, it's so funky! When I walked through the front door I thought I had walked into a bar, but that's the way the hotel is laid out. If your travelling on business or as a group there is no better hotel, it really is amazing and the food was very nice. I will 100% stay here again!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Palm Beach Resort Spa; City: Labuan Island Sabah; Review: My friends and I booked a weekend break in Labuan and booked into this hotel, I thought the hotel was fantastic, the rooms were very spacious, and although slightly out dated, it has a great pool, the restaurant was very nice as was the food, you could order bar snacks by the pool, and the pool had a bar, what else could you ask for? I was also very impressed with the complimentary transport shuttle bus into town. The staff were very helpful so I found no fault within the hotel, and if will be coming back again next year.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gran Hotel Bali Grupo Bali; City: Benidorm Costa Blanca Province of Alicante Valencian Country; Review: I am shocked by this hotel, and I will explain why. They do not care for British people, 90% of people staying at the hotel are Spanish with the minority being British. The Spanish are the rudest nation I have met and I have travelled extensively. They bang into you at food times without a sorry and to a degree of absolute discust and barge their way into a lift before you have exited with children. However, the hotel is nice looking and the staff generally are pleasant. It's a very clean hotel and the rooms are turned daily so we were happy with that. The worst part of the whole hotel experience is the All Inclusive side, what a shocker!! During meals all you can have is cold sandwiches (ham and cheese no butter or sauces) and ready salted crisps only, the bar area is shocking the All Inclusive part of the bar is only 1/8th of the whole bar and you have to queue to get a drink, average of 15 people, whilst the bar staff laugh this off contending to the paying guests, it's discracefull and a complete waste of money, in addition you are limited to All Inclusive drinks which is so minimal, it's not worth it. If your a Spanish guest you get your drinks served to you also with complimentary bowl of nuts, my wife asked for some after queuing and was refused as the bar staff said they are not for all Inclusive (would you believe it) There is also no kids menu at dinner times, it's unreal, I have wrote positive reviews on all of my hotel feedbacks and this is the first hotel that is beyond belief, I recommend that British people with families do not book here.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: London Marriott Hotel Twickenham; City: Twickenham Greater London England; Review: The room was very large, clean and warming, and with the location of the hotel adjoined to the stadium, it was great to be at the best rugby stadium ! The prices of beer and food was a little excessive especially breakfast, I was with my family of 4 and the adults breakfast was £16.50 and was told no reduction for my children, which at 10 & 7 they would only have a bowl of cereal or one slice of toast, so we gave it a miss and travelled to a local cafe, but that's all I could fault with the hotel.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport A23 Airport Way Hotel; City: Crawley West Sussex England; Review: I didn't enjoy the stay here, loud and heavy steps from the room above, I felt the springs in the bed and the pillows weren't of a high quality that I have experienced before in all my previous Premier Inn visits. On going for breakfast at 0530hrs, we were just told to take a seat and not shown anything, so we just found things ourself. Sorry to be negative but I always stay in premier inn hotels, until now after this visit. Not happy!; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Paper Blanks Old Leather Wraps: Foiled Leather; Author: Blank Journal; Review: It is pretty and has nice pages, very good for journaling. I love it. I only wish there was a spot for my pen. Especially for the money this is a great buy!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Snuggle Up, Sleepy Ones; Author: Visit Amazon's Claire Freedman Page; Review: This is a wonderful bedtime book!! It has a wonderful story that winds down at the end as all the animals are going to sleep. The pictures are brightly colored and so adorable!! A must have!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Rock Star in Seat 3A: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Jill Kargman Page; Review: I read a good review about this book and thought I'd give it a try as a summer read. It's very easy reading but felt like it was meant for teenagers except for the foul language and adult content. It was more cheezy than steamy.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: My Name Is Memory; Author: Visit Amazon's Ann Brashares Page; Review: I loved, loved this book....until the end. With an entire book of build up the end felt like it left you hanging.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Where Do Babies Come From? - Boys Edition - Learning About Sex; Author: Ruth Hummel; Review: I think there are better books like this out there. This seems like it was written for very small children.