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Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: TRENDnet 8-Port PS2 Rack Mount KVM Switch, TK-801R; Brand: TRENDnet; Review: I previously ordered the two port to switch computer and notebook in a bedroom. Worked well. This was connected in a home office with two pcs, a netbook and a security camera DVR. Manual switching is necessary with the DVR. This was not an option with the KVM switch that I previosly had. Cables could be laid out better, but for the money it can't be beat. Older desktops are used for rarely used software that require previous versions of Windows, so separate monitors were not a considerarion. I was able to eliminate the second monitor for the DVR and now I can use the netbook at a higher resolution through the 26 inch tv/monitor when needed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Navitech Vent Mount And Plate; Brand: Navitech; Review: I have spent most of the few weeks that I have had this cursing the cheap clips that don't hold and fall out of the vent with a GPS attached. I'm not sure what vents this was designed for, but all of the ones that I have seen in cars pretty much look the same as mine. I bought this to clear the view from my windshield. If it worked it would have done that.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: ; Brand: IMBCYL; Review: When I bought these I assumed they could be used. What were they thinking with the front and back stickers that don't pull off? Into the garbage can and never again. A waste of money.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Amview 1.3MP Sony CMOS CCD 1300TVL Vari-focal Surveillance Outdoor Bullet Cctv Security Camera; Brand: Amview; Review: I replaced my lower definition system with a 720P DVR. It came with four fixed focus cameras. I bought two of these. I bought a third; I returned another manufacturers and bought a fourth. These are crystal clear when set up properly and can be set for field of vision or facial recognition. The focus controls are easily accessible from outside of the camera. I don't know how long they will last, but they are a great camera for the price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: PRO Call Blocker by HQTelecom - Block Unwanted Calls - Latest Version Available; Brand: hqtelecom (OEM); Review: 90% of the time numbers in the blocked call list ring through. Not one ring, multiple rings. It doesn't work. Half of the time the number isn't picked up in the caller id. Worked fine for about two weeks. Major piece of useless.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Semlos PCI Sata Internal Ports Raid Controller Card (4-ports) Sil3114 Chipset Sata Cables; Brand: Semlos; Review: I needed a third hard drive on an older SATA motherboard. There are four SATA connections on the board, but if I installed a third SATA drive, the other secondary drive disappeared. This solved the problem. Boot is automatic. Did what I needed it to do for a very reasonable price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ASUS GeForce 210 1GB 64-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 Low Profile Ready Video Card, EN210 SILENT/DI/1GD3/V2(LP); Brand: Asus; Review: when I took this out of the box I realized it wouldn't fit in my HP Slimline. I thought through how I could work around it. I disconnected the VGA and the cover plate. Then I realized it came with other plate covers. VGA out on its own. HDMI and DVI still off of the card. Takes both slots but fits perfectly. Now on to a Windows 10 updgrade that I will most likely regret doing. Windfows 10 upgrade complete. Card works great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Smays 5V Wall Charger and AC Power Adapter for Kids Tablet 8GB Nabi 2 II NABI2-NV7A NABI2-NVA; Brand: Smays; Review: Doesn't work because the AC end that goes into the socket does not make proper contact with the outlet. I will not sit there for 20 minutes trying to get it to line up just right. Multiple outlets included those annoying child safety outlets with the safe results. Do not but this.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Garmin DriveAssist 50LMT 010-01541-01 5.0 Inch GPS Navigator System; Brand: Garmin; Review: Take away voice command and it's a Garmin. Add voice command and it's an idiot. Sorry. Not acceptable in my book. Maybe they need to hire Alexa. She has no problem hearing or responding.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Residence Inn Austin Northwest Arboretum; City: Austin Texas; Review: We recently stayed at the Residence Inn Arboretum in Austin, TX. Two issues arose during our stay and the staff at the hotel resolved both issues in an extremely efficient and expeditious manner. All of the staff we encountered at this Marriott were exceptional and we will definitely stay at this Residence Inn again!! Such a pleasant experience.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Atlanta Marriott Alpharetta; City: Alpharetta Georgia; Review: Everytime I travel to Alpharetta, I stay at this Marriott. It's conveniently located just off the highway and near great restaurants, shopping and industry. The hotel is always clean and the staff is very accommodating for whatever I need. The restaurant on site is also very good.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nicollet Island Inn; City: Minneapolis Minnesota; Review: I arranged for a 21 person private business dinner at the hotel. Ryan was a pleasure to work with in organizing the dinner and the server was terrific! The food was excellent and everyone had a great time! The historic building is very charming and provided a great atmosphere for our evening.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hotel Minneapolis Autograph Collection; City: Minneapolis Minnesota; Review: I planned a 3-day meeting for 50+ people and everyone stayed at the hotel. The conference center was perfect for our needs and the chef and Liz the catering manager created menu options for our numerous amount of allergy-friendly attendees. Although the accommodations need some updating, the rooms were lovely and spacious. The hotel staff was very friendly and attentive to our needs. I would definitely recommend this hotel for your business meeting needs.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hacienda Pomarrosa; City: Ponce Puerto Rico; Review: We were in Puerto Rico for a few days before leaving on a cruise. We decided to rent a Jeep and drive 2 hours to the coffee plantation. It was definitely a highlight of being in PR. The drive from San Juan is about 2 hrs and really a lovely drive. Kurt is the owner of the farm and we followed his directions exactly, which were perfect. We learned all about the history of coffee, harvesting, roasting, and production. Kurt is the breathing version of "Coffee Wikipedia." He provided a guided tour of the beautiful farm as well as the best cappuccino and coffee I've ever had! The barista took meticulous care in creating every perfect beverage for each of the tour guests. Kurt and his wife also run a Bed & Breakfast on the property and the cottages are just charming. This is definitely off the beaten path but it is a must do while visiting PR!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Flip N Out Xtreme - Henderson; City: Henderson, NV; Review: This place is a rip off!!Not only to u pay way too much to enter but then they make u buy their $4 single pair of socks! Never coming back..
Update the owners reached out and said there might have been a miscommunication. I still had to pay..:(; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Flip N Out Xtreme - Henderson; City: Henderson, NV; Review: This place is a rip off!!Not only to u pay way too much to enter but then they make u buy their $4 single pair of socks! Never coming back..
Update the owners reached out and said there might have been a miscommunication. I still had to pay..:(; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Flip N Out Xtreme - Henderson; City: Henderson, NV; Review: This place is a rip off!!Not only to u pay way too much to enter but then they make u buy their $4 single pair of socks! Never coming back..
Update the owners reached out and said there might have been a miscommunication. I still had to pay..:(; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Havana Grill; City: Las Vegas, NV; Review: Amazing cuban food! Service could be better but the food is great!! Please don't ever turn it into a mexican restaurant again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bok Bok Chicken; City: Henderson, NV; Review: Portions are small and sides are expensive $3.50 for a side a rice! The pita is served cold! Its served in a togo box and over all its not worth the money for what you get. They skimp out to profit and loose customers. Never understood that.. rice costs nothing why not fill ur customer up. Over all its what ever..; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bok Bok Chicken; City: Henderson, NV; Review: Portions are small and sides are expensive $3.50 for a side a rice! The pita is served cold! Its served in a togo box and over all its not worth the money for what you get. They skimp out to profit and loose customers. Never understood that.. rice costs nothing why not fill ur customer up. Over all its what ever..; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Bok Bok Chicken; City: Henderson, NV; Review: Portions are small and sides are expensive $3.50 for a side a rice! The pita is served cold! Its served in a togo box and over all its not worth the money for what you get. They skimp out to profit and loose customers. Never understood that.. rice costs nothing why not fill ur customer up. Over all its what ever..; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Bok Bok Chicken; City: Henderson, NV; Review: Portions are small and sides are expensive $3.50 for a side a rice! The pita is served cold! Its served in a togo box and over all its not worth the money for what you get. They skimp out to profit and loose customers. Never understood that.. rice costs nothing why not fill ur customer up. Over all its what ever..; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bok Bok Chicken; City: Henderson, NV; Review: Portions are small and sides are expensive $3.50 for a side a rice! The pita is served cold! Its served in a togo box and over all its not worth the money for what you get. They skimp out to profit and loose customers. Never understood that.. rice costs nothing why not fill ur customer up. Over all its what ever..; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bok Bok Chicken; City: Henderson, NV; Review: Portions are small and sides are expensive $3.50 for a side a rice! The pita is served cold! Its served in a togo box and over all its not worth the money for what you get. They skimp out to profit and loose customers. Never understood that.. rice costs nothing why not fill ur customer up. Over all its what ever..; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bok Bok Chicken; City: Henderson, NV; Review: Portions are small and sides are expensive $3.50 for a side a rice! The pita is served cold! Its served in a togo box and over all its not worth the money for what you get. They skimp out to profit and loose customers. Never understood that.. rice costs nothing why not fill ur customer up. Over all its what ever..; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Stella's Pizza; City: Henderson, NV; Review: Pictures look great but the pizza is not good, like at all!! Never thought you could get pizza wrong but it had a thin burnt crust and the topping were very very small in portion it's just not good, like really bad, I am so sad because the pics on line look amazing.. If I could give it 0 stars I would. I honestly think the 5 star reviews were bought or friends of the owners. Honestly microwave pizza is way better then this. I wish I could get my money back.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Stella's Pizza; City: Henderson, NV; Review: Pictures look great but the pizza is not good, like at all!! Never thought you could get pizza wrong but it had a thin burnt crust and the topping were very very small in portion it's just not good, like really bad, I am so sad because the pics on line look amazing.. If I could give it 0 stars I would. I honestly think the 5 star reviews were bought or friends of the owners. Honestly microwave pizza is way better then this. I wish I could get my money back.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Stella's Pizza; City: Henderson, NV; Review: Pictures look great but the pizza is not good, like at all!! Never thought you could get pizza wrong but it had a thin burnt crust and the topping were very very small in portion it's just not good, like really bad, I am so sad because the pics on line look amazing.. If I could give it 0 stars I would. I honestly think the 5 star reviews were bought or friends of the owners. Honestly microwave pizza is way better then this. I wish I could get my money back.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Stella's Pizza; City: Henderson, NV; Review: Pictures look great but the pizza is not good, like at all!! Never thought you could get pizza wrong but it had a thin burnt crust and the topping were very very small in portion it's just not good, like really bad, I am so sad because the pics on line look amazing.. If I could give it 0 stars I would. I honestly think the 5 star reviews were bought or friends of the owners. Honestly microwave pizza is way better then this. I wish I could get my money back.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Stella's Pizza; City: Henderson, NV; Review: Pictures look great but the pizza is not good, like at all!! Never thought you could get pizza wrong but it had a thin burnt crust and the topping were very very small in portion it's just not good, like really bad, I am so sad because the pics on line look amazing.. If I could give it 0 stars I would. I honestly think the 5 star reviews were bought or friends of the owners. Honestly microwave pizza is way better then this. I wish I could get my money back.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza; City: Henderson, NV; Review: I can get super market pizza that tastes better. It was what ever and nothing to write home about; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza; City: Henderson, NV; Review: I can get super market pizza that tastes better. It was what ever and nothing to write home about; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza; City: Henderson, NV; Review: I can get super market pizza that tastes better. It was what ever and nothing to write home about; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza; City: Henderson, NV; Review: I can get super market pizza that tastes better. It was what ever and nothing to write home about; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza; City: Henderson, NV; Review: I can get super market pizza that tastes better. It was what ever and nothing to write home about; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza; City: Henderson, NV; Review: I can get super market pizza that tastes better. It was what ever and nothing to write home about; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza; City: Henderson, NV; Review: I can get super market pizza that tastes better. It was what ever and nothing to write home about; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Valrhona Cocoa Powder - 3 kg; Brand: Valrhona; Review: My favorite cocoa powder for baking - dark and rich.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Davidson's Tea Bulk, Anise Seed, 16-Ounce Bag; Brand: Davidson's Tea; Review: Strong and delicious.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Healthworks Goji Berries Raw Organic, 2lb; Brand: Healthworks; Review: Tasty, good for you and an ingredient in our favorite grain free granola; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Healthworks Organic Chia Seeds Raw, 3lb; Brand: Healthworks; Review: A great source of protein and an ingredient of the crackers our family enjoys.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bragg Nutritional Yeast Seasoning, 4.5 Oz (Pack Of 3); Brand: Bragg; Review: Tasty and a great source of B vitamins.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Organic Turmeric Powder - 1LB Jar - 100% Raw w/Curcumin From India - by Jiva Organics; Brand: Jiva Organics; Review: I've started making "golden milk" - of which turmeric is the primary ingredient. This product is not only organic, but makes a delicious golden milk.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pepitas/Pumpkin Seeds by Food to Live (Raw, No Shell, Kosher) — 8 Ounces; Brand: Food to Live; Review: Organic and a delicious ingredient in the grain free granola our family enjoys.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Certified Organic Raw Shelled Pecans- Three Lb. Bag- GMO Free Snack- Rich in Nutrients- Irresistible Taste and Freshness-; Brand: Sincerely Nuts; Review: A favorite at our house - for snacking and as an ingredient of our often enjoyed grain free granola.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Basmati Rice by Gerbs - 2 LBS - Top 11 Food Allergen Free & NON GMO - Vegan; Brand: GERBS; Review: Arrived on time and as promised. And - it cooks up deliciously.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Food to Live Organic Pecans (Raw, No Shell) (12 Ounces); Brand: Food to Live; Review: My favorite raw, organic brand.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hunza Organic Cranberry Beans (2 lbs); Brand: Hunza Natural Foods; Review: Arrived promptly and cooks up beautifully - thank you.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Grocery_and_Gourmet_Food |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Zanies Cotton Knotted Rope Bone Dog Toy; Brand: Zanies; Review: I love this toy! My one dog will destroy any toy. He's a beast! This toy is a big favorite and has not been destroyed. I'm a happy dog mom. :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Downtown Pet Supply 960 Pet Waste Bags, Dog Waste Bags, Bulk Poop Bags on a; Brand: Downtown Pet Supply; Review: It does what it's supposed to do. Haven't had any issues with the bags having tears. Fits perfectly in the holder.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fruitables Baked 7oz Dog Treats; Brand: Fruitables; Review: These are the best treats. My dogs love them. And you can break them up into small bits for training purposes. And Amazon has the best prices. And I feel better about having a more natural product that they are ingesting. And they smell awesome!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Petrageous Designs KaleidoROPE Dog Toy, 25" 3 Knot Rope, Bone; Brand: Petrageous Designs; Review: Both of my dogs are able to play with this rope toy at the same time, or separately, and no destruction. Coming from a household with a dog who will destroy everything, this is a welcome change.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bergan Turbo Scratcher Cat Toy, Colors may vary; Brand: Bergan; Review: This is incredibly fun for our 10 year old cat, and our 1 year old bratty kitten. They tear up the center constantly and play with the ball occasionally. Great scratching post.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jackson Galaxy AIR Wand; Brand: Petmate; Review: Great toy for our kitten to chase around. She thinks she's catching a bird, and the wand is adjustable and retractable, so you can make the surface area smaller for storage.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cat Dancer - Cat Charmer Wand Teaser Toy; Brand: Cat Dancer; Review: This is an awesome cat toy. We got a new bratty kitten, and she has a lot of energy. This helps to tire her out. She chases us around the house with it, so really, we all get exercise thanks to her. Our senior cat even likes it, and she doesn't like much in the way of toys. I highly recommend this.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fashion's Talk Cat Toys Variety Pack for Kitty 20 Pieces; Brand: Fashion's Talk; Review: Super fun package of various cat toys. Great for the cat/kitten in your household.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Pet_Supplies |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Winsor Park Motor Inn; City: Albury New South Wales; Review: Recently we were fortunate enough to stay a few nights at the Winsor Park Motor Inn, the owner made arrangements for our motor bikes to be parked in an area away from the risk of being accidentally knocked by other patron's vehicles and giving us a room where we could see the bikes. When we settled in Peter the manager gave us advice on where to eat, where the best rides were and places to have morning tea and lunch as we explored this great city, surrounding countryside and the many attractions it presents. The room, bathroom, beds and Motel was absolutely spotless with everything supplied and fully serviced each day. Beautiful and quiet environment and a very short 5 minute walk to the main street. Our stay in Albury was perfect and the weather was an added bonus. We had a great experience and will be happy to return when the weather is a little more stable for riding.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kaniva Midway Motel; City: Kaniva Victoria; Review: The Kaniva Midway Motel owners are extremely pleasant and very obliging with any enquiries be that places to see in the area or where to eat, nothing seem to be a problem. Sitting out the front of my room relaxing I heard couples saying what lovely people the owners are as they walked past on their way down the street. The room was very clean with pleasantly appointed bedding linens and towels. The kitchenette offers a microwave, kettle, toaster, plates, utensils, tea and coffee making facilities. The double bed was a little firm but the single was just right, both with electric blankets and split air-conditioning unit if you needed a little more comfort. The door key has a Led torch attached that is very useful if you have to go outside to the car. This is a very nice and relaxing motel to stay that is located just a short walking distance from the main shopping strip of Kaniva.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Donald Riverside Motel; City: Donald Victoria; Review: What a great place to stay, our room had everything we wanted, in addition to the coffee, tea and biscuits supplied you could purchase from the well-stocked fridge a variety of drinks or snacks that were on the side table. The room was very well appointed and maintained as with the property and grounds, our room was spotlessly clean and the beds very comfortable to sleep in (electric blankets), excellent air-conditioning and great shower, I think our room was at the end of the hot water supply as the hot water may take a minute come through for the first one to have a shower, but once it arrived there was no shortage of hot water or interruptions to the flow. The motel is located immediately on your left as you cross the bridge entering from the north end of town. Although located on the main road there wasn’t any noticeable traffic noise and a good night’s sleep can be had by all. The property offers excellent off street undercover parking for our motorcycles or vehicles outside the rooms. The owners are extremely obliging and have a wonderful local knowledge of the area. If you want value for money and a good place to stay after a day on the road that offers great service and facilities and only a few minutes’ walk down the main street where you can have a meal of coffee at one of the town’s Hotels Café’s or the Bakery this rural town motel is great experience and ticks all the boxes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Meningie Waterfront Motel; City: Meningie South Australia; Review: There seem to be quite a few disappointed reviews on this motel so I thought I give it a go for myself, I agree with previous reviews that the motel is older than most, and the room I stayed in isn’t the size I am use to but is perfectly adequate and the motel certainly has a lot of pluses. Where else can you open your curtains and window and see a beautiful sunset across lake Albert, go to sleep in the evening and wake in the morning with the sound of water lapping just outside your window with a variety of bird life swimming back and forwards for just $95.00 a night and not be camping in a tent or caravan. Some may think the on-suite is a tad on the small side if you are used to today’s standards but really you only want to have a shower, use the basin or toilet, and the shower is a good size with a large shower head and plenty of hot water, bath mat, towels, face washer all were clean as was the freshly pressed linen sheets and pillow cases. I think it fair that all have the opportunity to put their legitimate views and experiences forward. During my stay at the motel I couldn’t fault the staff or the facilities, as for the statements referring to the building design it is from a past period not so long ago. In those day the motel would have met if not exceeded expectations of travelers. If you take a moment to reflect, the motel and the rooms certainly have some nostalgia about them which is becoming increasing less as we strive for better and better things quite often at the expenses of the very reason we went for a holiday in the first place and that is for relaxation. The room has coffee and tea making facilities, a toaster and utensils in a nice wooden box with a lid, the on-suite is provider with the usual toiletries, mobile and data coverage is excellent for (good better best) customers. In the passage to the rooms the owner has placed a bucket of water and a squeegee for those who wish to clean the insects off the wind screen after a day of traveling, a nice touch of consideration on behalf of the owners.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Midland Tourist Park; City: Middle Swan Swan Valley Greater Perth Western Australia; Review: We stayed 10 days in a 2 bedroom Delux Chalet. This accommodation was perfect in every aspect and ticked all the boxes. Kitchen is fully serviced and has a cook top, oven, microwave good size fridge and plenty room to move around, lounge had a 2 and 3 couch and a table to sit 5, bathroom is serviced with continuous hot water, large shower and basin with more than enough bench top space, towels, bath mats, face washers, hand towels, two bedrooms one a queen size bed and the other bedroom 2 singles, lovely comfortable beds and good quality sheets and pillows. Both rooms had built in cupboards with sliding mirror doors. The accommodation has a quality split system air conditioning in the lounge dining area and ceiling fans in both bedroom excellent natural light and ventilation with fly screens on all windows. The chalet we stay in was noticeably cool and quiet and must be very well insulated. Everything in the unit was spotless, no smells and very convenient. The front of the chalet has a verandah with table and chairs making for an very enjoyable cup of tea or evening wine. There is car parking adjacent to the unit. The park staff were very helpful and pleasant with great local knowledge and regularly asking if we wanted anything or additional room service to just let them know. An added bonus for us was the location, short and direct drive to the airport, easy access to Perth city with all its charm and beautiful Kings Park, Fremantle and beyond and of cause in the immediate area the all important food and shopping centres. If you don’t wish to cook, Alfred’s kitchen, Guildford and The Woody Hotels are just a short drive from the park. Overall our 10 day stay in Perth was wonderful and the accommodation only enhanced the joy of our stay.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hallmark Hotel Bournemouth East Cliff; City: Bournemouth Dorset England; Review: We stayed here a good few times over the years in different types of rooms. This was our second visit this year and we booked a groupon deal this time we had a room out the back the room was ok but tired. Went to run bath out came yellow coloured water with back bits did not clear after while so went to duty manager got moved to different room. The new room was ok but also looking tired but bathroom in need of major attention cracks in sink and toilet, grouting around bath falling away and ceiling by window looks like had a leak and painted over. Dinning room ceiling leaking and looking tired, outside hotel looking tired and outside guttering not doing its job. Staff are very good and breakfast was good with a good choice. Money seems to be spent on sister hotel next door.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Bull at Burford; City: Burford Cotswolds England; Review: We stayed 12th-14th Aug on a travelzoo deal, we stayed in rm 3 the Cromwell suite which over looks the high street this was a quirky room with its slopes and odd angles. We felt a net curtain over the window would be helpful as for modesty purposes. The breakfast was great with a good selection of hot and cold and fruit on offer. Parking can be a pain but try the back streets if nothing out front. Staff were very friendly and helpful.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Winchester Royal Hotel; City: Winchester Hampshire England; Review: Stayed here on travelzoo deal 14-16th Aug. We upgrade to a beautiful suite called Millner rm118 with views of the cathedral and a lovely sized rm. The hotel is a few mins walk to high street but you hear no noise. Lovely gardens to sit in and enjoy if weather is right. The food is good and the breakfast has a good choice. A lovely setting for a hotel in the centre of town.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stattons Boutique Hotel; City: Portsmouth Hampshire England; Review: Stayed for 1 night 27/11. We were met at reception by Ellie she is a credit to the hotel being warm and friendly and a great host. The bedroom was lovely and spacious and the bath in the bedroom was very quirky. The breakfast was excellent with very good ingredients. Would use again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The George in Rye; City: Rye East Sussex England; Review: Stayed for 2 nights Monday to Wednesday, we had a lovely rm 16 nice view of church and a lovely bathroom the only drawback was the kitchen extract must be right outside as both mornings one of us would be woken very early by the rumbling of the fans. Breakfast was very good and nice selection and fresh ingredients.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: VIONIC Womens Tatiana; Brand: Vionic; Review: they seem a little on the small side, it's like they need a half size, I would be afraid an 8 would be too big. I take a 7.5 shoe they only offered whole sizes.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Estamico Baby Boys' Suede Moccasins; Brand: Estamico; Review: Looks like a stuffed animal shoe, too large/wide for an infant foot; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Zutano Unisex-Baby Newborn Cozie Fleece Bootie; Brand: ; Review: Absolutely the best shoes for a baby, all other shoes are too difficult to get on a baby. They are cute, warm and easy to put on.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Naot Women's Taramoa Mary Jane Flat; Brand: NAOT; Review: Had foot surgery, needed a flexible supportive shoe, didn't particularly like the style but thought it would be comfortable and perhaps look better in person. I was disappointed to find the shoe was less attractive in person and the shoe was tight no flexibility, hopes it fit like a sneaker. Sent back.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Vibram Men's KSO-M Trail Runner; Brand: Vibram; Review: Had foot surgery, needed a flexible supportive shoe, didn't particularly like the style but thought it would be comfortable and perhaps look better in person. I was disappointed to find the shoe was less attractive in person and the shoe was tight no flexibility, hopes it fit like a sneaker. Sent back.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Vionic Women’s Agile Opal Slip On Sneakers – Ladies Casual Flats Concealed Orthotic Support; Brand: Vionic; Review: Had foot surgery, needed a flexible supportive shoe, didn't particularly like the style but thought it would be comfortable and perhaps look better in person. I was disappointed to find the shoe was less attractive in person and the shoe was tight no flexibility, hopes it fit like a sneaker. Sent back.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Vionic Womens Mesa; Brand: Vionic; Review: Comfortable and stylish; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Estamico Baby Boys Anti Slip Summer Sandals Toddler Shoes Prewalker; Brand: Estamico; Review: Very cute, too large, hopefully will be able to wear before summer ends; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Naot Women's Taramoa Mary Jane Flat; Brand: NAOT; Review: didn't like the fit or the style, too stiff; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Vibram Men's KSO-M Trail Runner; Brand: Vibram; Review: didn't like the fit or the style, too stiff; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Vionic Women’s Agile Opal Slip On Sneakers – Ladies Casual Flats Concealed Orthotic Support; Brand: Vionic; Review: didn't like the fit or the style, too stiff; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Earthies Brie; Brand: Earthies; Review: Very comfortable and stylish, would never guess they are orthodic shoes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Motel 6 Houston Medical Center Reliant Park; City: Houston Texas; Review: Room was in back of hotel where the elevator did not work to the third floor. Lobby elevator worked but it was a hike to the back where our room was and with three children either way was not easy. We were tired from being on the road and just wanted to rest. When walking all the housekeepers were outside rooms smoking (we were trying to get to a non smoking room before smoke inhalation set in). Room was not great and had issues but we were tired. Issues: safety lock on door was partially missing (we moved a table in front of it for security), you could see light through the door-not hung properly), lamp no shade no light bulb, burn marks on bed cover and sink, walls need a coat of paint and housekeeping apparently can not read the next morning I got up for a shower while kids were asleep at 9 a.m. (do not disturb sign was on door) and housekeeping banged on door and needless to say kids were woke up. We decided we would not stay another night. Prince, the man that checked me out was nice and stated that well if our guests don't say anything we don't know, my reply was that you housekeepers should let you know and a guest should not have a room like we had. As we loaded our belongings into the car my son pointed out gun shell casings. So be aware!!!!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Gulfway Motel; City: High Island Texas; Review: Staff was friendly. Arrived very, very late and had to wait for office to open after calling them but for being in the middle of the night she was very pleasant. Easy to check in and easy to check out. Room was very clean with a microwave and a refrigerator, Air conditioner was even on and the room was cool. Beds were comfortable and the shower was hot, nice clean bathtub for the little ones. Pool was clean.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Inn Suites; City: Houston Texas; Review: This is a non smoking hotel so all the smokers are around the hotel at every exit and even the pool and then come in and get in the elevator and smell it up and not in a good way. Carpet could use some work, kids feet were black after a few min. of being barefoot. We stayed here because the non smoking status but had a terrible time using the pool because of the smokers and a large group drinking beer in glass bottles around the pool (which glass is not allowed). I complained and the dark skinned woman that works evenings has a no care attitude. These guys were so drunk they had to carry their buddy up but of course they came right back. James the morning guy acts like he owns the place and knows it all-had issues in the business center and seemed put out that he had to come help-he had no clue. No housekeeping nor breakfast people speak English so if you need some thing from them your out of luck.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Quality Inn Flagstaff East Lucky Lane; City: Flagstaff Arizona; Review: Pulled in and got a room for four (nonsmoking), the service was pleasant and helpful. The room was comfortable, had that old smell, small and no microwave but the person at the desk was nice to let me warm up a few things for the children in the breakfast area. The pool is nice but be aware its very rough on the feet (tears your skin right off). It was pretty quiet for being so close to the highway as well. The breakfast was not great but it was not horrible either.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Four Points by Sheraton Bakersfield; City: Bakersfield California; Review: Looks great. Check in was smooth and courteous double checked to make sure it was non smoking and it was confirmed. Got to the room to find a dirty food tray sitting outside our door. The room was large and the beds were comfortable, the hotel was pretty quiet. Went to enjoy hot tub and was unable due to the smokers. My mother went to the desk and and they assured her someone would be right out to take care of it-no one ever came. She also requested the food tray to be removed and that never happened. I took the children to the pool area for a bit and then headed in for a shower, still had to walk past someones half eaten dinner. Made reservations for 4 and there were only three towels. I went to the front desk wet and requested a towel and was told I could wait and someone would get me a towel. I asked if it was the same person that was to come to the pool because if it was that person they never showed, therefor I might not get a towel. The girl was rude and started mubling under her breath and walked off. As I was headed out the door she came around and shoved a towel in my hand still mumbling. Not acceptable behavior. I emailed the manager from a card I received, never received a reply. I then got an email asking about my visit from customer service and I told them. I later received an e mail wanting me to book my next room. Obviously this hotel cares nothing about customer service and does not read their e mail. It sure helps me narrow down what hotels to not stay in.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hotel Left Bank Saint Germain; City: Paris Ile de France; Review: Perfect position for Left Bank vibe. Ask for room 604 - brilliant.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Stefania Boutique Hotel by the Beach; City: Pittulongu Olbia Province of Olbia Tempio S; Review: A wonderful family run hotel situated a couple of minutes stroll from a beautiful sandy beach. Sun beds and parasols reserved for guests. Excellent restaurant and friendly service. Sardinia is largely undiscovered by UK holiday-makers - their loss.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Duke Of Cumberland Hotel; City: Whitstable Kent England; Review: A real pub atmosphere and wonderful staff. We stayed overnight in a very cosy room and had a great English breakfast the next morning. We had fantastic lunch in the restaurant next door which is connected to The Duke. Whitstable is a very pretty town with lots of quaint shops and the beach is only a few yards from the pub. Brilliant!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Finest Playa Mujeres; City: Playa Mujeres Yucatan Peninsula; Review: The hotel is in a beautiful location right on the beach. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Two large swimming pools with pool bars and loads of other smaller pools. Great restaurants in the hotel which we used all the time as it's a bit of a journey if you like eating out. One of the best hotels I've stayed in.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MICHAELSON Boutique HOTEL; City: Klaipeda Klaipeda County; Review: A fantastic brand new boutique hotel in the best location in the city. The band Shakatak stayed here for 3 days for our performance at the Klaipeda Jazz Festival. Lovely staff - great food. Highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Cordial Mogan Playa; City: Puerto de Mogan Mogan Gran Canaria Canary Islands; Review: A great hotel with two beautiful swimming pools and grounds. The harbour, beach & village are about a 7 minute walk away. We just booked for B&B as we like to explore restaurants for evening meals. Loads of good ones!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Coghlan's Pocket Sierra Saw; Brand: Coghlan's; Review: convenient pocket-size saw - could not find a similar saw for the same price; I bought two and received them within a couple of days; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TotalBoat 5:1 Epoxy Resin Kits; Brand: TotalBoat; Review: This epoxy does a reasonably good job in repairing damaged watercraft.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SUBOOS Ultra Bright Portable Outdoor LED Tent Light - Great for Outdoor Camping and Power Outage (Black); Brand: SUBOOS; Review: compact, great design, and ideal for lighting up the inside of a tent; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bike Tail Light, IHUIXINHE USB Rechargeable Taillight, 6 Light Modes Rear Bike Lighting; Brand: mowinifa816; Review: bright light, flashing option, too; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Frogg Toggs Pro Action Jacket, Advantage Max-4 Camo (Pa63102-55); Brand: Frogg Toggs; Review: I like Frogg Togg products - well made and reasonably priced.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LifeTek Hillcrest Golf Umbrella - Extra Large Double Canopy, 62 Inch Coverage with Automatic Open, Windproof; Brand: LifeTek; Review: I hope to be using it when it rains (floods) in the next few days!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: EEZ-Y 58 Inch Portable Golf Umbrella Large Windproof Double Canopy - Automatic Open Strong Oversized Rain Umbrellas; Brand: EEZ-Y; Review: We hope to try out this umbrella this weekend when the next torrential rains are scheduled to hit California. The umbrella does look quite sturdy and well-made.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Skullcandy Single-Shot Audio Kit by Smith; Brand: Smith Optics; Review: Our family owns three of these that we use in our Smith ski helmets. We have used them 25+ days per year for the last two years without any problems. I'm not an audiophile, so the speakers may not be the absolute highest fidelity out there, but they can be turned up quite loud with minimal distortion and sound great to me. The cord with the clicker mic is great. We use them plugged into our iPhones and it is nice to have a big button that can still be used with thick ski gloves on to skip a song, start and stop the music, answer a phone call, etc. It is EXTREMELY convenient to be able to quickly turn off the music when someone starts to talk to you on the lift or skip a lame song while you're flying down the mountain. I've wrecked pretty hard face first in deep powder more than once and skied in very cold temperatures and the clicker has never stopped working. I don't think it's advertised as water resistant or environmentally sealed, but I have yet to have one poop out on me and we've used them a lot! The only thing that is a bit difficult to do with thick gloves on is to change the volume. I would definitely buy this again and have recommended it to friends.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Manfrotto 1004BAC Master Stand (Black); Brand: Manfrotto; Review: Love these light stands! I use these for on-location shoots. I like them so much that I got rid of all my other stands (except the heavy duty C-stands for the studio) and bought a bunch of these. I love that they stack together and my assistant can carry a brick of several of them easily, even without a light stand bag. They also don't get beat up in transport nearly as much when they are stacked vs. tumbling around loose. They are also air cushioned, so my light heads don't get damaged as easily if my assistant lets them slip while adjusting the height. They are very sturdy and extend to 12 feet. Also like that they come with the little screw off threaded tip so you can attach items with either the larger or smaller fittings. The only issue I have is that sometimes the little plastic hooks that hold them together when they are stacked together can break if you're rough with them and I've been waiting for replacement parts from Manfroto for literally over three months now. That's probably because its a new product and shouldn't be an issue in the future. I just bought a couple more of these stands, so I can definitely say I'd recommend them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Manfrotto 244 Variable Friction Magic Arm with Camera Bracket - Replaces 2929; Brand: Manfrotto; Review: In theory, it is a great item, but even when you crank it down it won't hold much weight. Even with a normal consumer SLR camera on it, it sags with any kind of vibrations, much less with a pro body and lenses. I took the risk and locked it down as much as possible, but paid the price with $600+ of damage to my camera and lens. I wish they made a industrial strength magic arm because I'd sure use it a lot more. I just don't trust this for anything more than my GoPro anymore. Because the GoPro is so light, this will easily handle that much weight. But forget about it holding up 10-15 lbs. even partially extended.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: StarTech.com 3.5in SuperSpeed USB 3.0 SATA Hard Drive Enclosure w/ Fan; Brand: StarTech; Review: Arrived quick and looks nice. Outer shell is metal, not hard plastic like some enclosures. Some of the switches are just a bit cheap feeling, but shouldn't be an issue. Transfer times are fast. No disconnects. I've pushed several TB through it doing offsite backups without any hiccups. I'm happy with my purchase. Oh, and it works fine with the larger 3TB drives no problem.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Apple TV MD199LL/A; Brand: Apple; Review: I have three of these throughout our house and we love them. We use them mostly to watch Netflix shows and movies as well as the more recent movies from the Apple store. The interface is super slick and easy to navigate. I just wish we could create shortcuts or favorites to minimize the number of clicks it takes to get to things we use frequently.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Transcend 16GB SDHC Class 10 UHS-1 Flash Memory Card Up to 45MB/s (TS16GSDU1E); Brand: Transcend; Review: Great price, great SD card. I have the 32GB version of this card and I have really enjoyed it. I haven't had any problems with it at all. But I ordered this 64GB version without realizing that many cameras have a limit to the maximum capacity cards they can work with. I have a $8,000 professional camera and it's limit is 32GB. So just check your camera specs to make sure a 64GB card will work in your camera before ordering it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Inateck 4 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Express Card compatible Mac Pro (Early 2008 to 2012 Late Version) KT4004; Brand: Inateck; Review: Finicky. Randomly causes my computer to crash when waking up sometimes. Not worth it so I took it out and threw it away. Now my computer works fine again.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: iXCC Element II Lightning Cable 3ft, iPhone charger, for iPhone 7 6s 6 Plus, SE 5s 5c; Brand: iXCC; Review: Haven't had any problems. Just as good as the authentic (expensive) Apple cords, but affordable. UPDATE: I have purchased several more of these cords for my family's iPhones. Great product. Every bit as good as the Apple brand cables but less than a third the cost. That's a win.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: PortaPow Intelligent USB Charger for AA + AAA Ni-Mh/Ni-Cd Rechargeable Batteries; Brand: PortaPow; Review: Very low quality plastic. Compared to several other battery chargers I have, it seems like a McDonalds kids meal toy in comparison. Very light weight and flimsy. I'm sure it won't be long before the black door/cover breaks off. It works for now, but I'm not sure this will hold up to everyday usage. I won't be at all surprised if it just stops working one day because the circuitry develops a short or something. My confidence in this product is pretty low.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bushnell Powerview Compact Folding Roof Prism Binocular; Brand: Bushnell; Review: Yeah, so I know they are supposed to be compact, but jeepers... these things are TINY! The optical quality is decent at best. Not very clear, hardly any eye relief (your eyeballs have to be right up against the binoculars and perfectly in line in order to see through them, and even then you don't have much field of view... if you move your head even a little bit, the view is encroached a lot). They were pretty inexpensive ($14) so considering the price point, I don't feel that I totally wasted my money, but they are definitely not something to write home about. If I had spent even $10 more, I would have returned them. They aren't good enough for my taste, so I ended up gifting them to my 12 year old son.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: tomtoc 360° Protective Laptop Sleeve Compatible with 15” MacBook Pro Retina 2012-2015 | 15" Surface Book; Brand: tomtoc; Review: Not made specifically for the MacBook Pro laptops because it is way too thick. You could probably fit two of them inside this case. But the quality of the case is excellent.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Amoin Women V Neck Multilayer Stripe Splicing Bodycon Pencil Mini Dress; Brand: Waltzmart; Review: Cheap thin material.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Beverly Rock Woman's New Plush Satin Spa Thong Slipper in 4 Beautiful Colors; Brand: Beverly Rock; Review: Runs a little small - so order a size up. Very comfortable and great for daytime lounging! Stylish too and doesn't look like old Grandma style slippers. You can feel sexy and comfortable in these while keeping your toes exposed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kiwi Express Shoe Shine Sponge, 0.2 fl oz, Black; Brand: Kiwi; Review: This is a household essential for shining up Winter boots!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Leveret Women's Pajamas Fitted Striped 2 Piece Pjs Set 100% Cotton Sleep Pants Sleepwear (XSmall-XLarge); Brand: ; Review: Economical compared to the EXPENSIVE Victoria Secret Long Jane PJs. Due to the cost, I will order more for the winter holidays.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vince Camuto Women's VC/5001RGTT Swarovski Crystal Accented Brown and Rosegold-Tone Multi-Function Bracelet Watch; Brand: ; Review: Beautiful watch! The watch didn't work upon arrival which means I need to get a watch battery. I called Amazon and they reduced the price. Well done for great customer service because the watch was too beautiful to return if it only requires a battery replacement.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Miusol Women's Vintage Houndstooth-Print Bow Slim Retro Evening Dress (XX-Large, Green); Brand: ; Review: Great Spandex material which allows this dress to form the body. I received lots of compliments at work and felt empowered as I hosted corporate presentations. This dress gave me the power to present!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Michael Kors Access Goldtone Bradshaw Touchscreen Smartwatch, 45mm; Brand: Michael Kors; Review: I'm not liking the idea that you have to near your phone connected to Bluetooth to take advantage of using this smartwatch. To have my phone nearby, I might as well use the features on my phone. The battery in this watch drains and it has to be charged which means I cannot keep it stored in my watch valet with my other watches. The band is nice, but the overall ease of use is not what I imagined. Great hype, but not like the Apple Watch.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: DELIMIRA Women's Comfort Underwire Full Coverage Non-Foam Racerback Front Closure Bra; Brand: ; Review: Wire pokes into skin causing bruising.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: JML Hands Free Can Opener with Single Touch Action; Brand: Jml; Review: Very pleased with this can opener. We regularly open tuna fish cans (small) and don't have a problem at all. Just attach the opener to the can and press the button. I just leave it on the counter until it's done - then press the button to stop/turn off. I haven't tried it on a skinny can but logically - it would topple over because of the size of the opener and the size of the can. I would probably hold onto the can and let the opener do it's job.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign Microfiber Spa Bathroom Accent Rug, 34” x 21" Inches, Chocolate; Brand: InterDesign; Review: Nice and plush. Not sure how they will hold up over time. They do not slide around my vinyl floor in the bathroom.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign Mildew-Free EVA 5.5 Gauge Shower Liner, 72 x 72, Lavender; Brand: InterDesign; Review: So far so good. The grommets protect the liner from tearing. Worth the money.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign Mildew-Free EVA 5.5 Gauge Shower Liner, X-Wide 108 x 72, Frost; Brand: InterDesign; Review: So far so good. The grommets protect the liner from tearing. Worth the money.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Genuine Joe GJO11955 Stainless Steel Everyday Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Carafe, 1L Capacity; Brand: Genuine Joe; Review: The carafe does keep my coffee hot. The metal part is pretty wide and just fits my Keurig (with the base plate removed).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rubbermaid Easy Release Ice Cube Tray (4-Pack), White; Brand: Rubbermaid; Review: I was skeptical with the "Easy Release" but they truly are easy to release the cubes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 3 Piece - Measuring Cups Set, Clear with Red Marked Measurements, 1 Cup/8 Ounce, 2 Cups/1; Brand: TrueCraftware; Review: Great set of measuring cups. Nice clear markings. I replace an old set that all the markings had worn off. Nice to be able to get the right amount with the clear markings.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hunter FSQQ 3-Speed Adjustable Dual Portable Room Fan in Black (Room Fan, Portable Fan); Brand: Hunter Home Comfort; Review: Love this fan. I have it in our bedroom - the top fan is for me during sleep and the bottom fan can be angled for our dog that sleeps next to our bed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Columbia Unisex-Baby Infant Fast Trek Hoodie; Brand: ; Review: Bought this for my 18 month old granddaughter and I love it!! Although it was pricey, I think it was worth it. She wears it constantly and it washes great....very warm even in the coldest weather.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gerber Baby and Little Girls' 2 Piece Thermal Pajamas; Brand: ; Review: Fit great and GREAT price!! Quality wonderful!! These PJs and a great buy!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nickelodeon Paw Patrol Boys Girls Beanie Hat and Mittens Set (Toddler); Brand: ; Review: This set is bigger than I expected. It was for my 2 yr old granddaughter, but was way too big, so I gave it to my 3 1/2 year old granddaughter and it fits her with plenty of room for growth. Is very well made and just adorable!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Disney Little Girls' Minnie Mouse Girls Flutter Short Sleeve Top; Brand: ; Review: Really cute, bought a size 3T for a 2 yr old because Disney usually runs a little small and it fits fine. Well made.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: OshKosh B'Gosh Kids Aquatic Girl's and Boy's Water Shoe; Brand: ; Review: These are great little water shoes!! I love them because they have the velco on the side to open them, allowing easier access to put them on. I have some that don't have that and they are tough to get on little feet. Loved the price too, I thought they were very reasonably priced. And oh by the way, they re just adorable, love the color!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Angelina Girl's Colorful Assorted Winter Tights with Heel and Toe (6-Pack); Brand: Angelina; Review: Great set of tights! Colorful and adorable. They were perfect for my 4 year old granddaughter. Haven't washed them yet.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: XP Jewelry Solid Sterling Silver Link Cuban Curb Chain Necklace Italian - 1.7mm to 10.7mm Width; Brand: XP Jewelry; Review: Sturdy for such a thin chain however picture shows a lobster claw clasp and it came with a small, thin jump ring clasp. That was a disappointment.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: JC Toys, La Baby 11-inch African American Washable Soft Body Play Doll For Children 18 months or; Brand: JC Toys; Review: This was my 16 month old's first doll and she won't go anywhere without it. I pulled it out of the box on Christmas and she just lit up and started saying "baby" over and over again. As far as I knew she didn't even know that word! When she wants it and can't find it she whines, "ma baby" all over the house. It's a super cute, simple doll and you can't beat the price. Honestly I think it looks better quality than what you pay for. Love this doll and the other products of this company.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Frog Toys,4.5 Inch Assorted Rubber Frog sets(6 PACK),Food Grade Material TPR Super Stretches,With Gift Bag And Learning Study Card,Zoo World; Brand: ValeforToy; Review: The translation was off on the booklet that came with the frogs, it's written basically in broken english. And all the frog names are the scientific ones so you have no idea what they're called in general terms. Most of frogs look virtually nothing like what species they are supposed to be so you have pretty much no idea which one is which. Not to mention they are horrendous looking. Basically, if these are going to be used for education purposes, don't. However, my kid loved them and loves playing with them. They make her happy. They are passable toys.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: US Toy Lizard Stretchy Toys (1 Dozen); Brand: U.S. Toy; Review: There are a lot of them! But they look nothing like that picture. They are all one solid color, so, one star for deceptive advertising. They would make good handouts at a kids party.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Corolle Mon Premier Bebe Bath Fresh Riviera Baby Doll; Brand: Corolle; Review: Super cute doll and arrived very quickly.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Skoolzy Lacing Beads for Kids Toddler Toy - JUMBO Primary Lacing Toys For Toddlers; Brand: Skoolzy; Review: Great educational tool for your toddler. I bought this for my daughter and she was so excited to make her own "jewelry". Well made product in a nice, drawstring, canvas bag so you don't have to come up with ways to keep everything from getting lost.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DC Super Hero Girls Batgirl 6" Action Figure; Brand: Mattel; Review: It arrived with the package opened and her leg broken off before we even removed it.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Aurora World Sea Sparkles Mermaid Plush, Ruby; Brand: Aurora; Review: These mermaid dolls are my toddler daughter's favorite thing.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: StorageManiac 3-Pack Jumbo Foldable Polyester Canvas Storage Box, Convenient Storage Bin with Lid; Brand: STORAGE MANIAC; Review: Looks good and I like having the lids.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zuitcase Decorative Storage Boxes with Lids, Stackable Large Collapsible Storage Bins for Home, Office, Kids Room Organization, Mocha; Brand: Zuitcase; Review: Looks good and I like having the lids.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 1500 Thread Count Duvet Cover Set, 3pc Luxury Soft, All Sizes & Colors, King-Gray; Brand: HC COLLECTION; Review: Quality is nice and durable but soft too.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ball Quart Jar with Silver Lid, Wide Mouth, 1 Jar; Brand: Ball; Review: As advertised.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: RSVP Endurance Stainless Steel Wide Rim 8-inch Mesh Basket; Brand: RSVP International; Review: This will not fit in the instant pot without some modification to remove the handles. Once the handles are modified, fits perfectly in the 6 qt pot.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TOOGOO(R) 5 5/8" Kitchen Cookware Stainless Steel Wire Steaming Rack Stand; Brand: TOOGOO(R); Review: Works for instant pot.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Avryware Lightweight Stainless Steel Hot Plate Bowl Pan & Dish Retriever Gripper Tong Clamp Holder - 1 Pack; Brand: Avryware; Review: Works as expected.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign Steel Roller Shower Curtain Rings – Decorative Hooks - Bronze, Set of 12; Brand: InterDesign; Review: Works as intended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign Cameo XT Constant Tension Shower Curtain Rod – extendable 43”-75", Medium, Bronze; Brand: InterDesign; Review: Easy to install.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GermGuardian AC4100 3-in-1 Desktop Air Purifier for Home, HEPA Filter, UVC Sanitizer, Air Cleaner Traps Allergens, Smoke, Odors, Mold,; Brand: Germ Guardian; Review: On the noisy side but I like the size.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: GermGuardian Air Purifier Filter FLT4100 GENUINE HEPA Replacement Filter E for AC4100, AC4100CA AC4150BL, AC4150PCA Germ Guardian Air Purifiers; Brand: Germ Guardian; Review: Works great.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ambesonne Beach Hammock Decor Collection, Hammock on Sandy Beach Palm Trees Wooden Jetty Sunset; Brand: Ambesonne; Review: Curtain is nice quality. The high def picture cracks us up.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer; Brand: OXO; Review: Works great and no worries about cutting your hand with this gadget.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Sorel Snow Commander Childrens Winter Boot; Brand: SOREL; Review: So cute and very warm! Love Sorel!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ash City North End 78197 - LINEAR LADIES' INSULATED JACKETS WITH PRINT; Brand: Ash City - North End; Review: Love this coat. Wore it skiing this past weekend with temps in the low teens and it kept me very warm.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pearl Izumi Women's EM Trail N1 Running Shoe; Brand: ; Review: Very comfortable trail running shoes. Lightweight and breathable. Perfect fit.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Choies Women's Floral Print Chiffon Flare Sleeve V Neck Black Shorts Playsuit; Brand: CHOiES record your inspired fashion; Review: The romper was cute but the fit was terrible. Wayyy too short and the plunge was too deep. Definitely would've needed to wear something under it which defeats the purpose of the neckline. Sent it back.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Wholesale Boutique Whales Duffel Bag; Brand: Wholesale Boutique; Review: This bag is the cutest! Plenty of room. Just wish it had more pockets for storage.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Milumia Women's Floral Print Elastic Waist Cut Out Back Rompers Jumpsuit; Brand: ; Review: The cut is strange. I ordered a medium based on the size guide and it was way off base. The middle seam did not line up across the waist properly. It cut too high. It is a bit on the short side also. I would've exchanged for a large, but based on the size guide, that really only would've given more width.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: AX Paris Women's 2 in 1 Dress; Brand: AxParis; Review: This dress is even more gorgeous in person. I received numerous compliments on it. I had originally sized up 2 sizes based on reviews but ended up exchanging it for a smaller size. One size up was the perfect fit.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ThisWear Dad and a Nurse Nothing Scares Me, Nurse Gift T-Shirt; Brand: ; Review: Was a gift for my boyfriend and he loved it; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Coleman SunDome 7-Foot by 7-Foot 3-Person Dome Tent (Orange/Gray); Brand: Coleman; Review: I had a coleman tent of a similar design for about 7 years until the zippers gave out. This new design makes several improvements: 1. The supporting poles fit into a continuous sleeve...previously you had to thread each through two sleeves. 2. previously you had to tie the tent to the supporting poles at the top, now the continuous sleeve eliminates the ties. 3. The fly is now supported by a single pole over the top. 4. The rainfly appears more impervious to rain...as I had no drips from it in 4 or 5 days or showers. However, all was not happiness. I was camping for several days in gentle showers. The 4 corners at the bottom where the walls meet the waterproof floor all weeped significantly. When I had a drier day, I tried to seal the seams at the corners. Another day of rain showed that I had successfully sealed the two back corners, but not the front. Bottom line: very easy to assemble, but may need some seam sealing to keep out the rain.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eureka Timberline - Tent; Brand: Eureka; Review: I was looking for a tent to keep my dry in all conditions - my previous coleman tent leaked at the side seams, even with seam sealing. I taken this 4 trips, and set up and taken it down about 10 times. It is very easy to set up with just one person. It is well constructed. However, I was greatly disappointed when I camped on the Texas coast. The wind bent two poles. The rain blew in under the fly even though all vents were zipped shut. By morning I had significant amount of water in the tent, one pole had a 45 degree bend in it. I have camped in a cheap coleman tent that didn't get damaged in high winds...and other tents collapsed. Perhaps if I had guyed it down the poles would not have bent, but it would not have stopped the rain. Perhaps, I could have turned the tent in another direction and it would not have had so much water come in...but it was already pouring rain. I had sealed the seams prior to the trip. You could literally feel the water misting throughout the tent. Bottom line, not a tent for adverse conditions. I am switching to a REI Halfdome 4.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Kenda Kwest Commuter/Recumbent Bicycle Tire; Brand: Kenda; Review: This will not fit most 20 inch rims. Standard tires are 406, this is 451. The page needs to state this. There is nothing wrong with the tire itself. Kudos to Speedgoat for going out of their way on the refund.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Yakima EvenKeel Boat Rack; Brand: Yakima; Review: These easily mounted on 2012 Rav4 rack. I used it to carry my new Old Town 15-Feet 3-Inch Dirigo Tandem Plus . It came with the straps to attach it to the rack, and straps for both ends of the kayak. As a side note my antenna does make contact with the kayak , but wasn't damaged.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: X20 Universal Adult Life Jacket Vest - Red & Black; Brand: X20; Review: I am 5'10" 180lbs and fits me fine. My wife is 5'9" and weighs somewhat less than me and it fits her fine. Note this type of jacket will not prevent you from going face first into the water, i.e. if you are unconscious you could drown due to your face falling into the water.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GOGO 144 Balls 3-Star Seamless Table Tennis Balls, Professional Ping Pong Balls; Brand: GOGO; Review: My wife and I just play for fun. It was nice to get a bottomless supply of balls. These work fine for our use.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shoreline Marine Kayak Paddle; Brand: Shoreline; Review: Good price for recreational use. We have been using all summer with our tandem kayak. No problems.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GRIP MASTER Gripmaster Hand And Finger Exerciser Combo Pack -Red And Black; Brand: GRIP MASTER; Review: I have had these for a couple of years. They have been durable. I like the fact they are contoured and squeeze is relatively even....though it's a bit rough for my little finger.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lohai cycling | ROSWHEEL New Outdoor Cycling Bicycle Bike Frame Bag, Front Saddle; Brand: LoHai; Review: This is a very small pack as expected. It holds my Sony RX100 in its smaller case or my cell phone + wallet+keys. Fits (barely on the back strap) my Bacchetta Strada which has a very large diameter tube. If you tie the front cord to the top tube the bag stays in place easily. I leave the bag on my bike when it is in the bicycle rack with no problem.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Funny Animal Faces Sticker Activity Book (Dover Little Activity Books Stickers); Author: Fran Newman-D'Amico; Review: adorable; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! Green Back Book; Author: Visit Amazon's Dr. Seuss Page; Review: All of my kids have a copy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Littlest Christmas Tree; Author: Visit Amazon's R. A. Herman Page; Review: Cute little book; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Night Before the Night Before Christmas; Author: Visit Amazon's Natasha Wing Page; Review: Cute book; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Can't Love You More; Author: Visit Amazon's Sabrina Quinn Page; Review: Such a great read! Braelyn's story was captivating, from the beginning to the end. I was rooting for her, crying with her, smiling with her. I can't wait for the next book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forever, For Always; Author: Visit Amazon's Sabrina Quinn Page; Review: I loved this book from beginning to end. It was engaging, emotional, and vividly written. Romance without being trashy, culture, mystery, murder, suspense, this book has it all. Great read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Quality Inn West Acres; City: Fargo North Dakota; Review: Stayed one night, the room was comfortable, very average, no bells and whistles. I didn't eat breakfast so can't comment on that. The bed was comfortable, carpet was dated, but the room was clean and quiet. The hotel was full of hockey boys, and I didn't hear any outside noise. I'd stay again, just needed a place to sleep, the price was right.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hilton Garden Inn Minneapolis Bloomington; City: Bloomington Minnesota; Review: I've been a business traveler staying at this hotel for the past five year. This hotel and it's staff make you feel like family and like you are at home. Love to new lobby redo. Our group can now eat meal together at the large table in the lobby. Kendra, John and Sue do everything they can to make your stay the best.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sleep Inn Suites Alerus Center; City: Grand Forks North Dakota; Review: Yes this is a brand new hotel, but the price needs to come down a bit to be in line with other hotels of this rating in the area. The room was comfortable,and clean, however we could hear the tv from the room next door! Clerks are very courteous and knowledgeable. The decor was very nice. Breakfast was your typical hot breakfast bar.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: AmericInn by Wyndham Wadena; City: Wadena Minnesota; Review: This hotel has treated us like family for many years. The management at the Wadena AmericInn has been more than accommodating to me and my entire family as Wadena is our hometown, but all except one of us has moved away. The family environment of the hotel makes it very easy for my entire family to meet at this location. The kids have a blast in the pool area and the adults can sit In the pool area as their are plenty of chairs to gather for visiting.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn and Suites Alexandria; City: Alexandria Minnesota; Review: This hotel met or exceeded our expectation for a Hampton. It was quiet, friendly and clean. The hotel staff was very pleasant and helpful. Breakfast was your typical hotel breakfast, but the staff was great and the atmosphere was even better (no kids!!) I'd recommend this hotel to anyone.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Heartland Trail Bed and Breakfast; City: Park Rapids Minnesota; Review: This is the second year our family has gathered at Heartland Trail Bed & Breakfast. This is the most friendly B&B we have stayed at. Gloria and Mitch do a superb job at making you feel at home and feel comfortable. The rooms are the best. Reminds all of my siblings of the high school we attended! Being right on the bike trail is another plus, because Heartland Trail B & B also rents bicycles, which are very well kept, and have all sizes. We can't say enough good about this place and the people who own and run it. We will be going back for many years to come. The Kvamme Family; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GrandStay Hotel Suites Montevideo; City: Montevideo Minnesota; Review: The price we paid for this room was very high for the quality of room we received. The room stunk of stale cigarettes, the carpet had junk on it in between the bed and the night stand and was freezing cold. We had to turn the heat on high and leave the room for 30 minutes until it warmed up. I'll only stay there again if they reduce their price.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Red & Wolfe 1-4: The Complete Set: An Erotic Fairy Tale - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Ella James Page; Review: I tried this book because of other reviews I saw. I'm not a fan when an author splits what could be 1 book into multiple "stories" so I'm glad I waited to get this full set. I loved the hot sex scenes and dirty talk and I was surprised at how the story ended. Great read that kept me intrigued all the way through!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Reclaimed (A Knights Rebels MC Book 3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's River Savage Page; Review: Mrs Savage has done it again and her writing just keeps getting better!! The stories she tells are so heartfelt and carry real life issues. This story brought back issues that I dealt with after having my son and made Kadence even more relatable to me. I did miss my foul mouthed Nix and can't wait for the next book in this series!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blood Moon Rising (Wolf Shifter Romance): The Omnibus (The Janus Circle Prophecy Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Alexx Andria Page; Review: I was given this book in return for an honest review. I love a story where the heroin is able to overcome her past to accept and embrace her future. Even though Eva and Erie were born from terrible circumstances, they hid amongst their human side and thought they could leave their Wolvryn heritage in the past. But fate and a determined crazed leader have other plans and both girls are thrown back into the shifter world they both hate. Great characters and storyline. I'm excited to see what happens to these sisters in the next book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: I Married a Billionaire: The Complete Box Set Trilogy - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Melanie Marchande Page; Review: I enjoyed the cpmpletion to Maddie and Daniel's take but still feel there are holes in this story. Without giving anything away, you find out why Daniel is how he is and gain new perspective for the delicate relationship between our couple and their families.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hunter (Bad Boys of Retribution MC Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Rie Warren Page; Review: Love, love, love the Carolina Bad boy series from Rie. This is another great addition to the rest and I can't wait to see where this series goes. Hot and steamy and full of action, never a dull moment or disappointment to be had.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: If Wishes Were Horses: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance: Windemere Stallions - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Erika Masten Page; Review: This was a quick short read that will get your pulse racing. Loved to characters and how the story developed around the shifters in town. I'm sure what is happening in this story is happening to small towns all over America, I loved to feel that something extraordinary can happen anywhere.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Drive Me Wild: A Biker Romance Serial (The Devil's Host Motorcycle Club Book 3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Shari Slade Page; Review: I have a love hate relationship with this series. I love it, can not get enough and drink it down like I'm dying of thirst. But I hate when it ends and I have to wait patiently to see what is going on with my Noah....; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TRUTH (The Vengeance Duet Book 2) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's A.C. Bextor Page; Review: Such a dirty path to take to get to the truth! Such an intense read that pulled at my heart strings and wouldn't let me put it down until I was done. I recommend you start this book duo with a little bit of MC ugliness and a hero with a heart of gold. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: MOUTH: A Steamy Anthology - Kindle edition; Brand: Christy Dilg; Review: Paradise tempted by LB Dunbar was nothing short of what I expect to read when I pick up one of her books. I love the fun twists and liberties she takes on reinterpreting legends and fables until they become her own. Now she's tackling books of Biblical proportions!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Just One Summer: A Summer Romance Novella - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's A.D. Justice Page; Review: I love when an arrangement doesn't go as planned and the player falls in love! Great story on the changes that can happen when life doesn't go as you had planned. Now I hope to see Just One Fall coming out next! I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Very Dirty Wedding - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Sabrina Paige Page; Review: A runaway monkey and a snow storm on your wedding day, what else could possible go wrong? The pregnant brides water breaking, no worries. None of this can top everything that this couple's relationship has already endured and only makes it that much stronger. This was a great addition to Prick to see what this couple has been up to. I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Billionaire Dating Game; Brand: Visit Amazon's Aubrey Dark Page; Review: A writer that wants to be a news writer A man in the spotlight looking for love from the woman who doesn't know who he is Packed with drama, laughs and a little bit of tears, this book has all the feels you look for in a great romance and then throws in a curveball to tug on your heart strings. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Kindle_Store |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Ugg Australia Girls-Big Kids K Classic Winter Boots; Brand: ; Review: These boots are great. These are the second pair I've had. They keep your feet warm and cozy. I love that I can wear them with no socks. The chocolate color is a deep dark brown, looks great with jeans.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: UGG Women's Classic Tall; Brand: ; Review: These boots are great. These are the second pair I've had. They keep your feet warm and cozy. I love that I can wear them with no socks. The chocolate color is a deep dark brown, looks great with jeans.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kenneth Cole Reaction Call It A Way Boot (Little Kid/Big Kid); Brand: ; Review: I got these for my 6 year old and she loves them. The shiny red looks great with jeans and red tops. Based on other reviews I was hesitant to get them but they look great so far.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BEARPAW Emma Tall Youth Boot; Brand: BEARPAW; Review: These boots are adorable and keep my little girls feet warm in the Chicago winter. Great dark pink color. She loves them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BEARPAW Cheri Boot (Little Kid/Big Kid); Brand: BEARPAW; Review: Sparkly red boots that are warm. My daughter loves them and they look adorable with jeans and a red shirt. My daughter is hard on her shoes and so far we haven't had any issues with the sparkle coming off. My daughter loves these shoes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook: Recipes and Wisdom from an Obsessive Home Cook; Author: Visit Amazon's Deb Perelman Page; Review: My sister absolutely loves this book! It came earlierthan expected, but, she didn't mind for she couldn't wait to get it!!! LOL; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Would You Rather . . . ?: The Outrageous Book of Bizarre Choices; Author: Visit Amazon's Workman Publishing Page; Review: I have one of these & even if the things in it are wierd, there's also fun facts at the bottom of the pages also. I got another one for my niece who's 13 yrs old & she wouldn't put it down! She absolutely loved it!!! Highly recommend for teenagers.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Illustrated Guide to Jewelry Appraising, 3rd Edition: Antique, Period, and Modern; Author: Visit Amazon's Anna M. Miller Page; Review: I really don't reccomend this book. It's very hard to get through, dry & not organized enough. Not very goof to learn by. A waste of money.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: I'm Still Here: A Breakthrough Approach to Understanding Someone Living with Alzheimer's; Author: Visit Amazon's John Zeisel Page; Review: WHY people(not all) have to view people with dementia as "no one is home" is REALLY sad! This book is so INCREDIBLE!!! I know a LOT about dementia, alzheimers, vascular dementia, sundowning, etc. and there is a lot to learn and understand. This book gives people insight to keep communicating & knowing HOW to communicate with a person with dementia or similar disease. I learned from a neurologist that Ronald Reagan had alzheimers the whole time he served as the President of the United States. How did HE communicate and run our country? With a lot of help and perserverence, that's how! It's not impossible to live ones life if you have alzheimers and your loved ones DO KNOW who you are(even if they may call you the wrong name or say that you're their brother instead of son). There are ways to help people with dementia remember and also ways to help new brain cells grow........these are done through EMOTIONS & these have been researched and this is taught in this book. This takes understanding and work to help a loved one with dementia, but, aren't they worth it?!!! The glass is always 1/2 full with me and I will never give up!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa; Author: Visit Amazon's Pauline Butcher Page; Review: My friend is an avid Zappa fan & I sure surprised him with this. He could not put it down & even when having conversations with him, he was multi-tasking, so he could continue reading it! LOL This & the book Zappa wrote himself are highly recommended. You will NOT be disappointed!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Creating Moments of Joy for the Person with Alzheimer's or Dementia, 3rd. Ed.; Author: Visit Amazon's Jolene Brackey Page; Review: At first I read a few things which I already knew, but, then read some more & was very enlightened by these others. Now, I look forward to picking the book up, reading a few stories & putting it back down. It is very easy to go back to reading some more for the stories are short. I especially love the short quips after the stories......they make you think, they make you smile! "Think like a duck".......warm day, sunshine, ducks serenely floating on top of the water.......let this be on the outside of you & what you show people.......yet the ducks are paddling like the dickens with their feet below(i.e. don't let your frustrations over anything show, keep the waves calm). I tell my friends this story & if they get frustrated, I remind them to "act like a duck"! LOL; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gluten-Free on a Shoestring: 125 Easy Recipes for Eating Well on the Cheap; Author: Visit Amazon's Nicole Hunn Page; Review: I haven't actually made anything from here yet, however, from what I see, I am so excited about this cookbook! There are other gluten-free cookbooks out there, but, sometimes they are too complicated and therefore overwhelming, especially when one has a cazillion things to do in ones day! I will update this soon, after I make a few things from this book; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Life's Too Short to Fold Your Underwear; Author: Visit Amazon's Patricia Lorenz Page; Review: This is a really funny book! Stories aren't too long so I can grab and read off and on(I'm not one to read a whole book due to my crazy "to-do list").; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Rumba Beach Resort; City: Caloundra Sunshine Coast Queensland; Review: We have stayed at Rumba Beach Resort before and have enjoyed it both times. The apartment style accommodation is plenty big enough and you have own kitchen, dining and bedrooms. Free Wi-Fi is a bonus if you are interested in this. There is easy access to the restaurants underneath and you can walk along the esplanade to get to Kings Beach or Golden Beach with very little effort. We also enjoy Caloundra as it isn't as crowed as places further up the coast. Will definitely be coming back to this resort.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ibis budget Wentworthville; City: Wentworthville Holroyd Greater Sydney New South Wales; Review: If you are looking for a budget hotel this is it. We stayed in a room with 2 single beds and a bunk bed for the 3rd person. The bunk bed was surprisingly stable. The room itself was reasonably sized but the bathroom was extremely tiny. So tiny the hand basin was in the main room and not the bathroom. In saying that though the room was clean and the service was good. I would recommend if you were looking for budget accommodation only and nothing fancy. We didn't have breakfast at the hotel but there were only a couple of tables behind the reception area where you would have eaten.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Best Western The Henry Parkes Tenterfield; City: Tenterfield New South Wales; Review: We needed a night's stay while travelling north to Brisbane and chose this place and were not disappointed. Great sized rooms and friendly service. The restaurant had great meals at dinner and we enjoyed the local wines. Breakfast is a light, continental only but part of the nightly rate. Good value for money.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Quality Hotel Powerhouse Armidale; City: Armidale New South Wales; Review: We have never stayed at Armidale before and found this place on Trip Advisor and we were not disappointed. Such good value for money. We couldn't believe it had heated tiles in the bathroom which were heaven in the cold weather. The restaurant also had great food for dinner and breakfast. We were also happy with the service all round.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spicers Hidden Vale; City: Grandchester Ipswich Brisbane Region Queensland; Review: We have been twice to this place and have not been disappointed. The food is sensational and highly recommend the degustation dinner - it is full of theatre and great food. The cottages are great and the whole feel and look of the place is like a luxury farm stay but not too over the top. It is on the expensive side but the service is wonderful and you get what you pay for. There are also mountain bike tracks (bikes provided if you wish), walking tracks, archery, swimming, clay shooting plus more. Would highly recommend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Reef View Hotel; City: Hamilton Island Whitsunday Islands Queensland; Review: Hamilton Island is a beautiful place to visit. We were on the 7th floor of the Reef View Hotel and had great views and a great room. The service was great. Don't let the effects of Cyclone Debbie keep you away as the island is still beautiful and the accommodation was operating at the Reef View without any issues.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Inn Port Fairy; City: Port Fairy Victoria; Review: We had a single room and it was quite large and comfortable. The service was good when we arrived. The restaurant was closed (not owned by the Comfort Inn but right next door) as it was Monday but that didn't matter as it is close to the main streets with the restaurants.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ambassador Motor Inn; City: Tauranga Bay of Plenty Region North Island; Review: This was fine for a couple of nights stay on a budget. The managers were very friendly and helpful and even finished off our washing in the drier and folded them for us when we were out. It doesn't have restaurant but there are plenty around to choose from.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Eco Beach Resort Byron Bay; City: Byron Bay Byron Shire New South Wales; Review: We were there for 2 nights and found everything to be comfortable and suitable to our needs to needing a place to stay. We arrived late but there was a text message sent to us with details on how to obtain the keys and we had no trouble. There is no restaurant attached but it is close to plenty of options.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances; Author: John Green; Genres: romance, young-adult, fiction; Review: *** I only read the John Green section ***; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Confessions of a College Freshman; Author: Zach Arrington; Genres: history, non-fiction, biography, historical fiction; Review: I don't normally review books - but this one demands it. I gave it 3/5 because it was so entertaining to read the ramblings of this madman. First of all the guy is basically clueless - if you want REAL tips on surviving university this is NOT the book for you. Sounds to me like this guy doesn't even know how to use a washing machine. He has a chapter on dating, and all it says is that he has no idea what he is doing, and also that having sex before marriage is a horrible idea. That leads me to the second thing - if you are not a devout Christian this book will offend you. I was offended many times! One thing that really stood out for me was the chapter that he wrote about partying. Yes, universities generally are a place for parties, and in the US those parties are technically illegal for the first few years (21, right - I'd be in 4th year before I could drink!) - This guy says that a person with principles won't touch alcohol EVER, not even just cracking a single beer!! Also thirdly this guy's character is FLAWED. He is sexist - saying that all women eat is lettuce was the topper - , closed minded and has the strangest amount of ego for someone that knows nothing. I feel like we all met a guy like this in high school, the overly opinionated guy that actually has no friends but thinks he is super cool and popular? BUT I did like reading this book, I love it when a book makes me angry. Every now and then he says something that makes sense, but then he repeats it over and over again. I learned more about Uni life from watching "undeclared" the summer before I went.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cake Wrecks: When Professional Cakes Go Hilariously Wrong; Author: Jen Yates; Genres: non-fiction; Review: The book would have been so much better if it focused solely on the cakes and not the author's bad jokes and anger about the cakes!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Chew/Revival; Author: John Layman; Genres: mystery, thriller, comics, crime, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: Read CHEW before you read this!! There is a major series spoiler in here!!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Revival/Chew; Author: Tim Seeley; Genres: thriller, comics, crime, paranormal, graphic, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Read CHEW before you read this!! There is a major series spoiler in here!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The First Days (As the World Dies, #1); Author: Rhiannon Frater; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: Life is too short to read books that are this bad.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Stay Out of the Basement (Goosebumps, #2); Author: R.L. Stine; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** "I was working on a super plant," he said, "trying to electronically make a new plant using DNA elements from other plants. Then I accidentally cut my hand on a slide. I didn't realize it, but some of my blood got mixed in with the plant molecules I was using. When I turned on the machine, my molecules got mixed in with plant molecules--and I ended up with something that was part human, part plant." "That's gross!" Casey exclaimed, dropping a forkful of mashed potatoes."; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Say Cheese and Die! (Goosebumps, #4); Author: R.L. Stine; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** "When I stole the camera, it caught my partner by surprise. Unfortunately, from then on, all of the surprises were mine." A strange, sad smile twisted across his aged face. "My partner, you see, was much more evil than I was." (1 character actually dies in this one!); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monster Blood (Goosebumps, #3); Author: R.L. Stine; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** Favorite quote: His screams woke up him. This time he really woke up. And realized that, the first time, he had only dreamed that he was awake. Had only dreamed that he had become a giant. Dreams upon dreams. Was he awake now?; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Girl's Guide to Moving On (New Beginnings, #2); Author: Debbie Macomber; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: A Girl's Guide to Rebounding Into an Inappropriate Relationship!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo; Author: Amy Schumer; Genres: history, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: I actually REGRET reading this. I feel like my life is slightly worse now.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful, #1); Author: Jamie McGuire; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: If this had been categorized as *HORROR* I would say 'well done' - but it is *ROMANCE* and I am disturbed.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1); Author: Becca Fitzpatrick; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** "Patch was gone, but a single black feather was pressed to the outer pane, held in place by last night's rain. Or angel magic."; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Uglies (Uglies, #1); Author: Scott Westerfeld; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: If your story takes place in "Uglyville" and "New Pretty Town" - with mention of places like "Crumblyville" (for the old people) ... you better not also mention that Alaska and South America still exist...; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: The Top Deals at Costco Right Now; Abstract: Costco shoppers can find some impressive deals at the popular warehouse giant as stores shift gears toward the holidays. You can snag specials on home goods and appliances from companies like Crock-Pot, Keurig, Oster, Thomasville, and Dyson, as well as tech toys from brands like HP.; Category: lifestyle
Title: David Harbour on 'SNL': 3 Sketches You Have to See; Abstract: Ending its initial three-week run, Saturday Night Live closed with another strong episode that solidified this as one of the most promising seasons in several years. While more front-loaded than the first two episodes, this David Harbour-led installment reinforced its early patterns: celebrity-centric cold opens, a heaping help of Kate McKinnon, and plenty of space for the show's newest cast members to stretch their legs. Bowen Yang and Chloe...; Category: tv
Title: Missing Minnesota boy, 6, and his dog, found in cornfield by drone with thermal camera; Abstract: A missing 6-year-old boy from Minnesota and his dog were found Wednesday after hundreds of volunteers including one who used his own drone with a thermal camera searched for him for hours.; Category: news
Title: 30 Funny Dog Photos You Need to See; Abstract: We asked readers to send in their favorite animal photos. We were so entertained, we couldn't help but share.; Category: lifestyle
Title: Rachael Ray finally opens restaurant with no physical location; Abstract: Rachael Ray is the anomaly among TV celebrity chefs in that she's never opened a restaurant. Fans have asked for it, but Ray says it's just never been in the cards. Starting today, though, you can eat food designed by Rachael Ray… just not in an actual restaurant.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: New benefits are coming to Medicare Advantage plans; Abstract: New benefits are on the horizon for 2020. Find out what they are.; Category: finance
Title: Costco Is Selling BBQ Brisket Slider Kits for the Easiest Weeknight Dinner; Abstract: It's already cooked and ready to assemble. 🙌; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Charles Rogers, former Michigan State football, Detroit Lions star, dead at 38; Abstract: Charles Rogers, the former Michigan State football star whom the Detroit Lions selected with the second overall pick in 2003 NFL draft, has died.; Category: sports | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Canon EOS Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera Body & EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens with 75-300mm Lens; Brand: Canon; Review: Absolutely love the camera and all the items that came with it. I had been looking to purchase an efficient back up to my Olympus for a while and nothing matched this in price which was so affordable!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fotodiox 5x7 (foot) Collapsible Black + White 2-in-1 Background, Backdrop Kit with Stand Support; Brand: Fotodiox; Review: Shipoed on time and is exactly as described. This is perfect for the photographer on the go, which makes it perfect for my needs. Quick and easy to set up and it doesnt take up a lot of space when broken down. If you need an affordable beginners set up I highly recommend this!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Samsung Galaxy Note GT-N5110 16 GB Tablet - 8" - Samsung Exynos 1.60 GHz; Brand: Samsung; Review: I was an ipad user however nice the ipad was it just didn't have ths abilities to do what i really wanted. This samsung note does everything tge ipad couldn't with the S pen it reads my handwriting and allows for me to take handwritten notes for class. I couldn't be mkre pleased it is perfectly sized for school and a great upgrade from the iPad.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LimoStudio 400 Watt Photography Photo Studio MonoLight Strobe Flash Lighting Umbrella Light Kit/Carrying Case, AGG783V2; Brand: LimoStudio; Review: Great lights at a great price. They are easy to set up and deconstruct. Perfect for the traveling photographer given their lite weight. I purchased these specifically for charity shoots and to travel around shooting corporate portraiture, so far they have functioned like a charm.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens - Fixed (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Canon; Review: Love this lens, it shoots lively in low light fast paced environments! Great for he price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wart Remover,Corn Remover,Foot Corn Remover Pads,Plantar Wart Removal, Corn Callus Remover, Penetrates and Removes Common and Plantar; Brand: UOKOO; Review: Excellent tripod for a great deal. It is firm, sturdy and seems like the perfect tripod for the active photographer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Venturemax 55cm Portable Handheld 298 PCS LED Photography Magic Tube Light Mtl-900 II as Ice Light with Adjustable Brightness Orange; Brand: VentureMax; Review: Great lighting and portable. Great for outdoor shooting when needed to enhance areas of shade. I have used this light for modeling images and my models love, not only because it adds extra filler light but because they can use it to learn their own lighting!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Autofocus Lens for Canon DSLR + MORE - International Version; Brand: SSE; Review: Awesome lens. One of my favorites and is used for primary shooting purposes. A great all around, shoots a sharp image and capable of great low lighting photographs.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tamron AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD IF Macro Lens for Sony Digital SLR Cameras Model (A001S); Brand: Tamron; Review: I absolutely love this lens. I shoot a lot of low lighting, high speed events and need a zoom with a faster shutter and this fit the bill. To date it has already gone to one night rodeo which was challenging as only half of the arena was lit. For it's first run I am happy with what I got, but will need further shooting time to test all aspects it has to offer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: STK LP-E6 Battery for Canon 5D Mark II III and IV, 70D, 5Ds, 6D, 5Ds, 80D, 7D,; Brand: STK; Review: I was thrilled to find these on here and they are beyond affordable. I had spares on order from the Canon manufacturer that were backordered for months. The shipping was fast, and items as described! Thanks; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: UpBright 9V 2-3A AC/DC Adapter For Polaroid Z2300 Z2300W Z2300B Z230E Instant Print Digital Camera SYS1319-2709 Sunny Powerport Fidelio DS7550; Brand: UPBRIGHT; Review: Beyond thrilled to have received this and that it does fit my polaroid which came with different plugs for different foreign countries but no US option. This solved that issue for me.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LimoStudio 10 ft X 12 ft Black & White Chromakey Photo Video Photography Studio Fabric Backdrop Background Screen, AGG1894; Brand: LimoStudio; Review: Was as described and a life savor for a booking where a mobile easily set up studio was a must! I gave it a great trial run on the go and while I wish I had time to steam out creases from packaging they were easily removed in post processing. I look forward to using these products for a long while. Great product at a great price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: All by Myself!; Author: Aliki; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Carpe Jugulum (Discworld Novels (Paperback)); Author: Terry Pratchett; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: The Fifth Elephant: A Novel of Discworld; Author: Terry Pratchett; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: Moving Pictures (Discworld Novels (Paperback)); Author: Terry Pratchett; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Pyramids (Discworld Novels (Paperback)); Author: Terry Pratchett; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Little House on the Prairie; Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 2); Author: C. S. Lewis; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: The Horse and His Boy; Author: C. S. Lewis; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: The Grapes of Wrath; Author: John Steinbeck; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Wise Children; Author: Angela Carter; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: The Secret Life of Bees; Author: Sue Monk Kidd; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: The Right to Remain Silent; Author: Charles Brandt; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: The Weight of Water; Author: Anita Shreve; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Sweet Hush: A Novel; Author: Deborah Smith; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Red Water : A novel; Author: JUDITH FREEMAN; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Neverwhere; Author: Neil Gaiman; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: What Looks Like Crazy On An Ordinary Day; Author: Pearl Cleage; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: The Hot Zone; Author: Richard Preston; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Skipping Christmas; Author: JOHN GRISHAM; Rating: 4.0/10.0
Title: Gift From The Sea; Author: Anne Morrow Lindbergh; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: The Rapture of Canaan (Oprah's Book Club (Hardcover)); Author: Sheri Reynolds; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards (Cat Who... (Hardcover)); Author: Lilian Jackson Braun; Rating: 6.0/10.0
Title: Rainbow Six; Author: Tom Clancy; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: P Is for Peril (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries (Hardcover)); Author: Sue Grafton; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Fitness Walking; Author: Robert Sweetgall; Rating: 5.0/10.0
Title: The Empress File; Author: John Sandford; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Mind Prey; Author: John Sandford; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Sudden Prey; Author: John Sandford; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: The Night Crew; Author: John Sandford; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Voyager; Author: DIANA GABALDON; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: Lost Girls; Author: Andrew Pyper; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Henry and Beezus (Henry Huggins (Paperback)); Author: Beverly Cleary; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: To Kill a Mockingbird; Author: Harper Lee; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Geek Love; Author: Katherine Dunn; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: Homeland; Author: John Jakes; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Twelfth Night, Or, What You Will (Signet Classic Shakespeare Series); Author: William Shakespeare; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: The Merchant of Venice (Signet Classics); Author: William Shakespeare; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Gossip Hound; Author: Wendy Holden; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: The Cat Who Played Post Office (Cat Who... (Paperback)); Author: Lilian Jackson Braun; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts; Author: Lilian Jackson Braun; Rating: 3.0/10.0
Title: True Crime: The Novel; Author: Andrew Klavan; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Seize the Night; Author: DEAN KOONTZ; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: False Memory; Author: Dean R. Koontz; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: The Heart of a Woman; Author: Maya Angelou; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: The Magic Bullet; Author: Harry Stein; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Deja Dead; Author: Kathy Reichs; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Circles Of Stone; Author: Joan Dahr Lambert; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Intensity; Author: DEAN KOONTZ; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Sick Puppy; Author: Carl Hiaasen; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: The Insult (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard); Author: Rupert Thomson; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: You Have More Than You Think: The Motley Fool Guide to Investing What You Have; Author: David Gardner; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion; Author: George J. Thompson; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Goodnight Moon Board Book; Author: Margaret Wise Brown; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Better Homes and Gardens: Roses : The Gardener's Collection; Author: Marsha Johns; Rating: 5.0/10.0
Title: Life Messages: Inspiration For The Woman's Spirit; Author: Josephine Carlton; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Knee Deep in Paradise; Author: Brett Butler; Rating: 5.0/10.0
Title: Two for Texas; Author: James Lee Burke; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Dixie City Jam; Author: James Lee Burke; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: It Was on Fire When I Lay Down on It; Author: Robert Fulghum; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: N Is for Noose (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries (Hardcover)); Author: Sue Grafton; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Breast Cancer? Let Me Check My Schedule!; Author: Peggy McCarthy; Rating: 5.0/10.0
Title: Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth's Last Days (Left Behind No. 1); Author: Tim Lahaye; Rating: 1.0/10.0
Title: The Complete Perennials Book; Author: Marilyn Rogers; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: The Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts (My Body Science); Author: Shinta Cho; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: In Love & Honor: A Novel of a Navy Nurse; Author: Anne O'Connell; Rating: 2.0/10.0
Title: Dial 911 and Die; Author: Richard W Stevens; Rating: 3.0/10.0
Title: The Zen Gardening Kit/Book and Japanese Rock Garden; Author: D. Moore; Rating: 5.0/10.0
Title: The Art of Mingling: Easy, Fun, and Proven Techniques for Mastering Any Room; Author: Jeanne Martinet; Rating: 4.0/10.0
Title: The Visitor's Book; Author: Caroline Upcher; Rating: 4.0/10.0