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Don't You Cry; Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Kubica Page; Review: I really wanted to love this, but I really couldn't. It was very slow to start, in the middle I was hooked and the suspense builds but I was very disappointed in the ending! Overall, I didn't hate it, but I wouldn't read again. =(; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Catcher In The Rye; Author: J.D. Salinger; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: The Catcher in the Rye was okay, I guess. It wasn't terribly exciting because the story was pretty flat - no climax or anything. Holden Caulfield just got expelled from Pencey Prep and The Catcher in the Rye tells of the day when he left the school. During the 36 hours that he left, Holden hung out with people, drank with them, and smoked. Over and over again. That's pretty much all that happens in The Catcher in the Rye. If I remember correctly, Holden ends up smoking 3 packets of cigarettes by the end of the book. What makes this book intriguing is Holden's thoughts. The story is told from a first person point-of-view, so we're constantly aware of what goes on in Holden's head. He sees other people as phonies and hypocrites. Often, the "fakeness" that he sees around him makes him want to commit suicide because he feels so hopeless about the world. Its pretty disturbing inside Holden's head and his pretentiousness makes it really hard for the reader to care about him, but the thing is, we actually get to learn a lot about Holden from the way he sees and interacts with others. I was going to give this book 2 stars, but I ended up giving it 3 because I think Holden's characterization is one the strong points in this book. The Catcher in the Rye wasn't a great read, but it certainly wasn't a waste of time either.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #1); Author: Michael Scott; Genres: history, young-adult, children, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I'm a sucker for mythology. Whether it's Greek, Egyptian, Norse - or even a mix of everything. Which is why, despite the slow pace of the story and rather boring characters, I found this book bearable. I couldn't wait to see which mythological character would be featured next. Anyway I was more interested to find out what will happen to Perenelle - she's the most exciting character in the whole book - than what'll happen to the twins, Nicholas and Scatty. I'm going to continue reading the series. The Alchemyst wasn't a very good beginning for a series, but hopefully the story will get more exciting as the twins start to learn more about the myths and legends in the modern day.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Warm Bodies (Warm Bodies, #1); Author: Isaac Marion; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: First book I've ever read that is told from a zombie's point of view.. and it was kinda disappointing. Usually we see zombies as mindless, brain-eating monsters, but in Isaac Marion's Warm Bodies, the zombies are actually able to think and communicate with each other. See, there are two types of zombies: the Boneys and the Fleshies. The Boneys are the ones that "control" the zombie community and it seems as though they have been around longer because they've been pretty much reduced to skin over bones. Whereas Fleshies are your standard zombies: male, female, adult, children that died and came back to "life" as a zombie. It's never really explained how the Boneys came to be. Whether they were ancient Fleshies or an alien race or.. something else. Anyway, the Boneys don't really feel like zombies because they can organize zombie-church, zombie-marriage and even schools for zombie-children. The Boneys are even able to accompany the Fleshies to the city and take pictures of them hunting! The protagonist in the story is R, a male zombie who has no memory of himself but has a conscience and is pretty cultured for a zombie (he like Frank Sinatra and The Beatles). On a hunt to an abandoned hospital, the zombies kill a group of teenagers, including Perry Kelvin who was trying to protect his girlfriend Julie Grigio. R manages to eat Perry's brain and as he absorbs Perry's memories, he also absorbs the feelings that Perry has for Julie, which pushes R to save her. He does this by covering her in zombie blood and then taking her back to the zombie hive. By saving Julie, R became the first zombie to create a bond with a Living person. The relationship between R and Julie didn't just affect the Living community, but it also became a catalyst for a change in the zombies nature. The love (?!) between R and Julie, although it was not explained how, became the start for a zombie cure. Apparently the love between a zombie and a human can inspire other zombies to become more human-like. At first the premise the premise seemed pretty interesting: a love story between a zombie and a human. But then when I started reading.. Ugh, I had to start and read from the beginning twice because when I got to the middle I kept leaving the book for long periods of time. It just wasn't that interesting for me. The love story was pretty dull and there wasn't enough zombie action! I expected an exciting, action-packed story so yeah, I was pretty disappointed. I was also pretty frustrated because a lot of things were left unexplained. Especially who or what were the Boneys and why were they superior to the Fleshies? And what exactly happened to them at the end of the book...? I don't get it. The book shouldn't have ended when it did. I would've given Warm Bodies a 1-star rating but the beginning was set-up quite well, although it was quite boring in the middle. I thought it would; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Divergent (Divergent, #1); Author: Veronica Roth; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This is my first review on Goodreads, and strangely I'm doing it on a novel that I read a couple of weeks ago... which I didn't think was that great either. Divergent is set in a future Chicago, where the people are divided into 5 factions based on their most valued human traits. If you were in Abnegation, the trait you value is selflessness, people in Dauntless