Title: The Bonesetter's Daughter; Author: Amy Tan; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Knitting Journal; Author: Char Loving; Rating: 10.0/10.0 | bookcrossing |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: O God Save Us All; Brand: Disciple; Review: It is one of thier best. It has a great mix of hard hitting rock and some alittle more mild. I love it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vulture Culture; Brand: Alan Parsons Project; Review: Very clear remaster copy and the bonus material is nice as well. It was good to hear something new that I haven't heard before.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vulture Culture; Brand: Alan Parsons Project; Review: Very clear remaster copy and the bonus material is nice as well. It was good to hear something new that I haven't heard before.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Red Rider can; Brand: Red Rider; Review: This "greatest hits" album has a lot of the best songs they ever made. I do wish it had "The Boy inside the Man" but not that big of a deal. It is worth the money and brings back a lot of great memories from that time. I love it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Disciple; Brand: Disciple; Review: It is the beginning of many great albums to come. His band has stuck to their style and it keeps on working today.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_CDs_and_Vinyl |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Three Palms Brewing; City: Tampa, FL; Review: I enjoyed this brewery. It isn't big, but the beers are great and the price is right. It is the only mom and pop brewery I have ever been to. I will be back when in town. The IPA was top notch good. They also had a black IPA when I was there and it was also very good. I also got a t-shirt.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Seffner Shoe & Boot Repair; City: Seffner, FL; Review: Stopped here because I saw the sign on the trip to visiting family, and earlier in the day I had stepped in dog poop while walking my dog at a rest stop. The owner fella charges fair prices for cleaning and conditioning leather boots. If I am in the Seffner/Brandon area again and need shoe services, he is my go to guy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Duke's Brewhouse; City: Plant City, FL; Review: I'm a fan pretty much sums up my opinion. All young ladies as wait staff, mine wasn't familiar with their draft beer selection but it is a minor issue to me since we did get it worked out. They have a good draft selection including some local crafts. Wings are good, didn't sample anything else.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: WingHouse Bar & Grill; City: Brandon, FL; Review: Didn't try food here, only draft beer and scenery admiration. They are weak on craft beer selection and bartender knowledge of their beers; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Stein & Vine; City: Brandon, FL; Review: Great food, doesn't matter what you like they got something that will rock you. Beers are great too. Can be busy, quite busy so don't get all knotted up if it is.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Indoor Shooting Company; City: Thonotosassa, FL; Review: Not a fancy place, but great at what it is, a place nearby where you can practice. Getting in and at a lane didn't take a lot of time which was nice, since I was brand new to the place. Would go back if I was in the neighborhood.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Three Bulls Tavern & Brewery; City: Valrico, FL; Review: Visited during Thanksgiving week. Tried the deviled eggs, they are good but not great, a little tame to me. I forget what I ordered as a main course but I know I was happy with it. They weren't doing any of their own beer but had plenty of good stuff from local and national breweries. The food is better than most pub food, will go back when I am in the area.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: WingHouse Bar & Grill; City: Brandon, FL; Review: Tried them while there for in the area for Thanksgiving. Stopped in at lunch to meet with a friend and have a couple beers and wings. The waitress was very good and attentive. Wings aren't great but they aren't bad at all. The wings are big, I get the smaller order when there. They got Jai Alai on tap, I think I saw a Goose Island IPA also. They don't have many crafts on tap. I didn't ask about bottles. Most of their customers are having the Bud Lights and similar.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Intex Excursion 5 Person Inflatable Boat Set; Brand: Intex; Review: Setup: I bought this boat along with an extra set of Sevylor paddles, Kwik Tek Airhead Air Pump Canister, a Minn Kota C2-30 trolling motor, the transom mount and the Minn Kota marine battery case (With accessory ports and battery gauge). I also got a 105 Ah Marine Battery from Wal-Mart for the motor. All items except for battery were purchased direct from Amazon, not from Amazon partners Pros: Took it out twice over memorial Day weekend to some lakes in Southwest Ohio. Each time the person I took along had a blast! You won't be breaking any speed records (I was passed by sail boats) but you'll get around the lake just fine. Everyone had a great time fishing and the boat met most of my expectations, and exceeded a few. I bounced a little close to shore a couple of times running over rocks and branches, the thing held up just fine. It's definitely a worthwhile buy, especially at the $119 price tag I'm very pleased with the purchase. The first outing I forgot my power inverter for the air pump and had to inflate by hand. It wasn't too bad, took me ~15 minutes instead of ~8 minutes, plus a slightly sore back, but the job got done OK with the supplied hand pump. Deflation was a different matter though (PITA without an electric pump) First day we traveled a total of 2.5 miles and burned about 20% of the battery life spending 4 hours on the water. The second day we traveled on a different lake about 4 miles burning about 25% of the battery with ~6 hours on the water. We saw plenty of rangers, and despite me having all my legal requirements covered, they didn't bother us at all, they were much more interested in stopping and questioning the big boaters. Not saying they won't, but apparently bigger fish than an inflatable raft to fry out there. Cons: While there would be room for five if you didn't bring any gear, in the state of Ohio, I am required to bring: A life vest for each person, daytime visual distress signal (Laminated flag printed on 8.5x11 paper) a whistle, my registration papers, flashlight and an anchor. Add in things that aren't law but practical requirements: Small tackle box, Small Ice chest(really need cold water while out there), fishing creole, and realistically you can only get three people into the boat if one doesn't mind being covered in gear. The boat is also far from rigid. In lakes with boaters ripping around, people were almost bouncing out of the raft from the wakes. The whole raft mushed like crazy over the 2-3' wakes and left my brother a little nauseous. This boat will work in those heavy lakes but be ready for a rough ride, it's no RHIB. The second day with my wife we went to a limited HP lake and it was much more pleasant on calm waters.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Minn Kota Endura C2 55 Freshwater Transom Mounted Trolling Motor (42" Shaft); Brand: Minn Kota; Review: I'm using this motor along with the Intex Excursion 5 inflatable boat. It powered us around two different lakes over the Memorial Day weekend without issue. The motor draws 30 Amps at full throttle, Minn Kota recommends minimum of 105Ah marine battery while using this motor. I got the battery from WalMart for $69 For a complete breakdown of power draw, contact Minn Kota tech support and they can give the amperage at each speed. Nothing more to write, no complaints and an awesome price! You won't regret this purchase!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lansky Deluxe 5-Stone Sharpening System; Brand: Lansky; Review: I've been using a hand sharpener from the local grocery store for a while. This beats it hands down. I just finished sharpening a paring knife with nicks in the blade. I was able to grind down the nicks and leave the blade looking and working like brand new. I was even able to shave a bit of my forearm with the paring knife when I was done! 4 Stars instead of 5, because it has to surprise me to get 5. I expected high quality from this and that was easily met!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Balaclava (2 Pack) face Ski Mask, Black, Best Motorcycle Balaclava windproof.; Brand: Fitabolism; Review: Extremely thin and lightweight. This is more of a "keep the sweat from soaking into your helmet liner" item. If you want this to keep warm you're going to be extremely disappointed; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Plano Airliner Telescoping Rod Case; Brand: Plano; Review: It held four rods and one reel just fine. I even put in the handle to my net without issues. It did a great job of keeping my poles safe on a very long international flight. It should even do good at keeping them safe in storage.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kid Casters Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles No Tangle Rod; Brand: Kid Casters; Review: No rings to bend or tangle, lines goes through the middle of the pole. It takes a little extra time to rig it since you have to use one of the weights to get the line down the middle, but it's not bad and definitely worth the time to avoid tangles you would get on a regular pole. Using the practice weight my girl was casting within minutes. Going out fishing for real she was able to pull in bluegill and crappie without issue; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A&R Sports Figure BladeGards Skate Guard; Brand: A&R Sports; Review: Had to cut them back a bit for youth sized skates but they do their job as well as can be expected. The tension bands are a bit stiff. I have to put them on and take them off for my 6yo daughter, but there's no risk of them coming off accidentally; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Midland ER300 Emergency Solar Hand Crank AM FM Digital NOAA Weather Radio with Cree LED Flashlight and USB Charger Output; Brand: Midland; Review: Worth the money, very good emergency radio.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Omgar Ultrathin 7 inch 16GB Tablet PC,Google Android 4.4 KitKat OS, Allwinner A33 Quad Core CPU, 800x600 Multi-touch; Brand: Omgar; Review: Came with a cracked screen. Read horror stories of trying to get one replaced so tried to make the most of it. Can still see everything on the screen, but cannot swipe or access anything. I paid a cheap price and got a cheap (and broken) product.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Dragon Touch Y88X, 7" Android Tablet, 8 GB, Blue (Y88X BL); Brand: Dragon Touch; Review: Not worth buying.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Cooler Master Vortex Plus - CPU Cooler with Aluminum Fins and 4 Direct Contact Heat Pipes (RR-VTPS-28PK-R1); Brand: Cooler Master; Review: This thing is massive, make sure your case has room for it. It is also pretty darn quiet.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: EVGA 500 B1, 80+ BRONZE 500W Power Supply, 3 Year Warranty, Includes FREE Power On Self Tester 100-B1-0500-KR; Brand: EVGA; Review: Runs an older Crosshair IV Formula motherboard with FX-8320-E 8 core processor, 950gt video card just fine.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AMD FD832EWMHKBOX FX-8320E FX-Series 8-Core Black Edition; Brand: AMD; Review: Placed this in an Asus Crosshair IV Formula motherboard. Loaded the 3029 driver first and have had no issues with it running on the older board.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Logitech S150 USB Speakers with Digital Sound; Brand: Logitech; Review: Small yet have a good sound to them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Origami Foldable Computer Desk, Black; Brand: Origami; Review: have bought two of these and both are fantastic. Very easy to assemble without even reading the instructions, One is being used as a work desk for me, other is my sons gaming desk with desktop, PS4, X-box on it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail; Author: Cheryl Strayed; Genres: history, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: Loved this book. Although there are parts of her life I can't relate to, I found her journey to be moving . Definitely recommend this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sharp Objects; Author: Gillian Flynn; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: As so many have said, this book is creepy and the characters are deeply disturbed. I thought the book stalled a bit in the middle as Camille was swirling down in the despair of her childhood and revisiting her teenage past. I was more interested when she was actively pursuing her story, so the last third of the book was more of a page turner. Haven't read any other books by Gillian Flynn, but plan to get around to Gone Girl eventually.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Husband's Secret; Author: Liane Moriarty; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: After the first two chapters I would have stopped reading this book, but kept going because it's part of a book club. Overall, this book has too much fluff and falls into the chick-lit genre which I don't care for. There was too much emphasis on what the female characters thought of their circumstances and no insight from the key male characters. The best chapter was the last one, which described now the main characters lives could have played out if they had made different choices. Now that's an interesting premise for a novel. Too bad it was relegated as an afterthought.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Night Circus; Author: Erin Morgenstern; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I didn't like this book. Nothing grabbed my attention in the first 40/50 pages and I didn't care for the writing style. Just my personal taste, looks like others enjoyed it.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Orphan Train; Author: Christina Baker Kline; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: I really enjoyed this book. I found the main character, Niamh/Dorothy/Vivian to be very compelling. It was great to learn about this little known part of our history through this story. A bit heartbreaking to know that children had to endure these conditions and survive through such loss.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: La Almunia del Valle; City: Monachil Sierra Nevada National Park Province of Granada Andalucia; Review: Another fantastic week in this beautiful hotel. We stayed in room 10 as we had done last year which was superb as usual. On the last day we weren't travelling until the evening and Patricia and Manuel very kindly offered us Room 4 to shower and change before setting off - this room was really lovely and had air conditioning and a bath so perhaps we will book this one when we return again. Food was superb, as were the hosts. This is an amazing place.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Villa Pedra Natural Houses; City: Coimbra Coimbra District Central Portugal; Review: This place is spectacular! Stunning cottages, lovely hosts, Victor and Manuel who made us feel so welcome. Fresh bread, cheeses, jams, meats, eggs delivered daily. Beautiful pool. Gorgeous views. We had THE BEST time and will definitely be back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Villa Pedra Natural Houses; City: Coimbra Coimbra District Central Portugal; Review: This is our second trip to Villa Pedra. This time we stayed in Jasmin Cottage which was just lovely for the two of us. The garden is great for sunbathing and eating outside and is huge with lots of little seating nooks and crannies and your own hammock. The restaurant had just opened when we arrived and we had a stunning meal of mackerel, soup, octopus and berry tart all washed down with their award winning wines. A great place, we'll definitely be back x; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Cleveland Tontine; City: Staddlebridge Northallerton North Yorkshire England; Review: We have just returned from a lovely overnight stay at the Cleveland Tontine and couldn't fault it. The team were especially friendly and attentive. We were lucky enough to be upgraded to the Gertrude Bell suite which was stunning and spacious. We immediately settled down in the lounge for Champagne and Oysters and nothing was too much trouble as we rearranged the furniture a little to get ourselves comfortable for the afternoon! Dinner was superb and we were impressed by the menu variety given that we were on a special DBB rate. All in all we felt spoiled and loved it. Thank you; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel 1898; City: Barcelona Catalonia; Review: Just returned from our 4 night stay and loved it. The pull of the rooftop bar, huge comfy day beds, music and cocktails made it extremely hard leave and we missed more than one dinner reservation because we were having too much fun. The rooms are fairly small but well appointed. Shame there isn't any air conditioning...it got hideously hot at night but thankfully the bed was comfy. Food was great, definitely recommend the Beetroot Carpaccio not sure about the After Eight Mojito though... I'm sure we'll be back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar; Author: Cheryl Strayed; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: It's helped me cope with situations and give me alternative perspectives. I've made big decisions that haven't gone wrong yet because of the advice in this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1); Author: J.K. Rowling; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: To think this work of art was written on napkins and multiple publishers denied it. The tragedy of not having this book series in my life is devastating to think about. It's shaped me in quite a few ways and has made me more open minded.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7); Author: J.K. Rowling; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, romance, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is by far my favorite of the set. Everything ties together. But in truth, the entire series is amazing. All the intricate thinking and storylines and plots and motives and Easter eggs are miraculous.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Inheritance Cycle 4-Book Hard Cover Boxed Set (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, Inheritance); Author: Christopher Paolini; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Something a little different. Intricate bonds.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Keeping the Moon; Author: Sarah Dessen; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: A book that every young teenage girl should read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Percy Jackson and the Olympians Boxed Set (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1-5); Author: Rick Riordan; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I found this really good because i love Greek history and gods. And this take on it is quite good. Sadly, it was written to be more geared for preteens so it was a bit annoying at times.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Heroes of Olympus Boxed Set (The Heroes of Olympus, #1-5); Author: Rick Riordan; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Good take on Roman and Greek differences and interactions. But yet again it was more geared towards preteens.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Book Thief; Author: Markus Zusak; Genres: history, young-adult, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: From the most different view that you can come by. This book will make you laugh and cry all at the same time. Truly a masterpiece.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Twilight Saga (Twilight, #1-4); Author: Stephenie Meyer; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I have very mixed emotions about this set. It was actually the first vampire storyline I liked. However, to be in a trance for almost a year after your boyfriend broke up with you is quite sad. I wish she were a little more independent as a "female heroin". I do love how she evolved throughout the books though.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Looking Glass Wars (The Looking Glass Wars, #1); Author: Frank Beddor; Genres: history, young-adult, children, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Such a fantastic point of view for Alice in wonderland. Sadly it wasn't made into a movie. To see this come to life would be great. Real tragedy that Tim burtons Alice in wonderland came out first. Meh.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: After You (Me Before You, #2); Author: Jojo Moyes; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: I feel that this book was unnecessary. But I read it because I was so in love with "me before you." Sadly I felt Lily was very unlikeable. Way too bratty, self centered and even very naive. And this I figured out at only page 100 of the book. Not sure I'm going to finish it.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Wedding Dress; Author: Rachel Hauck; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I'm an atheist but saw this book had good reviews and read the insert and it seemed like a pretty decent story line. To my surprise it was a Christian book. That was my own fault for not doing more research before reading. But I do believe that to have all of the characters to have the same view of God is very unrealistic. There are so many people in this world with diverse views of God as a being. Why not have a character have doubts at first and then believe in God or vice versa? I'm sure people will say "there's nothing wrong with God. We need more of him. He is number one." And to that I say that that is all correct....for you. I respect others views on God and don't mind reading a Christian novel. I just wish the characters had more developed and different view points and weren't so "perfect." God is not number one to me. Family. Friends. Mental health. Are all number one to me. If your God comes first, great for you! I have no problem to that. We need more God? I don't. But I'd you do, awesome! No judgement. Like I said I enjoyed the book for the most part but j wish the characters were much more developed like real people are. With doubts. Sadness. To make the happy times just much more exciting. There problems seemed frivolous with how the author wrote them and had the characters view them. So it was a bit annoying.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Modern Romance; Author: Aziz Ansari; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I thought a lot of the statistics and such were very amazing. But a lot of the statistics were re mentioned time and again. I also find Aziz a very good stand up comedian and I did laugh at some of what he said in the book. But a couple points I found myself skimming the pages just to get the actual focus of what we were talking about.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Zookeeper's Wife; Author: Diane Ackerman; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: I'm 22% through this book and I'm just annoyed. It's a very good storyline. But I just can't stand the constant jumping around in the time line. It's maddening. One minute we are in 1939 and then all of a sudden we're talking about what happens over the next 6 years only to end up back in 1939. And then every time you meet a new character in a situation, you get a good ten minutes of back story reading on them and then return to the original situation where you first meet them. I think this book could've done a lot better by setting a timeline that was more easily followed and don't stray as much. And I hate to say it, but Hopefully the movie figured out how to do this. And that will make it better than the book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Ndali Lodge; City: Fort Portal Western Region; Review: I have been here twice for wonderful meals, and love the atmosphere and have always enjoyed fantastic service. Thus I was very excited to come back to stay as part of a longer motorcycle trip with my boyfriend and dad. I was really disappointed to find that the standard of service just wasnt as high, I suspect as the owner wasnt in town. We arrived after a long motorcycle ride from Kampala and were absolutely soaked through our rain gear. We were literally dripping on the floor and shivering as the staff member on hand insisted that our triple room was not only not arranged (though they had the booking noted), but was impossible and that we would have to take two rooms. He also insisted on reading us all the prices for (including "if you came through a tour company..."), before showing us to the room, which we found (to his surprise) to already be set up for a triple. We enjoyed fantastic meals, but were disappointed that the staff refused to light the fire in the lodge building for us to dry our extremely wet gear, which made the onward ride the next day much less comfortable. By email we received a quote which had given us a reduction for leaving before lunch, this wasn't extended to another guest who overheard until he insisted. The room was gorgeous and the food fantastic, it was really unfortunate that all the excellent work was let down by the welcome on this occasion. That said, Id still recommend the place to anyone that asks - just try to show up warm!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stilts Backpackers; City: Diani Beach Ukunda Coast Province; Review: This place was a highlight of our trip. We were just popping up for a long weekend from Uganda and wanted some place cheap to stay that wasnt far from the beach, but that had some character. Stilts fit the bill - a fraction of the price of other places in Diani, and treehouse accommodation that felt very secure and friendly. Its just a short walk to the beach, and if you move at night they will lend you their askari to walk over the road so that you feel safe. It was really fun sleeping up in the trees, with the monkeys peering in the windows. The only thing that might have improved it was to have a double bed - all the treehouses were twin set up. Also - excellent showers! A rarity in budget accommodation. Andy the owner wasnt around when we visited, but the rest of the staff took great care of us. They sorted out day trips and reservations at the exceptionally good cave restaurant across the road. They really went above and beyond when I stupidly left my Ugandan cash in the safe - they managed to send it by mobile money to a friend of mine who was coming back to Uganda later and could bring it to me.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Byoona Amagara; City: Kabale Western Region; Review: Everyone says that this is the best place to stay in Bunyoni - and everyone is right. We came as part of a longer motorcycle trip around Uganda, and it was nice to get off the bikes for a few days while we enjoyed some serenity in the geodomes. We were a bit worried, but the bike parking was quite secure. We went gorilla trekking and organized it through Amagara's travel agency, and though I was a bit nervous about the logistics it came off perfectly. Everyone was bang on time - a minor miracle in Uganda really. It was a treat to go out in the boat under the stars. Domes were glorious and had a lovely view. Not very child friendly, but otherwise a really excellent option.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bamboo Garden Bar and Lodging; City: San Isidro Siargao Island Surigao del Norte Province Mi; Review: Lovely and very affordable place in a perfectly stunning location. Owners Tom and Liz (especially Liz :)) were very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately there was a misunderstanding about the airport pick up, but other than that we had a flawless stay and even got a ride towards our next destination with the owners on our way out. It was a good balance with the rest of our trip, which we spent in the more popular General Luna. Rooms are very rustic (cold showers etc) but thats the charm - we really enjoyed ourselves. Renting motorbikes to travel around the island made it a perfect break.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Siargao Inn; City: General Luna Siargao Island Surigao del Norte Province Mindanao; Review: We stayed for nearly a week at the Siargao Inn, and can only endorse the large number of excellent reviews. Lovely staff, wonderful owners and location. Most guests were regulars who come back every year to surf - really tempting to become one of them! Rico and his family are wonderful hosts.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Distant Relatives Ecolodge Backpackers; City: Kilifi Coast Province; Review: We stayed over two nights as a long weekend break from Nairobi. Food a bit expensive but otherwise a lovely break on the beach, with friendly staff. The bioluminescence at the beach is very cool and super romantic on a clear starry night. We stayed in a safari tent and its worth noting that its not the luxury tent set up - bring your own torch as there is no light and the toilets are across the grounds.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Matetsi Victoria Falls; City: Victoria Falls Matabeleland North Province; Review: Even after extensive travels all over Africa, Matetsi really stands out as a once in a lifetime experience. From the staff who know you by name, to the exquisitely designed rooms, to the privacy of your plunge pool to the perfect food, it is really the most romantic and beautiful place I have ever been. Every element of the design is just perfect, from the beautiful standing bathtub to the serene outdoor shower to the cozy room patio. We experienced a thrilling night game drive, but nothing could really match spotting elephants from the privacy of our room's pool as they passed between the hotel and the Zambezi! We were lucky to be there the same days as the owner, who was gracious and clearly maintains the high standards of the hotel. Every single meal was among the best I have been served in a hotel, ever. Cant recommend highly enough - worth saving for a honeymoon or special anniversary!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Novotel Paris Centre Tour Eiffel; City: Paris Ile de France; Review: Stayed here for 4 nights, we got upgraded on arrival and stayed in a corner executive room 1627 with a view of the Seine, the staff were very friendly and we found the service in the hotel to be excellent, a good selection of buffet breakfast which was included was very good every morning, has free swimming pool on the 4th floor - just bring your swim hat or they can sell you one for €3.00. The area where the hotel is located felt very safe at night and the metro (Charles Michels is much closer than Bir Hakeim) was only a 6 minute walk away. Unlike some of the reviews i have read i found the hotel to be very clean. Our only complaint was that the rooms were very hot and the air conditioning did not bring the temperature down enough - there was no way to open the windows to allow in fresh air, but when we told Reception they turned down the heating. Overall a great hotel i will certainly return again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Redcar Hotel; City: Bath Somerset England; Review: As group of 43 Adults we stayed at the Redcar hotel for a weekend. We were very nervous after reading some of the reviews - however we had a fantastic weekend. The location is excellent, the hotel is very cosy, the staff especially Jess are very helpful, the rooms are basic but clean, good breakfast and I consider the hotel to be good value for money.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Camping La Baume Residence La Palmeraie; City: Frejus French Riviera Cote d Azur Provence Alpe; Review: Just returned from a week at Keycamp, La Baume. This was our first keycamp experience. We flew ryanairDublin to Nice and rented a car to get around. Only for the sat nav i don't think we would have found the place, the town of Frejus is quite big and sprawling. The campsite is huge, great facilities, shop, pool, laundry, bar, large 24 reception and secure entrance. The mobile home was as expected and advertised. Only complaint - The floors could have been cleaned more by last occupants or by keycamp - they were quite dirty. We spent most days travelling around and sightseeing, but we did go to pool area one day and a few mornings. Pools very clean, felt very safe, campsite quiet at night. The site itself has a lot of trees and shrubs and dont know what this would be like for insects and mosquitos in Summer - but 5 - 12 May was grand The weather got quite hot 30C last 2 days - which i think was unexpected for May. Yes - i would go again, lovely part of France with loads to see and do. It was a great base, we went to Monte Carlo, Nice, Cannes, St. Tropez, St. Maxime and Verdon Gorge, Castellane. All were within easy driving along a lovely coastline or inland through quaint villages and vineyards. Highly recommend.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fota Island Resort; City: Fota Island County Cork; Review: We have just returned from a lovely weekend at the Fota resort and I can say we were made feel very welcome from the minute we walked through the front doors. My husband and i were travelling with our 5 month old & 19 month old children. Check in staff were very efficient and as we had young children with us we were offered a room at he back of the hotel with a balcony and it was lovely and quiet, they organised help bringing our bags to the room. The hotel also organised a babysitter for one night so that we could enjoy an evening meal. The babysitter Christine was lovely and we were able to relax knowing they were being well looked after. The food in the hotel was very good in both the bar and restaurant. There was also a great selection at breakfast. The swimming pool is open to children at certain times and has a small pool for babies. Unfortunately we did not get a chance to be pampered at the spa. Georgo the concierge was very helpful with recommending "go safari" an activity centre for children nearby to pass away an hour or two. We also visited Fota wildlife park which is well worth a visit. The hotel also has a small playroom. Overall we had a lovely weekend. The hotel was immaculately clean and I can't praise the hotel staff enough, everyone was very polite & friendly and made us feel at home. We will definitely return again soon.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Citywest Hotel; City: Saggart County Dublin; Review: We booked the hotel for the saturday night before a match in Croke park. The location is ideal if travelling up from the south of Ireland as its close to a Luas stop and has lots of free parking. We were given a good size room with double and single bed and a travel cot as we had a 2 year old and 10 month old with us. Reception was very busy on arrival around 6.30pm, with lots of people checking in, buses parked outside and car park was also very full however we were checked in quickly and given a room close to the lifts on 3rd floor so we would be walking too far with kids, room 3559. After checking in we got seats in a still busy reception and ordered sandwiches, it was busy but service was fast and food was fine. We stayed in reception with kids and were able to relax and have few drinks with some friends. There were lots of other families with kids around - We left with kids around 10pm and went to bed. There was wedding on that night and the music was loud enough to be heard in our room till approx 1am - also guests were chatting loudly in the corridor late into the night and early morning but not enough to complain to reception - typical noise in hotels. We got breakfast for €10 each next morning - buffet style full irish, cereals breads etc and it was fine, staff very friendly and chatty, food was good too. Overall it was clean, room was fine size, staff friendly and location good for what we wanted - it did the job, only complaint was noise late at nigh but it didn't keep us up all night.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Westport Plaza Hotel; City: Westport County Mayo Western Ireland; Review: We were travelling around the west/ northwest of ireland and stayed in westport for 1 night. On arrival at he hotel We were upgraded to the presidential suite - which was a nice surprise. We had our 2 toddlers with us and the bigger room made the stay more enjoyable as we had a separate seating area in the large room to accommodate the cotbeds. The superking bed was very comfy, large bathroom with separate jacuzzi bath and shower, however the controls of the shower were stuck on 38 C and could not be made cooler ? Breakfast was lovely and there was a good selection on the menu. We used the pool in the hotel across the courtyard which is nice and has a hottub and steamroom to relax. The pool requires swim hats for kids & adults but had arm bands for use in the pool which was handy for our 2 year old. We ate in the bar that evening and again the staff made us feel very welcome, even with 2 lively kids. The bar food menu had a great choice and good value. The hotel is in the town centre which makes ideal for a stroll around town. We had a lovely stay and only wish we could have stayed longer. We will be back again for a longer stay soon hopefully.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Silver Tassie Hotel Spa; City: Letterkenny County Donegal; Review: We spent 2 nights here and used it as a base to explore Donegal with our 2 kids. We had a very large room 220 which a double & 2 single beds. The room was comfortable and quiet at the back of the hotel. The hotel is on a main road but we did not hear any traffic noise. The bathroom is basic enough and could do with being upgraded however it was clean. Breakfast was good and the staff friendly. We ate in the bar twice and the food was nice and good value.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Camping Bella Italia; City: Peschiera del Garda Province of Verona Veneto; Review: Hi just returned last night from Bella Italia (20-27 May 2014) and we travelled with Keycamp/Eurocamp. The weather was lovely and the campsite was not overly busy, just right. I think it could be manic in the high season as it's just such a big site. We flew with Aer Lingus, buggies & car seats were free ! We travelled with 2.5 and 1.5 yr old and had no hassle with them. We had paid online for the car seats thinking we had to pay for them so were able to check in our carry on hand luggage instead. We hired a car but other families got taxis for €50 each way to Bella Italia. I didn't see any bus services. We checked in at bella italia after about a 20 min wait in queue as everyone arrived at the same time. The vista 3 bed 1 bath was spotlessly clean and they had left the items we pre-ordered for us, sheets, towels, high chair, potty etc and the caravan had decking with a gate to keep the toddlers inside. The weather averaged 24-28 every day and was sunny. We had thunder showers one morning but passed by 11am, the day we left it poured for a few hours, but it eased enough to load the car and get to the airport, it was sunshine again by the time we got to the airport. The evenings after 9pm got cooler, a fleece or cardigan required. Rain jackets for the showers but it's not cold there. The caravans had warm blankets which would be needed later at night. It would be warm in the caravan going it bed but you'd wake around 4am looking for the blanket. We walked the path from Bella Italia towards Peschira one evening, it's nice but I had to turn back as was being eaten alive with midges. There were no mosquitoes but the midges in the evenings gathered in swarms. We brought 2 foldable buggies which were light and easy to use, some of the streets and shops have steps but in general the area is flat and buggy friendly. We visited peschira the next day and pottered around the town & had a lovely lunch there. As we had the car we travelled in the mornings and relaxed by the pool for an hour or so in the evenings. I would definitely recommend going North up the lake if you can at all, it's just spectacular with the mountains and lakes, the views are beautiful. We also went to Sirmione one day- beautiful spot - a definite for a visit. We spend a morning in Verona, lovely city reminding me a bit of Florence. It was very hot and sticky 30c so plenty excuses to stop for ice cream and to relax in the park near the Arena. We did a day at Malsciene - Monte Baldo, we took the cable car to the top - the views are spectacular, €20 per adult to the top. The town is all narrow cobbles and on the edge; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Camping Sandaya la Cote de Nacre; City: Saint Aubin Sur Mer Calvados Basse Normandie Normand; Review: Arrived here on 20th June 2015 for 8 nights with Al Fresco staying with our nearly 4 & 3 yr olds. The caravan was spotlessly clean and we were situated in a very central location. It was a quiet site and the general areas were clean & well kept. Owen & Morgan the Al Fresco reps were very polite and helpful throughout our stay. The site has heated indoor & outdoor pools and we never had a problem getting a sun lounger, there is a lovely playground with bouncy castles and skating rink. There is also a kids club for kids aged 5+. There is also a small shop onsite however there are bigger supermarkets just a 5 min drive away in the next town over. There is a small pub-restaurant on site which also provides take away food - it's basic enough but handy for days when you don't cook. The staff in the bar were not so friendly which was disappointing. In the evenings there is some "entertainment" , I.e. Mini kids disco and bingo & quizzes but it's not great. It's a good base to explore D day beaches & the area.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Grand Hotel Praha; City: Prague Bohemia; Review: Stayed here for 3 nights in a Deluxe room with view of the town hall. The hotel is in a great location - overlooking the astronomical clock & square. As we overlooked the square some noise from the streets can be heard at night but it's not too bad and didn't keep us awake. The room was big, comfortable bed and the room was clean & warm. It was very cold the weekend we stayed but the hotel was lovely & warm with plenty hot water. Breakfast was typical buffet with cereal, hot food, selection of hams & cheeses & pastries. The hot cooked breakfast was lukewarm but other than that the rest of the food was fine. We had a pleasant stay and would use again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Keadeen Hotel; City: Newbridge County Kildare; Review: We have just returned from a wonderful stay at the Keadeen Hotel. We were attending a small family wedding and we were all treated like royalty for the entire 2 days. The staff were very friendly and helpful, Nothing was too much. All the food was amazing ... delicious canapés, scones, wedding dinner and breakfast. They children had freshly made pancakes for breakfast. The wedding reception location and the beautiful gardens were breathtaking. We were blessed with a sunny day and relaxed on the patio while the children spent hours playing in the beautiful gardens. Our bedroom was massive, spotlessly clean and very comfortable. We used the pool in the morning and enjoyed a swim with the kids. I can highly recommend the place for any event or family holiday.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Trabolgan Holiday Village; City: Trabolgan County Cork; Review: We were in the area and it was raining so we decided to visit Trabolgan for the day as it has an indoor pool area and we had never been before. We phoned and asked if we could visit the pool for the day and were informed we could and told to buy a ticket online. We arrived 15 minutes later, parked the car and had to walk 5 minutes in the pouring rain to get to the pool area. We get to the pool entrance and discover it’s closed for essential maintenance and would open @12pm - 40 minutes later !! We were so annoyed that we were not told that the pool was closed till 12 on the phone ???? As it was raining we waited in the diner area. The Pool opened at 12 and we change our clothes. The changing areas smelled and lockers are old and grubby & due an upgrade. The pool itself - what a disappointment - it’s very small with just one slide. Its nothing in comparison to the Aquadome in Kerry. The hot tub is on a timer for 6 minutes on and 6 off and is not very hot ???? We had to leave after an hour as our 7 yr old was going blue the water was so cold in the pool. So overall a bit of a disaster and after seeing the facilites on-site we definitely won’t be returning again.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Garryvoe Hotel; City: Garryvoe County Cork; Review: Just returned from a lovely stay at the Garryvoe Hotel. We had a very large family room with a partial sea view. The room was very comfortable and spotlessly clean. There is a lovey beach across the road with lifeguard on duty. There is also a kids playground just across the road from the hotel but my only complaint in this area is that there was a lot of rubbish strewn around the playground. We used the pool on one afternoon and there is an outdoor hot tub. The breakfast is cooked to order and the children were delighted with the pancake machine. We had dinner in the Samphire restaurant one evening, it was one of the best dinners I have ever had - very tasty and well presented in a very relaxed atmosphere. The children spent the evenings in the kids club upstairs and the hotel sent their dinners up to them so we could relax with over dinner. The kids had a great time playing games, coloring and looking for fairies. All the staff in the hotel are very friendly and I really can’t recommend the place enough for a relaxing family break that ticks all the boxes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grand Hyatt New York; City: New York City New York; Review: We booked our stay here for our 5 day Family Holiday in NY for Halloween midterm. We arrived around 1pm on a Monday and were greeted by very friendly staff at check in, we got checked into our room straight away so we could start sightseeing that afternoon. We had room 2864 on 28th floor with a lovely view of the Chrysler building. The room had 2 double beds, was clean and big closet for storage. It can be noisy when the windows were open but once closed it was fine. Great location in midtown, there is a market shop in lobby where we had 15 credit each day for snacks and coffee. Grand central is right next door for easy access to trains and subways. As we were there for Halloween there was a best pumpkin competition in the lobby and the kids got to vote and trick or treat with the Hotel staff. We all really enjoyed our stay in the city and can’t wait to return again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Bruach Ard B B; City: Poolewe Ross and Cromarty Scottish Highlands Scotland; Review: Unfortunately I only managed a one night stay, I won't make that mistake again! Fantastic setting, brilliant facilities, excellent breakfast and friendly hosts who genuinely want to do everything they can to make your stay with them as good as it can possibly be.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Skeabost Hotel; City: Skeabost Isle of Skye The Hebrides Scotland; Review: Booked the week before and had high hopes. These were dashed on arrival as we had to negotiate the potholed drive before arriving at a lovely old building in desperate need of a lick of paint. The reception area, sitting room and billiard room were really quite nice and we expected this standard to be continued throughout. Our room was quite dated but clean, with a good view of the loch. As we were a distance from Portree we decided to eat at the hotel, along with two other tables of diners. The first thing I noticed about the room wasn't the panelled walls but the dirty, stained carpet. There was some confusion about the cost of the meal, with the sample menu in reception offering two courses for £20, an offer that was not on display in the dining room. The waitress explained that it was a winter only offer and said it shouldn't be on display, whereas her superior said that if you chose carefully you could still get two meals for £20!This difference of explanation was both unprofessional and unsatisfactory. After average starters, my wife had a nondescript chicken dish with lukewarm veg. I had the langoustines which were acceptable, but the accompaniying hand cut chips were limp and inedible, a fact recognised by staff who offered me more langoustines which I turned down. We didn't bother with a dessert given our experience up to that point. We approached the dining room the following morning with some trepidation after the previous night's experience, but were both very pleasantly surprised by the excellent breakfast that was served. The hotel was taken over last year and I feel that serious money needs to be spent before it attains the standards it aspires to. It appears to run on a skeleton staff, with lots of multi-tasking going on which inevitably affects the level of service received. On payment of the bill I noted a deduction had been made after my complaint the previous evening, but to be honest, no deduction could have made up for such a disappointing meal, which overshadowed our overnight stay. The hotel offers free wi-fi to all guests which is great, but interestingly access to TripAdvisor is blocked by the webmaster..........makes you wonder why.......... Visited March 2013; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Turtle Bay Beach Club; City: Watamu Coast Province; Review: Went at the end of April for a friend's wedding, during the last 2 weeks before the annual shutdown. This meant it was the beginning of the rainy season, but also had the bonus of being only half full. It proved to be a great place, lovely room cleaned daily, good food and friendly staff for whom nothing was too much trouble. Unhesitatingly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge; City: Tsavo National Park West Coast Province; Review: Spent 2 nights and 3 days here at the end of April which meant it was very quiet , using it as a safari base. We were lucky enough to have a suite which was out of this world! Never had such luxury - am afraid my wife could get used to it! Staff were attentive and competent and the food was excellent with the setting of the restaurant exceptional, overlooking a waterhole (floodlit at night).; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dragonfly Hotel Bury St Edmunds; City: Bury St Edmunds Suffolk East Anglia England; Review: Stayed for two nights in June and it was easily the most tired and dated of the Ramada hotels we have stayed in. Had very little contact with the staff, but one issue reported on arrival had not been dealt with on leaving 2 days later. No real complaints, buit then again nothing to shout about. If spending the night in Bury, walk in - it's a really nice stroll and takes in the Abbey gardens; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ramada Encore Newcastle Gateshead; City: Gateshead Tyne and Wear England; Review: Nicely situated 5 minutes from the Tyne millenium pedestrian bridge, this is a typical Ramada, clean, efficient and a bit soulless. perhaps this is a wee bit harsh as the room and facilities were all fine. Thursday night didn't prepare us for the influx of stag and hen parties on Friday, although to be fair we weren't disturbed by any late night revellers. It might not be the place to take your maiden aunt if she's offended by men in dresses and mankinis!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ashberry Guest House; City: Penrith Eden District Lake District Cumbria England; Review: Stayed here for a couple of nights last month and can honestly say that if Carlsberg did guest houses..........................!!! What a fabulous place, absolutely faultless in every respect. Fantastic attention to detail meant that everything was just perfect - will be back!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Etap Belfast; City: Belfast Northern Ireland; Review: Stayed last Saturday night after booking well in advance (essential to get a decent room rate!). Basic but functional with everything working and helpful staff. Pub at side of hotel was noisy but not overly so. Great position within easy reach of bars and restaurants.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sefton Express; City: Ballasalla Isle of Man; Review: This was a late booking and we didn't really know what to expect. What we got far exceeded our expectations - quiet, well equipped room, really helpful staff and an excellent continental buffet breakfast. We had a car, so travel wasn't an issue,as it's a bit out of Castletown and about 15 mins drive to Douglas. Buses did seem frequent. Will definitely use again, just wish there were more places like this!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bottle Glass; City: Church Stretton Shropshire England; Review: Stayed here for a couple of nights with my wife after booking at short notice. The only criticism of our stay was the noisy kitchen extractor fan below our room (2)! Proper bar with a log fire serving well kept beer, well appointed rooms with really comfortable beds and a host in Jon for whom nothing was too much trouble. A real find to which we hope to return to.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Club Caleta Dorada; City: Caleta de Fuste Antigua Fuerteventura Canary Islands; Review: A case of you get what you pay for! The whole place was quite "tired" and downright tatty in places - our room had broken drawers, a rusty bath and a family of ants - but as we were only there for a week and using the place to sleep it didn't really matter. Food was of variable quality, with breakfast the best meal of the day by some distance. The staff were relentlessly cheerful and helpful. The "entertainment" was quite surreal - think Britain's Got Talent first auditions! - trouble was if you wanted a drink you had to be there as there was no other bar open on the site - we went off site most nights. It's situated directly under the flight path which is great if you're a plane spotter, but not marvellous if you want peace and quiet. The flights appeared to stop about 22.30 and start at 07.30. If you're expecting luxury and no expense spared, you'll be really disappointed, however if you want a cheap base from which to explore the island, it's central position is good.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Britannia Hotel Bournemouth; City: Bournemouth Dorset England; Review: Booked room only here at short notice for Saturday night. Firstly, I got a double room (more of that later!) for £25 and the staff were very welcoming. That's the good stuff out of the way. Here we go with what was not good (check photos) #The bed most definitely was not a double, it was a three quarter with the novel addition of a single headboard. # Carpet was filthy. # Could hardly see through dirty windows. # Water in bathroom ran brown for a couple of minutes before clearing - wonder how long it had been since anyone stayed in the room? # Wallpaper peeling from wall. # The room was generally run down with furniture and TV from another era. # The 4th floor was party central, but I didn't have an invite. Never mind, everyone was so loud they were obviously having a good time and kept trying to get me involved by repeatedly banging on my door. Avoid at all costs!!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Travelodge Fort William; City: Fort William Lochaber Scottish Highlands Scotland; Review: Much the same as any other Travelodge, so you know what to expect! Room was clean and comfortable and the staff were exceptionally helpful. Breakfast was easy as Wetherspoon's is underneath. Good to have a free car park close by for guests.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hundalee House Bed and Breakfast; City: Jedburgh Scottish Borders Scotland; Review: Nice place in a tranquil setting with a spotless, comfortable room with a lovely view and a welcoming host. We arrived late afternoon and my wife appreciated the opportunity to sunbathe in the garden. Great view from the room. .; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Inchgeal Lodge Bed Breakfast; City: Ballater Aberdeenshire Scotland; Review: Couldn't get a room in Braemar for the night, and this place was booked via the tourist information office there. Talk about worth the trip!! It's one of the few places I've stayed that I couldn't find any fault with. Our room was comfortable and clean, equipped with everything we needed including wi-fi. Had a top night's sleep and one of the nicest breakfasts ever served by our host Diane, for whom nothing was too much trouble. A top class place that I would unhesitatingly recommend!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Etap Belfast; City: Belfast Northern Ireland; Review: If you're after a quiet night then don't book here! On one side is a pub playing loud music until late and on the other side we were woken up by hyperactive Seagulls who were having a competition to see who was loudest at 4 in the morning. This is a Pity because the place itself is clean comfortable and well located.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: North Bridge street guest house; City: Hawick Scottish Borders Scotland; Review: Just stayed one night in this superb place. Eileen was welcoming and friendly, nothing was too much trouble for her - even got to park my motorbike in the yard where it was guarded by two vicious dogs (!). A really enjoyable stay in a lovely establishment. Would recommend unreservedly!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Three Houses Apartments; City: Porto Porto District Northern Portugal; Review: As the title says it was a great apartment- we had the basement 6 with the added bonus of an outside seating area and cold tub(!) which was ideal for dangling your feet in after tramping round Porto. We arrived late but were greeted by the owner and Diogo. Diogo went out of his way to be helpful, even taking me to the supermarket one night to get our shopping in. Don't usually do city breaks but can unreservedly recommend both Porto and Three Houses - a winning combination!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Barajas Plaza; City: Madrid; Review: Stayed here last month for a couple of nights. Not the most luxurious of hotels but it was adequately equipped, clean with extremely helpful staff. Handy for the airport and 5 minutes walk from the Metro it is only a few steps from the town square where there are reasonably priced bars and restaurants. Would use again without hesitation.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Oasis Salinas Sea; City: Santa Maria Ilha do Sal; Review: The room was lovely apart from the fact that it overlooked 3 rusty containers and the bathroom occasionally smelt of sewage - not what you'd expect in a 5 star hotel. In general, the staff we encountered couldn't have been more helpful. Glad we were only b and b as the dining room was a bit like a works canteen. Breakfast was a decent meal though, with plenty of choice. The beach was lovely and the town was only a few minutes stroll away.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Travelodge Fort William; City: Fort William Lochaber Scottish Highlands Scotland; Review: Stayed for four nights this year and found it better than last year due to the helpfulness and competence of the staff, especially Kat who went the extra mile for us on arrival and also Domenica. You know what to expect from his chain and this is no different - clean, warm and comfortable. Will return next year!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Sol Park; City: Sant Julia de Loria Sant Julia de Loria Parish; Review: Booked in for 4 nights for the World Trials Championships. Unfortunately, only managed to stay for two nights, but thought the place was great and will definitely use again. The room (101!) was spotless with a comfy bed, had a balcony and a well equipped bathroom. Every member of staff we encountered was pleasant, competent and helpful, and went the extra mile to make our stay the best that it could be. Breakfast was a buffet style arrangement with lots of choice, which suited our needs perfectly. They don't do lunch or evening meals but it's only a short walk into town to eat, but there's plenty of choice with Pizzeria Venezia being a favourite. On a personal note, we booked for 4 nights but had to leave after 2 and were only charged for the 2 nights stayed. I was expecting to pay the full amount, but this was done without me asking. A gesture that was much appreciated and a rare occurence.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Toulson Court; City: Scarborough Scarborough District North Yorkshire England; Review: Booked this some time ago not knowing ownership would change in the meantime. No matter how good the previous owners were, I doubt if they could have been more helpful, hospitable and professional than Angela & James were. Our 3 day stay here was excellent from start to finish with us left wanting for nothing. Breakfasts were excellent, rooms were well appointed and the gin was fab!! Already booked for next year!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Premier Inn Telford Central Hotel; City: Telford Shropshire England; Review: Well situated for the International Centre. Staff were helpful and friendly, and rooms were exactly what you'd expect from a Premier Inn. Didn't try the breakfast, but friends who had it enjoyed it. Parking was good on a well lit multi storey - ake sure you get your ticket validated at the desk before leaving!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Catesby Barn Farm Luxury Bed and Breakfast; City: Lower Catesby Northamptonshire England; Review: From the moment we began our 2 night stay we knew this was a special place. Sandra was a friendly, welcoming host throughout and couldn't have done any more than she did to help us enjoy our stay. Our room was great, full of nice touches with a comfortable bed and a stunning view. Be warned though, opt for the small English breakfast unless you have the appetite of 10 men! Breakfast itself was of the highest quality with masses of choice to suit all tastes. I would unreservedly recommend this gem and hope to revisit in the future if in the area. It's rather special!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Premier Inn Telford Central Hotel; City: Telford Shropshire England; Review: You know what you’re getting when you check in to these and this was no different. Ate next door in the Beefeater which again is pretty standard fare. We had a couple of problems with the room which were promptly sorted by the staff who deserve a special mention as they couldn’t do enough to help and nothing was too much trouble .; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: TRUEDAYS Girls Princess Castle Play Tent Large Playhouse Indoor Outdoor for Kids, No Balls; Brand: TRUEDAYS; Review: This is a kids fun house tent. This is made a most of these are of the nylon type material. IT IS BIG. The baby girls loved it. It was very easy to put together and somewhat easy to take down, I just took it out of the box, let it unfold, pulled the sides out and put the top on it. When putting the top on it, I just laid it on top and use the easy together hooks. It was then ready for play, When it is out side you can hook it to the ground, The kids had a blast and even slept in it. This is great for hours of fun. I received this item at a discounted price in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Velocity Toys 22869 City Bridge Big Deluxe 257 Pcs Flexible Toy Track Playset w/ Battery Operated Toy Car,; Brand: Velocity Toys; Review: This is a city bridge with a lot of flexible pieces. Each of the pieces are well constructed. There are track pieced and extra accessories. The track can me made in a lot of different ways. I love the bridge. My grandson was amused with the car and the lights on it. While we were putting together the track he was playing with the car. Of course he wanted to tell is how to put it together but he wanted to play with the car. We got it together and started playing and kept him entertained forever. Of course we also had to make different paths for him to play. He moved all of the accessories all over the place. He loved this. It is great for kids and it hold up to their abuse. I received this item for a discounted price in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: UDI RC U845 WiFi FPV UFO Drone with HD Camera 2.4GHz 4CH 6Axis Gyro RTF Quadcopter with Low Voltage Alarm; Brand: UDI RC; Review: This is one of the neatest drones that we have. When we got it I was so excited. Many times these are very tricky in how they are put together and how to operate them. I read the instructions and also had my husband read them to ensure that I did not miss something. I plugged the battery in to let it charge. The drone itself as already put together. We could not wait to see how it worked due to it be round and having so many blades. Once the first battery was charged we hit the yard for some fun. I turned on the controller and then the drone and set it on the driveway. From there it was up and away. It was much easier than I thought to control. Of course I hit the button and it began to do flips. It was so neat at night with all of the lights. The kids absolutely loved it with all of the lights. The battery did not last as long as we Had hoped but we had the backup battery to continue the fun.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DBPOWER Predator U842 WIFI RC Quadcopter Drone with HD Camera 2.4G 4CH 6 Axis Gyro Headless Mode For; Brand: DBPOWER; Review: This is a WiFi done with camera. We have several drones and love to play with these. We have tried several different kinds. This one operates just like the better ones do. This was easy to put together and to get calibrated for driving. I plugged up the batteries and let the charge. Once they were charged we headed outside to play. My husband had his drone and I worked with this one. This one is easy to use and would be good for beginners or experienced. The controls are easy to use. After playing a while I allowed my husband to play. Of course he found the phone and cable lines and got it hug. Luckily it was easy to get down. We love this.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 7 Pc. Casual Everyday Outfit Set Fits 18 Inch Doll Clothes Includes- X2 Pants, X2 Tops,; Brand: Doll Club of America; Review: I purchases these for my niece for Christmas. They worked fine for her doll. They were of expected quality. They accessories were so cure. My niece loved them and dress her dolls with these and loves them; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ebuddy 5-sets Ramdon Style Doll Clothes Party Dress Clothes Outfits Pajames For 18 inch American Girl; Brand: ebuddy; Review: These were received and given as a gift to my niece for Christmas. They fit her doll just fine. The quality was as I expected and we have had no problems. We have clipped a couple of threads but other than that they are good doll cloths and work perfectly for her dolls.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fun Express Rhode Island Novelty Plastic Firefighter Chief Hat (Set of 12); Brand: Fun Express; Review: This is a great set of plastic fireman hats. These are great for small kids parts. These are suitable for 2-7 year olds. They are small in size but perfect for the smaller size. We are having a group of smaller kids to ride on the fire truck in a Mardi Gras parade and they will be perfect for that. They are of pretty good quality for the price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rhode Island Novelty Plastic Firefighter Chief Hat; Brand: Rhode Island Novelty; Review: This is a great set of plastic fireman hats. These are great for small kids parts. These are suitable for 2-7 year olds. They are small in size but perfect for the smaller size. We are having a group of smaller kids to ride on the fire truck in a Mardi Gras parade and they will be perfect for that. They are of pretty good quality for the price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Mount Elbert Lodge; City: Twin Lakes Colorado; Review: The best word I can use to describe this place - magical!! We spent 3 amazing nights at the Mount Elbert Lodge last year for my 30th birthday. I get a little teary eyed thinking about how beautiful everything was - you know there is a God when you visit the Rocky Mountains! We stayed in the Cinnamon Bear Lodge - it was perfect and had everything we needed to be comfortable and happy. My only complaint was the bed. I do plan on coming for another stay and would definitely bring a blow up mattress with me next time. The beds are horribly hard (like sleeping on concrete lol). That did not take away from our amazing, wonderful time. Make sure you get groceries in Leadville - there is really nothing in Twin Lakes unless you don't mind canned Ravioli from the small goods store in town. The Cinnamon Bear cabin was literally steps away from the Black Cloud trail to the Mount Elbert summit. We took this trail 2 days - on the second day we attempted to summit but only made to about 13000 feet. We had never done such a hike before and I personally let my fear of heights and the scree freak me out to the point of wanting to turn around. You gotta be in very good shape for this hike - lots of vertical climbing. Next trip - we will take the more beginner route that starts just outside of town. So much to do - hiking, cooking, fishing - we even drove to Aspen. What an AMAZING view of the Continental Divide. Plus the people watching in Aspen is to die for. The owners of the lodge were very helpful and super friendly - we chatted each time I took my hummingbird feeder for a fill up of sugar water. The hummingbirds (aka flying piglets) are just too amazing - I could sit and watch them all day. You won't find a better place to stay if your goal is to summit the tallest 14er in Colorado!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: StoneBrook Resort; City: Estes Park Colorado; Review: In late July of 2015, my boyfriend and I travelled to Colorado to celebrate my 40th birthday. I have never been so overwhelmed with the beauty of nature in all my life. We stayed 2 nights at the StoneBrook Resort, and it was just magical. The room itself was very spacious with luxurious amenities like a hot tub (that we used after the Rocky Mountain Half Marathon) and a jetted tub. The kitchenette had everything we needed to cook up some delicious meals that we enjoyed eating on the deck in front of the most gorgeous stream. That babbling stream could calm the most anxious, nerve knotted person you know!! We also went on a 10 mile hike to the Sky Pond in the Rocky Mountain National Park (pictures are included). This was by far the most beautiful hike of our trip. The Loch is a glacier lake with the most beautiful clear emerald green water, filled with lake trout. We even saw a family of elk going for a swim. We saw moose and the most courageous little chipmunks on the planet. They walked right up to us as we ate sandwiches on a rock in front of the lake. I honestly can't imagine heaven being anymore beautiful. Back to the Resort - it was just wonderful and so very nice to come back to relax and cook a meal. There is a Safeway right down the road in the town of Estes Park - so you have easy access to groceries. The town itself if so cute and full of fun shops - if sugar is your thing there are candy stores every block. There were also a few good restaurants to Yelp. The wifi at the resort had some troubles, and the stove top had malfunctioned a few times, but nothing that took away from our trip. The owner - she was very quick to help us out when we requested it. Just make plans to be out of cell phone range pretty much the entire time you are vacationing in the mountains!! There are still soooo many trails I want to explore and can't wait to get back to my Rocky Mountain high, Colorado!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nautilus a SIXTY Hotel; City: Miami Beach Florida; Review: My boyfriend and I stayed 3 lovely nights at the Nautilus Hotel May 7th through the 10th. We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather. The hotel itself is very clean, charming, well decorated and the rooms where very accommodating. We loved the bar setup. Let me begin by saying, we didn't eat or drink a thing from this hotel - far too expensive. Lavishly expensive I might add. But the bar setup had all the tools, glasses, wine opener, cocktail shaker, so we walked across the street and bought our own booze for a fraction of the price. We also bought a cooler from Walgreens, waters, snacks, everything we needed for the beach and saved money that way. Sorry, but we are not paying $21 for a hamburger with a $10 service/delivery fee. We were also unpleasantly surprised with the $25 daily "resort fee" along with $19 daily fee for a beach umbrella. This place will nickel and dime you to death. They said the resort fee also paid for beach wifi - well there was no beach wifi when we were there. Overall, the total came to about $1000 for 3 nights. To be honest, our next visit we will find a cheaper hotel on the non-ocean side and take our own beach chairs And umbrella. Just very turned off by the undisclosed charges, but I still enjoyed the stay and the hotel very much. I guess I am just cheap lol. We loved walking around the city and yelping all of our locations for food - we had the most amazing Mediterranean, Italian, Seafood and Cuban food while there. Another tip - use Uber and stay away from the taxi service. They are rude and will take you out of the way to rack up time on the meter. $45 trip from airport to hotel. $18 hotel to airport with Uber. We also used the Citibikes to get around and they were a neat way to see the city. We loved Miami Beach but will do it cheaper next time we go.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya; City: Akumal Yucatan Peninsula; Review: I went to this resort from March 21st through the 26th. Let me begin by saying this is a very nice resort, however it has some issues that I will try to sum below. These issues did not take away from my enjoyment of the trip though, but they do prevent this resort from being 5 star. With that said, I still can't wait to come back!! Based on other reviews, I timed my flight so that I would arrive in late afternoon. Upon check-in, I was greeted with a cold rag and a glass of bubbly. It was great. They also upgraded me for free to a swim-up suite, bottom floor in building 9. No high pressure sales tactics to upgrade, attend a sales presentation or asked to spend any additional money. (Note: they did put "VIP" notes on my door daily, which I assume is the sales presentation. I just ignored.) I agree with most everyone else's assessments - the staff were very accommodating. I received an "hola" from every employee, so much to the point I was saying hola when I returned home lol. The rooms were excellently accommodated - I really loved the jet tub and the iHome radio, which I could connect both my iPad and iPhone and listen to music. There was plenty of cable channels to watch. The free wifi worked very well, even on the beach, and I could listen to Spotify while I was there. It really made my solo trip one to remember. I did get kicked off daily - you just have to log back in. Go to the front desk if you have issues and they can assist you. I also loved the Nespresso machine and used it daily. Here are my concerns: 1. The hotels is not very insulated - you can hear people talking on their balconies, the room service carts rolling by at all times of the day and night, and the VERY loud slamming of doors. You can hear the hot tubs above you being used. The noises are loud enough to wake you. I used a white noise app at night to help me sleep and that did help some. The beds are very comfy though - so no problems in that department. 2. The food needs BIG improvement. Much of the restaurant food will leave you scratching your head, like huh? I eventually learned that I could have the most enjoyable food at the buffet. The Seaside Grill had excellent gauc, chips and fish tacos. The buffet has some very fresh fruit, veggies and greens for salads. I ate the most beautiful salads each day for lunch. They can make you fresh omelettes, and their little fresh made pastries were delicious. Also had some fish that wasn't too bad on the buffet line. The restaurants are just not good in my opinion (I went to French, Italian, Oceana and the Seaside Grill - which was my favorite). They cut so many corners and call the food gourmet - it's not. It's edible, and in; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kimpton Hotel Eventi; City: New York City New York; Review: This was my first trip back to NYC in 15 years. I was also spending my first Christmas with my sweetie, so it just had to be special and romantic. We love the Kimpton Hotel chain, and the Eventi did not fail to deliver on every front. Upon check-in on Christmas Eve, we were promptly greeted by the doorman and led to the front desk for check-in. I requested a room with a view of the Empire State building, and let me tell you, they went above an beyond my greatest expectation. For not single dollar more, we were upgraded to the very top floor with a direct view of the Empire State building. It was so gorgeous and amazing to watch the Christmas lights dance at the very top. The room was tiny as most all NYC rooms are, and a little dusty, but I was paying an amazing non-refundable rate for the holiday and honestly, that view made my entire stay. At midnight, the lights went through this amazing routine to welcome in the Christmas Day. We laid there in bed watching in utter amazement. We of course took advantage of the free wine and coffee, and had the breakfast buffet one morning which was very delicious. We had dinner at the hotel restaurant before going to see Phantom of the Opera. My boyfriend has some type of truffle ravioli that he claimed was "the best he ever tasted". I had a fish dish that was outstanding. We also informed the waitress of our need to eat quickly to get downtown to the show, and she was more than accommodating to ensure we could pay and leave without delay. The rest of our trip we enjoyed exploring other eateries nearby, as well as taking the subway to Little Italy and the 9/11 Memorial. What a fantastic trip - just LOTS of tourists there with all of the same ideas. We were informed the city was actually not very busy due to the San Bernardino shootings and threats of terrorism. I honestly couldn't imagine it being any more busy though - it was almost impossible to get to the Rockefeller tree. Overall - such an amazing new way to spend the holidays. I highly recommend the Eventi. Anyone who complains about this hotel is just too high maintenance or impossible to please lol!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Suites Fresno River Park; City: Fresno California; Review: The rooms are remodeled, clean and very comfortable. We had quite a bit of camping gear with us that we had to reorganize before flying home to Texas and really appreciated the extra large room size. Check-in was a breeze and you are in close proximity to lots of shopping, Starbucks and some pretty decent restaurants. Unfortunately, there was a gang of wild 10 year olds running up and down the halls. They also ended up at the pool, and I am sure any adult would have left after about 2 minutes of their screaming. These kids were unruly and unchaperoned. The next morning, we attempted to enjoy the complimentary breakfast that came with our room, however the same group of 10 year olds were there, plates piled sky high. One girl had at least 8 boiled eggs on her plate. So much for the rest of us, and again, no parents with them to monitor their behavior, and no one at the hotel brave enough to give these kids limitations. Utterly ridiculous. They were out of just everything, so we left and ate somewhere else. The hotel should really have someone there to monitor people from taking advantage of the "free" breakfast. Maybe spend a little more so you don't have to deal with the rift raft. Other than that - it was a good hotel for an even better price. I think we pre-paid for $89 total - such a bargain!!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wawona Campground; City: Yosemite National Park California; Review: First the good... We stayed at Wawona the end of August (our very first time in Yosemite, and first time in years since me or my boyfriend have camped in tents). The park rangers were super friendly and informative as we checked in. Wawona campground is lovely, but it's also very dry and dusty due to the drought. The dirt is like volcanic ash, very fine. I recommend taking a tarp to line the ground with, then pitch your tent on top. This way you can throw a towel down to use as a floor mat before getting in and out of your tent. I saw several campers doing this and thought it was clever. There is also a small store close to the camp ground - they have things like firewood, chairs, cheap tents, eggs, bacon, frozen meals, chips, bread, canned goods, candy, soda, beer, wine, liquor and ice cream. All very reasonably priced! They just didn't have fresh produce. You could head straight to Wawona and buy pretty much all of the essentials for several nights of camping at this store. We were in Loop C, Site 051 right by the river and within close walking distance to the bathroom and water faucet. I noticed quite a bit of trash on the ground which saddened me; wish my fellow humans would have more respect for our delicate natural habitat. We were also unfortunate enough to be by what looked like a large group of teenagers, with maybe 2 chaperones. These kids were screaming and howling at 7am and didn't stop until late into the night. They were running back and forth by our tents and shouting to each other in the river. So much for a peaceful nature retreat. I guess if you really want seclusion, apply for the wilderness permit and try camping outside of the campgrounds. Otherwise, take earplugs or headphones (seriously - I wouldn't have slept without mine) and play a white noise to drown out the party goers. My poor boyfriend suffered as a result of not having any. The scenery was nice, the bathrooms were clean and the water sink worked great, however the close proximity to other campers would keep me from ever staying here again. I read other reviews that say their time at Wawona was quiet, so maybe we just got unlucky. We did stay at Crane Flat north of the Valley, and it was wonderful. Our site felt secluded from the others and no noisy neighbors during our entire stay.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Watergate Hotel Georgetown; City: Washington DC District of Columbia; Review: I booked a room here on a recommendation that the Watergate had gone through a multi-million dollar renovation, and that they also had a good rate on rooms at the time (November 2016). I believe it was stay 3 nights, get the one free, which I thought was great. TripAdvisor has this hotel as 5 stars, and it's most definitely *not*. The entrance is almost impossible to find from the road. It's hidden in between some residential type shops, definitely nothing grand or jaw dropping upon entry from the road. The outside of the building is falling apart in places, like literally. The inside has been renovated and decorated very modernly, which we loved, but there are already signs of carpet wear and wall/door scratches (this was directly in front of our room and inside our room) which I thought odd since the renovations were just finished a few months before. Again, this is not something I'd expect in a publically advertised 5 star hotel. When we checked in, I mentioned it was my boyfriend's 40th birthday, and not that I was expecting anything for free, but the hotel attendant didn't even request if we wanted to upgrade our room, much less move us to a similar priced room with at least a partial view of the river. I was expecting that they at least offer something when I mentioned it was his 40th - nothing, not a single word. Our view was terrible, overlooking the residential side of the building. I was so upset, and was going to request we be moved but my boyfriend insisted he was fine with it and not to make a fuss. So much for impressing him on his birthday. :-/ We arrived late on a Thursday night, at around 11:30 PM (which might also attest to the poor room selection by a possibly tired hotel attendant). The doorman was extremely nice and helpful, however, he ignored the fact that I mentioned we were trying to drop our bags in our room and hit the hotel bar for some pre-40th drinks before the bar closed at midnight (we had 20 minutes). He kept trying to give us a tour of the hotel and of our very tiny room. I had to tell him thanks but no thanks a couple of times, and give him $5 to move along, which is really the only reason he stuck around so long. Very annoying to say the least. The room itself was decorated very modern, which my boyfriend liked very much so. The room was incredibly small, the shower leaked every time we used it, but the bed was comfy and no noise issues. The location of the hotel was pretty horrible as well, I feel like such a dolt for not researching this better. We had to walk a considerable way just to find a coffee shop or somewhere to eat in the morning (about a mile). In addition, we ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant the morning we were leaving to go home, and it was not; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya; City: Akumal Yucatan Peninsula; Review: This is my second trip to Secrets Akumal with my first being in March 2016. I am so close to giving them 5 stars (4.5), however they have a few areas that do require some improvement. I won't bore you with more opinions of the gorgeous beach, pool, turtles and their lovely rooms, but I will focus on the improvements I saw since my first visit as well as some things that were lacking. Preferred Club - first of all, if you have the funds, do this. Simply for the fact that you are closer to the beach. And if possible, ask for 4th floor ocean view. We had zero mosquitos and only got a couple of bites the first night when having steaks at the Seaside Grill. It made my birthday one I'll never forget!! It was also fun going in the Preferred Club Lounge and hanging with Angel the bartender. What I learned - don't be afraid to tell them exactly how you want your drink made. They are not American bartenders so don't make drinks how we expect. Also - the club breakfast was fantastic. They switched between the Seaside Grill and Oceana, and we LOVED having the ocean breeze and view during breakfast. We also loved having our room cleaned daily and the turndown service. Preferred Club Complaints - we shelled out an extra $900, so the least you can do is put better quality mini bottles of liquor in the room, and put at least 2 of each. We are paying for the best quality you offer, so don't be cheap. They had a red label scotch, bacardi rum and some gut rot vodka (airline size mind you). Also, try upgrading the in room snacks you offer to preferred club - Pringles and a bag of peanut M&Ms just doesn't scream luxury lol. And again, offer 2 of each or one for each person. We were not impressed in this area. Dining - all I can say is WOW. Bravo to you, Secrets Akumal. You listened to what people said about the food at dinner and made some wonderful improvements since the last time I visited in March 2016. We had such amazing dinners at Bordeaux, Portofino and Himitsu, which I felt was some of the best hibachi I've ever had. Tender and flavorful shrimp and steak with fried rice, veggies and fried ice cream for dessert. YUM! We had the lamb at Bordeaux, and again, cooked and seasoned perfectly. We also enjoyed our 2 bottles of wine, one Malbec and one Cabernet, we selected for our time there. Dining Complaints - the lunch at the Market Street buffet was our least favorite. They opened late the one time we went, and the some of the selections just didn't go together. They had a stir fry section but no one ever showed up to offer anyone freshly made stir fry (for the 45 minutes we were in there). We also noticed during our preferred club breakfast on a couple of mornings, the staff was running late in; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: CyclingDeal Adjustable 1-6 Bike Floor Parking Rack Storage Stands Bicycle; Brand: CyclingDeal; Review: We purchase 2 of these and they work as advertised. They are well made and do a very good job of keeping our bikes standing up right ready to ride.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Coleman Xtreme 4 Marine Wheeled Cooler, 40 Quart; Brand: Coleman; Review: Nice quality cooler.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Golf Training Balls,Awakingdemi Airflow Hollow Golf Ball Practice Training Sports Balls Golf Accessories; Brand: Awakingdemi; Review: Fast Ship Good Product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Camco 47482 Red 3/8" Stud 48" Long 2-Gauge Marine Battery Cable and Lug Assembly Tinned; Brand: Camco; Review: Just what we needed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ice Fire Golf Cart Battery Lifting Strap by Trojan Battery Company - Made in USA; Brand: Ice Fire; Review: Does the job for carrying and moving a battery.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: JW Pet Company Megalast Gummi Bear Dog Toy; Brand: JW Pet; Review: Our dog weighs ten pounds and he LOVES HIS GUMMI BEAR! He likes that when we throw it and he drops it the thing bounces in a crazy way, helps with his chewing issue too!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nylabone Just For Puppies Key Ring Bone Puppy Dog Teething Chew Toy; Brand: Nylabone; Review: My little Houdini LOVES his keys. I ordered these because my mother gets them for her dogs. These are perfect for chewers! While he has his adult teeth now he still likes to chew. He has to have his keys to chew on in bed before he falls asleep- maybe its just my weird dog. I recommend these- they last a long time.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: goDog Dragons With Chew Guard Technology Durable Plush Squeaker Dog Toys; Brand: goDog; Review: Look, if you have a chewer who can demolish anything you will be hard pressed to find a stuffy that will last the life of your dog. My little pug/dauchsund can destroy the large toys faster than I have seen. I have bought him many of these and will continue to do so because simply they last the longest. Now they may not have heads, squeakers, tails, legs (depending on which carcass it is) but he still plays with them and loves them. Haha so im telling you if your dog keeps playing with it- it is a good buy. And 10-15$ isn't bad for the big sizes. Just order your furrbaby the toy and let him enjoy it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Best Pet Supplies, Inc. Pet Cave / Tent Bed for Dogs and Cats; Brand: Best Pet Supplies, Inc.; Review: Great little house/bed! I have two female chihuahua puppies that just got their new bed today. They love it! Been inside it all day. I ordered the XL so they can grow into it since they are sisters and love to snuggle. Great product expecially for the low cost! Wish it came in more colors; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ethical Pets Sleep Zone Cuddle Cave Pet Bed; Brand: Ethical Pets; Review: I got this for my chihuahua puppy we were bringing home. At six weeks old this was a perfect starter bed for her. She instantly loved it and her "safe place" from our 2 other grown dogs. She has since gotten a new bed because we picked her sister as well and it is a tight squeeze for the 2 of them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Pet_Supplies |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: HP Printer Paper, BrightWhite24, 8.5 x 11, Letter, 24lb, 97 Bright, 500 Sheets / 1 Ream; Brand: HP Paper; Review: 5 STARS; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: HP Premium Presentation Paper for Inkjet Printer, Matte, 8.5x11, 100 Sheets; Brand: HP; Review: I've been in the printing business for over 25 years, this is the best inkjet paper on the market!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kenco Premium White Address Shipping UPC Laser/Inkjet Labels Made in The USA (8.5" X 5.5" 100 Labels); Brand: Kenco; Review: I love this stuff, the back removes easily; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Epson WorkForce ET-4550 EcoTank Wireless Color All-in-One Supertank Printer with Scanner, Copier, Fax, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct; Brand: Epson; Review: NO rear paper feeder, only prints on text weight paper well, thicker papers don't print well. Why of all the new Eco Tank printers, why is it the $1,199.00 model is the only one with a rear paper feed? Not user friendly engineering.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Epson Bright White Pro Paper - S041586-4, 8.5" x 11" (500 sheets); Brand: Epson; Review: the best inkjet paper; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Epson Premium Photo Paper SEMI-GLOSS (4x6 Inches, 40 Sheets) (S041982); Brand: Epson; Review: Awesome product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LD Premium Glossy Inkjet Photo Paper (4X6) 100 pack - Resin Coated; Brand: LD Products; Review: as advertised; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper GLOSSY (5x7 Inches, 20 Sheets) (S041945); Brand: Epson; Review: the best there is; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4630 Wireless Color All-in-One Inkjet Printer with Scanner and Copier, Amazon Dash Replenishment Enabled; Brand: Epson; Review: Awesome Printer, works well; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: EPSON Ink Maintenance Box; Brand: Epson; Review: Works as well as those from Epson, and at a fraction of their price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Scotch Magic Tape, Writeable, Matte Finish, The Original, 3/4 inches x 650 inches Pack of; Brand: Scotch; Review: excellent transaction ***** 5 STARS; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alliance Rubber 24645 Sterling Rubber Bands Size #64, 1 lb Box Contains Approx. 425 Bands (3 1/2 x; Brand: Alliance; Review: excellent transaction ***** 5 STARS; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Magnum Magnetics Corp Adhesive Magnetic Strip, 1/2-Inch x 25-Feet; Brand: Magnum; Review: excellent transaction ***** 5 STARS; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alliance Rubber 37646#64 Non-Latex Rubber Bands, 1 lb box contains approx. 380 bands (3 1/2" x 1/4", Orange); Brand: Alliance; Review: excellent transaction ***** 5 STARS; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4530 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer, Copier, Scanner, Fax, iOS/Tablet/Smartphone/AirPrint Compatible (C11CB33201); Brand: Epson; Review: excellent transaction ***** 5 STARS; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Epson T664420 EcoTank Yellow Ink Bottle; Brand: Epson; Review: do not put ANYTHING but Epson's ink in your Eco-printer. Epson uses dye ink for Cyan, Magenta & Yellow, but uses pigment for Black, replacement inks are all dye or all pigment and can/will clop your printheads. Experienced refiners know you can't mix the two types.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Universal Nonskid Paper Clips, Wire, Jumbo, Silver-100 ct, (6 Boxes); Brand: Universal; Review: As Advertised; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: KINGLAKE 328 Feet Natural Jute Twine Best Arts Crafts Gift Twine Christmas Twine Durable Packing String for Gardening Applications; Brand: KINGLAKE; Review: just what I was looking for; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Office_Products |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Naruto; Genres: Action, Comedy, Martial Arts, Shounen, Super Power; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Shaman King; Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Shounen, Supernatural; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Wolf's Rain; Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: Elfen Lied; Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Psychological, Romance, Seinen, Supernatural; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Hellsing; Genres: Action, Horror, Seinen, Supernatural, Vampire; Rating: 6.0/10.0
Title: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children; Genres: Action, Fantasy, Super Power; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Hellsing Ultimate; Genres: Action, Horror, Military, Seinen, Supernatural, Vampire; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within; Genres: Sci-Fi; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: D.Gray-man; Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Shounen; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann; Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Mecha, Sci-Fi; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete; Genres: Action, Fantasy, Super Power; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Ookami to Koushinryou; Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Historical, Romance; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Soul Eater; Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Shounen, Supernatural; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood; Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Magic, Military, Shounen; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Ookami to Koushinryou II; Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Historical, Romance; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Ookami to Koushinryou II: Ookami to Kohakuiro no Yuuutsu; Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Romance; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Nyan Koi!; Genres: Comedy, Harem, Romance; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Deadman Wonderland; Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Ookami to Koushinryou II Specials; Genres: Fantasy; Rating: 7.0/10.0 | anime |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Youer Phone Cable 3Pack 10FT Nylon Braided USB Charging; Brand: Youer; Review: Its very good.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: IN1 Multi Tool Case for iPhone 6/6s Plus - Retail Packaging - Black with Black tools; Brand: IN1; Review: Good; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Apple 12W USB Power Adapter (for iPhone, iPad); Brand: Apple; Review: Good; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TechMatte MagGrip Universal Magnetic Air Vent Car Mount for iPhone XR, XS 8, Galaxy S9, S8, S7, Pixel; Brand: TechMatte; Review: Exelent; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: IMKEY Apple Certified 6.5 Feet 30-Pin To USB Sync and Charging Cable for iPhone 4 / 4S, iPhone 3G; Brand: IMKEY; Review: Good; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TechMatte MagGrip Universal Magnetic Air Vent Car Mount (2 Pack) for iPhone XR, XS 8, Galaxy S9, S8,; Brand: TechMatte; Review: Good; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rienar Mobile Phone Holder Mount Clip Buckle Socket Hands Free on Car Steering Wheel for iPhone 5/5G/ 4/4S,HTC, Samsung; Brand: Rienar; Review: Exelent product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: iPhone 6/6s Tempered Glass Screen Protector Ultra-Clear HD Protect Gorilla Glass with Premium Anti-Shatter and Oleophobic Treatment from VELLALL; Brand: VELLALL; Review: Good; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thule Atmos X3 Case for iPhone 6/6s; Brand: Thule; Review: Good; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: [5 Pack Promotion] iFlash Tempered Glass Screen Protector For Apple iPhone 6/6S 4.7" Model; Brand: iFlash; Review: Exelent product!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eco-Fused Premium Tempered Glass Screen Protector for iPhone 6/6S – Glass Screen Protector with Oleophobic Coating – Anti Fingerprint and; Brand: Eco-Fused; Review: Exelent product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: iPhone 8 Charger set, iPhone X / 8/8 Plus / 7 Plus / 7 /6S plus / 6S; Brand: Ixir; Review: Good; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Urvoix for Apple iPhone 6 Plus / 6S Plus (5.5''), Wallet Leather Flip Card Holder; Brand: Urvoix; Review: Exelent; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Cell_Phones_and_Accessories |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: House Perisic; City: Korenica Lika Senj County; Review: Price: good for the service $95 per day Cleanness: very good Kindness: very kind and friendly Spacious: good Other: have extra kitchen where you can cook. We stayed for one day. It was so beautiful place new built pension. The owner was nice and let us use everything they have. We used the place like home.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel; City: Srebreno Dubrovnik Neretva County Dalmatia; Review: It's was one of the best hotel in Dubrovnik. It's very close from the airport, yet it's located in beautiful scenic place. We also stayed in Hilton in old town Dubrovnik. I personally think Sheraton worth is far above than Hilton.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ibis Budget Brussels Airport; City: Diegem Flemish Brabant Province; Review: I choose this place because it was close from the Brussels airport and was also cheaper than other hotels. However, hotel has no air conditioning, very small room, small box like toilet, and small shower room. I felt like stay in a cell. We could hear all the sound from next rooms,; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: UNWIND HOTEL BAR; City: Chuo Sapporo Hokkaido; Review: 1. Prince around $200-300 2. Room: 4 out of 5, very cozy and unique 3. Food: 3.7 out of 5, breakfast in Bed type 4. Service: 4.7 out of 5, very kind no parking space 5. Lobby: 4.7 out of 5, lovely fireplace with cabin interior 6. Over all I will visit again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kokoro no Resort Umi no Bettei Furukawa; City: Shiraoi cho Shiraoi gun Hokkaido; Review: 1. Price: $400 for two 2. Room: 3.5 out of 5 (it was little small) 3. Service: 5 out of 5 4. Food: 4 out of 5 (breakfast was fantastic / dinner was good but not my taste) 5. Hotel lobby: 5 out of 5 6. Hot Spring: 5 out 5 (outside hot-spring was fantastic!); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Residence Inn Peoria; City: Peoria Illinois; Review: 1. Price $170 2. Room: clean, spacious and quiet 3. Service: friendly 4. Location: it was little hard to find the entrance. You can see the hotel from a highway but, I couldn't find the entrance. 5. Other: the price is little high.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Bristol Palace; City: Genoa Italian Riviera Liguria; Review: We stayed here for an night when we visit Cinque Terre. Their service was excellent, the room was elegant and the location was good. It was in the center of the city, so we visited most of the place by walking. I would definitely recommend this place.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
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: ; Review: Fits perfect. The best fit so far with dansko. I have s very high instep and these don't hurt my feet!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dansko Women's Olena Flat; Brand: ; Review: Very cute and feels good on my feet. I hope the last, I'm a little concerned with the suede material and how it will wear. I do a lot of walking and bending at work; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eastland Women's Newbury Penny Loafer; Brand: Eastland; Review: I like the shoes. Not as much arch support as I like. Also shoe runs large. I will wear thick socks.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dansko Women's Felt Pro Mule; Brand: ; Review: I will have to return. Very small and snug across the top. The opening for your foot seems small.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Dansko Women's Fabric Pro Mule; Brand: ; Review: If you have a high instep, they are a little snug. I cannot wear all danskos because some are to snug across the top of my foot. This is the only shoe that I wear for work. These fit well enough that I am keeping them! The cloth material will not keep its shape for long.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Creative Labs NOMAD IIc 128 MB MP3 Player; Brand: Creative; Review: Owned for 6 months. Good customer support until they agreed I needed an RMA # and then they stopped talking to me. Had to tweak them twice to get it. Received new unit after three weeks. Good sound and volume if encoded at higher rates. The 128MB expandability is good especially since the cards are finally getting cheaper. Not for the heavy exerciser who sweats a lot. The clip is almost useless except for walkers. When held in hand or against the skin the sweat gets into the player and shorts it. Good survivability. Dropped a couple of times with no subsequent problem. One potential problem is the battery cover. It is flimsy and does not stay on the player when changing the battery. There is a good chance of losing it, especially when dropping it because it flies off. The software is kludgy. It has a tendency of locking up my computer. There are some directories that were created by mistake that I can't get rid of. The good part about it is that it encodes MP3s and WMAs very quickly.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shure E2 Sound Isolating Earphones; Brand: Shure; Review: Bought an E2C, lasted a year and a half(back when it was only a one year warranty). One side started intermittently going bad, then could no longer hear out of it. Bought an E3C, lasted less than a year, now can barely hear out of the left side. If I can find the box and receipts, I'll turn it in to get replaced. If not, oh well. Love the sound and the isolation but I've paid over $300 for both pairs and have two broken earphones.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shure E3c Sound Isolating Earphones; Brand: Shure; Review: Bought an E2C, lasted a year and a half(back when it was only a one year warranty). One side started intermittently going bad, then could no longer hear out of it. Bought an E3C, lasted less than a year, now can barely hear out of the left side. If I can find the box and receipts, I'll turn it in to get replaced. If not, oh well. Love the sound and the isolation but I've paid over $300 for both pairs and have two broken earphones.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shure E2c-n Sound Isolating Earphones (Black); Brand: Shure; Review: Bought an E2C, lasted a year and a half(back when it was only a one year warranty). One side started intermittently going bad, then could no longer hear out of it. Bought an E3C, lasted less than a year, now can barely hear out of the left side. If I can find the box and receipts, I'll turn it in to get replaced. If not, oh well. Love the sound and the isolation but I've paid over $300 for both pairs and have two broken earphones.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ultimate Ears SuperFi 3 Studio Noise Isolating Earphones (Black) (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Ultimate Ears; Review: I've owned this for five months. I tried to like this a lot and there is a lot to like. The sound is nice and accurate. This is for those that want to listen to the whole music, not if you want to get your ears thumped with bass The sound isolation is great. The best part about the sound isolation is that I don't have to turn the volume up very high and maybe save my hearing in the long run. The wires are nice and thick so that when I throw them in the bag and take them back out, they are not all tangled up. The stiff, moldable wire next to the ear pieces are a great idea and wish my Shure had that feature. What not to like? I bought them primarily for gym use. I didn't want to listen to the overhead music and equipment noise. However the speaker tube is so big, that even with the smallest earpiece the speakers eventually works itself out. I know how to put them in, but any type of regular rhythmic movement will eventually make the ears work their way out, even on a rowing machine or stairmaster. I eventually went back to a Shure and I sure hope that they've got their quality problems solved with their new line.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Livescribe 2GB Pulse Smartpen (APA-00002); Brand: Livescribe; Review: I got this as soon as it came out this summer but I waited until almost the end of this semester to write this review. To sum it up...as a student, this is what I've been looking for. I wish I had it two years ago. First of all, for this price, this is not magic. This will not convert voice to text or handwriting to text. I don't remember ever seeing it being touted as a feature so I'm not dissapointed in getting it. Also I don't buy stuff based on vaporware. I've been around long enough to know how that goes. What I did get: A great voice recorder with an above average microphone. I sit in the back corner of a 40 person classroom, on the same side of an air conditioning unit and I have not missed a word during lecture yet. A decent digital voice recorder with 2GB capacity is usually 3/4 of the price of this pen alone. The bonus: The ability to recall the lecture at any point in my notes instantly. Where can you do that with a voice recorder? Now I can actually pay attention to the lecture and write key words as I've always been told to do. The great part is that when they are writing diagrams and I am copying it in my notepad, I can heard the explanation of the diagram as I am drawing it and have been able to recall the explanation step by step later. The not so good: The software feels a little bit unpolished. I've heard some people complain about paying for around $5 each for additional notepads. Yes it's expensive but (1) you don't use much since you don't write much and (2) I think I've spent a lot more on sodas and snacks this semester at school than the cost of 10 of these notepads. Bottom line: The ability to recall and hear the lecture, instantly, at any point in my notes has been invaluable. Now I don't have to hunt through my recordings to find out what was said at certain points of the lecture when I'm studying for my tests.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Garmin nvi 360 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Text-To-Speech; Brand: Garmin; Review: I wanted a basic GPS unit, but was lured into buying this one because of it's extra long battery life in case I wanted to use it as a walk around unit. The battery does last awhile, the last time around six hours. I would have been perfectly happy with this unit if I had not had experience with my wife's basic TomTom unit. They both work just fine but this one seems to take a little bit longer sometimes to tell me where the turn is. At times it didn't tell me to turn until I was at the intersection already. One minor thing I liked about the TomTom that this unit doesn't have is that it displayed estimated time of arrival (ETA) along with miles to go. This unit only displayed the ETA. In this unit's favor the ETA seems to be a lot more accurate than the TomTom.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Transcend 2 GB 133x CompactFlash Memory Card TS2GCF133; Brand: Transcend; Review: I've owned this card for almost two years and have never had a problem with it. I don't know about the person taking almost an hour to download 4 gigs of info, but I've downloaded weddings/events with over 900 shots in RAW/JPEG and I've never taken that long to get the stuff to my computer. I don't know if it's fast enough for video, but it's been good enough for my Canon 40D.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Canon Battery Pack LP-E6; Brand: Canon; Review: I don't like the fact that I HAVE TO BUY A CANNON battery so that I don't have to have another charger hanging around the house. Chipping a battery is just another cheesy way to gouge the customer. At least they gave us a "feature" to go with it, hence it deserves at least one star.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Manfrotto 685B Neotec Monopod Deluxe with Safety Lock (Black); Brand: Bogen; Review: I've owned monopods before but I rarely used them because they were such a pain to use during an event. Now I always use one because this is so easy to use. Yes, the danged foot does come off, but there is nothing on the market yet like this, so this is the best.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ADATA Turbo 533X 32 GB CompactFlash Memory Card ACF32G533XR; Brand: ADATA; Review: So far so good. Works just great in raw. I've taken up to 11 minute videos without any stutter or slowdowns.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Canon Eg-d Focusing Screen; Brand: Canon; Review: I love this screen. Now I don't spend so much time straightening my photos. I wish I'd known how cheap and easy it was to replace the focusing screen. If and when I ever buy another camera again with replaceable focusing screens, I will buy the grid type screen along with the camera.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras; Brand: Canon; Review: I really wasn't very happy with this lens when I first bought it, but it was really more of that I was afraid to use it. I have been really spoiled with IS and I would sometimes break out my consumer grade 28-135 instead of my new 24-70 because of it. After using it more extensively the last six months I have come to change my mind. I'm glad I didn't get the 24-105 because I love being able to shoot at 2.8 with the nice bokeh. The extra stop, along with the ability to shoot up to 3200 ISO with the 5D and get still get very good colors means I don't have to shoot at slow shutter speeds. When I use the flash during events, that combination means that I rarely ever use the flash at full power. That means my batteries last longer, I can fire off multiple shots with flash, and I don't end up annoying people with a full blinding flash. One thing I've learned about my lenses with IS when I'm shooting events, is that the IS sometimes takes a little time to power up, especially my 70-200. Not very long, but sometimes long enough that when I want to pop off a quick shot, sometimes it seems that it hasn't had time to take effect yet by the time I've framed and focused and taken the shot. Maybe it's just me but that's the impression that I've gotten. I've been very happy with my 24-70, especially now that I've learned to use it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sony PRS-600BC Touch Edition E-Book Reader; Brand: Sony; Review: It's an ok reader. The Kindle has much better contrast, the desktop software is junk and it is annoying that it sorts authors by the first name, so why four stars? I use calibre as my desktop software, the touchscreen is usable, the screen is readable, it supports just about any ebook format out there, and IT IS EXPANDABLE! It has not just one but two expansion slots! Whoohooo! There are more legally downloadable books out there that I can probably read in my lifetime and I've got a lot of them thanks to the expansion slots. I don't have to depend on virtual storage for books that won't fit on my reader so why do I need wireless? When there is a book that I want to buy, I can wait until I get home. I've got enough to read on board to keep me busy till then.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Canon PowerShot S95 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD; Brand: Canon; Review: If don't know how to use a camera beyond full auto or go beyond it infrequently, if you don't know how to use RAW files or do but choose not to use them, then you're spending way too much money on this camera. There are other cameras out there that are cheaper, have more features, have a longer telephoto and better built-in flash than the S95. I wanted a camera that: 1. Can fit in a shirt pocket, not just a cargo pocket. 2. Manual controls 3. RAW output. 4. Telephoto An optical viewfinder and external flash support would have been nice but the G12 does not fit in a shirt pocket. Specifically I wanted a camera that I can walk with when I didn't want to or could not lug my DSLR around. This of course comes with compromises. The small sensor means more noise but you get deeper depth of field, however it's harder to get an out of focus background. The plus that helps offset this is the 2.0 lens but only at the wide end. The small size means it's a lot more fiddly to use and handle. It's slow. Slow to focus, slow to shoot. Not that wide at the short end and not a very long tele. But I've been out in my yard taking pictures, happily adjusting shutter speed, f-stops, ISO, exposure compensation, and flash exposure compensation with minimal amount of fuss. It just takes time to get used to. This is where we come to the next compromise that Canon made that I'm not really happy about. This is a camera that needs a full manual to read in the field. Heck, I still carry the manual for DSLR around with me. The full manual only comes on the CD. I can print my own, but those 8x11 sheets of paper are not very compact. The pictures? For me, they have been very good when used within its limitations.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Arkon Windshield Dashboard Car Mount for TomTom GPS with EasyPort Pattern START 40 45 55 XL XXL ONE 125 ONE; Brand: ARKON; Review: I like it a lot. It's cheap, it's very flexible and it does the job. It solved a problem for me with its flexibility. My wife likes it a lot. She likes it so much she took mine. Now I have to buy another one. It's flexible but not infinite. It's not magic, although it seems like it after I've spent more than six times the price for others ones that didn't work.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mediabridge Ethernet Cable (50 Feet) - Supports Cat6 / Cat5e / Cat5 Standards, 550MHz, 10Gbps; Brand: Mediabridge; Review: Not much more to say. It seems to be well made, it works and it's has a very good price. I like the protector over the latch because those always seem to break off.