value bravery, people in Candor value honesty, people in Erudite value intelligence, and the people in Amity value peace. People are born into any one of these factions, but at the age of 16, they get to choose if they want to stay in their original faction or choose to move into another. I seriously don't think this concept would work in reality. There is no way that a human being can be 100% selfless, or 100% honest, or 100% brave, without having any other traits. Unless we were brainwashed - which is not the case. In this book, if you fit into multiple factions, like our heroine in this story, Beatrice Prior, then you're a Divergent. Despite being Divergent, at the Choosing Ceremony Beatrice chose to become Dauntless, leaving behind her family in Abnegation. To fully become a Dauntless member, though, Beatrice and the other 16-year-old Dauntless (whether they were Dauntless-born or not) had to go through a really long initiation process which consists of jumping off trains and rooftops, hand-to-hand combat and fear simulations. At the end of the initiation process, only a select few would've passed to become a Dauntless. Okay, first of all, I don't have a problem with the writing and the plot. Nearly the whole book tells of the initiation process, which is just fine. A bit dull at times but near the end the story it finally got interesting. But there are three things that bothered me, hence the two-star rating: 1. the concept of factions based on human traits I think these factions are ridiculous. 2. the idea that being Divergent is dangerous When Beatrice first found out that she was Divergent, she was warned not to tell others about this because being a Divergent was dangerous. Sadly, it was never properly explained why it was so. So even though some of the people closest to her kept telling her over and over again to be careful because she's Divergent, there's never any real sense of danger. 3. the main character and her love interest Ho-hum. To me Beatrice wasn't a very likable character - she's very simple-minded and can't seem to think very far ahead. Her love interest, Four, is the typical good-looking guy with a troubled past who acts pretty nasty to her in front of other Dauntless, but is sweet and charming when there's just the no one else. Their predictable love story annoyed me, mostly because Beatrice seemed to be able to give so much love to Four, yet she feels almost nothing towards the family she left behind. All in all, Divergent wasn't a great book, but it wasn't that bad either.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Invention of Hugo Cabret; Author: Brian Selznick; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: The Invention of Hugo Cabret is really, really sweet. It starts off as a story about a young boy who tries to fix an automaton he believes contains a message from his dead father, and ends up as a tale of how said boy "fixed" another person's life. The book is really about the magic of films and the dreams it inspires to people. The book is full of Brian Selznick's illustrations - and those illustrations are part of the storytelling process. It's quite an experience because I've never read anything quite like this before. I really, really like this book. It's a beautiful story with interesting characters. Oh, and it also helps that one of the main characters is a bookworm :D.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Necromancer (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #4); Author: Michael Scott; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: My thoughts on the two main pairs of the series: I'm starting to dislike the Flamels more and more - their personalities keep changing. Sometimes they would seem gentle and wise, other times snappish and impatient. It's really annoying, because the inconsistencies in the characters make it really hard to figure out what they're really like. At times, John Dee and Nicholas Flamel seem like the same person with different names. Sophie and Josh are the same as ever: boring. Plus I still can't sympathize with these kids because of their constant whining. I feel like they whine a lot. Machiavelli should've been the main character in this series. Seriously. He's way more interesting - from his actions to his train of thoughts. Conclusion: Finally, the story starts to get exciting! Yes, the characters are scattered all across the Shadowrealms, nearly overloading with the multiple storylines and new background information on the history of the earth. The thing is, all the action with all the characters helped move the pace of the story and there wasn't as many unnecessary dialogues like in the previous books. It was a fun read - better than the first three books.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Magic Pudding; Author: Norman Lindsay; Genres: young-adult, children, poetry, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: But why... is the pudding so grumpy? :(; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kafka on the Shore; Author: Haruki Murakami; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Umm... The best thing about this book is that it easily swept me into a world where people overlap with spirits overlap with memories overlap with time. How about the story, though? The ending? It's really hard to say, because by the end there are still so many questions left unanswered. But I do think that it was only in the end that readers finally understand (or at least have an idea) of why the main character, Kafka, is the way he is. And also the reason why he ran away from home, what he's searching for and what he's escaping from. I think these questions can be answered with a pretty concrete answer. As for the smaller details - well, I think that Murakami left a lot of things open for the readers own interpretation. It's a bit frustrating, but this is definitely the type of book that needs a second reading to pick up the details and get a better understanding. But honestly, the way Murakami builds the atmosphere, and how Kafka seems to be longing for something even though he appears like the world's "toughest fifteen-year-old" - this is what makes reading this book so compelling. This is just my first impression though, and I have to say that the journey of reading this book actually beats the story itself. Twelve hours later, I still feel like a part of me is still reading the book, trying so hard to understand the world where reality, dreams and memory overlap in Kafka on the Shore.