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L ll USM Zoom Lens for Canon EF Cameras; Brand: Canon; Review: This is one of three lenses you should have. The others are the 24-70 and the 70-200. I do have other lenses such as for macro and the hefty walkaround 28-300 but these three are the ones most frequently used for events and of course it's the second photography thing in the bag when going outdoors. Distortion is easily fixed with Lightroom Distortion Correction or Lens Correction since version 3. If you're going to spend this kind of money on a lens you should at least get Lightroom. If you've never used Lightroom and you take lots of pictures, you will thank me if you buy it on my say so. But you don't have to because almost everyone else that can afford it and knows about it uses it. If you want to get the best precision fix for distortion then get DxO Optics Pro. Get the Elite version if you have or even ever plan to move up to a full frame camera. You can download and use FULL functionality for 30 days before deciding to buy it. It can do everything that Lightroom does but I still find myself going to Lightroom after fixing distortion and generating a TIF file from DxO. Crazy, I know. If you don't like the occasional blue streak in the sky created with polarizers, don't bother buying a polarizer for this lens because YOU WILL get that streak because it covers so much sky. That said, I went ahead and bought one anyway since I lost a lot of very expensive filters on our last trip to Pismo. I can use a 82 to 77mm step down ring and I'll never have to worry about vignetting with my other lenses. Sometimes that blue streak does look pretty cool. On the other hand quality 82mm filters are a lot more expensive. According to some respected reviewers, this is the best ultrawide zoom for Canon at this time. I like it a lot too but I can't compare since this is the only full frame ultrawide zoom that I own. According to some, there is also a big difference between being able to go 17mm to 16mm. It is hard to understand how to use it at first. You do have to get up close and personal with your subject. You do have to pay attention to what's in the frame and you really want to make sure that the main subject of the picture is not lost in the vast space created by the lens. But like almost for all problems associated with being a photographer, the solution is to go out there and shoot, shoot, shoot.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce OM-ET Flash Diffuser (for Canon 600EX-RT & Yongnuo YN600EX-RT); Brand: Sto-Fen; Review: Yes it's a piece of plastic and seems pretty expensive but it's worth it. I stayed away from these for years because it seemed so simplistic and the bad reviews about "an expensive piece of Tupperware" turned me off to it. I've used all kinds of light modifiers over the years but this one seems to be the most versatile and least fiddly when I'm on the go. It is hard to take off when I need the extra oomph and go bare bulb but that doesn't happen very often. The issue with light loss has pretty much gone away with cameras taking good color and contrast at 3200 ISO and higher. Because of that, most of the time I only use it as fill light. I would say I use it 75% of the time when I'm using flash.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Custom SLR ProDot Shutter Button Upgrade (Red. 2 Pack) - Perfect Alternative to Soft Shutter Release Buttons; Brand: Custom SLR; Review: I bought this from the Custom SLR website when I read about it from one of the photography magazines about it being one of the best products of the year. What a great concept, right? Tactile feedback and it looks cool. I set it up on both cameras that I brought with me on a trip to San Francisco earlier this year. The good thing is that it did indeed look and feel cool. The bad things: My cameras kept taking inadvertent pictures when I was walking around with them. There is a reason why the engineers made the shutter button slightly recessed. The protrusion that the nubs created set off my shutter every time something brushed or bumped them. It was a constant chore to erase images of strangely tilted sidewalks. It was hard to just press down halfway on the shutter button to lock exposure. I use the back button to focus but still use the shutter button to set exposure, especially when I'm using spot metering. During the trip, I could not get enough feedback from the ProDot to tell whether I'm pressed halfway down or not. I was frequently taking pictures when I just wanted to set exposure. I kept trying to work with it, hoping that it was just a learning curve, but after the trip, I took them off my cameras. They really do feel nice and look cool, but sometimes, the engineers and designers just know what they're doing.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: OP/TECH USA 1501372 Pro Loop Strap for Camera Equipment (Black); Brand: OP/TECH USA; Review: I've been using these for years. It's to the point now that I don't buy it AFTER getting a new camera...I buy it AT THE SAME TIME I buy a new camera along with extra batteries. These really are very comfortable compared to the OEM ones but they also don't scream out what type of camera I have. The strap is soft and stretchy and is very comfortable. It also has some soft rubber dots on the inside of the strap to help grip on your shoulders. I have straps over five years old and they haven't worn off yet. I'm not too sure about those though. They do help but I wouldn't depend on them too much. I also use the OP/TECH dual harness when shooting events and I want to carry two cameras. The quick release straps can quickly move from the single strap to the dual harness. I do have to make changes to the length though.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Head - Replaces 3275; Brand: Manfrotto; Review: While not as small and fast as my Manfrotto MH054M0-Q2 054 Magnesium Ball Head, it looks like it has permanently replaced it on my tripod. I found that most of my adjustments are to go from landscape to vertical anyway. When using a long lens I use the ring tripod holder on the lens to make the change. When using a short lens the geared head has a quick release in each movement that also allows me to make a quick change from horizontal to vertical and others. The weakness of this lens to the ball head is that I have to use three levers to go through all the movements. It is also bigger and heavier. However I love being able to make precise adjustments and having them stay there. I find that I've been using my camera's built in electronic level a lot more lately and spending a lot less time in post processing to fix horizons and losing pixels as a result. It is invaluable when using a tilt shift lens, but it has also been great in my other landscape and macro work as well. One thing I've had to do though is that I've had to buy the Manfrotto 323 RC2 Rapid Connect Adapter in order to use my 200PL-14 Quick Release Plates which I have attached to my cameras and long lenses. One complaint I've read is that it tends to stop working when it's dropped. I think that's probably going to be a given since it looks like it has at least three sets of gears in it. That's probably why I've held on to my ball head just in case. In the meantime, I've been enjoying it through several trips and shoots.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Manfrotto 323 RC2 Rapid Connect Adapter with 200PL-14 Quick Release Plate - Replaces 3299-Black; Brand: Manfrotto; Review: I bought this to put on my Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Head quick release plate to adapt to my Manfrotto 200PL-14 RC2 Rapid Connect Mounting Plate which I have mounted on my cameras and long lenses. Yes it puts on another 1/2" of metal plate but I don't have to change out the release plates every time I want to use my geared head. It works great. It does take a little bit of reaching to get to the release lever lock with the camera on but it's not difficult.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: uxcell Camera Remote Control Shutter Release Cable Cord 2.5mm to RS-C3 Black for Canon; Brand: uxcell; Review: Cheap but worked on a road trip from California, to Arizona, Utah and Denver. Constantly being taken in and out of the bag and car and never failed. Must have to connect third party shutter release gizmoz to my Canon 5D II and III; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Ultra Wide Tilt-Shift Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras; Brand: Canon; Review: This is the one to get. Chances are some of you are like me and are already a Canon user, have already decided to buy a tilt shift lens, but are trying to decide which focal length to buy. If you can only buy one, this is it. I haven't run into a situation where I needed a longer focal length tilt shift and I rarely wish I needed a wider angle. If you are trying to decide whether to buy the 16-35 or the TSE-24 and you primarily do landscape or architectural work, this is it. I use the 16-35 for weddings and such. I needed to learn how to use the lens but it wasn't that hard. There are a lot of very smart and generous people in youtube land who have helped me...a lot. I almost always use a tripod with this lens and a geared head is now permanently attached to my tripod because of this lens. Yes, you will want a geared head if you use this more than a couple of times. You don't NEED it, but you will want it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 77mm / 86mm Filter Wrench Metal Aluminum Desmond Lens Tool 77mm 82mm 86mm; Brand: Desmond; Review: All aluminum but has no inner serrations. However it does work great.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Nikon D90 12.3MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-105 mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens; Brand: Nikon; Review: I got the Nikon D90 after considering the Canon T2i in some detail. The two major features that sold me on the Nikon was a superior exposure and color system, and a better kit lens. Since I have a long technical involvement in photography I don't mind customizing a lot of settings and changing settings before shots. If that isn't your style, you might think twice about the complexity of the D90. The biggest drawback is the focussing system, for me. I have tried the automatic and manual focussing both, and seem to trip over some detail of the system a little too often for my comfort. If you have it on single point auto focus, you can be reasonably sure of what you are going to get for focus...reasonably. But too often I have used this set up on, say, a single face in a group or on a flower stamen, for example, and found that the actual focal point in the image fell about 5-8% of the distance to the object behind the object under the focus highlight in the viewfinder. Not terrible, but enough to spoil some carefully set-up shots. Autofocus using 3d focussing does not work for me, and multipoint focussing always leaves me with the focus point highlight somewhere I don't expect it. If I am very alert and fully aware of what is going on, I can catch this and correct it by half-pressing the shutter and manually moving the focus point where I want it using the click dial. But it spoils the flow of attention on a shot. In fairness, I suspect some tutoring by an experienced user might overcome these perceived difficulties, but the documentation and materials I have found online do not address this issue well enough for me so far. I don't think there is a perfect camera out there. It took me over 20 days of shooting every day to finally feel I understood the options and their effects on my shooting style. I only gave the Canon an hour in the camera shop and several hours of close reading on the web, and that isn't the basis of a fair comparison. But the pentaprism viewfinder does provide a larger, brighter in-camera image to compose with. If you like to experiment, the range of control you have is great. And since I am on a limited budget, the kit lens gives me a broader range of focal lengths to work with. I also like the battery life and the size/form factor of the camera. It fits my hand better. My impression might be skewed by the fact that I got a Nikon s8000 at the same time, and despite the smaller image sensor on the s8000, it is giving the D90 a real run for its money in image quality and ease of use in quite a range of picture settings. The D90 is superior in low light and fast response, which alone still makes it worth it all for me. But I have shot the same outdoor scene with; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Seagate Backup Plus 1TB Desktop External Hard Drive USB 3.0 (STCA1000100); Brand: Seagate; Review: I have been hoarding tons of high resolution photo files for a few years in pursuit of my HDR Panorama hobby. I have filled one of these babies and started on the other. God forbid they fail at this point. But they have withstood all the man-handling that comes with moving my workspace around the house every six months or so. Including being tipped over. No complaints or concerns. A lotta love for the price point and reliability so far.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dell E2414H 24-Inch Widescreen Backlit TN LED Monitor (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Dell; Review: You think it will be cheap, user friendly, with excellent view quality and sufficient color fidelity to watch videos. I wouldn't hesitate to get Dell LED monitors.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dell E2014T Touch Screen LED-Lit Monitor; Brand: Dell; Review: I bought this for development purposes, and it is perfect for me. If I really wanted to use Windows 8.1 as a touch app I might be disgruntled simply because who wants to reach up and touch a vertical screen all day. But for color fidelity, reliability, form factor, ease of hook up, etc it is 5 stars.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 67mm Digital Tulip Flower Lens Hood and 67mm UV Filter for Nikon CoolPix P900 Digital Camera; Brand: Big Mike's; Review: This was recommended by Amazon for a Nikon P900 camera with zoom range from 24 mm to 2000 mm equivalent. It slightly vignettes the image at 24 mm and that is a length I use frequently, so it is almost useless to me. The thread on the set ring and the hood inset are prone to jam when trying to adjust the rotation of the hood. If you are careful you can work with this, just be aware of it, as I was afraid I had locked the hood onto my lens at one point. Point and Shoot cameras like the P900 are not very robust, and don't like a lot of tugging and twisting of ill fitting threaded accessories on the lens. Other than that it is well enough made, and worth the money.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 58MM Altura Photo Collapsible Rubber Lens Hood for Camera Lens with 58MM Filter Thread; Brand: Altura Photo; Review: This was recommended by Amazon for Nikon P900 camera with a zoom range from 24 mm to 2000 mm equivalent. Even collapsed it vignettes the image at 24 mm and that is a length I use frquently, so it is useless to me. More importantly, it cannot be collapsed without risk of damaging the power zoom mechanism, as the the collapsed form results in folded rubber at the base of the hood preventing the lens from retracting to the maximum as it should. There is no warning, so the sensor/motor just cycles back and forth trying to retract against the rubber, and it easily could damage the inexpensive mechanism within the lens. The fully collapsed hood does not vignette as badly as shown in the accompanying photo, which is set in the middle range, but I couldn't take photos with the lens fully collapsed, as it should in order to work with the P900 as a universal lens hood. Don't buy this for the Nikon P900, despite Amazon's recommendation.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Case Logic DCB-304 Compact System/Hybrid Camera Case (Black); Brand: Case Logic; Review: I was looking for a protective case for my Nikon P900 super-zoom, and this was recommended by Amazon, by someone who never tried to cram the camera into this case. When I tried to put the P900 in the case, it simply didn't fit. I am reluctant to return it because it is a hassle for the amount of money I spent, so I am keeping it around in case I find some other equipment for which it more suitable. But don't buy it for a fairly hefty super-zoom with a non-removable lens.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Harry Potter Boys' Harry Potter Pajamas Quidditch Outfit; Brand: Harry Potter; Review: Good value; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lightweight Knee-Length Waffle Kimono Robe, Bridesmaids and Spa Bathrobes; Brand: Soft Touch Linen; Review: Love it. Great for a bride to be on her wedding day!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: G2 Chic Women's Spring and Summer Printed Dress - Plus and Regular Sizes; Brand: G2 Chic; Review: Very good value for the price; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: KOH KOH Womens Sleeveless Sexy Summer Vintage Tube Cocktail Gown; Brand: ; Review: Love this dress. Was a Mother of the Bride dress for an outdoor wedding. Very flattering & perfect for a semi-formal event!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GRACE KARIN Long Strapless Embroidery Prom Dress A-line CL6168 (Multi-Colored); Brand: ; Review: Wearing as another Mother of the Bride dress. Fits my daughter's theme & a great value!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: "Serial stowaway" arrested at Chicago airport for 2nd time; Abstract: Hartman was taken into custody was charged with one felony count of criminal trespass; Category: news
Title: Simone Biles breaks gymnastics worlds medals record, gets 5 golds this week; Abstract: Simone Biles finishes her likely last world championships as the all-time medal leader.; Category: sports
Title: The News In Cartoons; Abstract: News as seen through the eyes of the nation's editorial cartoonists.; Category: news
Title: Milania Giudice Says She'll See Dad Joe 'Soon' After He Leaves ICE Custody; Abstract: Milania Giudice Says She'll See Dad Joe 'Soon' After He Leaves ICE Custody; Category: tv
Title: These three women are young. They're powerful. And they just made history; Abstract: Simone Biles. Coco Gauff. Brigid Kosgei. You'll want to remember their names. This trio of female athletes just had quite a weekend.; Category: sports
Title: Indiana governor's race: Why one candidate wants to end vouchers; Abstract: One candidate vying for the Democratic nomination in Indiana's governor's race is proposing a sweeping and unlikely plan to raise teacher pay.; Category: news
Title: Tiger Woods is finally writing a memoir and it has the perfect title; Abstract: HarperCollins Publishers has acquired the rights to the first-ever memoir authored by Tiger Woods.; Category: sports
Title: Charles Conwell riddled with guilt, almost quit boxing after knocking Patrick Day into coma; Abstract: ; Category: sports
Title: Uber passenger run over by police car after fleeing from fight with other rider; Abstract: An Uber passenger who got into a physical altercation with another rider was struck and killed by a California highway patrol car after jumping from the Uber.; Category: news
Title: Missing Minnesota boy, 6, and his dog, found in cornfield by drone with thermal camera; Abstract: A missing 6-year-old boy from Minnesota and his dog were found Wednesday after hundreds of volunteers including one who used his own drone with a thermal camera searched for him for hours.; Category: news
Title: Former NFL lineman Justin Bannan arrested for attempted murder; Abstract: Former NFL defensive lineman Justin Bannan is sitting in a Colorado jail, on charges of suspicion of attempted first-degree murder.; Category: sports
Title: Ex-Maverick to pay for funeral of woman fatally shot in home by police; Abstract: ; Category: sports
Title: Duchess Meghan Describes 'Really Challenging' Life as New Royal: I'm Not OK; Abstract: Duchess Meghan Describes 'Really Challenging' Life as New Royal: I'm Not OK; Category: lifestyle
Title: Trump campaign threatens to sue CNN, citing Project Veritas videos; Abstract: An attorney representing President Trump's reelection campaign sent a letter to CNN on Friday threatening to sue.; Category: news
Title: Why it's so hard for planes to land on water; Abstract: When US Airways Flight 1549 landed in the Hudson river all 150 passengers survived. Landing a plane on the water is called ditching. Ditching is more common in smaller private planes, not large planes from companies like Boeing or Airbus. But the Miracle on the Hudson isn't the only time an aircraft has been ditched. And despite that success, landing a plane on the water can be extremely dangerous.; Category: video
Title: The News In Cartoons; Abstract: News as seen through the eyes of the nation's editorial cartoonists.; Category: news
Title: A quarter of US health care spending is waste, report says; Abstract: The highest burden of waste came from administrative costs.; Category: news
Title: This Sure Looks Like Mitt Romney's Secret Twitter Account; Abstract: Who follows all Mitt Romney's available kids on Twitter and likes tweets about Mitt Romney?; Category: news
Title: 7 changes coming to Social Security in 2020; Abstract: From what beneficiaries will be paid to what workers could owe in payroll tax, big changes are on the way for America's top social program.; Category: finance
Title: Police identify 2 suspects in murder of Andre Emmett last month; Abstract: Two men accused of killing former Texas Tech and NBA player Andre Emmett were identified by Dallas police on Monday, the Dallas Morning News reported.; Category: sports
Title: Black security officer who was fired for repeating racial slur gets job back; Abstract: The reversal came after student protests and a grievance from the officer's union.; Category: news
Title: Bag Explodes While Being Loaded On Volaris Flight At Midway Airport; Abstract: A bag being loaded onto an airplane at Midway Aiport exploded on Monday and the Chicago bomb unit has responded.; Category: travel
Title: Freshman Georgia Southern offensive lineman Jordan Wiggins dies at 18; Abstract: Georgia Southern freshman offensive lineman Jordan Wiggins has died. He was 18 years old.; Category: sports
Title: Tim Ryan drops out of presidential race; Abstract: Rep. Tim Ryan announced his decision to end his campaign, stating he would run again for his House seat.; Category: news
Title: Huge seized car collection nets $8.2 million at largest ever U.S. Marshals auction; Abstract: Burt Reynolds' 'Bandit' Trans Am among the lots sold.; Category: autos
Title: Joe Biden reportedly denied Communion at a South Carolina church because of his stance on abortion; Abstract: Joe Biden has a complicated history with the Catholic Church.; Category: news
Title: Where have Cape Town's great whites gone?; Abstract: Shark spotters say Cape Town's world-famous great whites have disappeared. So where have they gone?; Category: video
Title: Kevin Spacey Won't Be Charged in Sexual Assault Case After Accuser Dies; Abstract: The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has formally dropped a case against actor Kevin Spacey, after the accuser died.; Category: movies
Title: US Fed cuts interest rates, signals it is on hold; Abstract: "We believe that monetary policy is in a good place," Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in a news conference after the U.S. central bank announced its decision to cut its key overnight lending rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a target range of between 1.50% and 1.75%.; Category: finance
Title: The world's largest nuclear power producer is melting down; Abstract: On the shores of the English channel in Normandy, engineers are struggling to fix eight faulty welds at a plant that's supposed to showcase France's savoir faire in nuclear power.; Category: finance
Title: Surfing executive sentenced to prison in college admissions scam; Abstract: Federal prosecutors in Boston said Wednesday that surfing executive Jeffrey Bizzack has been sentenced to two months in prison for participating in the massive college admissions scheme.; Category: news
Title: 15 reasons we should get rid of daylight saving time; Abstract: 15 reasons we should get rid of daylight saving time; Category: weather
Title: Solange Knowles splits with husband ahead of anniversary; Abstract: Solange Knowles announced the split on Instagram, saying she and Alan Ferguson have "separated and parted ways."; Category: music
Title: Autopsy shows 8-foot python fatally strangled Indiana woman; Abstract: OXFORD, Ind. (AP) An autopsy has determined that an Indiana woman found with an 8-foot-long (2.4-meter-long) python wrapped around her neck was killed by the reptile. State Police said Friday the autopsy found that 36-year-old Laura Hurst's cause of death was "asphyxiation due to strangulation by a snake." Those findings are pending a final toxicology report. The Battle Ground, Indiana, woman was found unresponsive Wednesday on the floor of a...; Category: news
Title: Niagara Falls: Boat stuck on rocks 101 years dislodged; Abstract: High winds and heavy rains dislodged the remains of a barge in the rapids above Niagara Falls that had been there 101 years.; Category: weather
Title: 82-year-old priest killed in flash floods after Halloween storm, police say; Abstract: Father Tom Connery, who served as a priest for 56 years, was killed after his vehicle became trapped in Herkimer County during the storm, police said.; Category: news
Title: Elizabeth Warren's Days Defending Big Corporations; Abstract: Elizabeth Warren had never taken on the federal government before. But in 1995, she found herself up against the Clinton administration, representing the Cleveland-based conglomerate LTV Steel. Even though LTV had sold off its coal mines during the 1980s, a new law required it to contribute to a health fund for retired miners. LTV believed that it should not have to pay. Those claims, the company said, should have been handled as part of its...; Category: finance
Title: Ask the Captain: Do pilots like it when passengers clap after landing?; Abstract: Does working a redeye flight hurt the flight crew as much it does passengers? And what do pilots think when they hear passengers clap after landing?; Category: travel
Title: President Trump says UFC reception was 'like walking into a Trump Rally'; Abstract: Despite hearing boos, President Trump compares reception from crowd at UFC 244 in New York to one at a campaign event. "Plenty of MAGA ..."; Category: sports
Title: Pirates kidnap nine crew members from cargo ship off coast of Benin; Abstract: Pirates boarded a shipping vessel and kidnapped nine crew members off the coast of Benin in West Africa early Saturday morning, according to J.J. Ugland, the Norwegian shipping company which owns the vessel.; Category: news
Title: After python strangles woman in sheriff's 'snake house,' Indiana town wants regulations; Abstract: The Oxford Town Council is considering an ordinance that specifically has restrictions for constricting snakes, such as pythons.; Category: news
Title: 2 brides lifted a 253-pound barbell together after exchanging vows to celebrate their marriage; Abstract: The photo of Zeena Hernandez, 27, and Lisa Yang, 28, lifting the barbell together in their wedding dresses has since gone viral.; Category: lifestyle
Title: Some GOP senators buck Trump, Rand Paul on calls to release whistleblower's identity; Abstract: Lawmakers were defending the whistleblower at the center of the impeachment inquiry after President Trump and Sen. Rand Paul called for the individual to be identified.; Category: news
Title: Air Force airman missing after fall into Gulf of Mexico from C-130 aircraft; Abstract: A U.S. Air Force airman went missing Tuesday after falling from a C-130 aircraft into the Gulf of Mexico, according to reports.; Category: news
Title: Before his execution, a death row inmate told his victim's family he forgives them; Abstract: Charles Rhines, who was convicted of murder in the brutal stabbing of a 22-year-old man in 1992, was executed in South Dakota Monday, the state's attorney general said, after the Supreme Court denied a last-ditch appeal of his case.; Category: news
Title: Why Columbus locals say Mike Pence's hometown flipped Democrat for 1st time in 36 years; Abstract: Voters in Columbus, Indiana, elected a majority Democratic city council for the first time in nearly 40 years.; Category: news
Title: Next week will bring near record lows to Indianapolis; Abstract: Meteorologist Chad Swain said to expect freezing temperatures that are just a degree or two above record lows.; Category: weather
Title: State Trooper Stops Banana Car Driver, Gives Him $20 Instead of a Ticket; Abstract: Is it a crime to be this ridiculous? Not in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where a 1993 Ford F-150 4x4 was turned into . . . this.; Category: autos
Title: Opinions | It's too late to save yourself now, Bill Barr; Abstract: Barr has squandered the independence of the Justice Department. He can't distance himself from Trump now.; Category: news
Title: Fiancee of victim killed in Hard Rock Hotel accident describes his final moments; Abstract: The body of Hard Rock Hotel collapse victim Quinnyon Wimberly will not be recovered before a demolition of the building.; Category: news
Title: See Mercury glide across the sun in rare sky show; Abstract: On November 11, the innermost planet will sail across the solar disk in an event that won't repeat for another 13 years.; Category: news
Title: Republicans are throwing Giuliani under the bus. But there's a problem.; Abstract: Giuliani, Mulvaney and Sondland as the fall guys? Good luck with that argument.; Category: news
Title: Family told to take down Christmas display because it's too soon to decorate; Abstract: A Texas couple was told by their homeowners association to pump the brakes on their Christmas cheer.; Category: lifestyle | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: KEEN Women's Newport H2 Sandal; Brand: ; Review: They are really comfortable and fit well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
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: ; Review: They are really comfortable and fit well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
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: ; Review: They are really comfortable and fit well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lewis N Clark Triple Security Lock: TSA Luggage Locks for Suitcases, Carry On, Laptop Bag &; Brand: Lewis N. Clark; Review: These locks are great if you want to hold several zippers together so they can't move. However, you must be careful not to touch the numbers while the cables are open or removed, or your combination will change, and you'll spend a good amount of time figuring out what it changed to.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: See Kai Run Sawyer Casual Leather High Top (Toddler); Brand: ; Review: My grandson (age 2) actually wanted to put them back after he touted them on.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Youngland Little Girls' Apple Applique to Dotted Legging Set; Brand: ; Review: Granddaughter loved it, but it is cut small. She usually wears a 4T, and the 5 was way too snug. Had to exchange for 6.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Cafe Napoli; City: Clayton, MO; Review: We had an unfortunate experience at Napoli tonight (9/26). I and my friend arrived and the hostess put our name on the list to be seated, with about 2 parties ahead of us. We were told to wait 15-25 minutes, which we did patiently. I checked with the hostess multiple times afterwards about seating and she shrugged her shoulders each time. After about 1 hour and 10 minutes we got up from the bar (where we had informed her multiple times we were sitting) and let her know that we were leaving. At this point she dishonestly told us, in front of someone I presume was a manager, that she had tried to look for us multiple times (we were in plain sight at the bar facing her and we would have easily spotted each other had she actually tried to find us). During this entire time, I saw several parties who showed up after us without reservations be seated. I went up to her a total of four times while we were there and we got no semblance of an apology as we were leaving. We were actually scouting out the place as a potential place to hold our residency interview dinners this season and it's unfortunate that our first time to Cafe Napoli was one that left me and my friend a little disrespected and crestfallen that we were treated this way. On the upside, the crowd seemed lively, well-dressed, the cocktails were decent, and the drink selection is quite varied. Seems like a place I would bring a girl on a date, with advance reservations and with the guarantee I wouldn't be given the run around. That being said, I would be reluctant to return anytime soon.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Pastaria; City: Clayton, MO; Review: First time to pastaria. We got there at 6:30 and waited 90 mins for a table. The staff was very nice and our server was good. Risotto balls were good. The food overall though was pretty underwhelming, as if the pasta were still a bit undercooked and I had to douse it in olio picante and pepper to make it more edible. Small dinner plate portions were noted all around the table and we had to ask for bread after being seated. I guess I expected more given all I had heard about this place. Maybe I will try it out again for lunch some time...; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Rooster - South Grand; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: I'm a regular at the rooster downtown by my house and came in pretty early to the grand ave location for breakfast. First, was not exactly blown away by our server's curt attitude when I asked some questions about price increases on the menu. Overall the lady server w purple hair wasn't exactly the friendly face I'm used to at rooster. We got our food promptly but my slinger (my go to item) was cold, the eggs were not how I ordered them, the gravy and sausage did not taste fresh (especially the sausage which was really dry). Not to mention I don't know why but this location seems to always be stingy w the gravy. At that point, I did not feel comfortable complaining to our server about the food for fear she would just shut me down like she did earlier. I usually sing praises of rooster but this was one experience I hope not to repeat.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: 4 Hands Brewing; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: They said they would have food until 10pm but at 9:40 told me they were not able to make any more food. This was a little surprising and I asked them a few minutes later if they could accommodate a late order and they just said oh they ran out of "everything". Yea right Guys.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Grbic Restaurant; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: Went to a reception and the food was outstanding. Would definitely recommend catering by this restaurant and the venue at Grbic events was amazing. What a beautiful dinner and dance space!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Diana's Bakery; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: Delicious desserts (strawberry tres leches and Choco flan). Would definitely come back. I brought these desserts to a work get together and it was a total hit!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Platinum Fitness Fit Sit Deluxe Folding Pedal Exerciser Leg Machine with Electronic Display; Brand: Platinum Fitness; Review: GOOD QUILITY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TheraBand Ankle Weights, Comfort Fit Wrist & Ankle Cuff Weight Set, Adjustable Walking Weights for Cardio, Home; Brand: TheraBand; Review: LIKE; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TheraBand Ankle Weights, Comfort Fit Wrist & Ankle Cuff Weight Set, Adjustable Walking Weights for Cardio, Home; Brand: TheraBand; Review: LIKE; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cuetec Billiard/Pool Plastic Talley Shaker Bottle with Peas/Balls (Kelly/Pill Pool); Brand: Cuetec; Review: LIKE IT.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tapp Collections Bingo Transparent Chips 300-pk; Brand: Tapp Collections; Review: like; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Castelinho38; City: Rio de Janeiro State of Rio de Janeiro; Review: Really good staff, very nice charming hotel, nice breakfast, safe location. 100 meters away from the hotel you have nice cosy bars from the real Rio and far away from the crowd. Perfect to feel good and then visiting the rest of the city. Santa Teresa is typical with its tram going down to the financial center. Don t hesitate, it s a really nice way to discover Rio and not only the places known like Copacabana for example. Have fun!!! Stephane from Nice (France); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: After Hotel Montevideo; City: Montevideo Montevideo Department; Review: The hotel is a bit far away from the center which is a good thing as there is not much to see in Montevideo, at least you can cross the city and see what it looks like, much more than enough. Apart of it, the rooms are clean but small. Do not count on the swimming pool to have fun. the staff is mostly very nice but unexperimented. The hotel is 3 months old and works inside are not over yet so if you come here to relax and sleep late in the morning then forget it!!!!!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Altalaluna Hotel Boutique Spa; City: Cafayate Province of Salta Northern Argentina; Review: Fantastic place to stay! Magical place between wine, mountains, wellness. What a chance to try that experience on your holidays! The staff is perfect. Seriously try it and try the wine of the domain!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grand Hotel Spiaggia; City: Alassio Italian Riviera Liguria; Review: Location, view, staff, hotel itself... Everything is just perfect! The breakfast room at the 6th floor with a sea view is amazing and delicious with everything you want... The beach of the hotel is very comfortable!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Pipa Atlantico; City: Praia da Pipa State of Rio Grande do Norte; Review: It looks great from outside but inside the rooms, it's another story. After we visited two of them, I quickly understood that another visit would not be necessary. The worst was when I saw the bathroom, not even dirty, it was rotten. Had to shower with flip flops as it was impossible for me to do differently. The bed was not pleasant to sleep in. Some of the staff is ok. I tried other places in Pipa much better than that one.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: CPH Apartment; City: Copenhagen Zealand; Review: Good location, apartment spacious so is the bathroom except it's rotten in each corner. I talked about it to the person who is in charge of the place and told me they have to renovate it!!! If I had to go back there then I will make sure it will be totally clean...; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Casa da Santa; City: Rio de Janeiro State of Rio de Janeiro; Review: a perfect location in Santa Teresa. lovely room, lovely staff, the owner Mathieu is just exceptional. He has been very helpful all the way. During the breakfast little monkeys come and say hello and it makes the stay even more magical...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Miramar Hotel by Windsor; City: Rio de Janeiro State of Rio de Janeiro; Review: I was very sceptical about booking a hotel in Copacabana but when we arrived I changed my mind right away. The staff is extraordinary, rooms are stunning, the breakfast is beyond what you can expect and what to say when you're on the top of the hotel by the swimming pool staring at the bay of Copacabana. I'd go back there for sure...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hostellerie Des Gorges De Pennafort; City: Callas Var Provence Alpes Cote d Azur; Review: Stunning! What a beautiful and peaceful place. The restaurant is not just a restaurant, it's more than a concept, it's a moment you wouldn't have imagined before going to the place. Swimming pool and spa are great next to their lake surrounded by the wonderful nature. I'll be going back there for sure...; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Why Professional Chefs Refuse to Cook with Truffle Oil; Abstract: Truffles are some of the priciest ingredients you can buy so how is it that they're so common on restaurant menus these days?; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Woman Spots Deadly Animal Hiding In Photo Of Her Kids; Abstract: Her unsuspecting children weren't the only ones posing for the pictures.; Category: lifestyle
Title: Women as young as 27 who are going prematurely gray show off their natural hair; Abstract: The global movement Grombre has now seen women of all ages, from all over the world, embrace their silver locks.; Category: lifestyle
Title: Texas attorney convicted of scamming drug traffickers; Abstract: A Texas lawyer has been convicted of corruption for scamming roughly $1.5 million from international drug traffickers whom authorities say turned him to the FBI.; Category: news
Title: Cause determined in Jessi Combs' fatal speed record crash; Abstract: Occurred at speeds near 550 mph; Category: autos
Title: Man dies after stabbing in Maryland Popeyes; fight over chicken sandwich, sources say; Abstract: A man was fatally stabbed Monday evening while inside a Maryland Popeyes following a fight over a chicken sandwich, a source told Fox News.; Category: news
Title: Jenelle Evans Obtains Temporary Restraining Order Against David Eason; Abstract: Former Teen Mom star Jenelle Evans accuses David Eason of abuse in court documents obtained exclusively by E! News; Category: tv
Title: Snow crab sells for record price in Japan; Abstract: A "five shining star" snow crab was auctioned off in Tottori, Japan for a record-breaking 5 million yen ($46,000). wide.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Tamron Hall Talks Leaving the Today Show, Jokes About Megyn Kelly's Reported Multimillion Payout; Abstract: Tamron Hall Talks Losing the Today Show; Category: tv | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Giver (The Giver, #1); Author: Lois Lowry; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I thought this was a pretty good book. :) to be honest, I would give it 4 1/2 stars. It's definitely not as action-packed (or violent) as Divergent or The Hunger Games, but it was a quite compelling and very thought-provoking story in my opinion. I'm picky when it comes to futuristic books, but this was an exception.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom; Author: Corrie ten Boom; Genres: history, young-adult, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: One of the most amazing and inspirational books I've ever read. Corrie ten Boom was truly a spectacular woman. Anyone who wants to know (or know more) about WWII, the affects of the concentration camps, and strong, unrelenting people should read this book. Along with Night by Elie Weisel. Awesome ways to learn about God's grace.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Number the Stars; Author: Lois Lowry; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: I finished this book in three days (almost two, but I had other things I had to do) and enjoyed it very much. This is a bittersweet story with sad but hopefully elements. The ending gave me shivers. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a well-told story with a gripping premise and appealing characters. Especially those who like historical fiction.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: For Darkness Shows the Stars (For Darkness Shows the Stars, #1); Author: Diana Peterfreund; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I thought this was a really good book. The beginning (in my opinion) was a little slow, but it was worth it in the end. I've never read Jane Austen's "Persuasion" before, but this story makes me want to read it. I'll admit, I'm not a big sci-fi/futuristic literature fan, but this book was an exception. After my friend read it, she told me I must read it too. I did, and am glad of it! Even though it did take me awhile to finish it, I was happy that I read it after all. I really liked the main character Elliot North. Fans of futuristic and Classic literature will certainly enjoy this book!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: This Is What Happy Looks Like (This is What Happy Looks Like, #1); Author: Jennifer E. Smith; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: Such a compelling story with sweet romance and great character development! Jennifer E Smith's books are fun, adorable, and humorous. And so tender. Her books are clean and perfect for anyone searching for a good romance. Similar to Michelle Dalton's works. And, I know there are people who complain about the characters talking about how plain they look and everything, but I have to say that I believe it's in order to relate to those who actually do feel that way. I can relate, for that matter! I appreciate how there are authors who do that for those of us who might or may have felt that way at one point--or still do! Highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children, #1); Author: Ransom Riggs; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This is a good book. The story itself was entertaining and I had a hard time putting it down. The cussing bothered me as did the kid's attitude toward his parents, but, other than that, I enjoyed the story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Hobbit; Author: J.R.R. Tolkien; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This book is filled with adventure and many great morals. I've read it twice already and love it. I also really enjoy the movies. They're my most favorite series of all, as with LOTR and The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice, #1); Author: John Flanagan; Genres: history, young-adult, children, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I would give this 4 1/2 stars, but since I can't, I'll give it four. The book was quite entertaining! I enjoyed it, and the humor was also very good :) My brother introduced this book to me awhile back, but I didn't have much interest in reading it. Then recently, a friend of mine convinced me to read it, insisting that I would, indeed, enjoy the story. So with that, along with the persuasion from my brother, I read it. And boy were they right! The characters were likable, especially Halt. I recommend this book to both pre-teens and teens, especially the ones who love fantasy.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight; Author: Jennifer E. Smith; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: This is a good book. It took me a bit longer to read than The Geography of You and Me and This Is What Happy Looks Like, but I still liked it! It's engaging and very sweet. I, personally, didn't find it cheesy, and the story is (in my opinion) no less cute than her other works. The characters are cool and you can definitely feel their emotions. There are only two words (both fairly mild--nothing terrible) and no sex. Just kissing. We need more books like this one (content-wise) in the market! VERDICT: Those who enjoy Jennifer E. Smith's other books will find much satisfaction with this one!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Geography of You and Me; Author: Jennifer E. Smith; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: This is a really good story! I love it!! The ending made my heart flutter. It is very clean (which is rare in YA literature nowadays) and the characters are likable. The romance is sweet and innocent, and there is also very little language. You're guaranteed to race to the ending by the last half of the book and sigh when it's over. This was my first modern fiction romance (highly recommended to me by a good friend of mine) and I was pleasantly surprised by it! If you enjoy sweet romance with a classic storyline, you'll love this book. :) (I personally prefer the hardcover version for the beautiful and unique cover); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Chronicles of Narnia (Chronicles of Narnia, #1-7); Author: C.S. Lewis; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: As with LOTR, this is one of the best series I've ever read. Both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were really amazing authors. The Chronicles of Narnia is also magical, thought-provoking and very deep. The first movie is awesome and I really liked the second.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lord of the Rings (The Lord of the Rings, #1-3); Author: J.R.R. Tolkien; Genres: paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, fiction; Review: ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS/SERIES I'VE EVER READ!!! This is a thought-provoking, deep, magical and inspiring story. I love both it and the movies, which are also amazing.; 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'll admit, I really like the writing. The author makes you curious as to what will happen next. The story is riveting too, but the violence was a bit much for me and I found it rather dark and depressing. But, aside from that, it was an okay book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy #1); Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This was a very entertaining and suspenseful book. I wasn't too fond of Sage, the main character. He was kind of annoying at times, but aside from that, the story was good. I liked it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wired Love: A Romance of Dots and Dashes; Author: Ella Cheever Thayer; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This is a very charming book. The romance is innocent and you grow to care for the characters. There is no language, nudity, or sex. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it for anyone who likes a good romance, historical fiction, and/or entertaining story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Little Lord Fauntleroy; Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: This is a really good classic. The moment I saw it on Christmas Day at my grandparents', I immediately started it. I couldn't put it down. The story is fun and the premise is riveting. I love the little boy--the main character. He's very sweet and it's just a tender hearted story. :) I recommend it to pretty much anyone!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle, #1); Author: Christopher Paolini; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Ive already reviewed the box set for Eragon and Eldest, but I'll just go ahead and review the book itself. I love Eragon. It's one of the best books I've ever read. It's so magical and I read it whenever I could. At the time I read it--at the age of 12--I was also a Star Wars fanatic, BUT, Star Wars never came to mind while reading it. There was only once when I made a little connection and that was in a small part of the third book Brisingr. I will be starting Inheritance--the fourth and last book--next month. I even loved Eldest (even though it took me almost three months to finish. Read it at the same age I did Eragon) and Brisingr, which I've also reviewed. But all in all, this is a highly recommended book! :) Something else to add--I know several people have complained about Eragon's "immature" behavior, etc., but the funny thing is, the author made Eragon the same age as him (a teenager). So he's created an authentic teen character. Even if he is kind of annoying sometimes, at least the author was a legitimate teen writing about a teen. Not an adult trying to sound like a teenager. This isn't always the case, but many times it is.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eldest (The Inheritance Cycle, #2); Author: Christopher Paolini; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Rating--3.5 stars This is a good story. I like it a lot. It took me a long time to finish though, but it was still a fun read. I absolutely love the series.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Brisingr (The Inheritance Cycle, #3); Author: Christopher Paolini; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I remember waking up Christmas morning, 2008, running downstairs and seeing this book lying on the arm of our couch. Man was I ecstatic!! As soon as we were finished opening presents, I immediately ran up to my room and began reading it. This was a really good story. It, like Eldest, took me a little while to read, but not as much time. Like Eragon, I read it every chance I got. Granted, it was long, but I loved it all the same. Christopher Paolini is a very talented author! I like his writing style. I still remember when this series was all the rage when I was younger. It is a great book for fantasy lovers.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1); Author: J.K. Rowling; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is a magical book and very entertaining!! I really enjoyed it. :D It's more-so a book for older kids though.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: And Then There Were None; Author: Agatha Christie; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: (Edited review) This is a VERY suspenseful and a rather creepy book (if not sometimes disturbing,) but it's definitely engaging and has a lot of intrigue! I can see why Agatha Christie's considered the most famous crime/detective author ever. The tension starts when everyone arrives at the island. When the first person is killed, that's when it gets to the point of "on-the-edge-of-your-seat" suspenseful and pulse-pounding. I even felt like the assassin was somewhere around me as I read the book. Especially at night! I tore through it, trying to figure out who the murderer was. Perfect for those who love mystery, action (for there is quite a bit of action,) and intense stories. There is some violence, but it's more like Sherlock-type violence. It's spooky and a great Halloween read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Running Around (And Such) (Lizzie Searches for Love, #1); Author: Linda Byler; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: This is a really good book. I read it in two days on a family road trip and LOVED it! Can't wait to read the rest of the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Something Wicked This Way Comes (Green Town, #2); Author: Ray Bradbury; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This is a compelling and creepy book! I like it a lot. I enjoyed the movie just as much. The only thing that bothered me was the constant swearing. Aside from that, the story line is good and the book is entertaining.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How to Train Your Dragon (How to Train Your Dragon, #1); Author: Cressida Cowell; Genres: history, young-adult, children, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is an hilarious and very fun book!! I thoroughly enjoyed it--reading it in two days straight. I had recommended it to a friend of mine and she and I both absolutely love the series and can't wait for the last one!!! Although we are also sad that it's almost over. :(; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Matched (Matched, #1); Author: Ally Condie; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: (Edited review) I think this is a good book. I originally read it a couple of years ago and liked it well. I read it again recently and liked it even better. I sped through it faster than I had the first time. The romance is sweet. Ky--one of the main characters--is really cool and has a gentle personality. Cassia--the main, main character--is a good narrator. The writing is poetic and there is no violence--which is one reason why I personally like this book. Romance is the primary theme and it is clean, so it's fine for young teens to read. The second half got kind of slow, but overall, I think it's a fun and engrossing story. It's one of the few pieces of futuristic literature I enjoyed. :) Highly recommended!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Redwall (Redwall, #1); Author: Brian Jacques; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is a very good book with an engaging storyline. I really enjoyed it. I read it a couple of years ago and couldn't put it down. A friend of mine recommended it to me. The characters were great and the villains were very creepy. This is more of a book for kids 13 and up. I highly recommend it to those who love adventure, medieval-settings, fantasy and an entertaining read with good morals. :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1); Author: Rick Riordan; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Read this every minute I could. It's entertaining, humorous, and mysterious. I like the main character, Percy. Recommended!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jonathan Livingston Seagull; Author: Richard Bach; Genres: young-adult, children, poetry, paranormal, non-fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/5 stars This is a fun, friendly story and you end up caring for the characters. It is a quick read and has good morals. I definitely recommend it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Pilgrim's Progress; Author: John Bunyan; Genres: history, young-adult, poetry, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: A really good and influential (not to mention--important) Christian allegory. :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Book of the Dun Cow (Chauntecleer the Rooster, #1); Author: Walter Wangerin Jr.; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: A magical book with great morals. My dad had read it years ago and recommended it to me. I read it and enjoyed every minute. The writing is very well done and the story is both fun and, sometimes, even thrilling. The villain and the tragedies he puts upon the kingdom are actually scary and have you on the edge of your seat, concerned for the animals. You feel their emotions. I really like the characters--especially Chauntecleer and Mundo Cani. A highly recommended read for those who love Redwall and LOTR. And simply for anyone searching for a great, morally-balanced, entertaining book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Capture (Guardians of Ga'Hoole, #1); Author: Kathryn Lasky; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Great book! A fast and fun read filled with suspense, magic and a lot of action. The second book is just as good! I also love the movie, which is like visual magic. The music is especially amazing. But anyway, I recommend this one for older children, as there are some scary elements and the story is a bit dark, but aside from that, it is a very enjoyable and riveting book. Anyone could read it! :) especially if you love owls (obviously.); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Thief Lord; Author: Cornelia Funke; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is one of the most fun books I've ever read! It was engaging, humorous, intriguing and--at times--suspenseful. I also like the characters. In my opinion, it is a very enjoyable read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Flight of the Earls (Heirs of Ireland #1); Author: Michael K. Reynolds; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I love this book. My mom read it and enjoyed it and said that she thought I would too. i found this to be a very tantalizing story. You feel a connection with the characters, cared about them and their struggles. I felt happy, mad, sad, relieved--all those emotions you get when reading a very good book. The ending was wonderful! Highly recommended! This is for pretty much anyone who loves historical fiction. Especially Christian fiction.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Robinson Crusoe; Author: Daniel Defoe; Genres: history, young-adult, children, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Even though it was kind of slow-going, I really enjoyed this book. It was good and gave me a sense of what the character was going through. :) great classic!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Phantom of the Opera; Author: Gaston Leroux; Genres: history, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: This is a good story. It took me a while to read. I had put it down after starting last year, but I recently picked it back up again and started where id left it (around halfway) and raced to the end, intrigued and in suspense. It is definitely darker than the movie (which is to be expected). I teared up a little at the end. It's a good love story--but not for young people. It's better for older teens and up. It is a sad, bittersweet story. You feel sorry for Erik the ghost. You quickly learn to care for the characters and the circumstances they go through. I'm not a gothic romance fan, but this was an exception. This is certainly a thrilling read. Recommended to me by a really good friend); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Journey to Freedom; Author: Gilbert Morris; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, young-adult; Review: I've read this book twice and enjoyed it both times. The ending made me happy and kind of tearful. It is a really good story and fast-paced. The characters are appealing--you learn to care for them. It is suspenseful, thrilling, entertaining, has great morals and an enjoyable book overall. Highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eragon & Eldest (Inheritance, #1-2); Author: Christopher Paolini; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is one of my most favorite book series ever!! I read Eragon when I was 12 and thoroughly enjoyed it, reading it every minute that I could. It was my first "big kid" novel, and the adventure was very alluring. I didn't find Eldest to be quite as exciting and fast paced as Eragon, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Aside from that, I loved the stories. Pre-teens and teens who enjoy fantasy, adventure and (especially) dragons, will find this series a great enjoyment! :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County; Author: Mark Twain; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: This is a good funny classic! You can tell it's by the creator Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Healer's Apprentice (Hagenheim, #1); Author: Melanie Dickerson; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This is one of the first romance stories that I've ever read when I was younger--and enjoyed! I was drawn into the story from the start and found it to be quite riveting. (In my opinion,) it isn't preachy and the love is very innocent (which you'd expect from a Christian romance.) The characters are likable and the ending is swoon-worthy. Highly recommended for girls 14 and up.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Laurel the Woodfairy; Author: Cassie Kendall; Genres: paranormal, children, fantasy, fiction; Review: This book is one of the ones that got me into reading in the first place when I was 11. It's a magical story and a great book for little girls (and probably even boys--for there is a main boy character.) There is adventure, the illustrations are beautiful and the world the creatures lived in was so real to me. It played a big part on my imagination as a child and was also one of the books that started me on fantasy. I loved it!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Fight to Survive (Star Wars: Boba Fett, #1); Author: Terry Bisson; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is one of the series that got me into reading. I love this series. When I was about 11/12, I was a Star Wars fanatic! (And I still love it) I watched the movies and played the Lego video games that were based off of SW. I devoured these books--one reason being that I really liked the kid Boba Fett character. As well as the adult. This is a great series for any child who enjoys action and adventure. Especially if they are Star Wars fans! It's a lot of fun for both boys and girls. The youngest age for this series, I think, is probably 10/11. More like 11. There are intense moments and, every once in a while--scary moments. But no language and no gore. Highly recommended! :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pride and Prejudice; Author: Jane Austen; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I love this book!! It's one of my favorite classics. The romance is so sweet and the writing, engaging. There is also something about the story that is appealing, and fascinating in regards to learning about the time period. The characters seem "alive" and their conversations are, in turn, witty as well as thought-provoking. This is one of the few books I have enjoyed reading more than once. In addition to this, the more recent movie has made me appreciate the story itself even more!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wonder; Author: R.J. Palacio; Genres: children, young-adult, fiction; Review: This is a good book! Very inspiring. I'll admit, I was reluctant to read it, due to people saying it was sad and kind of depressing--and it was! No doubt about it but once a friend of mine suggested it to me, I read it, and found it to be an enjoyable story! I really liked the main character, August, who happened to become my favorite character. His narrative was captivating and fun. I also found Jack Will to be a cool kid later in the story. The ending brought a few tears to my eyes. I definitely recommend it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Navigating Early; Author: Clare Vanderpool; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: This book is definitely entertaining and has a lovely dose of imagination. The characters are very engaging, and there's just something about them that's relatable. The two boys are realistic kids who have a wonderful adventure. This author is talented and she portrays the story and her characters very well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Glow (Sky Chasers, #1); Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Rating--3.5 stars It was okay. I didn't necessarily read the whole thing, I pretty much stopped a little over halfway. One reason being, it's not particularly a genre I enjoy, but I decided to give it a chance based off of recommendations. The writing was really good. The premise was intriguing, and what I did read was riveting, but--in my opinion--it seemed to drag on a little after about halfway. The twists and turns were certainly fun and there were very thrilling and suspenseful scenes. But in the end, it wasn't really my type. People who enjoy science fiction, romance and suspense will find it more interesting though.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hoot; Author: Carl Hiaasen; Genres: young-adult, thriller, children, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: I remember first watching the movie years ago. Both my brother and I really liked it. It wasn't until fairly recently that I found out it was originally a book. The story is fun and very entertaining. A little past halfway is when i zoomed through it. A great read for older kids and young adults. It's funny and suspenseful. It's also feel-good. Recommended!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lone Wolf (Wolves of the Beyond, #1); Author: Kathryn Lasky; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I like this book. It's quite entertaining and the premise is very engaging. I couldn't put it down once I started.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Big Decisions (Lizzie Searches for Love, #3); Author: Linda Byler; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: This is a really good book. Lizzie, the main character, annoyed me quite a bit, but she was learning. Throughout the series she is a headstrong, sassy, often dramatic, person with selfishness issues. Other than that, she is a compelling character. It took me no time to read the first and second. This one took me a little longer, but I couldn't put it down. The author is definitely talented and this book taught me a lot about the Amish way of life and the youth and their thought processes. It's a feel-good story. :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The New Rules for Love, Sex, and Dating; Author: Andy Stanley; Genres: non-fiction, romance; Review: This book is informative and has sound info about dating. The advice Andy Stanley gives is very helpful. I highly recommend this book! Andy Stanley is also a good speaker.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Sons of Hull (The Advocate Trilogy, #1); Author: Lindsey Scholl; Genres: fiction; Review: This was a pretty good book. I learned to care for the characters and the concept was fascinating. It took me a while to read (and one of the main reasons I read it is because one of the main characters' names--Amarian--is very similar to mine.) I enjoyed the action and the writing is well-done. It felt slow in certain areas and sometimes the details seemed too bogged down. There are quite a few twists and turns, which I liked. Overall, it's a fun, thought-provoking, adventurous read. Not to mention, oftentimes suspenseful.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: When Strawberries Bloom (Lizzie Searches for Love, #2); Author: Linda Byler; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: This is my fav book out of the whole series. It has a great cliffhanger and the story is really good in general. Those who enjoy Christian (and particularly Amish) fiction will like this book! :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stormbreaker; Author: Anthony Horowitz; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is an enjoyable book. I really like it! Anyone who likes adventure, action and even spy stories will love this one. :) I had to know what was going on in the next chapter. The ending was wild. It was also rather intense--but in a good way. More like, suspenseful. It's worth a read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Swiss Family Robinson; Author: Johann David Wyss; Genres: history, young-adult, children, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: This story is very adventuresome and, like Robinson Crusoe, will give you good ideas on how to survive when you're by yourself or with a group. I really enjoyed it. :) highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beautiful; Author: Cindy Martinusen Coloma; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: This book is very riveting. Character-wise, I wasn't too fond of how the parents were. In the beginning, they did not seem very involved in their children's lives. They were kind of flippant--but got better in the end. Aside from that, you quickly learn to care for rest of the characters and you feel their needs, emotions, etc. I read this book whenever I could. A friend of mine recommended it to me and I'm glad they did! It is also a very poignant story and the ending was really good. A triumphant ending. And inspiring.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between; Author: Jennifer E. Smith; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: Another win for Jennifer E Smith for a cute, riveting story regarding decisions about love. The ending made me smile and sigh! There is barely any language. The worse it gets is the "bulls--" word said about four times, but at the end of a chapter. This one is a little more mature, considering that the main characters are college students, but it's so sweet all the same. It did take me a little while to finish, but the same thing happened with The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight. The writing style is not my most favorite, but the story gave me a good feeling. Jennifer E Smith is an awesome YA romance author. The innocence of the love is very refreshing and the fact that there is little language is also a nice reprieve from most of the Young Adult books nowadays. I will be looking forward to reading her "You Are Here" book, as well as "The Comeback Season". She has definitely become one of my favorite authors!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Point Blank; Author: Anthony Horowitz; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I "devoured" this book. By the last half, I was flying through the pages, trying to figure out what the antagonist was doing to the boys at the school. There are quite a few twists and turns, shiver-inducing descriptions, and gasp-worthy scenes. Especially at the end. This is an awesome book. And, I'll say--I actually liked it more than the first. So riveting, fast-paced, action-packed, funny and wonderfully written. One of the best books I've ever read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Yearling; Author: Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: Rating--2 1/2 stars; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Neverending Story; Author: Michael Ende; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This book is a lot fun to read and has a great story! I saw the movie first, and enjoyed it. Then when I heard about the book, I read it and--though it took me a little while--I loved it. I still do of course! The story is very enthralling and I like how the author incorporates his idea that stories will never end--(hence, the title!). And it is very true! Anyone looking for an adventurous, imaginative, magical, intriguing book should read this one.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Farmer Giles of Ham; Author: J.R.R. Tolkien; Genres: history, young-adult, children, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I really love this book! I read it in two days and could not put it down! This is most definitely a tale worthy for a fun, light, humorous, and compelling read. I also enjoyed the characters and recommend this book to anyone who likes a good story in regards to those former descriptions.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anne of Green Gables [Anne Shirley Series - The Complete Collection]; Author: L.M. Montgomery; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Rating--4.5 stars Love love love the first book. As well as 2-6. The last two are okay. They aren't my favorites, but they're still good. I have mixed feelings about the 7th one (Rainbow Valley). The last one (Rilla of Ingleside) was kind of sad but it has a nice ending. Overall, it's one of the best series of all time!!! =DDD (In my opinion); 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: Rating: 3 1/2 stars.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Elliot and the Goblin War (Underworld Chronicles #1); Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: An interesting, strange, funny little book. I enjoyed the humor. I found the characters likable and the premise entertaining. I read it in 3 days--being that it was a quick and easy read. I had read The False Prince (by the same author) and liked it a lot and when I found out about this book, I decided to give it a chance. Not a disappointment! Though I wouldn't have minded a little more action. Definitely four out of five stars! (In my opinion); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gregor the Overlander (Underland Chronicles, #1); Author: Suzanne Collins; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This book was fun. I liked it, up until the last part. Okay, the first few chapters of the last part were okay. But it seemed to drag on (in my opinion). I enjoyed the twists and turns, and the writing was very good. Definitely not nearly as violent as The Hunger Games. I kind of hoped for more action by the end. Aside from that, it was entertaining and funny.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1); Author: Marissa Meyer; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: It is a fast-paced, fun story. The characters are well drawn out. I like the romance and the plot twists are good. Especially at the end.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, #1); Author: Eoin Colfer; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Rating--3.5 stars (more like); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Arctic Incident (Artemis Fowl, #2); Author: Eoin Colfer; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I like this one much better than the first. (Honestly, I enjoyed both this one and the third more than the first). This book is quite riveting, very suspenseful, funny, and poignant. :) I sped through it and i really liked Artemis' character development and the intriguing storyline. Definitely recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, #3); Author: Eoin Colfer; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is a fast-paced, thrilling, fun book! I really enjoyed reading it. I thought Artemis was cool too. :); 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: Rating: 4 1/2 stars This was a surprise read for me. I refused to read it for the longest time, until my brother read it and insisted that I do too. As did my cousin and friend of mine. I was still a little skeptical, but once I started, I couldn't put it down. There is violence, but I made myself either ignore it or skimmed right over it. It is very intense, thrilling and quite entertaining. I like the character development and the ending was really creepy. One of the few futuristic/dystopians that I really like.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Complete Anne of Green Gables Boxed Set (Anne of Green Gables, #1-8); Author: L.M. Montgomery; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I love, love, love the first 6 books in this series. If I thought the first one was awesome, the second and third are just as good! The characters are three dimensional and very relatable. Those two are some of the reasons I absolutely love this series. The last two books are okay--not my favorites. This is one of the best series ever!! (In my opinion); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Interrupted: Life Beyond Words; Author: Rachel Coker; Genres: history, young-adult, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Rating: 3 1/2 stars This book was recommended to me by a friend. I began it a while back, but put it down because it did not capture my attention. Plus the beginning was rather depressing. I tried a second time about a year ago. Still didn't really appeal to me. I finally got myself to read it a few weeks ago. I had researched the author's journey to being published and that inspired me to read her book. I'm impressed by the writing. I think the author is quite talented. And it was compelling enough for me to continue. I have to say--the writing and other characters were what kept me going. I did not like Allie for most of the story. I found her to be (and I know the author intended for it to be this way) arrogant, irritating, and foolish. Once she finally became nicer, I liked her much better! I love Charlie, Beatrice, Sam and Irene. The romance is innocent (which is very refreshing) and I found myself sighing blissfully and tearing up a little near the end. This was worth the read. Although Allie's emotions also drove me nuts. But it's a cute story nonetheless. :) The cover is especially beautiful.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ender's Game (Ender's Saga, #1); Author: Orson Scott Card; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: A compelling and intense sci/fi book. The characters seem real and you feel their emotions. It is a complex story, but entertaining. Highly recommended, especially for those who love hard-core science fiction.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Peter and the Starcatchers (Peter and the Starcatchers, #1); Author: Dave Barry; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: This book is magical! I've read it twice (once when I was about 13/14) and then again around several years later. I could not put it down! The whole story is riveting, fun, and thrilling. Perfect for children and pretty much anyone who loves magic adventures! Especially who enjoy the story of Peter Pan.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; Author: Mark Twain; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: A most enjoyable classic! I've loved Tom Sawyer ever since I first read a condensed children's version. Once I received a copy of the real version, it made the reading experience more exciting. Tom is a very engaging character and the story itself is a great adventure. He and his friend Huck are fun to read about!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #3); Author: Ransom Riggs; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, romance, children, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: (Review to come); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: If You Find This Letter: My Journey to Find Purpose Through Hundreds of Letters to Strangers; Author: Hannah Brencher; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, romance, fiction; Review: (Review to come); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Borrowers (The Borrowers, #1); Author: Mary Norton; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Cute and entertaining story. I now wanna see the movie--the older, live-action one. It's a quick read with an almost realistic premise. I love the relationship between Arrietty and the boy--innocent and kind. A recommended read for all ages!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Happy Again (This Is What Happy Looks Like, #1.5); Author: Jennifer E. Smith; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: It's so sweet when Ellie and Graham get back together. I sped through this novella but want to know what happens to them! I enjoyed This Is What Happy Looks Like and couldn't believe the ending. After finding out about this one, I just had to buy it on my kindle. It's very good. I really hope there's more about Ellie and Graham in the future, but I'm glad they were reunited in this story even if it was for a few hours. :) recommended for anyone who's read TIWHLL.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Divide (The Divide, #1); Author: Elizabeth Kay; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is a fun, adventurous book with creative characters. I read it in a few days, enjoying the story's quirkiness and thrills. It is a good, fast-paced summer read for older kids and young adults.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Summer I Became a Nerd (Nerd, #1); Author: Leah Rae Miller; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: I couldn't put this book down. The main character, Maddie, could often-times be quite annoying, but I couldn't stay mad with her. The narrative is engaging and the romance is very sweet and innocent, not steamy or inappropriate. You quickly become attached to the characters. I like the theme "stay true to yourself" and the "nerdiness" that went on. All-in-all, it is a cute and fun story--more for ages 14 and up. Recommended!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye (Geronimo Stilton, #1); Author: Geronimo Stilton; Genres: young-adult, thriller, comics, children, crime, paranormal, graphic, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This review will be for the series in general (even though I've only read the originals.) This is the very first series that got me into reading as a child. I remember, very distinctly, going to Borders years ago (when it existed,) picking up a copy one day and taking it home with me. I had remembered seeing it pretty recently at my brother's school book fair. I read it in 45 minutes flat--on the way home from the mall--and was so intrigued by the story. My brother had also gotten one and we switched books after one read the other. It's an awesome series and one of the best ever!! (In my opinion.) The characters and the city they lived in seemed so life-like to me when I was little. I devoured each book I got. This is the perfect series for any child who loves funny stories, adventure, action, mystery, and traveling. It is very riveting.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Go Set a Watchman; Author: Harper Lee; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: The writing is compelling and the story is complex. Nothing really like TKAM. It's a bittersweet book, but I really like it! It's good, in my opinion. To be honest, I wish it was longer. I personally like it more than the first.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Romancing the Nerd (Nerd, #2); Author: Leah Rae Miller; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: Romancing the Nerd (the sequel to The Summer I Became A Nerd) does not disappoint! I absolutely enjoyed this book. It's riveting, humorous, and thoroughly fun! I like the switching POVs of Dan and Zelda. The romance is sweet and not sensual. There is a scene where Logan and Maddie make out, but it is only observed on Dan's part. It does not go into details, but you know that's what they were doing. I personally thought RTN missed out on the charm I found in the first book, but it does not fail to tug at your heart and make you see through the eyes of the two main characters. There were times when either Dan or Zelda kind of got on my nerves, but it always ended being funny in the end or sentimental. You understand where Zelda's coming from and she admits her mistakes, which I appreciated. I did tear up a little at the end. There is a bit of language and underraged drinking, but overall, the story in and of itself is very good! I do have hope for a third book though. :); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beyond the Deepwoods (The Edge Chronicles: The Twig Saga #1); Author: Paul Stewart; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is an enthralling read full of imagination. I sped through it, reading it in 3 days. The story is riveting, at times humorous, suspenseful and just entertaining overall.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Burning Sky; Author: Lori Benton; Genres: history, children, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/2 stars.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Memory Jar (Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors, #1); Author: Tricia Goyer; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Both a good and sad story. The author is very talented and her writing is compelling. I teared up a few times and loved the romance. So innocent and sweet--what we need more of in YA lit nowadays. (And just any lit in general). Jathan got my heart practically from the beginning and I really liked Sarah. The premise is depressing, but the hope and gentleness of how the circumstances are handled, manages to keep you reading until you find out what happens next. Recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Walk in Wolf Wood; Author: Mary Stewart; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, romance, children, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: This review is long overdue, but now I am finally ready to express my excitement with this book! I actually started it a while back and then put it down to read other books. About a couple of days ago, I went back to reading it and am glad I did! The story is riveting and full of surprises! The ending it heart-wrenching (but in a good way). The characters are fun and you cheer for their's and Wolf's victory the entire time. Now I definitely cannot wait to read other books by Mary Stewart! Particularly The Crystal Cave.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Skeleton Key; Author: Anthony Horowitz; Genres: young-adult, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This one is good. It's darker than the other two (which is pretty much to be expected) and the tension built up kind of slowly. The story is still compelling and I read it in about 3-4 days, but I preferred there to be more action. I enjoyed the second book more--it's my most favorite so far! And the villain is just as creepy as ever, but I wasn't quite as drawn to this one as I was the previous two. All the same, it is a riveting, fast-paced book with plenty of danger to make you gasp and very entertaining. I really like the main character, Alex Rider. There were also several scenes to make your pulse race. Highly recommended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In the Shadow of Blackbirds; Author: Cat Winters; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, romance, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Rating: 3 1/2 stars; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sherlock Holmes and the Needle's Eye: The World's Greatest Detective Tackles the Bible's Ultimate Mysteries; Author: Len Bailey; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/2 stars Really good book which provides satisfactory answers to many Biblical questions. It is also riveting, entertaining, and well-written. The information makes sense, while being told in a fun, old-fashioned Sherlock Holmes story. The characters are just as enjoyable and the premise does not ruin or lose any mysterious airs that the originals give.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Jedi Academy (Jedi Academy, #1); Author: Jeffrey Brown; Genres: young-adult, comics, children, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: This book is hilarious and entertaining! I really like the main character, Roan. Even though he was pretty clueless most of the time, but that's one of the things that made this book so appealing! Lol I really like the artwork. It's cartoony, but it's also (at least in my opinion) got some realism to it. I read this story in a few to four hours. You end up caring for the characters, especially during their circumstances. You feel happy with Roan for his triumphs. I also found the family dynamics between Roan, his parents and brothers refreshing. A friend of mine recommended this book to me. Definitely for Star Wars fans and just for anyone looking for a cute, light, quick, enjoyable read! I'm getting the second as soon as possible! Highly recommended for any age! Especially Middle Grade. :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Jedi Academy, Return of the Padawan (Jedi Academy, #2); Author: Jeffrey Brown; Genres: young-adult, comics, children, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: Just as good as the first!! This one is cute and a little more tender-hearted. Its still very funny, but the first had more humor, whereas this one is (at least in my opinion) slightly more serious. There's more suspense in this one too. I also love how realistic the family is. Highly recommended! Especially for those who enjoyed the first book. Another win!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pulled Under (Sixteenth Summer #2); Author: Michelle Dalton; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: One of the few innocent YA romances I've ever read! I devoured this book. It is light, sweet, and adorable, and the main character (at least for me) is very relatable. Nothing sexual, although it has a couple of words, but the worse it gets is the "bi" word said once and the "h" word, also said once. A book, in my opinion, to read anytime of the year--even though it is more of a beach story. The characters are awesome and Izzy learns some great life lessons. Her friends even reminded me of my own friends and the parents are supportive and not flippant or uninvolved with her life. Perfect for anyone wanting a good, clean, fun, romantic story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sixteenth Summer (Sixteenth Summer #1); Author: Michelle Dalton; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: One of the most delightful stories I've ever read! To coin the phrase--"I could not put it down!" What a refreshing approach to the usually sex-saturated books on the market. Anna and Will's romance is so adorable and there is little to no language and the story itself is very captivating (in my opinion, that is)! For all this, this is what I say: What a wonderful book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Swept Away (Sixteenth Summer #3); Author: Michelle Dalton; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: I read this book at a steady pace since it's the last one I read in the Sixteenth Summer series. I teared up at the end, but was relatively satisfied (I won't give it away). The romance is chaste, but endearing at the same time. Even though Mandy and Oliver got on my nerves sometimes, you knew they realized their mistakes and would strive to correct them. I got that warm, fuzzy feeling inside whenever they did something together. The descriptions are real and let you feel, taste, and see what is going on. Mandy and Oliver's love for each other is hopeful and cute! All the characters are colorful, never one-dimensional (at least, not to me), and relatable. This book is for anyone who enjoyed the rest of the Sixteenth Summer series, including Fifteenth Summer, and any fun, clean romance story with charm!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Better off Friends; Author: Elizabeth Eulberg; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: 3 1/2 stars. A relatively funny and cute story about two teens who have been best friends for about 5 years and later wonder if they are actually JUST friends . . . or more. The constant drama and going back-and-forth with the whole crush concept got on my nerves, (plus I wish the characters had been older with the whole "love" talk) but other than that, it's an entertaining book! The characters grow on you. The writing is good and the story is compelling.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Escape from the Past: The Duke's Wrath; Author: Annette Oppenlander; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Wow! That's all I can say. A very riveting story and great writing! Max felt so real and I really like his character development. In fact, all the characters felt real! I love Bero--who is so funny--and Juliana is very sweet. It is an intense and sometimes violent story. I like it though. Very entertaining and the detail is exceptional! It made me appreciate living in this time period. I even felt the pain and joys Max felt. Highly recommended! Especially for fantasy, historical fiction and action/adventure fans. Recommended to me by a good friend. :); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Jedi Academy, The Phantom Bully (Jedi Academy, #3); Author: Jeffrey Brown; Genres: young-adult, comics, children, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: This book (and series in general) is awesome! The character development is well-done and it's a hard-to-put-down story. I've enjoyed this series and am sad to see it end. The dialogue is both hilarious and thoughtful. The conclusion is satisfying and the story riveting throughout. I hope there will be more in store for the future for Roan and his friends!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eight Cousins (Eight Cousins, #1); Author: Louisa May Alcott; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: My grandmother had given this book to me about a couple of years ago after reading it, saying that she thought I'd like it--and she was right! I read this book in about a week I found it quite enjoyable. It made me think of growing up myself around mostly boy cousins. Rose was very relatable and the rest of the characters are appealing, especially her Uncle Alec and cousins. I laughed and even teared up a few times. It's a very charming story and cute. It's even my most favorite book by Louisa May Alcott.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Mayflower and the Pilgrims' New World; Author: Nathaniel Philbrick; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: This was one of the first non-fiction books I've ever read and it drew me in immediately. I have always been more of a fantasy/historical fiction/mystery-type person, but when I read this, it got me into reading more non-fiction. The narrative is engaging, compelling, and great for any older child. It doesn't feel like reading homework. The characters even seemed real to me. I got mad sometimes, sad, and happy. Highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Running Barefoot; Author: Amy Harmon; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: This story took me a little while to finish, but I appreciated the leisure pace. The love is very innocent and the story is absolutely heartfelt! The age differences between Samuel and Josie reminded me of two very dear people in my own family. Even though neither stories are anything alike, the age gaps were one of the things that interested me about this book. I'll admit, I was a little leery at first, uncertain of how this would be pulled off, but the author has done a wonderful job of it! I love Samuel, and Josie was a great character (even though sometimes I rolled my eyes at her.) I felt their emotions and even teared up at the end. I found myself sighing quite a bit as well. The writing is beautiful and enticing (at least for me it is.) Samuel and Josie's conversations about music really tugged at me, for I play the piano and after having read this book, have gained a greater appreciation for it. The tenderness of the story itself is something worth realizing. This book was recommended to me by a good friend. It's not a children's book--more like for ages 13 and up.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Poison; Author: Bridget Zinn; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Rating: 3 1/2 stars An entertaining story with humor. It kind of lost my interest about halfway, but the premise is interesting and the writing is good. The romance is kept to a minimum and there is hardly any cussing (at least from what I remember since I read it a little while back). It's a light read and cute though! Anyone who enjoys a fun, adventure story with a little love should take a look at it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pulled Under (Sixteenth Summer #2); Author: Michelle Dalton; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: One of the few innocent YA romances I've ever read! I devoured this book. It is light, sweet, funny, and adorable, and the main character (at least for me) is very relatable. Nothing sexual or vulgar, although there are a couple of words, but the worse it gets is the "bi" word said once. A book, in my opinion, to read anytime of the year--even though it is more of a beach read. The characters are awesome and Izzy learns some great life lessons along the way, relationship-wise and morality-wise. Her friends even reminded me of my own friends and the parents are supportive and not flippant or uninvolved with her life. The ending caught me by surprise, but after reading it over two more times, I had to smile. Perfect for anyone wanting a good, clean, fun, romantic story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fifteenth Summer; Author: Michelle Dalton; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: Another triumph by Michelle Dalton! This book is adorable and the droll humor adds charm. I will admit that I was a bit hesitant to read this (for certain reasons) but after reading several people's blogs and reviews I decided to give it a try. Both characters are mature for their age and the love is kept at a decent level, while also allowing you to get a feel for the, well, FEELINGS Chelsea and Josh have for each other. There is very little language and it is a perfect light, endearing, goodhearted read which might make you tear up at the end. Recommended for sure!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Escape from the Past: The Kid; Author: Annette Oppenlander; Genres: history, young-adult, children, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: Okay. In my opinion, this one wasn't as good as the first, but it's still engaging! The descriptions are just as believable as in Escape From the Past, and the characters are just as real. It took me a while to get through this one, but it's still pretty good. I'm looking forward to reading the third book! It kind of got on my nerves how Max easily fell for Ela. She's cool and everything, and I understand that he didn't think he'd see Juliana again (from the first book), but he doesn't have much of a boundary set when it comes to girls. Which annoyed me. But anyway, the danger is tangible and the story itself is entertaining!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Defy (Defy, #1); Author: Sara B. Larson; Genres: history, young-adult, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Defy is a compelling story. The premise is interesting (kind of like a fantasy version of Mulan) and the characters are appealing. The romance is sweet and tame at the same time. A friend of mine who really liked it recommended it to me. After that I recommended it to my Aunt who also enjoyed it! It is hard to put down and the setting is realistic. I got angry sometimes, sad, and happy! You end up caring for the characters and their plights. I would suggest this book for ages 15 and up, due to content.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Dragonet Prophecy (Wings of Fire, #1); Author: Tui T. Sutherland; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/5 stars I found this book hard to put down. The characters felt so real to me and human. I've always been a fan of fantasy and dragons--Eragon, I liked Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke, How to Train Your Dragon series, and The Hobbit. This one has also made it up there. Clay is a good dragon who is loyal, funny, and sweet. His devotion to his friends is one of the things that makes him likeable. I went through a range of emotions with this book--excited, angry, curious, and surprised. I was questionable in regards to reading this book at first, but after a friend of mine recommended it to me, I read it and am glad I did! I would not recommend this for young children. There is violence (it even made me grimace) and one of the characters is downright psychotic (not to mention, stupid,) but I'd say it's good for children 12 and up. It is fast-paced, full of action, and adventurous. Good for those who, of course, love dragons, the former descriptions, and entertaining stories.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Eye of Minds (The Mortality Doctrine, #1); Author: James Dashner; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: A roller-coaster of a book! This was a surprising read for me. It did not slow down and had many twists and turns. Especially at the end! Michael is a cool character, as are Sarah and Bryson. The author did good with making Kaine a dislikable character. I wanted to punch him (Kaine) pretty much all throughout the book! On the other hand, I felt Michael's emotions and found myself rooting for him till the end. The descriptions are well-done, and very creepy sometimes. Great for those who like playing video-games (which is one reason why it appealed to me!) Reading it was actually kind of nostalgic for me, also. The writing is good and keeps your attention all the way. Recommended!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Behind a Mask, Or, a Woman's Power; Author: Louisa May Alcott; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: A great mystery. I'm not typically into thrillers or short stories, but this classic was riveting enough for me and had me guessing at each clue!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Lonely Hearts Club (The Lonely Hearts Club, #1); Author: Elizabeth Eulberg; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: A notable book with an engaging narrative. I even like it more than Better Off Friends! The ending is so sweet and I like how real the friends are. Especially Penny and Diane. They pretty much remind me of my own friends! The story is cute and fun and you feel triumph when Penny gives a little speech to the one who broke her heart. Penny is a pretty cool character and the Beatle's references are quite funny. The narrative even kind of reminds me of The Summer I Became a Nerd. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a nice, quick, romantic (yes), light-hearted, fun read!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: We Can Work It Out (The Lonely Hearts Club, #2); Author: Elizabeth Eulberg; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: Rating: 3 1/2 stars; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Lost Heir (Wings of Fire, #2); Author: Tui T. Sutherland; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: The second book is just as good as the first! I sped through this story--as it was not short on surprises. The characters are so human and yet, they don't lose their dragon-y sense in the meantime. Not a disappointing book in the least! I can't wait to read the rest of the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bookishly Ever After (Ever After, #1); Author: Isabel Bandeira; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Rating: 3 1/2 stars 1 star for the cover, another for the cute romance between Phoebe and Dev, and another for engaging writing. The half is just to give it almost 4 stars. The cussing got on my nerves, and I didn't find the "f" bomb necessary. This is not a Middle Grade book, but for high schoolers. There is some innuendo, but thankfully the romance you read about goes no further than kissing. There were a few other things that bothered me, but they were minor and didn't take away from the story. Honestly, the first time I saw how long this book was, I doubted I would be interested, but once I began it, I ended up liking it more than I thought! Recommended for 14 years and older who enjoy YA Contemporary Romance.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Selection (The Selection, #1); Author: Kiera Cass; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: If there is one word I would use to describe this book, it would be--addicting. (At least in my opinion.) The story itself is entertaining and the writing is engaging. You become invested in the characters and their plights. This book will go up there on my list as "one of the few dystopians I like." I always wanted to know what would happen next and each chapter ended in a cliff-hanger. I also thought the descriptions of the dresses were beautiful. This story is not violent or depressing and simply has that fun fairy tale quality to it. I'm looking forward to reading the second book! :); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pride & Popularity (The Jane Austen Diaries, #1); Author: Jenni James; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. That's all I can say! I thoroughly enjoyed this YA retelling of Pride & Prejudice. I could not put it down! This book is very compelling with great characters and an awesome love story. It made me laugh out loud and feel the emotions of the characters. They all had their own personalities, and it was just so sweet! Jenni James has now found a place on my "authors-to-look-out-for" list. Another thing I appreciated about this book, was the innocence of the romance. No sex, which is not commonly found in YA literature nowadays. There was also no profanity, which I greatly appreciated! This book in general is a refreshing discovery and a good read for young adults. Particularly girls. It is now up there beside Pride & Prejudice as one of my favorite romance stories. :) Lighthearted, good morality, and fun. Those are my adjectives for it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1); Author: C.S. Lewis; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: One of the most amazing books ever. One of the most amazing SERIES ever!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1); Author: J.R.R. Tolkien; Genres: paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, fiction; Review: Another spectacular book. Apart another spectacular series! Along with The Chronicles of Narnia.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Emmalee (The Jane Austen Diaries, #4); Author: Jenni James; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: Man! Jenni James is a really talented author!! (In my opinion, at least) Emmalee was just as good and enticing as her other books! I had started the original by Jane Austen about a few years ago but didn't even finish the first 50 pages! After reading this, I seriously wanna go back and read it now! Emmalee annoyed me to an extent, but I couldn't get myself to detest her. She had good intentions, but didn't really know how to handle most of the situations. Claire didn't really bother me as much as I thought she would. (Since I'd accidentally read Northanger Alibi before this one, I already knew how she'd turn out) haha! And Chase is a wonderful individual. The whole story is awesome and just filled to the brim with humor and good-natured characters. I highly, highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a refreshing love story, riveting plot, fun-loving characters, and just all-around good writing. :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Persuaded (The Jane Austen Diaries, #3); Author: Jenni James; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: Another beautiful win for Jenni James! Especially near the end, it is so wonderful. The only other retelling of Persuasion I have read is For Darkness Shows the Stars, which is also a good book, but I definitely enjoyed this one and would recommend it really to anyone! Especially those into YA contemporary romance. A refreshing love story with a nice touch of humor. I grew attached to Gregory almost from the start! Amanda is a good narrator and likable character. Sydney grated on my nerves, giving me cause to cheer when Gregory showed her out. I even teared up a little at the end, as is not uncommon with Jenni James' stories! This is a lovely book with hope. :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Northanger Alibi (The Jane Austen Diaries, #2); Author: Jenni James; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/2 stars. I sped through this book, having started it yesterday and finishing today! The story is really cute and the main character is so funny--especially Tony who is such a sweet guy and has good intentions. The characters are well-developed and find a place in your heart (except for one). This is a very riveting book with a twist you do not see coming! I thought the Twilight references were entertaining and there were many times where I laughed out loud or felt frustration. It is lighthearted and a fun, quick read with depth. I highly recommend this to anyone searching for a enjoyable YA romance. Even Twilight fans!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mansfield Ranch (The Jane Austen Diaries, #5); Author: Jenni James; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: Jenni James does a really good job making you feel for her characters. I felt bad for Lilly and what she had to go through with her foster family (aside from Sean, that is). He is a well-intending, (slightly annoying), funny, true individual. Harrison on the other hand (the guy Sean originally tries to set Lilly up with) is . . . I'll go ahead and put it bluntly--a nut-job. I wanted to punch him so many times. I got frustrated with Lilly's foster sisters and sometimes even wanted to slap them and rolled my eyes with her foster parents. None of them are very bright or kind, but Sean pretty much manages to make up for all of their pathetic behavior. The romance is wonderful, of course! I gasped in excitement at a few certain scenes, which I will not mention out of spoilers-sake. I will say though, this book was not my most favorite out of the Jane Austen Diaries, but I still enjoyed it all the same! It is engaging and will make you sigh with happiness in the end. There is no cussing and no sex, and just the story overall is very good. There are definitely some sad moments--such as when Lilly learns about her mother, but aside from that, it is worth the read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sensible and Sensational (The Jane Austen Diaries, #6); Author: Jenni James; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: This is probably my most favorite book out of the Jane Austen Diaries!! In certain aspects, I could really relate to Ellyn and her struggles with acceptance. Zane is such a great guy and depicts the "perfect" boyfriend. I teared up at the end and simply felt all of Ellyn's emotions in all that she went through. Once I started this book, I could not stop. It is a beautiful story and certainly one to be cherished. The romance did not feel rushed, but perfectly paced, in my opinion. The characters feel so real and the writing is addicting. It has, by far, earned itself a spot in one-of-my-most-favorite-books-of-all-time list!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crossed (Matched, #2); Author: Ally Condie; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/2 stars. I will admit, I was quite hesitant to read this book at first! I've already read the first one twice. The second time being last year. I'd read mixed reviews on this one, Crossed, and have had a few people discourage me from reading it. Well, after much consideration and curiosity, I wanted to know how Cassia, Ky, and Xander's futures would unfold. For me, this book did not disappoint! There is more action than in the first and it is a bit intense, but the intensity is mostly based on things that have already happened and not in the current time. The one slightly violent part is when one character dies, but it doesn't go into detail as to what goes on. It is only mentioned that they were killed. The romance is cute (and sometimes a bit sappy) but it's mostly just sweet and non-sensual. There are only a couple of cuss words (literally, only two--the "d" word), but aside from that, I found it a very readable, enthralling, entertaining, suspenseful story You become invested in the characters, and the ending is quite the cliff-hanger! I personally think it ended too soon. Now I'm ready to read the third book! :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Reached (Matched, #3); Author: Ally Condie; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I pretty much just gave up on this book. The two-timing by Ky and seduction by Indie played a large part in doing me in. Cassia's reaction to Ky's confession of "I thought about her, but I also thought about you a lot too." just seemed very unreal to me. The story in general confused me too. The writing is compelling, I'll give the author that. But this one did not appeal to me as much as the first and second. Plus it seems to draw out. I won't discourage anyone from reading it (or if they're in the midst of reading it). The romance is tame, and the "d" word is only mentioned twice. The violence is only a tad higher. The worst is the mentioning of body counts, the plague, and when someone dies (but that typically happens in passing). It is mostly intense though. As I said before, I like the writing, but other than that . . . It just was not my cup of tea. On the other hand, I really like the cover! I definitely enjoyed the first two though!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Since You've Been Gone; Author: Morgan Matson; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: This book was fine . . . But seemed to lag a little by about halfway. The first half was entertaining and pretty compelling, but the story itself lacked something for me. I wouldn't tell anyone who is reading it to stop or to not read it--the former is merely my opinion. Aside from all that though, the characters are fun and the storyline is interesting. Different and yet interesting. I wasn't too fond of Sloane's character. All the same, for those who like romance, contemporary fiction, and mysteries, this book is for you!