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus, #4); Author: Rick Riordan; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I haven't felt this much despair since I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Mockingjay was full of misery and I felt quite depressed after reading it, but nothing compares to reading about the characters you've basically grown up with facing the "real" world outside of school, going through all sorts of obstacles that forced them to make some very difficult decisions. Harry, Ron, Hermione, I thought nothing could compare with your story. But then I read The House of Hades. I thought the ending of The Mark of Athena was pretty devastating, but Percy and Annabeth's chapters in The House of Hades was much, much worse. I was constantly sniffling when I read their chapters in the first half of the book. They went through so much pain and suffering, not only from the Tartarus environment, but also from enemies they encountered. The worst thing was them having to face the consequences of hurting so many people and monsters during their lives as demigods. Because after they are killed, monsters are sent to Tartarus, we not only see some new enemies, but also meet some familiar ones. Percy and Annabeth experienced some really horrific things while they were in Tartarus, but thank the gods they had each other. Percabeth has been my OTP since the very first Percy Jackson book, so dear Rick Riordan, I'm not even asking for a happy ending, just please, please, please keep them both alive by the end of the series! The crew on the Argo II didn't have it much better either. Leo, Piper, Jason, Hazel, and Frank each had their own defining moments, but it was Hazel and Frank who had the biggest roles in The House of Hades. Throughout their journey, Hazel must learn magic so she could defeat a sorceress at the House of Hades; while in Venice, Frank finally came to accept the fact (and the gifts/skills/blessings given to him) that he was the son of a war god, a blessing that he then used to lead a ghost army of Roman legionnaires in their battle at the House of Hades. Leo was funny as usual, but there was also a new intensity to him, like he was more obsessed with his tinkering and snapped easier when something went wrong. I was heartbroken when I read his chapters in Ogygia, even though it was a short break from all the dark chapters in Tartarus. Meanwhile, I still think Piper and Jason are a bit meh. Piper is awesome when she's not just thinking about Jason, and she did become more badass by getting better at using charmspeak and learning swordfighting, sadly I still don't find her as interesting as the others. As for Jason, well, he's as stiff as ever, but I liked how his and Nico's confrontation with Cupid was told from Jason's point-of-view. I thought it was one of his finer moments as a leader and as a friend. In The House of Hades, we learn a lot more about Nico and Reyna. I had always found Nico; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Paw Thing; Author: Paul Jennings; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is why we must be nice to cats. :3; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All You Need Is Kill; Author: Hiroshi Sakurazaka; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, comics, crime, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: Just couldn't get the image of Emily Blunt as Rita out of my head :o The book itself is brilliant, absolutely gripping and very fast-paced. It's a very good, quick read. The only reason I gave it a 4 star rating is because I didn't expect it to end it when it did. I'm not disappointed with the ending, but I was surprised that it ended when it did. Needless to say, the book ending is quite different to the movie ending, but neither ending ruins the experience of the other medium's story (and ending).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Monkey Beach; Author: Eden Robinson; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Woah. Spooky. Had the same nostalgic feel as Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Will have to do a closer reading of it, since I missed a lot of the finer details. But it's really good. Sometimes got a bit confused between the present and the memories, but it's really good.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Tailor of Panama; Author: John le Carre; Genres: history, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, fiction, mystery; Review: I found it really difficult to slog through the politics in the beginning, but after I got what kind of information Harry Pendel was giving to Andrew Osnard, things really started getting hilarious (and exciting).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Blood of Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus, #5); Author: Rick Riordan; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: "Yet the tune Apollo strummed was so melancholy it broke Leo's feels."; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tiada Ojek di Paris: Obrolan Urban; Author: Seno Gumira Ajidarma; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction; Review: Describes my love-hate relationship with Jakarta: butuh (berada di sini), tapi seringkali kondisi kotanya malah bikin gemes sendiri. Kadang pengen guling-guling karena kondisi jalan yang bikin frustrasi, tapi enggak jarang cuma bisa pasrah dan berusaha menerima kerasnya kehidupan ibukota... Sebagai pengguna angkutan umum yang seringkali harus jalan kaki dari satu bentuk angkutan umum ke angkutan umum berikutnya, saya paling terkesan sama esai berjudul "Zebra Cross", karena berhasil menggambarkan betapa sulitnya menyebrang jalan di Jakarta, dan betapa barbarnya jalanan untuk para pejalan kaki...; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Perempuan Patah Hati yang Kembali Menemukan Cinta Melalui Mimpi; Author: Eka Kurniawan; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Ibu saya bertanya, "Ni, menurut kamu apa kekuatan dalam cerita-ceritanya Eka Kurniawan?" "Ooh, kalau menurutku sih cerita-ceritanya optimis dan lucu-lucu miris." "Kalau menurut Ibu, sih, bagus soalnya cerita-ceritanya ada twist-nya. Ending-nya suka enggak terduga." "Oh, emang iya ya? Haha, aku kok nggak terlalu nyadar ya... Aku lebih merhatiin ceritanya yang mengalir sama penggunaan bahasanya yang apa adanya." "Kamu udah baca novelnya belum?" "Belum euy Bu, padahal udah lama belinya, hehehe." "Yeuuu..."; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Carter (The Harlow Brothers) (Volume 1); Author: Mrs. Brie Paisley; Review: I'm not into giving spoilers, so you shouldn't find any in here. This book was difficult for me. It wasn't bad. It had a good idea behind it but it didn't really give you a lot. There wasn't a whole lot of character development and it moved kind of fast. There were a lot of long time skips that could have added to the story if they were filled out a little more. There were just a lot of blanks left in this story and some serious immaturity and emotional issues that were never properly dealt with. They just kind of disappeared without any real explanation. Like I said, good in theory but lacking in execution.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: First and Goal (Moving the Chains) (Volume 1); Author: Kata Cuic; Review: I'm not into giving spoilers, so you shouldn't find any in here. Although, it does end in a cliffhanger. I absolutely loved this story. The character development, buildup, tension and relationships were spot on, with all of the angst you would expect from a high school relationship. I cannot wait for the next book. What happened? What happens next? OH MY GOD!!?!??! The only reason I didn't give this story 5 stars is that some of the reactions and overreactions of our heroine got slightly annoying. I went through many phases of wanting to punch her in the face for being a complete bitch. Thankfully, she redeemed herself, but I had a few moments. All of that being said, a beautiful story that left me wanting more.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Guarded; Author: Visit Amazon's R.C. Martin Page; Review: I'm not into giving spoilers, so you shouldn't find any in here. I absolutely loved this story. The characters, the development, the twists, the drama, all of it came together perfectly. The sex was hot but not overbearing. I loved the conversations when the hero and heroine were separated that showed their connection and commitment. I loved pretty much every interaction between characters and everything about this book and I can't wait for the next one.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cadence Reflection (Wheels & Hogs Book 2) eBook; Author: Visit Amazon's D.M. Earl Page; Review: I really, really wish I could give this book more stars. I really liked the idea of the story and the characters. That being said, there are so many grammar, spelling and punctuation errors in this book, and really in the books before it, as well, that is hurt me. It made it so difficult to read and, honestly, painful to get through. If you can deal with the errors, it is a good story. It's not amazing, not groundbreaking... But still really good. Just way too many errors for me.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Gabriel's Treasure (Wheels & Hogs) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's D.M. Earl Page; Review: No spoilers. I wanted to like this so much. And, don't get me wrong, the story had amazing potential. I really enjoyed the story. However, there were so many grammar and spelling errors that I was gritting my teeth just to get through it. It was painful. It has improved since earlier books in the series but it's still difficult to read.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Picking the Corners; Author: Visit Amazon's Ashley Broome Page; Review: I enjoyed this book just as much as the last one. It had the same problems as the last one... Only one point of view and a plethora of editing issues. I still liked the story but I would also have liked to see a little more after story. But I still recommend it and will read the next.