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Captain Hook (Faerie Tale Collection, #14); Author: Jenni James; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Absolutely perfect! At least, as perfect as a good, lighthearted, fun, romantic, magical story can get! Oh my goodness how I enjoyed this book! I love the banter between James and Yvette. Yvette's temper is rather comical and Captain Hook is such a charming rogue who will easily make the reader fall in love with him. I teared up a couple of times, but it is simply wonderful! It is the best one in the Neverland series, to me. I even sighed many-a-time. It's been quite magical and a treat reading this small trilogy! This is definitely a fairytale retelling worth checking out, for Jenni James is such an enchanting author and her books (in my opinion) are practically impossible to put down! To say, "I can't wait to read the rest of her books", is QUITE the understatement!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Elite (The Selection, #2); Author: Kiera Cass; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I did enjoy this one, but I like the first one more. The Elite (in my opinion) is a good story and very riveting! It still definitely possesses the fairy-tale-like quality that The Selection has, and suspense. I am not too fond of America in this one, though. She is too undecided (I suppose in order for the author to draw the story out a bit more) and sometimes can be a little annoying. When she accused Maxon of being a playboy, I would side with her for the moment, but then remember how she is also kind of doing the same thing with Aspen. Although I will admit, there were several times when Maxon's romantic actions did get to me. Other than that, the story is well-done, fast-paced, and sweet. I couldn't put it down! I look forward to reading the rest of the series!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The One (The Selection, #3); Author: Kiera Cass; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Review update: Even though you pretty much (might) already know who America would end up with, it's still so sweet when it actually happens! Oh my goodness! What a riveting and enthralling story. The sudden violence near the end caught me off-guard and depressed me a little, but once everything got situated, I liked it more. America and Maxon were perfect for each other! It's nice that Aspen got someone else. Someone who needed a protector like him to be with them. Sometimes the romance got a little iffy for me (like when America and Maxon got in bed together and removed some clothing--in spite of the fact that they were going to marry, they weren't yet) so that kind of set me off. But other than that, I think it's a good story! This one is a bit more intense than the others, and, as I said, the romance gets a bit further along, so I would recommend this for ages 15/16 and up. The Selection and The Elite I would say at least 14.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Bluestocking and the Dastardly, Intolerable Scoundrel (Regency Romance, #1); Author: Jenni James; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: What a droll, sweet, and charming story! It took me a while to get through, but I did enjoy it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dear Mr. Knightley; Author: Katherine Reay; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/2 stars.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Red Queen (Red Queen, #1); Author: Victoria Aveyard; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I read this book pretty quickly. It is entertaining, even though there are several slow parts, but I liked it well enough. Mare got on my nerves more than once. She seems almost like a remake of Katniss, but that didn't take away much from the story. There was not a whole lot of character development, in my opinion, but the story is riveting and the ending catches you off-guard! I appreciated the more fantasy-like aspect as opposed to a dystopian aspect (despite that it is technically dystopian)--like so many of the YA books published nowadays. There is some romance, but it is tame, and there is some cussing. The action makes this fast-paced, and you end up despising a few of the characters. I also thought the descriptions of the different Silvers was fascinating. I do look forward to reading Glass Sword, however. Basically, I would recommend this book for ages 15 and up.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: How (Not) to Find a Boyfriend; Author: Allyson Valentine; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: Rating: 3 1/2 stars. It is a little similar to The Summer I Became A Nerd, but I think the main character annoys me a bit more in this one. Overall, it's a pretty good story. Cute and funny.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Faerie Tale Collection, #9); Author: Jenni James; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Oh how I love this book! The characters are so wonderful and the story is so engaging! I flew through this book (kind of regretfully) but I just enjoyed it that much. The author of the Jane Austen Diaries does not disappoint in her Faerie Tale Collection! To say the phrase "I could not put it down" is an understatement. The story is so magical, charming, elegant (within the contents), and romantic. Aleck is such a great person and his devotion to Casey is absolutely sweet! An awesome read! Highly, highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Frog Prince (Faerie Tale Collection, #8); Author: Jenni James; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/2 stars. This book took me a little while to read. I still really enjoyed it, but, to me, it felt somewhat slow in parts. But that's just me! I love Nolan aka Caspian. He's such a fun and charming character. There is a good deal of humor and the story itself is very heartwarming. I found Blythe to be quite entertaining and rather non-sensible several times, but I like how she and Nolan resolved their situation. The romance is adorable and everything about this book is lovely and nice. These Faerie Tale Collection stories are a great refreshment to the usual unpleasant . . . things out there. I would recommend these books to anyone and everyone who love a good, heartfelt, compelling story with scenes that will take your breath away and help you to realize what true magic is!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Winter Turning (Wings of Fire, #7); Author: Tui T. Sutherland; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: (Review to come); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Peter Pan (Faerie Tale Collection #12); Author: Jenni James; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I thought this book was pretty good. It's quite the easy read with adorable romance and very engaging. I love Peter Pan (even though he is a snob oftentimes) but definitely the charmer! Haha No one is one-dimensional (at least in my opinion) and the story just keeps moving--never letting up! I especially enjoyed the second and can't wait to start the third!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Return to Neverland (Faerie Tale Collection #13); Author: Jenni James; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Can it get any better than this? I mean, really? The swoon-worthy love (nothing sensual or questionable) and no foul language (and I'm pretty much speaking for Jenni James' books in general with the romance and no cussing). Return to Neverland is a beautiful story. Clean, morally balanced, a breath of fresh air, and all around good fun! I can't recommend these books highly enough! Much more preferable than the . . . crap we have nowadays.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1); Author: Jenny Han; Genres: romance, young-adult, fiction; Review: Rating: 3 1/2 stars This book is cute. I was not big on the cussing and the (usually) carefree talk about sex. Lara Jean--and a few of the other characters--got on my nerves sometimes, but other than that, I sped through this one, enjoying the writing and the fun storyline. Lara Jean's narrative is funny and entertaining though. It wasn't the greatest book I've read, but it certainly was not the worst! By far! On the other hand, I am looking forward to reading the second one!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rapunzel (Faerie Tale Collection, #10); Author: Jenni James; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I actually finished this book in two days. I just forgot to update my status on it. Anyway! Ohhhh my goodness! I have to say, this one seriously tugs at your emotions. At least it did for me. I LOVE the cover (somehow, it brings back memories of a place my family and I used to go to during the Holidays). I became angry, dismayed, and joyful while reading this book. The romance is adorable and spot-on. I found myself cheering on the main characters and appreciating the innocence of it all. There is no question on whether or not I would recommend this book or the series in general. Rapunzel's depression really took a hold of me. I felt it and wanted everything to turn out better for her. I won't give anything away though! If you want a magic, romantic, wonderful story with just enough lightheartedness to make it cute, while being balanced out with moral, I say--go for it!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wonder (Wonder #1); Author: R.J. Palacio; Genres: children, young-adult, fiction; Review: 3 1/2 stars. This book is quite the emotional roller coaster! It is very compelling and sweet. A friend of mine had mentioned it to me a while back but I was reluctant to read it due to reviews saying it is sad. And yes it is! It is a bittersweet, and sometimes depressing story. Sometimes the way the parents were, or kids acted toward their parents annoyed me a bit, but aside from that, it is a good book! Jack got on my nerves a few times but he ended up being a nice kid. I thought Auggie was endearing and his relationship with his older sister was refreshing. They weren't the "get-outta-my-room!" "you're-so-annoying-I-hate-you!"-type stupid children that are so prevalent nowadays in literature (and even in movies and tv!) The way the children talked also bothered me, but it is a cute story. Prepare to tear up in the end.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Never Too Late; Author: A. Destiny; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: I really enjoyed this book. I liked Virtually In Love (the first one I read by this author) more, but this one is still a keeper! Abby's attitude toward Jason got on my nerves sometimes--and yet, Jason irritated me more whenever he was cocky and judgmental toward Abby, but other than that I found myself invested in these characters. The ending made me sigh with happiness. The romance is low-key and there is no foul language. This is perfect for anyone who loves a good, classic romance! Particularly YA.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Escaping Peril (Wings of Fire, #8); Author: Tui T. Sutherland; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I actually finished this several days ago. But anyway! As with the others, Tui Sutherland does not fail with her Wings of Fire series! This one was slightly more slow-going for me (mainly because I was busy with school), yet that did not take anything away from the story itself. For when I could read it, I zipped through this book, ready to see what would happen in the next chapter. The characters, of course, are very multidimensional and real. The humanistic story-line with dragon detail is awesome and, as a whole, the books themselves are truly adventurous, never boring, and have good lessons in the mix. There are mentions of crushes, which are very cute, such as (in this one) with Peril and her attraction and affection for Clay. The ending had me going! There are a lot of twists and every one catches you off-guard. These stories are so creative and the descriptions are--yes, lush! I thoroughly enjoy this series and cannot wait to read the next book!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How to Fight a Dragon’s Fury (How To Train Your Dragon, #12); Author: Cressida Cowell; Genres: history, young-adult, children, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I can't believe this series is over! I took my time with this one, the last book. The ending is awesome and the story in general is just so good.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Maggie Bright: A Novel of Dunkirk; Author: Tracy Groot; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/2 stars. I originally started this book, but then put it down to take a little break from it (I've only recently--as in the past several years--have gotten into Historical Fiction novels, particularly Christian Historical Fiction). But once I picked it back up, I couldn't put it down! I'd given a copy to my mom, since I got the kindle version for a good deal, and she finished it before me and said I'd enjoy it, and I did! The characters are very engaging, such as the Shrew, Murray, Sir William (I think that was his name), the soldiers--even though Griggs aggravated me at first--and just all the people in there, and the writing absorbs you (at least it did for my mom and me). Sometimes I got confused about the setting and who was talking, but other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed it. By about 30%, I found myself being more and more drawn into the story. It is not preachy, but there are definitely Christian messages in it. Some subtle, but most of them are clear. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys WWII stories, and just good, faith filled stories in general. Particularly based in history.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #4); Author: Rick Riordan; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/2 stars. Originally, I was very hesitant to read The Battle of the Labyrinth since I was not big on the second or third books. However, due to the insistence I received from friends, I finally read it--and was pleasantly surprised! I had a hard time putting this one down as I had the first book. It's fast-paced, filled to the brim with action, sweet in some parts, and suspenseful, never letting you go until the end! But even then, it doesn't release you! Percy Jackson annoyed me sometimes when it came to AnnaBeth and Rachel, but he's a teen, so it's to be expected. The humor does not stop and the danger is tangible. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the last book!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Escape from the Past: Game of Life...An Introduction; Author: Annette Oppenlander; Genres: children, young-adult, fiction; Review: Rating: 2 1/2 stars. I read this book in two days. In spite of its size. I wasn't too impressed by it. I wish it was longer. It's compelling, I'll give it that.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest (A Medieval Fairy Tale, #1); Author: Melanie Dickerson; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I thought the beginning was compelling. I'm not really one who gets into stories that are based off of classics with gender-changed character(s), but I made an exception to this. I would probably give this one more of a 3 1/2 star review, for the riveting start. By the middle, the drama got somewhat annoying with doubts and questions on both love interest's parts. There were also times where the story felt sort of draggy. I, personally, didn't enjoy this one as much as The Healer's Apprentice. The romance is sweet, even though Odette got on my nerves a few times, as did Jorgen, but they made up for it at the end. The detail is especially very good. Overall, I found it an entertaining story, and I look forward to reading some more of this author's books.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Heartless; Author: Marissa Meyer; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 stars Good lord! This is a . . . quite an interesting book! There are many plot twists, and some of them are kind of disturbing, but overall, I think I like Heartless more than the Lunar Chronicles (plus I am more of a fantasy person than sci-fi). Cinder, however, brings back memories of the beach for me. Since I think of summer (and summer is my favorite time of the year) when I first read Cinder, it trounces Heartless in that regard. Anyway! I am not sure what to make of all the characters in this book! One moment I felt sympathy for them, and then the next . . . and yet it was a good story, in spite of that. The ending made me think of the 1951 Alice In Wonderland. The writing is very gripping, and I could taste the delicacies Cath made, and my mouth watered at their descriptions. As with the Lunar Chronicles, it sort of got on my nerves how the author put down "gulped" and "swallowed" so many times. More-so with TLC. I felt both sorry and not-sorry for Cath. Jest--he receives mixed opinions from me. Otherwise, I found him pretty agreeable. The king may have been a bumbling (sometimes stupid) individual, but he has a good heart. Cath's parents got on my nerves more than once. Mary Ann is a likable character too. All-in-all, if you are a fantasy fan (and whether you did or did not get into Cinder) then I would recommend this.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Talons of Power (Wings of Fire, #9); Author: Tui T. Sutherland; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I read in an interview by the author last summer that this one was going to be the book in the series where the story "rips your heart out and stomps on it". I didn't really find that in here, but the ending is a major cliff-hanger! Darkstalker has definitely gotten on my nerves, even though he does have a sad background for why he does what he does. Turtle, every once in a while, annoyed me with his "maybe someone else will save the world while I go hide safely in a corner!" bit. Okay, so he's terrified of Darkstalker discovering his powers, but his reactions sort of irked me. On the other hand, I was drawn in to this story from the first page! I did feel sorry for Turtle, though. He was teased and criticized when he was younger. There is no doubt that I found this to be thoroughly engaging and the characters feel very real! I love the detail, and the suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat. I cannot wait to read the last book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1); Author: Leigh Bardugo; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Rating: 3 1/2 stars. I've recently had very mixed feelings with whether or not to read this book. I finally made up my mind a couple of weeks ago and checked it out from my local library. For me, personally, it was a little too dark and violent. It was also intense, which I don't mind! . . . Just not in the disturbing way. The story itself is entertaining and the writing is certainly good! I thought it was. Alina is a pretty neat character. The Darkling is . . . Different. And Mal isn't too bad. I wouldn't, however, call the characters "flat". They were cool. Exterior-wise, the cover is beautiful! I'll definitely give it that! But for those who enjoy dark fantasy with a little more than a touch of gothic horror and some romance, I would recommend this book! It wasn't amazing, but it wasn't bad--at least that is what I think. Leigh Bardugo definitely had an original idea for a storyline!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wood's Edge (The Pathfinders, #1); Author: Lori Benton; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: This book took me a little while to read (I am in the midst of widening my horizons to enjoy Christian Historical Fiction more), but I really liked it! I could not put it down, that's for sure. The detail is lush, and the storyline is riveting. You care for the characters and feel their pain when they've messed up. They are human and flawed, as we all are. It is a great story on God's love and forgiveness for us. There are so many surprises and twists you don't see coming! I would most definitely highly recommend this book for anyone and everyone who enjoys a good story! Especially Christian Historical Fiction.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Frankenstein; Author: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, romance, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/2 stars. I really like this book! The gothic, atmospheric setting is very appealing, and I felt strong sympathy for the monster. Frankenstein . . . I wanted to punch him! He acted like such an idiot most of the time. It took me a while to read this book, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of it. The detail is really good and gave me a feeling for being in that time period. Would definitely recommend this one!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Snow White (Faerie Tale Collection, #7); Author: Jenni James; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Okay, I thought I had reviewed this book a while back . . . but apparently I had not! Now, I can certainly say that I definitely relate to Raven and her feelings in regards to guys and their reactions toward Snow White's beauty. She is a little consumed by jealousy by the way males are around Snow White (although does not want to admit it) and yet, she loves her best friend/sister very dearly. I teared up a few times whenever Raven thought about her feelings and how she didn't think she could measure up to Snow White in her looks. I really liked how, despite her jealousy, she did not let that get in the way of her's and Snow White's relationship. She even wanted to help Snow White find a suitable husband! I especially liked Corlan and the other guy (can't remember his name at the moment). I love the story and, again, the characters are so great! The mother both creeped me out and angered me--I won't give away anything though, for spoilers' sake! The romance is oh-so wonderful and sent butterflies in my stomach (as all of Jenni James' works have done). I did not want the story to end and I just loved it to the very last page!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Brightest Night (Wings of Fire, #5); Author: Tui T. Sutherland; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Another awesome win for Tui Sutherland!! Man! This series has certainly earned a place as one of my favorite book series ever! It's so human, packed with adventure and action, suspenseful, cute in some places, and just downright fun. I can relate to Sunny and her feelings in the way of how some dragons (even her friends) would oftentimes see her as simply a--yes--cute individual with fanciful thoughts. I understood her frustration. I really like her mom, Thorn, and Queen Blaze gained my approval as well! The danger is never-ending, and you cheer on the main characters. The crushes some of the dragonets have on each other are very sweet and touching. The whole story itself is REALLY good and I teared up at the end! This book is definitely for practically any age!! Older middle grade and up. I absolutely enjoyed it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Running Barefoot; Author: Amy Harmon; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Okay, I thought I had written a review for this book a while back--but either I actually had not, I may have been thinking about a different book, or, somehow, my review was taken off . . . anyway! This is a very sweet story. I had a hard time putting it down, for one. Everything about it felt so realistic! I liked Josie, even though she did get on my nerves a few times. As for Samuel, he is one of those characters whom you got mad at sometimes along with Josie, understanding her frustration with him, but he is a great individual with a personality you rarely see in literature nowadays. I teared up, rejoiced, grew angry, and sighed many times throughout this book! It was slow-going every-once-in-a-while, but (in my opinion) did not take away from the story. Josie and Samuel's romance kind of reminded me of my parents' in the differences in their ages. Considering that my mom is seven years younger than my dad. The romance is lovely and innocent, and made my heart pick up speed! There were a couple of times when I wished Samuel did kiss Josie, but I could see where he was coming from when he didn't, after he explained to Josie why. There are sad parts, but it is very hopeful, especially at the end. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to young and older women. (Recommended to me by a good friend).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Girl in the Gatehouse; Author: Julie Klassen; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: My word, I could not put this book down! It is so compelling and refreshing. The romance in here is so sweet and gave me fluttery feelings, and all the characters are very real. I felt sorry for Mariah on many different occasions, but she was such a good person. Matthew was simply wonderful! Even though his flaws did get on my nerves several times. And when he got mad at Mariah, I was so glad when his friend put him in his place, reminding Matthew of his imperfections. Hugh was a turkey-tale, but his due at the end was satisfying. I especially loved Miss Crawford. She was so funny! I went through all the emotions, ranging from anger, excitement, sadness, and relief. Another thing I liked about this book is how the main character's name (Mariah) is similar to my own! The intrigue kept me going--there was never a moment of slowing down. This is a story about God's love and forgiveness and how we need to forgive others for the wrongs they have done to us, for who are we to say when we forgive or don't forgive someone else when we, in turn, don't deserve His forgiveness? Highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: At Witches' End (Escape from the Past #3); Author: Annette Oppenlander; Genres: history, young-adult, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Rating: 3 1/2 stars. The story is good, and the writing is good. But I'd have to say, the first and second books were better in my opinion. The romance was a bit steamier in this one. There were several references to sex and making out. I didn't like the whole premarital sex between Juliana and Max. Max also kind of irritated me in this one. The detail is still exceptional, and the author never fails to make the characters seem real. I could feel Max's emotions of anger, sadness, and relief. I'm glad the author went back to Germany for this book. I love the descriptions of the scenery and food--I could almost taste the herbal teas and meals. Overall, it was okay. As aforementioned, The story itself is riveting and the writing is fast-paced.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Reached (Matched, #3); Author: Ally Condie; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Rating: 3 1/2 stars. (Review to come); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Thousand Boy Kisses; Author: Tillie Cole; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: A star for the cover, and a star for the good writing. Other than that . . . It really bothered me how two 15 year olds ended up having sex with each other and did it so casually. The description of the sex bothered me even more-so. The beginning was my first warning when two little children "fell in love". When Poppy's mother told Rune that Rune was "Poppy's universe. Her everything." I had to roll my eyes. I wanted to punch Rune in the face so many times. Okay, yes, I can understand how some people could understand his anger with his parents and everything, but he was still quite the biggest little jerk, in my opinion. The romance was way too cheesy for my taste. The cussing also got on my nerves. I don't know any teens who would simply give into these sexual tensions without considering the consequences. I gave up on this story a little over halfway. Not my cup of tea. (I would like to know when it became fine to depict kids as sexually active in YA books). (If anyone is in the midst of reading this book or whatnot, this is all simply my opinion); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World: Over 600 Secrets of the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom; Author: Susan Veness; Genres: history, non-fiction, biography, historical fiction; Review: It's like a scavenger hunt map for hidden mysteries at Disney World!!! Totally awesome!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Invisible Library (The Invisible Library, #1); Author: Genevieve Cogman; Genres: history, young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Rating: 3 1/2 stars. (Review to come); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy, #1); Author: Marie Rutkoski; Genres: history, young-adult, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Rating: 3 1/2 stars; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Virtually in Love; Author: A. Destiny; Genres: young-adult, fiction; Review: This is the first book I've read of this series (I have been wanting to read it since last year, but have been reading other things) and finished it in two days! There are no cuss words and no sex. Only one kiss scene. The romance is so sweet and I found the story to be very engaging! Chloe was such a silly character, and realistic in her reactions to love as a young teen. She did annoy me sometimes, but gets better. I love Kaz, and Vanessa's such a great friend. I also like Maya. Trevor got on my nerves more often than not. He was a bit of an arrogant jerk. The ending made me happy though! This is definitely a book/series to look into--a feel-good winner! These are the kinds of YA Contemporary romances I search for!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Promise of Jesse Woods; Author: Chris Fabry; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/2 stars. (Review to come!); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Secret of Pembrooke Park; Author: Julie Klassen; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Rating: 4 1/2 stars. This author has definitely made it onto my favorites list! It is a relatively thick book, but it goes by quickly. The characters are realistic and the storyline is very intriguing. I loved the mystery and romance! Every chapter ending is a cliff-hanger, and the descriptions make you feel like you can actually see, hear, and feel everything. There is tangible danger, and there was no lack of suspense--and it was simply, in my opinion, a good, heart-warming story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Geekerella; Author: Ashley Poston; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is a really cute book! Aside from the cussing, and a few implied sensual references, this is a compelling and fun story. I absolutely DESPISED the stepmonster and Chloe. I wanted to tell them to shut-up or slap them. The ending had a good victory, though. I got annoyed with both main characters a couple of times, but was also cheering them on. I wasn't too keen on the implied relationship between Cal and . . . Elle's friend (can't remember her name at the moment). But overall, the romance was clean. It was a quick read and had such a sweet ending.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Newton & Polly; Author: Jody Hedlund; Genres: history, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Oh my goodness this book! My mom originally read it and told me I should too. I did, and went through all the emotions. I got excited, frustrated, impatient, and overall just really enjoyed it! I teared up at the end and rejoiced whenever there was triumph. I never knew really anything about John Newton, aside from the fact that he had been a sailor and had written "Amazing Grace". I didn't even know he had a wife. So to read this story brought everything into light. I really liked Newton. There were several times when he irritated me--as did Polly sometimes--but once everything was resolved, I thought my heart would melt. Billy oftentimes annoyed me to no end. Everyone was multidimensional, and the romance is absolutely wonderful! Highly, highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Stack-On PR-19 19-Inch Pro Tool Box, Black/Red; Brand: Stack-On; Review: I use it for carrying my needed tools to work on my kids house problems - comes in handy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kreg MKJKIT Mini Kreg Jig Kit; Brand: Kreg; Review: I saw an item like this and just had to have it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Yost LV-4 Home Vise 4-1/2"; Brand: Yost Tools; Review: Great for our son in law, he does not have a lot of tools.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kreg KMA2675 Kreg Rip-Cut; Brand: Kreg; Review: I have not used it yet, but summer is coming. My son and son in law both loved it so we will see.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Primefit Pri-6044 IK1016S-20 Deluxe Air Compressor Accessory Kit Including Recoil Airhose; Brand: Primefit; Review: My old kit had died from multiple holes in the hose, so the new kit was needed for my air compressor.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Uxcell a09101300ux0108 Uxcell; Brand: uxcell; Review: It really comes in handy for the hard to reach areas.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Tools_and_Home_Improvement |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Breaking The Drought - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Lisa Ireland Page; Review: Breaking the Drought is a fantastic novel with a great deal of heart. Jenna is a fish out of water (though a classy fish with a great wardrobe and designer shoes) and the rural way of life is real culture shock for her. But as Jenna learns more about these people and their lives she begins to see there is much more under the surface than she thinks. Luke isn't looking for a relationship. He has family obligations and theyve taken him over almost without him realizing it. When Jenna bowls into town hes forced to confront his attraction to her, and to take stock of where his life is and what he wants for his future. Ms Ireland has created interesting and endearing characters and has set them in a landscape so beautifully crafted you can smell the dust and feel the heat of the sun on your skin. This is an accomplished, engaging debut novel and Im looking forward the second book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Feels Like Home eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Lisa Ireland Page; Review: Once again Lisa Ireland has delivered a fantastic story that's full of heart, told within the landscape of rural Australia. Jo and Ryan have history together, and old hurts come to the surface when Jo returns home for her best friend's wedding. It doesn't take long for them to realize they still care about one another, but they see their lives going in very different directions. Each of them must reassess their lives and take a stand for what's truly important to them. Both characters go on an emotional journey that is often difficult, sometimes heart-rending, but ultimately uplifting (this is a romance, after all). This is a beautifully crafted story, peopled with relatable characters, and set in the kind of town we'd all like to visit. Lisa Ireland is a consummate story-teller and I can't wait for her next book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Bound Heart: The Velvet Basement Series - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Elsa Holland Page; Review: Once again Elsa Holland has created a Victorian world unlike anything I've ever read. The lush, vividly imagined landscape adds a richness to the story, and exploring the Japanese influence on the London society of the time is fascinating. But not as fascinating as the characters Ms Holland brings to life. Olive and Jamie walk between the worlds of poverty and wealth, not quite fitting in with either but still determined to find their own place. The true struggle - for both of them - is trying to find a place with each other. Olive is strong and courageous, but she's also vulnerable and fragile. Her quiet determination and her willingness to take a risk make her one of my favourite heroines. Jamie, too, is strong and flawed - in different ways and for different reasons. His overly structured, rule-driven life hides a multitude of old hurts and he thinks himself impenetrable - until Olive turns his life upside down at the same time as he's turning hers inside out. This story is explicit and it has some very dark edges, but it's also full of heart and worth turning every page. The Bound Heart is a genuine five-star read - I can't wait for book three in the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Arrangement: Unchained Vice - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Nicolette Hugo Page; Review: In her debut novel Nicolette Hugo gives us a plan-oriented lawyer who believes she has her life on a schedule and pairs her with a dom whose's smart enough to play the long game. We (the readers) come into their relationship five months into a six month contract. I actually liked that a lot of the relationship work was done and Ms Hugo invites us in at the pivotal moment of upheaval. It's an interesting and refreshing plot device and - in this case - it works really well. Nell has been hiding behind the terms of the contract for months. When she's faced with walking away or confronting her fears and feelings, she struggles with her place in her world and with her place as Vincent's sub. Both characters must face their demons and it's in that process that we begin to see the heart of who they are. Set against the sometimes dark world of BDSM, The Arrangement is a fantastic read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Exhibition: Unchained Vice - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Nicolette Hugo Page; Review: Once again Nicolette Hugo has produced a an emotionally engaging, thought provoking book. Grace Cantrell is an exhibitionist who - ironically - reveals nothing of herself. Jason Wright is a photographer who uses his lens to peer into his subject's soul. They seem at opposite ends of the spectrum but they have more in common than either of them initially believe - and it's their fight to find common ground, their fight for each other that gives this story true emotional depth. Ms Hugo is an accomplished author who brings to life the kind of characters that stay with you long after you read the book. 'Exhibition' is a must read for lovers of erotic romance.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Honey Hill House (A Dollar for a Dream Book 2) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Lisa Ireland Page; Review: Lisa Ireland is one of my go-to authors, and Honey Hill House is keeping her on the top of my list. Ms Ireland writes with a deft touch, bringing the small town of Dulli to life and populating it with characters we can all identify with. But what sets this story apart is rich development of the hero and heroine. Mitch is gun shy about relationships and he has no intention of staying in his small home town. And Bea, shattered by the breakdown of her marriage, wants nothing more than a new, independent life. Yet neither of them can deny their attraction, and as their friendship develops their dance becomes more emotionally intimate. Lisa Ireland is a master at crafting heart-tugging, emotionally satisfying stories. Honey Hill House is a must read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Closer To Sin - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Squire Page; Review: This is the debut novel for Elizabeth Squires, and I hope its to be the first of many. Closer To Sin is set in Napoleonic France, and Ms Squires weaves a complex story of intrigue, suspense and romance against the backdrop of historical authenticity. Her heroine, Liliane is strong and smart. She has a sense of duty to her family and her country, and she also has the courage to do something about it. Smuggling herself to France and posing as a guide for Sin (who is himself a spy) is only the first step in Lilanes adventures. Sin is a hero in the best tradition clever, cynical, honorable and totally swoonworthy. I loved him! If you enjoy beautifully crafted historicals, Closer To Sin should be on your must read list.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Kindle_Store |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: VIMVIP 3 in 1 Micro USB OTG Host Adapter SD Card Reader for Samsung Galaxy S4 S2 S3 Note 2; Brand: VIMVIP; Review: Works great. I use it to read my trail cam memory cards with my phone while I am out in the field. No need to swap and wait to see the pics until I get home. Saves a lot of time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Edge Products 84130 Insight Monitor; Brand: Edge Products; Review: This helped me diagnose a fuel injector power module problem that my mechanic didn't isolate. It saved me a lot money by diagnosing and allowing me to fix it myself. I use it to monitor important temperature and voltages. A must for any diesel truck.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: SLIK Sprint Pro EZ Tripod (Aluminum) with Multi-Action Pan Head, Black (611-845); Brand: Slik; Review: I was looking for a light backpacking tripod and this has been perfect. I can't speak to the longevity of the head or durability yet. The function as purchased is great. It is surprisingly light and operates easily. Good purchase.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gosky Smartphone Capturer for Iphone Smartphones - Three Sides Held the; Brand: Gosky; Review: Works well and is very adjustable. It just weighs a lot to pack into the woods.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gosky 1.25 Crystalview Moon Filter for Telescope Eyepiece - Standand 1.25inch Filter Thread - Metal Frame - Optical Glass; Brand: Gosky; Review: Works well and is very adjustable. It just weighs a lot to pack into the woods.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gosky Universal Cell Phone Adapter Mount; Brand: Gosky; Review: Works well and is very adjustable. It just weighs a lot to pack into the woods.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Insect Lore Cup of Caterpillars with Deluxe Chrysalis Station Live Habitat Kit Refill; Brand: Insect Lore; Review: as advertised; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Backyard Exploration Critter Case; Brand: Toysmith; Review: as advertised; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dancing Bear Rock & Mineral Collection Activity Kit (Over 150 Pcs), Educational Identification Sheet plus 2 Easy Break; Brand: Dancing Bear; Review: as advertised; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: None Agate Light Table Slices (set of 12); Brand: None; Review: as advertised; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Backyard Safari Magnifying Glass; Brand: Backyard Safari Company; Review: as advertised; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Carrera 62423 GO DTM Touring Contest Slot Race Track Set 1:43 Scale Analog System (Includes 2 Cars and 2; Brand: Carrera; Review: lots of fun; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Romwe Women's Tie Dye Sleeveless Casual Loose T-Shirt Dress Swing Tunic Top; Brand: ; Review: Very comfy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anna-Kaci Womens Sleeveless Open Front Crochet Shawl Cardigan Bikini Cover Up; Brand: Anna-Kaci; Review: These are awesome paired with long sleeveless tunics. Really dresses up comfy palazzo pants. Good quality. I bought the gray and brown vests.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MBJ Womens Sleeveless Comfy Tunic Tank Top with Various Hem - Made in USA; Brand: ; Review: Very flattering. Liked it so much I ordered another in olive.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sterling Silver Two-Piece Charm Always Sisters Forever Friends Pendant Necklace; Brand: Amazon Collection; Review: Wonderful quality. Great gift for my sisters. Wish they'd get one for me too. :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Twisted Women's Drizzy Tall Cute Rubber Rain Boots; Brand: ; Review: Heavy weight. Fits a bit tight. But cute and functional.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blowfish Women's Balla Wedge Sandal; Brand: ; Review: Bought a brown pair too and plan to wear these all summer. Very comfy. Perfect fit. Good quality.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MBJ Womens Comfy Chic Solid Tie-Dye Palazzo Pants - Made in USA; Brand: ; Review: Perhaps a bit snugger than other palazzo pants I've ordered in size medium, but still a very nice pair of pants. Super comfy. This material is lightweight and doesn't hide much, so I wear them with long tunics.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Billabong Women's East of Eden Flat Sandal; Brand: ; Review: Unfortunately I had to return these shoes because both zippers were faulty. If the maker would swap out the zipper for a better quality, this shoe would be awesome.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Grand Hyatt New York; City: New York City New York; Review: The room was dirty, the service so so. Even in NY there must be better value than this. Fixtures and fittings were battered. Staff presence and bell men minimal. You expect small, expensive and noisy in NY but I have never had dirty as well. Rip off.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Leela Goa; City: Cavelossim South Goa District Goa; Review: 3 nights in the hotel over the recent public holiday weekend, with family and grandparents. Excellent from start to finish and very good value for money. Beautiful location, grounds and beach. Very good food in all of the various restaurants and very attentive service. We had a wonderful time and will certainly be back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi; City: Hanoi; Review: Did a long weekend with children and had a wonderful time. The hotel is in beautiful condition and in a great location near the lake. Rooms are smallish but very comfortable and the courtyard and pool are great places to relax after a sweaty day out. The French food at dinner, and the breakfasts were both excellent, with the food and wine reasonably priced. Staff were good - efficient and friendly in what is a busy hotel. Concierge organised a couple of activities for us with minimal fuss. This is a lovely luxurious base from which to explore Hanoi. Well worth it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Leela Mumbai; City: Mumbai Maharashtra; Review: I had said before in the club area which was decent. A quick stay for business on the regular floor was a bit disappointing. Room was a little frayed around the edges and basic. The general hotel area and pool area is nice however and the location is good. But overall the hotel is a bit overrun. A battle to check in and out for example. Food was OK but the breakfast and dinner buffets are better elsewhere. The group is good - I have stayed at the very nice Goa property - but if I were to come again to Mumbai I'd stay in town I think.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Oberoi Grand; City: Kolkata Calcutta Kolkata District West Bengal; Review: A short stay only. Hotel has great atmosphere in a very interesting city. The room was extremely comfortable. Breakfast was excellent and the staff couldn't do more to help. The hotel organised a great and reasonably priced private city tour with a superb guide. They were also very helpful about accommodating a late departure. As always a little more expensive than the competition but worth every penny and the best hotel group in India by a mile.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Amantaka; City: Luang Prabang Luang Prabang Province; Review: Excellent in every respect. A beautiful property with a wonderful room that was kept immaculate throughout our 3 night stay. Excellent and friendly staff from the manager down to the gardeners; extremely professional across the board. This is not a family hotel but they couldn’t do enough in terms of small touches to make sure our kids had a good time. Well organised excursions, especially the boat trip, as well as lots of small lifts here and there on the tuktuk meant we saw lots of the area. Great food and nice wine at decent prices. A lovely gym and pool. A really peaceful and atmospheric place where we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It’s expensive but worth every penny. Thoroughly recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Christmas Wedding; Author: Visit Amazon's James Patterson Page; Review: I guess I was a little disappointed. It was not what I expected. Maybe it ranks up there with other Christmas themeed novels.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Simply Irresistible; Author: Visit Amazon's Rachel Gibson Page; Review: After reading Simply Irresistible, I had to read all of the Chinocks Hockey Team books. Not one of them disappoints. Since then I have reread them all. John and Georgeanne are smart and funny. Loved all the characters in this novel especially the budding relationship between John and his daughter. Rachel Gibson never ever disappoints.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Maid for the Billionaire: Ruth Cardello (Legacy Collection); Author: Visit Amazon's Ruth Cardello Page; Review: Loved reading this funny sexy book and had to have the whole collection. It was a great find and a new author. Had to look at her back list and was pleasantly surprised.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Three Days in Seattle; Author: Visit Amazon's Debra Burroughs Page; Review: If ever there was a case against picking a free book for your Kindle, this would be it. The plot was fair. The characters were a little shallow. The writing was juvenile and really bad in parts' Like the ending scene where she practically forgets her missing sister. Certainly a case against self publishing. A good editor was sorely needed. .; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Something About Her; Author: Visit Amazon's Jeannie Ruesch Page; Review: You will fail in love with this hero and heroine. All the elements that make this a unforgettable romance are well written in this story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Irreplaceable (Harmony) (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Angela Graham Page; Review: l loved that it was a slow burn of a couple becoming friends first. Logan has so many issues but above all wants to protect his son. He is honest and to the point. Love this character and can't wait for the next.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: No More Wasted Time; Author: Visit Amazon's Beverly Preston Page; Review: This is a wonderful love story. The heroine is a beautiful, independent woman who lost the of her life and is given a second chance for love with a wonderful, strong, generous, and loving man. The locations in this story are breathtaking. Makes you believe in and hope for those second chances for love.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Indulge (Harmony); Author: Visit Amazon's Angela Graham Page; Review: I think Logan helped FATE along in his quest for Cassandra. It explains how Logan and Caleb ended up on Harmony. Only wish I had read it before the first book. Enjoyed it emencely!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: All You Need is Love (A Green Mountain Romance); Author: Visit Amazon's Marie Force Page; Review: Marie Force never disappoints her readers. A wonderful story of family in a beautiful setting in the Green Mts. of Vermont. A wonderful love story of two people from very different backgrounds who find that all you really need is love. .; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fatal Jeopardy (The Fatal Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Marie Force Page; Review: As always Marie never disappoints with this great series. Right from the start this series grabbed the reader. A wonderful romance/suspense novel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sweet Talk Me: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Kieran Kramer Page; Review: A sweet and sexy romance that has you routing for the southern girl and the country singer. A delightful romp with its ups and downs. You know from the start that love will find a way. All its quirky characters were really fun. Kieran has a delightful way of keeping her reads wanting more.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Undetected; Author: Visit Amazon's Dee Henderson Page; Review: After reading Unspoken and Full Disclosure I couldn't wait for Undetected. Certainly I wasn't disappointed. A wonderful story of our Naval heroes and there dedication to their service. The detail of our ballistic missile submarines and their submerged patrols was astounding. I can't imagine the amount of research that goes into a book like this.. Loved that the love story developed at a slow pace. I didn't want to let go of these wonderful characters Mark and Gina and their beautiful love story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Slow Tango With a Prince (Royal Scandals) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Nicole Burnham Page; Review: Loved each of these amazing stories of modern day royalty. Tango With a Prince was a beautiful story and gave us more insight into all the family's interaction We Learned more of the relationship between the King and Queen. There might be more of this relationship in a future book?????? The interaction between the twin Princes is wonderful. Can't wait for the other twins story . All this and a beautiful love story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fast Track; Author: Visit Amazon's Julie Garwood Page; Review: I have read all 31 of Julie Garwood's books and whether it's historical or contemporary I've never been disappointed. It is great to have characters carried over from other books. Like meeting old friends. Love the mix of romance and mystery.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: End Game (A Dark Romance) (Vittorio Crime Family) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Vanessa Waltz Page; Review: Once hooked could not put it down and had to have all three. Loved it! Did not disappoint. This series is not for the weak of heart; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Treasure (The Lost Andersons) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Melody Anne Page; Review: This story has been done before in Hallmark and Lifetime movies. Very disappointed. Nothing original here. Not up to the standard of the other Billionaire Bachelor books.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: His Witness (A Dark Romance); Author: Visit Amazon's Vanessa Waltz Page; Review: If you like Mafia stories you'll love this one. This was a great followup to the previous books. It is not for the faint of heart. A hard book to put down once your in to it. I did like the happy ending.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: You're So Fine: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Kieran Kramer Page; Review: A sweet southern romance. This is a story that is well written with characters you will like from the start. There are family dynamics that will make you laugh and cry. The setting a Carolina beach is beautifully described. A beautiful romance with a perfect ending. Kieran Kramer never disappoints. Looking forward to her next contemporary romance.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Adieu to Destiny: The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod (Volume 4); Author: Visit Amazon's Tracy Ellen Page; Review: A Little disappointing! Loved the first three books and worth five stars. This one not so much. I put it down a few times half way thru. It just didn't keep my attention. So much rambling on with her sisters and all the no baby stuff. The ending was a little disappointing. Hoping the next one will be back on track like the first three.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rock Her; Author: Visit Amazon's Inglath Cooper Page; Review: Highly recommended! Loved it and wanted to recommend it to my reader friends. I really didn't know what to expect of a rock star. Pleasantly surprised! I found myself routing for these two great souls. The Italian countryside was the perfect setting. Found myself wanting more in the end. Love Inglath Cooper.s books.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shopping for a Billionaire's Fiancée (The Shopping Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Julia Kent Page; Review: Shopping for the Billionaire and Shopping for a Billionaire's Fiancee are the perfect stories for a great romantic comedy movie. Love both stories and couldn't put the Kindle down. A smart romantic and sexy read. Can't wait for the next one.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blue Wide Sky: Book One - Smith Mountain Lake Series (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Inglath Cooper Page; Review: Another wonderful story written so beautifully. Couldn't put it down till I finished Sam and Abby's story. If you haven't read Inglath's. Rock Her, it would be a great follow-up to this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tonight and Always; Author: Visit Amazon's Nora Roberts Page; Review: When buying a Nora Roberts book always look for the copyright date. This is a re- re-issue book from 1990. This is what Nora would tell you.