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tap That; Author: Visit Amazon's Jennifer Blackwood Page; Review: I really enjoyed this book. The characters were great, the chemistry was off the charts. I hated some people and loved others. The story and character development were realistic and kept me interested. I definitely recommend this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hotel Columbia; City: Telluride Colorado; Review: Recently took a guy's trip to telluride. Booked hotel Columbia. Staff went to all lengths to ensure my stay was pleasant. Rooms well appointed, cuisine excellent, location prime. Short walk to gondola. Nice, quiet gem. Excellent staff. Will be back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cliff House Inn on the Ocean; City: Ventura California; Review: motor lodge on the side of the ocean. small, maybe 25 rooms. slept with the windows open lulled to sleep by the pacific. haven't stayed in a hotel like this in years, but would again in a second. located right on the 101, had a great view of the ocean from my roon. got a bit warn, as was in the middle of july, but there was a box fan. this is a throwback lodge, but you cannot beat the location. would definitely go here again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sanctuary Beach Resort; City: Marina California; Review: was traveling up the coast and stayed a night here before flying out of SFO. I had arranged a cottage on the beach prior and was blown away. upon checkin there was wine, cheese, refreshments. Staff was very cordial, gracious, and answered any questions I had with sincerity. the room was outstanding. large bed, small kitchenette, fireplace, and huge screen door that opened to the beach. I could sit on my porch and watch and listen to the surf crashing. was completely private. perfect getaway. only complaint is I didn't stay long enough. a must for any traveler who enjoys the serene California coast. a short walk and I was on the beach, nestled next to a huge nature preserve.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: La Valencia Hotel; City: La Jolla San Diego California; Review: So this is my second attempt to shed light on what a truly unique property and staff work here. long story short, my stay was horrible. I even tried to change hotels due to the inferior service and inability to enjoy my stay to no avail. multiple problems, mainly staff oriented. Not one management team member reached out until I left. Then only to falsify their efforts and condescend a former guest to the point of tears. enough of the incompetent staff. my room, 1616, had stains all over the carpet.filthy. The window was so dirty that my ocean view had to be seen from the 6" crack of an opened window. while kneeling on said stains. the air was either wide open or off. broken. so freezing or hot take your pick. noisiest hotel ive encountered in a long time.not a decent nights sleep out of three. a hotel that spends so much time working on their image should spend more time on the hotel and less on the computer trying to justify why their mediocre hotel is great. it just isn't.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Loews Chicago Hotel; City: Chicago Illinois; Review: Was in town for a long weekend. Amex recommended this hotel so we tried. Nice, new. Clean rooms, helpful staff. Was close to many attractions and walking was a breeze. Large hotel but managed appropriately for amount of guests. We had a high floor corner room with lots of Windows. All amenities were covered, even brought an empty fridge for me to use at no charge; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Ritz Carlton New Orleans; City: New Orleans Louisiana; Review: I stayed at this hotel three different times during April. Each time was met with solid results. Rooms are always clean, neat, and well stocked. Always an empty fridge present upon arrival per request. Easy to get in and out of,concierge always attentive and helpful, and breakfast on the garden terrace consistently delicious and tranquil. I've stayed here many times, but the service this past spring has a solid improvement. There was a glitch that was quickly and responsibly solved by manager Dan Burke. This gentleman is what the ritz Carlton name stands for. Impeccable service, consistently going to all measures to satisfy guests. True service that is lost in many fine hotels these days. The lobby and bar are alwAys lively and vibrant, but a ride up the elevator reveals the solitude and privacy synonymous with this property.i look forward to my next stay here.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Ritz Carlton Denver; City: Denver Colorado; Review: I have stayed here many times over the past few years. Everyone that works here is pleasant and most helpful. Check in was quick. Room was very large, huge bed, sofa, and impeccable bathroom. Huge. Was a fantastic stay. Had a nice morning at the spa, and a great massage. Concierge was most helpful and made a point to remember my name. It's a ritz Carlton.fantastic. I will say I was a bit dissapointed to come in one night and be greeted by a sign to use my room key to open the door. Always have a bellman or valet on duty. It is expected.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dorado Beach a Ritz Carlton Reserve; City: Dorado Puerto Rico; Review: this is the third time ive been to this Resort and cannot wait to get back. the grounds are as meticulously groomed as any botanical garden I've ever experienced. The spa is one of the best ive ever been to. true quality and serenity. the beach is never too crowded, and always able to get a lounge chair front and center. The Watersports shop, Goodwinds, is fantastic.Phil was more than accommodating and very thorough in instruction. I caught several waves. the service at the resort and the restaraunts is great. Food is Delicious at all the restaraunts on site. that missing 5th star on this trip goes to the slow service on the beach. I had to go to the bar several times to get service. Maybe this will improve when I return in December. Just a tad more attentiveness on the beach would be fanrtastic. If you love luxury travel, great food, beautiful grounds, fantastic watersports, and outdoors in general, this place is not to be missed.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Manor Vail Lodge; City: Vail Colorado; Review: Took a quick trip to vail chasing snow and found this place for its convenience to mountain. Short walk to lift and I was on the mountain. Rooms were spacious, large kitchen, easy to navigate. Did not participate in the breakfasts, but the coffee at all hours was great. Only complaint would be the hike to the village but if you want to get on the mountain fast and not pay the exhorbitant prices by gondola one this place is great, especially for a guys trip. Used the spa for a massage, and while the spa was a little plain, the massage was great. Would go back; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Ritz Carlton New Orleans; City: New Orleans Louisiana; Review: I've stayed at this hotel many times, most recently for 8 nights in April/may. I must say, the caliber of staff has declined substantially in the past year. Doormen just standing around, bellhops had shirts untucked, looked like they could care less. Unhelpful, unmotivated, unhappy would be the best description of these employees. Even the bar manager was lacking the quality of service one expects at this hotel. Whoever is hiring these people needs to do a better job. They are tarnishing the name of the Ritz Carlton. I might take my 8 nights across the street next year. Step up your employee quality. I will say the room was beautifully appointed, and the breakfast at davenports was phenomenal. Just hire better people. When you get out of the car and have to wait for one of the three attendants to quit talking amongst themselves to help you it immediately sets a tone for the stay.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Chattanoogan; City: Chattanooga Tennessee; Review: Stayed one night on a rafting trip. Check in was seemless, hotel was huge. Bed was comfortable and room quiet. Would not suggest setting up here for a few days but was a great value. Rooms were updated, clean. There was no coffee maker in the room and no mini bar, but otherwise no complaints.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Estes Park Resort; City: Estes Park Colorado; Review: I stayed at this resort recently due to its location on the lake. I had booked a lakefront king, 2nd or 3rd floor. Upon arrival the young gentleman tried to put me on ground floor, which is actually partially below ground. I immediately corrected him on room type. He took me to a 2nd floor king without a lake view. Again wrong. Finally after talking with the cleaning crew they told the desk clerk an employee was sleeping in the room I was to receive. They told him this several times! Appalling. He finally found a lakefront room. No king. No phone to contact hotel staff or order from kitchen. Murphy bed.lake view was of a gazebo? I cannot fathom how the cleaning crew was not waking up their fellow employee, cleaning said room so I could get what I had booked. I immediately walked back to the front desk to ask for a phone. Same young man said they didn't have any? Had to walk back to front desk to find room service menu, then walk to restaurant and get takeout. All the reasons I chose this hotel were unavailable for my visit. Update your site or dont sell rooms you don't have. Went back in the morning, asked for manager. None on duty. Evidently none there when I checked in either or the desk clerk had no interest in trying to remedy the problem. Came back from days activities and finally a manager appeared. She was aware of my issues, but I had to approach for some resolution. Manager said "she'd look into it". Never heard from her again. This is a great property. Nice location, quiet, walking distance to outdoor activities. The staff needs proper training. The only helpful person was the girl in the restaurant who had to help get our takeout to our room. Step it up, guys. Train your workers well, and management needs to step up their game. Don't ever forget the client is who keeps the doors open.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Ritz Carlton Denver; City: Denver Colorado; Review: I've stayed at this property many times. I have stayed at many ritz Carlton hotels. The service and staff has certainly stepped up their game since my last stay. Every employee had a smile. Every employee was super helpful, some even remembered my name. My room was nicely appointed, bed was so comfortable i could've stayed all day. Ate a couple light meals in Elways. Food was good, service fair. I just was overwhelmed at the level of service these employees provided, with smiles, and a gratuitous pride in their jobs. As a consummate traveler who sees service in all aspects, this hotel is top notch. Kudos to senior management and the entire staff. You made my stay exceptional; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Le Meridien Charlotte; City: Charlotte North Carolina; Review: group of guys stayed here for an event. I chose this hotel due to loacation and price, as well as it being updated. check in was easy, desk clerk was cordial and efficient. room was nice and clean. amenities were all available, however coffee maker did not work. bed nice and firm, and lobby area was bright and inviting. was perfect for a one night stay. walking distance to event center was nice as well. would definitely recommend for the traveler who just needs a place to put his head. the free breakfast was also welcomed. fruit, coffee, breakfast bars. all I needed.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beaver Creek Lodge; City: Beaver Creek Colorado; Review: First I must say I am a big fan of the Beaver Creek Lodge. The proximity to the mountain and village is outstanding. the creekview rooms offer a great vista of the mountain as well as the quietness of the creek. I've stayed here a few times, and am going back soon. hopefully this will not be my last stay there, and the staff will have figured out a way to get internet sufficiently operational. MAJOR DISSAPOINTMENT. upon checking in I was given the open wifi password. Great! as a consummate traveler, I carry a tv streaming device. usually no problem at all. however, I could not get it to connect to the internet. called engineering. guy comes up, fumbles with the remote, and has nothing but blank look of bewilderement. Surely your supervisor trained you how to work the tv? ok, he said he'd bring up an Ethernet cable. hour passes, call again. same guy, same look, no ethernet cable.really? you dont know if your hotel has Ethernet hookups. great. gave up on apple tv. now the real problem. wifi was the worst I've ever experienced at a hotel resort. even remote islands in the carribean have better service. I had to log in for every use. ridiculous.internet speed on tabletwas so slow simple pages took forever, and sometimes wouldn't load.again called. a young man in a jacket and tie came up, an assistant manager. amazingly the wifi connected in front of him. he informed me that if I was having problems logging on the wifi there was a business center. Really? I did not see"business Center" listed in the room catagories for the resort. was I to stay there the remainder of my trip so that I could get online? No, get your internet fixed. I also asked the young man how they operated a hotel with such slow internet. he said the office was hard wired, and he would send up Ethernet cable. phone call shortly thereafter confirmed what was previously told. no ethernet. I would expect to have the same internet available to me as the rest of hotel. this simply wasn't the case. I would also expect some way to stream through an apple tv, Roku, etc. no chance. thought about watching a movie available through the front desk but there was no player in room. minor, I know, but if you're gonna advertise have it available. Same goes for breakfast delivery to room via hangtag. while the restaurant is a separate business, Beaver creek lodge does use them for services. if you advertise an amenity, how about making sure it is available? same for internet. IF YOU ADVERTISE FREE WIFI HOW ABOUT MAKING SURE IT WORKS? AT ALL TIMES OF DAY? IN THE ROOM I PAID FOR? NOT THE BUSINESS CENTER? all that being said, I will be staying at this resort again soon, and certainly hope the manager that responds to these reviews can help remedy a problem. I come to Beaver Creek at least twice a year. I've stayed at condos, hotels, homes all; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Zemi Beach House Hotel Spa; City: Shoal Bay Village Anguilla; Review: Spent 6 days here at end of May. Hotel had a few rooms open so it made for an almost private experience. Rooms were huge with a balcony with sweeping views of shoal bay. The beach was quiet and the service impeccable. The guys working the beach did a great job of handling every need. Every employee met you with a smile. Zemi beach is a true tranquil luxury. A short walk down he beach and tasty cuisine awaits. The beach beautiful and clean. Clear water is perfect for snorkeling. Highly recommend Zemi Beach. The Thai spa offers full service and has a nice outdoor area To relax. The spa suites offer relaxing views of the ocean.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Waters Edge Hotel; City: Tiburon Marin County California; Review: Wanted to stay on the other side of bay from San fransisco and found this gem tucked in Tiburon. Small hotel, literally on the water. Was welcomed with smiles and eagerness. Room was huge, comfortable, and had a small balcony with chairs overlooking the bay. Could see the Golden Gate Bridge from porch. Very quiet hotel with a fantastic deck/common area over the water with comfortable seating to enjoy the complementary cheese and wine while watching the sun set. Nice breakfast included in rate delivered to room at desired time. Free use of some quality bikes to ride around Marin. Can't say enough positive things about Waters edge. Fresh baked cookies awaiting upon return from evening activities. Hotel was comfortable, staff accommodating, respectful, cordial. Nice pace from the frenzy on the other side of bay.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beaver Creek Lodge; City: Beaver Creek Colorado; Review: Stayed at this property twice last ski season as well as year before. I love the location. I like the accommodations. However, the management is incapable of honoring their word. Same problems every single visit. Every single visit, and to quote the manager, "I guarantee your next stay will not be your last". none of the issues from my first visit were resolved.i even brought another couple to share my enjoyment of beaver creek lodge. It is just so convenient and perfect for a couple. Simple things that no other property in beaver creek has a problem with. I just don't understand how something simple like having wifi in the bedroom work is difficult. I called the property and spoke to this very person as I really want this to be my permanent BC vacation spot. 4 months after the mgrs promise he could not confidently answer. Said call back. I called, Kevin. At the beginning of July. You did not call back. Poor handling of repeat customer. Horrible representation of a brand I enjoy. Marriott, Kessler, who cares. Get it fixed!! Also glad I checked my statement as I was charged for parking for a car I did not have. They immediately removed the charge. Step it up, guys.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Ritz Carlton New Orleans; City: New Orleans Louisiana; Review: I stay at this property annually. Easy to get in, accommodating, excellent amenities and the breakfast is certainly worth mentioning. Quiet, spacious, elegant. The staff improving dramatically. You guys need a 24hr bellman/valet though.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.