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: A Wedding to Remember (Switched at Marriage) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Gina Robinson Page; Review: Received this book for an honest review! Well written and light hearted would be my description. It was a page turner and with these series makes the reader want the next . installment. I am looking forward to the next release; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Breathless In Love (The Maverick Billionaires, Book 1) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Bella Andre Page; Review: A wonderful love story that I couldn't put down. Had to be read in one sitting. This is truly the beginning of a great new series as was the Sullivan's. Looking forward to more wonderful writing by these two very talented author's.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: No Perfect Secret; Author: Visit Amazon's Jackie Weger Page; Review: Loved this book from the very start with its perfect amount of suspense and contemporary romance. You knew that Anna and Frank would be really meant for each other after all the intrigue was cleared away. This books abounds with wonderful characters that you will love as soon as they are introduced. I want to read more by this talented author.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Trouble When You Walked In: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Kieran Kramer Page; Review: Received this book for an honest review. As usual a sweet Southern romance! The librarian and the sexy major clash in the best way. You will love the not so meek little librarian who turns into the mayor's opponent for the mayoral race in a hot tub. The small town of Kettle Knob in North Carolina is the perfect setting with all it's Southern charm and quirky residents... As always Kieran Kramer dishes up snappy dialogue and characters you will love. A fabulous read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Right; Author: Visit Amazon's Jana Aston Page; Review: ENjoyed WRONG by this author but RIGHT is actually much better. This story will make you laugh and cry. I could not put it down till the end and then I wanted more. The writing really flows along. Beverly and Sawyer are perfect.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Everywhere and Every Way (The Billionaire Builders); Author: Visit Amazon's Jennifer Probst Page; Review: Just finish this great read and Jennifer never disappoints. As usual wonderful characters a beautiful love story and so well written. Can't wait for the next one in this series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gone Again: A Jack Swyteck Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's James Grippando Page; Review: James Grippando never disappoints. Wonderful court room drama that is suspenseful and fast paced. Our favorite defense lawyer Jack Swytek defending another death row defendant.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The CEO Buys In (Wager of Hearts); Author: Visit Amazon's Nancy Herkness Page; Review: I found this great read from a recommendation from one of my favorite author's. This story starts with wager between three very inebriated guys, a CEO, a football quarterback and an author. The first in this series is the CEO's story. Catchy dialogue, a well written romance and a strong female heroine makes for a good story. Can't wait for the next in this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The All-Star Antes Up (Wager of Hearts); Author: Visit Amazon's Nancy Herkness Page; Review: Two of the three who entered into the bet have found their true loves. Although I liked the first book in this series better this is a story with steamy chemistry between Luke and Miranda. Luke is a superstar quarterback looking for a fifth Super bowl ring. I really enjoy sports romances and I'm a big football fan so this did fit the bill. Can' t wait for Gavin s story (the third in on the wager).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Rock Star's Secret Baby (Rock Stars in Disguise: Cadell): A Contemporary Rock Star Romance (Billionaires in Disguise); Author: Visit Amazon's Blair Babylon Page; Review: Fantastic ending to a wonderful series. Blair cares about her characters. The passion and connection will stay with you long after your done reading. Didn't want this series to end.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fatal Identity: A Romantic Suspense novel (The Fatal Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Marie Force Page; Review: Enjoyed being in touch with all the great characters in this series. Some of the story line is getting redundant though. Is there always going to be a fellow officer who is out to get her? Is Nick always going to be jealous of Avery? He seems to be insecure in his marriage. The storyline was great with it's twists and turns. Love Marie's writing but some of the sex scenes should be left to her other series by M.S. Force.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Wicked Prince (Royal Scandals) (Volume 5); Author: Visit Amazon's Nicole Burnham Page; Review: Although this story in this wonderful series was a little slow and hard to get into, it was well worth sticking with. Alessandro was one of my favorite princes from the earlier book and was happy that he found love his HEA with Frannie.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Angels' Share (The Bourbon Kings); Author: Visit Amazon's J.R. Ward Page; Review: I love the first book and couldn't wait to start Angel's Share. This author doesn't disappoint. It is the first of her series that I've read and I really enjoyed these very complex characters. If there is a next book I'll be happy but if not I'm satisfied.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: First Star I See Tonight: A Novel (Chicago Stars); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Elizabeth Phillips Page; Review: I really was looking forward to a Stars book and it was a good addition. The last book sits on my shelf unread. i never got beyond the first chapter. Not into talking dolls. This book had all the elements of most of the Stars books. My favorite characters Annabel and Heath from Match Me If You Can made their appearance (would have liked more of these two) along with Phoebe the Stars owner. The quirky heroine and the gorgeous former quarterback were well portrayed. Some of the side plots were a little overdone. For a SEP Stars book it was a good read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Penny Jumper: A Novella; Author: Visit Amazon's James Grippando Page; Review: As with all of James past books this is a winner. The concept of Wall st. trading and an astrophysicist heroine makes for very interesting reading. As usual the courtroom scenes really held your interest. The pleasant surprise at the end were the short stories with some of our old friends from James's other novels.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Kingmaker: A Powerplay Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Selena Laurence Page; Review: This is so good that it draws you in right from the first page. A great mix of sexual and political tension. A love story with both romance and a little suspense.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Exquisite: The Diamond Trilogy, Book III (BookShots Flames); Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Hayley Page; Review: This trilogy is a rocky ride. The romance between bIllionaire Derek and artist Siobhan has a lot of ups and downs with much graphic sex. Not a romance for every reader.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Speaking Greek (Foreign Exchange) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Selena Laurence Page; Review: Young heir to a Greek shipping dynasty and an American intern in his business make interesting reading. Serena Penn's a beautiful love story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Consequences; Author: Visit Amazon's Aleatha Romig Page; Review: This is a novel that will take you on a real roller coaster ride. The main character Anthony a brutal and savage man. Claire is his captive. of physical and psychological abuse. Not a pretty story but one that captures you and you can't put it down. I can only wonder where book two will take me.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beyond the Consequences: Book 5 of the Consequences Series (Volume 5); Author: Visit Amazon's Aleatha Romig Page; Review: This was a fitting end to the Consequences series. It did tie up some of the loose ends.. Tony and Claire have their happy ending with their beautiful family and their close friends. Did we see this ending in the first books? I would say no but people can change and love does sometimes conquer in the end. A few questions remain about happenings of some of the secondary characters. Who knows maybe there will be more to come.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fidelity (Infidelity) (Volume 5); Author: Visit Amazon's Aleatha Romig Page; Review: A wonderful series and a perfect love story. Right from book one we knew the princess would have her happily ever after. Though the five books we had faith for a HEA. Aleatha Romig never disappoints. With it's many twists and turns and dark moments this series is a winner.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dirty Together (The Dirty Billionaire Trilogy) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Meghan March Page; Review: Megan March does not disappoint . After the first two books in this series she comes up with a surprise ending to this HEA story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The VIP Doubles Down (Wager of Hearts); Author: Visit Amazon's Nancy Herkness Page; Review: Really loved the first two books in this series. This one not so much! The writing was excellent as with all Nancy's book. I think the story got lost in so much sex in most of the book. It picked up again with a good ending.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Behind the Curtain; Author: Visit Amazon's Beth Kery Page; Review: It is another winner for Beth Kerry with this perfect love story. Two young lovers with different backgrounds and cultures and a heartwarming story of there long road to their HEA.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wicked Beautiful; Author: Visit Amazon's J.T. Geissinger Page; Review: I really enjoyed reading Wicked Beautiful with all its wicked twists and turns. The characters are so well written. With so much wit and sex and yet sweet with emotional depth that it's a story you can' t put down till the end. So happy I found Ms. Geissingger.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Plus One; Author: Visit Amazon's Aleatha Romig Page; Review: This is a whole new type of novel for Althea Romig (a lighter side). There is nothing about this story that is not amazing. The humor, the story, the characters, the very sexy scenes loved every page. Finished with a big smile on my face wanting more.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Becoming Mrs. Lockwood; Author: Visit Amazon's K.I. Lynn Page; Review: A fairy tale to remember and I couldn't put it down. Wren was young but mature beyond her years. Weston Lockwood was a pretty incredible character. Couldn't put it down till the too soon ending. The age difference didn't both me as my HEA was along the same lines but the age difference was much more. We had 49 wonderful years together. This was a new author to me and I enjoyed her writing. Will look forward to more!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Everyone Loves a Hero; Author: Visit Amazon's Marie Force Page; Review: Loved this book when it was first published and I was introduced to Marie as a new author. This new version with the epilogue with the characters from the Quantum series just finished off a perfect love story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: One Night; Author: Visit Amazon's Aleatha Romig Page; Review: Aleatha delivers. another fun, sweet and sexy story. I am enjoying this lighter side, first with Plus One and with One Night. From the moment we are introduced to Mandy and Malcolm the pull and. chemistry jumps off the pages. This story will leave you with a big smile on your face.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: You Do Something To Me (The Sullivans); Author: Visit Amazon's Bella Andre Page; Review: This truly is a 5 star addition to the Sullivan's saga. A sweet love story with wonderful characters that you will be cheering for from their first meeting. Bella writes wonderful stories of an amazing family. This is why we have fallen in love with the Sullivan's. This sweet and sexy story will keep your interest to the very last page.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Away from the Dark (The Light); Author: Visit Amazon's Aleatha Romig Page; Review: This is a book you can't put down. Enjoyed the two books in this series and wonder! Could there b e a third book??? From the epilogue it seems there could be. It was a very interesting look at how a cult could exist. The characters were so well written and the story compelling. Althea never disappoints.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ripples: A Consequences Stand-alone Novel (Volume 6); Author: Visit Amazon's Aleatha Romig Page; Review: After reading this standalone there has to be another follow-up to Nat and Dex's story. Althrew the reading of this story, pieces of Consequences came back to me. I wanted to close the book but couldn't. Such a compelling story. Is history repeating itself??? Thanks Aleatha for Consequences and this follow-up of the Rawlings.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Finding Fraser; Author: Visit Amazon's kc dyer Page; Review: Loved this wonderful story from the first to the very last page. I highly recommend it to any of the followers who enjoy any of the Outlander blogs on Facebook. The fact that Herself is mentioned along with the other writer in the acknowledgment s should speak for its self.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Princess: A Private Novel - Hardcover Library Edition; Author: Visit Amazon's James Patterson Page; Review: So very disappointed with this Private novel. I read all the others Privates novels written with Mark Sullivan and really thought they were excellent. This was so violent in the second half and nothing like a security operation.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Felicity Huffman Is Scheduled to Be Released from Prison on October 27 After Serving 13 Days; Abstract: Felicity Huffman's Release from Prison Set for Oct. 27; Category: news
Title: 50+ Halloween Treats That Are So Good, It's Scary; Abstract: Give chocolate doughnuts a festive facelift.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: 25 Thanksgiving Stuffing and Dressing Recipes; Abstract: Whether it's a turkey-filler or served on the side, a bready, savory stuffing or dressing recipe is a must in every Thanksgiving spread.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: A bride and groom ordered $450 of Domino's pizza for their wedding meal because they 'couldn't decide on food'; Abstract: Domino's came through with 30 large pizza boxes, 20 garlic breads, 20 boxes of chicken strips, 20 boxes of wedges, and plenty of garlic and herb dip.; Category: lifestyle
Title: Meghan Markle Kept it Casual in Jeans and a Crisp Button Down For a Visit to Luminary Bakery; Abstract: The Duchess of Sussex previously spotlighted the social enterprise bakery in the September issue of British Vogue.; Category: lifestyle
Title: The Absolute Best Casseroles of 2019; Abstract: Cozy up with our best casseroles from the last year. These recipes are the ones our readers loved, made and shared the most in 2019. The post The Absolute Best Casseroles of 2019 appeared first on Taste of Home.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Prince Harry Has the Sweetest Response When Young Student Calls Him Handsome During Japan Trip; Abstract: Prince Harry Has Sweet Response When Student Calls Him Handsome; Category: lifestyle
Title: 50 Thanksgiving Appetizer & Dip Recipes That Won't Spoil Your Appetite; Abstract: Great! You're all done making Thanksgiving dinner. Oh wait, the appetizers…; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Our 41 Favorite Fall Cakes; Abstract: Sure, there will be pie. But first, let's make cake.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Woman found dead in Ohio home was likely killed by her Great Danes, police say; Abstract: An officer responding to a possible overdose found a woman lying on the floor with "numerous" cuts and puncture wounds.; Category: news
Title: Deadly Arctic blast breaks records set more than 100 years ago; Abstract: It was literally freezing in Florida and Alabama and parts of Maine, Michigan and New York were digging out a foot of snow. Blame an Arctic air mass.; Category: weather | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Rixwell Old Town Hotel; City: Tallinn Harju County; Review: Well, the rooms are small but its in old hotels sometimes in Europe. The place is well for conquer the old Tallinn, the stuff is friendly!The rooms clear, yes loud but it also not so rare in old city hotels.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Albani Roma; City: Rome Lazio; Review: In a small quiet street but not far away from the loud and active Roma with funny colourful rooms and a dangerous garage.Cant nothing bad tell but nothing is too worth to be reported except I slept perfect after a hard day of sightseeing.Think it could be enough.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Theatre Boutique Apart Hotel; City: Kiev; Review: I booked as a apartment/studio but it was a room in a flat with different rooms, poor furnished with a kitchen where to do quite nothing because missing a lot what to need in a kitchen,TV wasnt working.The best was in the bathroom the jacuzzi. Stuff was friendly.The bill was retacted already at the day of booking.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Boutique Hotel Grotthuss; City: Vilnius Vilnius County; Review: At a quiet corner of the Vilnius centre you will find an old style hotel with spacy, clean, quiet rooms and tasty food.A big choice at the breakfast. The furniture are to the athmosphere in the hotel.Very great place!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Neptun Hotel; City: St Petersburg Northwestern District; Review: Near the Aquarium, the metro aand a park in a quiet place the hotel neptun needs really some renovation. The lobby is nice and the stuff friendly. All the restaurant parts are outsourced and to pay seperately. The rooms are not small but floorcovering and furniture needs a renovation.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Palazzo Guardi; City: Venice Veneto; Review: Its true, the house is old.but it is only one floor with some rooms and you can listen to all what happened at reception or at the breakfast.Its a special athmosphere and the stuff do the best.Its also not easy to find because the street is doubled in Veneice and there is only a small symbol at the door.The room is small and clean and give with its furniture a little view to the old Venice.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Paradies; City: Graz Styria; Review: The hotel is a little bit far away from the city center and not easy to find. The place is quite, the rooms big and clean but little old fashioned.The bed is god to sleep. The food in restaurant or breakfast is great. Especially for fans of tennis the hotel is perfect; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Austria Trend Hotel Ljubljana; City: Ljubljana Upper Carniola Region; Review: The Austria Trend Hotel in Ljubljana is one of the best places to stay in the slovenian capital. The service is very well, the rooms spacy and clean. The bed perfect to sleep. The spa (was a little bit overcrowded) is a perfect place to relax after hard day.The breakfast is well without critics. The restaurant is small, athmoshere not so well, the menue with only few dishes, the taste only medium. The only minus of the hotel.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Castello di Petrata; City: Assisi Province of Perugia Umbria; Review: If you are looking for special stay near Assisi but far away from the crowded athmoshere I would recommend you Castello die Petrata. Its 10 minutes by car from Assisi centre. The way to the hotel is from one side a little rough and adventurous but the place let you all these forget. Its an old farm house quite 500 years with very friendly stuff, good cuisine and a perfect silence.You have park, pool and a perfect view to the landscape.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Versilia Palace Hotel; City: Marina di Pietrasanta Province of Lucca Tuscany; Review: The four star beach hotel is situated between beach and a great big pine forest and big park at right side.The hotel has an own parking place.All is very clean from room and pool until the whole aerea.The staff is always ready for help and assistance.The rooms back from sea have a big terrace.There is only one minus not rarely in Italy its the breakfast.There are quite no changes and i a country of wonderful cheese no offer of thatThe food at diner is very good with new surprises every day.If you like good breakfasts you have to chose another hotel in the region if you like a good stay chose it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Il Castellino Relais; City: Vieste Province of Foggia Puglia; Review: We start with some problems to find the place at the end of the town when you are coming from south.Its situated direct by the sea, have a small tennis court and a good pool.The interior is in older style.All in the hotel is very clean!The breakfast is excellent for Italy - other food is not served. The sizes of the room varied a lot.The staff will help or assist you at every time. It was a great stay!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Restaurant Altkolnischer Hof; City: Bacharach Rhineland Palatinate; Review: Modern rooms in an old traditional house.Wine regions. very tasty white wines. Very romantic town with old castle at the hill.From there perfect view to the river Rhine. Rooms are clean, not very big, the breakfast is normal. Staff friendly.Parking nearby.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stage 47; City: Dusseldorf North Rhine Westphalia; Review: Near the old town its a fine boutique hotel with different rooms in special style of german artists. The breakfast is very good, great amount of different food. The staff is very friendly and helpful.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mercure Hotel Dortmund Messe Kongress; City: Dortmund North Rhine Westphalia; Review: The hotel has a great view to the Soccer stadium of Borrusia Dortmund. Its situated at the same street. The rooms are big, the parking place, all is clean, the staff helpful, definitely need a car from there to go to restaurants or the town centre.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Best Western Hotel Zur Post; City: Bremen; Review: Near the main station is sometimes not a good adress but not in Bremen. Peaceful quite place, centre in walking distance, a lot of restants nearby. Not the newest house, but all the rooms well renovated. The staff is helpful and friendly the breakfast has a lot of choice.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hochwalder Wohlfuhlhotel; City: Losheim am See Saarland; Review: The modern hotel is situated at a quiet place at a lake. The restaurant is in a house nerby in walking distance. The rooms are clean, bigger than usual, all are friendly. Relaxing place near french border; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The New Yorker HOTEL; City: Cologne North Rhine Westphalia; Review: The area is bad, dirty nothing interested to seen, need definitely a car to come to the centre, public transport is far away. The hotel is nice, the rooms small, breakfast is well.The staff very friendly and helpful.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Raphael Hotel Waelderhaus; City: Hamburg; Review: You are in a big town but feel like in a forest. The hotel is situated at a car free island in Hamburg near public transport. All in the hotel goes to ecological lifestyle. But I think its one of the most recommendable hotels in Hamburg. Very friendly staff, only the restaurant inside is not so well. But you are in Hamburg and there are so many great restaurants.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grand Hotel Dream; City: Frankfurt Hesse; Review: When I read the critics of some guests I guess it has to be another hotel. The hotel is in walking distance to the Zeil, 200m from there. And yes the last 200m are not so beautiful like the Zeil. I think its not a tragedy - 200m.The hotel is colourful, yes. Ununsual for Germany. Outside and inside. I travel a lot so this is really not disturbing me. Some English hotels are more colourful and plushy. The room is clean."The breakfast is not well and low quality". I really cant agree with this. A lot of choice.Tasty.Main critics about politeness or unpoliteness of the stuff.I had no problems. Help with parking, recommend restaurants nearby. Strange is only the copy of passport at check in for guarantee of extra-paid like Minibar. Ok, not very nice. But not a big minus. Who is looking for a downtown place in walking distance with a colourful room and a good bed for sleeping he can try this hotel. Nothing special but good average and the prices are cheaper than other hotels in Frankfurt center.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Burg Staufenberg; City: Staufenberg Hesse; Review: A long time ago I have visited this castle but there are a lot of postive changes. The castle is small but enough free parking places nearby. The rooms are in romantic style with old touch. The wifi is well also inside thick walls. The restaurant is very old and romantic a really eyecatcher with knights. The menue is small, the dishes well and not old traditional.Good drinks in wide selection. The staff from reception until the restaurant always friendly and helpful.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Van Bebber; City: Xanten North Rhine Westphalia; Review: Situated in the small town center The Hotel Van Bebber is a cozy quiet place with friendly staff a good cuisine and with the feeling always that all want to take care of you. The rooms are not small. The old house gives you a good feeling from the past without missing any modern wishes.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Gut Hoeing; City: Unna North Rhine Westphalia; Review: The Hotel Gut Hoeing its a part of an agricultural company and its situated at the real end of the town Unna near Dortmund. You feel like in a village but you are only 20 minutes away from Dortmund. All people are very friendly and helpful.The breakfast gives you a big choice of tasty food. The speciality is that all guests are sitting at one big table.The rooms are normal, not very modern but big.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Novum Hotel Unique Dortmund Hauptbahnhof; City: Dortmund North Rhine Westphalia; Review: The hotel is central situated so its nice to take a walk to the city centre.When you enter the hotel you see a glamorous lobby but the rooms are not very modern not very nice and renovation activities give not a quite athmoshere. because some irritations with my booking I asked for help at the reception but there were nobody really interested to help me.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: H Hotel Limes Thermen Aalen; City: Aalen Baden Wurttemberg; Review: The H Hotel Limes in Aalen is a modern medium big hotel with a thermal complex for recreation. You can find a bar and a restaurant with buffett and menue. All is tasty, the taff fluently and polite.The choice at breakfast is very big.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Europe; City: Saverne Bas Rhin Grand Est; Review: In the centre of this small lovely town you can find the Hotel Europe. The staff speaks several languages and is very helpful. You can park at the street (payable) or at a private hotel parking. Its a garni hotel so you only can have - for France a big breakfast with good choice.The rooms are big and cozy. Nothing bad to tell; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Das Weisse Hotel an der Elbchaussee; City: Hamburg; Review: on the way at the river Elbe to Blankenese you will find the old and rich Hamburg with a lot of green and with nice vilas. With a perfect view to the river the old "weisse Hotel" you cant miss. Not so many guests were there so very quiet, but the perfect view to the river from the balcony is really the best. The rooms are clairaudient, the style from 20 years ago, but all clean, the breakfast great, the territory perfect for walk, run or bicycle.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Petersburg Hotel; City: Dusseldorf North Rhine Westphalia; Review: Its a small hotel near all the Asian restaurants and business centers in Dusseldorf. Friendly staff, garage nearby, good breakfast, but the rooms are small nothing special and not amazing at all.For a short stay its possible - than the friendly staff helps about some unconvenience; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Restaurant La Couronne; City: Roppenheim Bas Rhin Grand Est; Review: There are great beer in France! You can find it in Roppenheim. So tasty.It was the biggest surprise. The food is regional, strong and big portions. I tried the menue with soup, main course and desert. Great and perfect but after dinner I had a walk because I was totally full.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Lifestyle; City: Landshut Lower Bavaria Bavaria; Review: It seems to me that the staff there could read thoughts. I got there an upgrade, they gave answers of some questions before I asked. Very friendly staff who cant nothing to do that the area where the hotel is situated is not the best but when you inside you will feel well. The restaurant is a little influenced by Italian cuisine but bavarian.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: First Night: (Seductive Nights: Julia and Clay Book #0.5) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Lauren Blakely Page; Review: I really liked the book. Got started on the next book already. Uhm, I couldn't put it down. Most of all, I couldn't go without starting the next right away.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: When God Whispers Loudly (Terreldor Press Shorts Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Chris M. Hibbard Page; Review: Very touching. You may not know this, but each one of us can resemble prayers, powerful prayers you carry with you day in and day out.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: White Cloud Retreat (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series Book 3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Dianne Harman Page; Review: Now going on to read part four. Awesome, very well written and so intriguing. I found myself crying not once but twice to this one. Guess it is a dog thing.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Murder in Calico Gold: A Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series Book 6) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Dianne Harman Page; Review: Very good read, meaning all the books. There were a few things off from one book to the other, but was done tastefully that quickly you just let it go. I commend the writer, good books.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Trust Can Be Deadly (Sage Gardens Cozy Mystery Book 3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Cindy Bell Page; Review: Read all three and got to say that they were well written and intriguing. I enjoyed them. I will read more books from this author.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Graduating (Covenant College Book 5) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Amanda M. Lee Page; Review: I've read the whole series and I'm in love with them from beginning to end. Enthralled at the get go and enraged this is the end. I'd like to read on about how Aric and Zoe now have to live outside college until her mange spirits leave ... trailing if Arics abilities down the line.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Kindle_Store |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Hotel St Marie; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: we just returned from our stay here while in New Orleans. We had never stayed here previous to this trip. It's a very pretty hotel and it is right smack dab in the middle of the French Quarter. The hotel is old but our room was clean, nicely furnished and perfect for what we needed. We had a king room with a balcony overlooking the courtyard. The balcony wasn't big at all, just big enough for a chair. It was fine for me though. The balconies overlooking Toulous St are bigger but probably noisy. There is only one elevator and it is a bit slow. The hotel itself is kinda noisy. You can here doors closing and opening up and down the hall. It really didn't bother us though, we aren't light sleepers. The resturant, cafe and bar in the lobby are beautiful and the staff was very friendly. The pool was very nice and clean and the courtyard was very pretty. I think we made a good choice staying here and will be back.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Olde Nola Cookery; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: OMG hands down the best crab cakes I have ever had!! My husband and I both ordered the Jazzy Crab Cake platter. Two huge crab cakes were presented on our plates covered in a crawfish sauce that was so good you would slap yo mama!! They were HUGE cakes and sooooooooo delicious!! LOVE THIS PLACE. The service was excellent and everyone was friendly and kind. We will go back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Felix's Restaurant & Oyster Bar; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: When my husband and I saw the line for Acme we came here. I have been here before but he had not. The charbroiled oysters are so good, and this is coming from someone who DOES NOT eat oysters!! The food is good, the prices are good and the service is wonderful.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Magnolia Grill of New Orleans; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: My husband and I stopped in here after shopping at the French Market. I was about to suffer heat stroke so I needed air ASAP! We had a nice, friendly waiter. I had a burger because I quite frankly couldn't stand to eat anything to spicy in my condition. The food was ok, the cold tea was even better; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Huck Finn's Cafe; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: My husband and I came here twice on our most recent trip to NOLA. The first time we were suffering from major heat exhaustion and just sat at the bar and had tea. The bartender was very attentive even though we weren't drinking alcohol. She brought us our own pitcher of tea. I think she knew we needed hydration. We came back the next day for breakfast on the recomendation of a family member. It was very good. My husband had an omlette with crawfish and boudain sausage that he said was the best thing ever!!!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Krazy Korner; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: On my most recent trip to NOLA I came here for the first time and had a blast. My husband and I drank and listened to a great 80's rock music band. You can bring in outside drinks which is great! The shot girls are kinda annoying but once we told them no shots we weren't bothered. We will go back for sure.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cat's Meow; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Fun to watch people singing espically the drunk ones! The "host" or whatever they are called would sing along with people who needed help, but she would also sing every other song which did make the wait list very long! I guess she had to keep everyone pumped up. My husband and I went twice and had a good time but we didn't sing.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Spirits On Bourbon; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Stopped in here because it was featured on Spike TV's Bar Rescue. I wasn't all that impressed. I know one thing for sure, what you see on the show is not what the real place is like. It didn't look rescued. LOL I asked the server about it and she said a lot of that was fake. We were here on a Monday night and it was late. It wasn't crowded and we were drunk so maybe our perception of the place is skewed!; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: French Market; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Ive been here numerous times on various trips to NOLA but this last time I was not impressed at all. The farmers market is in the front along with the nice stuff, then you hit this invisible line where it turns into the trashy souviners and pushy vendor portion. I bought a t shirt and I swear the man who worked at the stand was right up on me the entire time. He literally was all over me. At one point I took my purse off my shoulder and put it on the other shoulder because I thought he was trying to pick pocket me. After I paid I saw another shirt that caught my eye and when I picked it up BAM he was right back up all over me, I just threw it down and walked off. I wasn't going to let him get up all on me again. There are a lot of vendors like that though. They are pushy and half of them you cannot understand a word they say!!; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: My husband and I went in July of 2013 and just loved this place. We had a few beers and looked around at all the pictures on the wall, and the history of the place. It is dark, candle light only which is very nice. We are planning our return trip in a few weeks and this place will be a stop for us.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Le Bayou Restaurant; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: This was one restaurant I didn't check out on yelp before the trip, but I am glad we stopped in. Our server was super nice, she had lots of recommendations on the menu. I had the crawfish cakes and a cup of the corn and crab bisque. The bisque had sweet corn and so full of flavor. I did get a few crab shells in the soup but not really a big deal. My husband had the Ya Ya oysters. They are baked with a pesto sauce and were very good. I don't eat oysters but I had to try one. He had the shrimp and grits which have friend green tomatoes in them. Not a fan at all of the FGT so I passed on that. Overall the service was good, the food was great and the atmoshphere was very good. I would go again!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cafe Beignet on Royal Street; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Great beignets, soft and big and covered in powdered sugar! Price was great! Loved it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 801 Royal; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Hubby and I stopped in for a snack and drinks. The bar had a nice atmosphere and the queso dip and chips with fresh pico was awesome. Had a couple of beers and chilled.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ryan's Irish Pub; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Nice place, fairly friendly bartender. Good beer prices! That is a must in NOLA!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Backspace Bar & Kitchen; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Great atmosphere!! The drink special was incredible. My hubby and I drank Blue Moon's for $3 a pint. Can't find that on Burbon St. The bartender was super friendly and answered all our questions. I would go back for sure.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Toulouse Dive Bar; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Great bar. Stopped in here on a Tuesday night around 1145 pm and we were two of 5 people there. Great hard rock and metal on the juke box. Worth a trip for sure.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bourbon Cowboy; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Not great at all. Very loud country music which is fine but it is very cheesy. The bull is $5 to ride which is kinda expensive seeing as how so many people fall off quickly. It is fun to watch the drunks try to stay on though.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Jean Lafitte Swamp Tour; City: Marrero, LA; Review: Got a deal for $10 off tickets with transportation. It was $78 for me and my husband. They picked us up at our hotel and drove us out to the swamp. The tour guide was very friendly pointing out interesting things in the city as we drove. Once there, the staff was friendly and helpful. Our tour guide was Joey and the tour was a little over an hour long. We didn't get to see any really big gators though. That isn't the fault of the guies of course, but it was a bummer. We saw lots of small and medium size gators as well as snapping and soft shell turtles. The guide passed around a turtle shell and aligator head for pictures and at the end a real gator to take pictures with. The gator was small and his mouth is taped shut so it is very safe. Great experience overall.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Deja Vu Restaurant & Bar; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Cheap beer and you can't get that on Bourbon Street! Bartender was nice.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Yo Mama's Bar & Grill; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: We came here twice on our trip. Once was at night for drinks. The beer is cheap and the atmosphere is good. You MUST check out the collage in the ladies room ( and men's room too) it is worth a trip in this bar! Absolutely hilarious. We came back before our train left for lunch. We had burgers and mine was ok, I just got a plain burger but my hubby got he cheddar burger fully dressed and he said it was the best he has had. Worth a trip for sure.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Boondock Saint; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Cheap drinks and that is what you want in NOLA! It was really slow the night we went (Wednesday night) but its worth a stop in.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Finnegan's Easy; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Absolutely must stop in. It is great. We had a blast in here talking to the locals and tourists. The bartenders that night were SO FUNNY!! They really made the experience so much fun. I would go back.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Molly's Irish Pub; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: We were here late on a Wednesday night and it was our last stop of our off Bourbon street bar hopping adventure. The bartender was also our bartender from Toulouse Dive Bar the previous night. She remembered I take lime with my beer which I thought was impressive considering how many people she must see. The place was dead but it was a nice place for cheap drinks.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Dungeon; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: It is an unusual place for sure. You walk down and long brick alley way to get to the bar. It is very dark and cramped and a little creepy but it is worth a stop in. They don't allow you to take pictures inside which I don't understand. As far as I could tell, there wasn't anything going on that the bar staff wouldn't want photographed. Seems a little stupid but whatever. We has a few drinks and hung out with some locals who were pretty nice. The bartender didn't seem to friendly at first, but she warmed up. There is a $ 10 minimum. I don't know if that is for credit and debit only our for cash as well. Anyway, glad we stopped in.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Deanie's Seafood; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: It was ok. I have had better. I got the crawfish, shrimp, and crab pizza. It was ok but not great. My husband had the fried oysters and shrimp and he seemed to like it. We sat at the bar because the wait for a table was way too long. I don't think we will go back.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hotel St Marie; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: I am a fan of this hotel. We have stayed here two times in two years. We just returned from our week in NOLA and stayed here. We arrived early ( our train into NOLA was early ) and our room wasn't ready yet so they upgraded us to a beautiful suite. I had originally booked a courtyard balcony room and I still got that blacony but this one was twice as big as the others! It was incredible. We stayed in room 505 and it has two queen beds but that wasn't a problem. It was a beautiful room. It was a little noisy because it was beside the elevator. Not a big deal, we sleep pretty heavy. The couryard is lush and gorgeous. The pool is beautiful. The bar downstairs offers happy hour from 3-7 ( I think ) during the summer. We got drinks and appetizers for pretty cheap. The deli is great and good for a quick coffee or drink. They held our luggage for us the last day after we checked out so we could wander around the french quarter till our train left. This is really a great hotel for the price. It is half a block from Burbon and pretty centrally located in the quarter. I will be returning to Hotel St Maire on my next trip!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Olde Nola Cookery; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Went back in June of 2014 and still the most delicious crab cakes ever. I think about them and I get hungry. This time we sat at the table in the window and it was great people watching as we waited on our delicious crab cakes to arrive. Once again, superb service and excellent food!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Royal House; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Visited Tuesday 3/10 for dinner. Food and dinner was delicious. I had a spring refresher cocktail which was out of this world great. I ate the craw fish ravioli and my husband had the oyster pasta. They have upstairs dining which I would have loved to do but we unfortunately picked the three rainiest days in March to visit. :( Next time we go, I will definitely take advantage of that.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Royal; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: This was our first visit to Hotel Royal. We stayed the week of 3/9/15. The hotel does not have an elevator so if you stay here be prepared for that. The stairwell is not very well lit so that can be tricky after drinking. The first night we arrived we were in room 15 I believe. I noticed immediately the room was not cool. I turned the air on and hoped by the time we got back it would be cool. The room was pretty small but comfortable. When we arrived back to the room we were both pretty tired and had a lot to drink so we went to bed. The next morning when we woke up it was still hot in the room. Too hot. My husband went downstairs to tell them about it that is when we met Eric. This man was incredible! He went up checked it out and told us he wasn't sure if the problem was fixable and he wasn't comfortable allowing us to stay in that room so he arranged a new room for us, room 12. Well room 12 was amazing. A MAJOR upgrade for sure. Huge king bed, big bathroom with a walk in shower and Jacuzzi tub. Our balcony overlooked Royal st and was HUGE! Unfortunately it was raining our entire trip so we didn't get to use the balcony as much as I would have liked. Through out the rest of the trip Eric helped us with anything we needed. I cannot say enough good things about him! He is truly a great guy! He called us a cab when we left and even the cab driver said of all the people he knows that work at the hotels that guy is the best. I agree!!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Olde Nola Cookery; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Returned on Monday 3/9, our first evening in NOLA. Headed immediately over there in the pouring rain. We were seated immediately in the window seat so we could watch the people on Bourbon. We ordered the Jazzy Crab Cake platter, it is our favorite. I love them. This time however they seemed to be burned on the bottom. I was disappointed. I have been craving them since my last trip in June of 2014. My husbands was burned on the bottom as well. Instead of the grilled vegetables that are supposed to come with them we got mashed potatoes and collard greens! WTF. When we both looked kind of surprised about it, the guy who brought the food out ( not our waiter, a cook I think) said pretty rudely " Do I need to take this back?" We said no and started eating. I will go back I just hope this time the crab cakes are not burned.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Acme Oyster House; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: We went here Tuesday 3/9 about 11:15 AM. There was no wait and we sat at the bar. Husband had the char grilled oysters and a soft shell crab po boy. I had the corn and crab bisque. Couldn't tell it had crab in it. I saw corn and that was it. Husband enjoyed his food. Said the oysters are as good as everyone says. The po boy was awesome as well. Wish I had ordered something else.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pier 424 Seafood Market; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: My husband and I stopped in here around 10 Monday 3/9 for an oyster break before hitting some more bars. We were seated at the bar and my husband ordered a dozen char-grilled. They were great. I ate three or four and drank a beer. The atmosphere was great, service was great and the oysters were great!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Copper Monkey Grill; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Great place to get away from the craziness, yet close enough to get right back into it. Affordable drinks and nice atmosphere.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Haunted History Tours; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: The tour was fantastic. We had Jack as our guide. The group was huge that paid for the 8pm tour but they break you up into manageable groups. There were roughly 12 or so in our group. Tour lasted about 2 hours and it is a lot of walking. You do need to pay attention. It was very informative and interesting. I learned a lot! I would recommend it to anyone. The tour is 25 dollars per person but worth it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Market Cafe; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: My husband and I stopped in here Wednesday 3/11 for breakfast. We sat outside on a lovely morning and listened to live music. We both had the breakfast buffet. It was very good. The service was great and friendly. I would go back for sure.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Jimani; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Stopped in here on a rainy Tuesday evening last week. We had never been here but had heard it was haunted. We just took a ghost tour so we figured why not. We had 2 drinks each, whiskey sours for my hubby and cape cods for me and paid $11! Now we don't drink top shelf by any means but the drinks were fantastic! The atmosphere was great. A lot of locals. The only thing I will say is when we left we started back the way we came and overheard a large group of undesirable folks who were hanging out on tricked out cars say "There go two right now." We quickly turned down another street where a large group was. Now that is in now way the bar's fault. Just putting it out there.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pirates Alley Cafe; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Stopped in here on a rainy Tuesday afternoon for a few drinks. My husband and I were the only ones in the bar at the time. The bartenders here wear pirate outfits which is kinda cute. Our bartender was super friendly and we chatted with her quite a bit. One of the very few spots you have to smoke outside though. Seems so weird how that works down there, still don't quite understand the whole situation. The bar is in a quite area off the beaten path. It is such a lovely little spot. I really enjoyed the time we spent here and will definitely go back!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Free Tours By Foot; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Amazing tours and tour guides. My husband and I took the cemetery tour and garden district tour and loved both of them. The tour guides are knowledgeable, friendly, and definitely know what they are doing. Book on line, it is free. You pay what you think it is worth. We ended up paying 20 per person for both tours and it is totally worth it. These people know their stuff.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bourbon House; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Amazing food and drinks. Great location right in the middle of the French Quarter. They have balcony dining which I would have loved to take part in, but it was raining! :(; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Soulshine Pizza Factory; City: Nashville, TN; Review: Funky little place with pretty good pizza and a lively atmosphere. We dined here in July of 2016 before heading to Titan's stadium for the Guns and Roses concert. They had live music starting as we were leaving. Big outdoor dining area upstairs. Neat little place.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Crowne Plaza St. Louis - Downtown; City: St. Louis, MO; Review: Ok not sure where to begin here, so I will start at the beginning. We booked this hotel in February after buying concert tickets ( Metallica ). Seemed ok. Should have done more research, but I though Crowne Plaza is good. In April I receive an email saying it is no longer part of CP and it is now City Place...?? I had the option to cancel and wish I would have. Fast forward to June 3, we arrive in St Louis. We had read all the negative reviews already, well negative isn't the word...horrifying is the correct term I would use but by then everywhere else within walking distance to Busch Stadium was booked. We arrived with the highest of hopes....When we pulled up there was a motorcycle gang( yes, a GANG!! ) taking up the entire circular driveway where the valet was. I couldn't get through and they weren't eager to move either. My husband had to get out of the car and ask them to move. We parked in the garage attached to the hotel and proceeded in. Check in was fine, but we were told there was a $200 deposit required! That was NOT mentioned when I booked. We went to our room.....the 1980's called, they want their room back! It was awful, just what all the reviews said. We had read reviews of bed bugs so we checked...no bed bugs. The bed was clean but not spotless. The furniture was awful. There was a chair(fabric) in the room and it was so DISGUSTING, I didn't even want to put my luggage on it. It was that gross. Stained beyond all repair. The air conditioner worked but it looked older than me ( I am 42). The window didn't close all the way, we were on the 19th floor btw and it let hot air in. There were numerous bugs in the room as well. I was absolutely horrified. We ventured upstairs to the rooftop pool. It was ok, great view. My room had a great view of the arch but that didn't make up for the crap room. My husband and I slept on top of the covers. I was even worried about that. Bathroom was decent, didn't have a stopper for the tub though. Had 2 towels, no washcloths and one hand towel. Asked for more, but never got them. Checked out 2 days later and the only real bright spot was the desk attendant comped us the $30 fee the garage was going to charge! My $200 was refunded back to my card 5 days later. Yes 5 days later! WTF? Don't know why that took so long. Anyway, the location is great. Close to stadium and Arch but that is the only bright spot. This hotel needs some serious renovations!!! ASAP!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Broadway Oyster Bar; City: St Louis, MO; Review: This is a must try when in downtown St Louis! It is a funky little join serving great Cajun seafood. Do yourself a favor and call them about 5 hours ahead of time and get preferred seating. We read a review that suggested that and it saved us a 2 hour wait!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Caleco's Bar & Grill; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: We came here three separate times on our trip to St Louis. We were staying downtown and this was convenient and pretty good. They have a huge menu, i mean HUGE. If you are wanting it, chances are they have it. We had breakfast there one visit, pizza another visit, and an appetizer of calamari another visit. The bartenders ( we sat at the bar all three times) are friendly and attentive. Atmosphere is nice as well.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ballpark Village; City: St. Louis, MO; Review: This place is a mall of bars. Literally the size of a small mall and full of bars! It was amazing. It is way overpriced though. Way too expensive to go in and drink for more than a few hours. I can't imagine spending 4 or 5 hours there drinking. You would literally have a tab of hundreds of dollars! Worth checking out though just for the atmosphere.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Gateway Arch; City: Saint Louis, MO; Review: Worth the trip for sure. Ok, first off you have to reserve a ride ahead of time. Either do it on line or go to the old courthouse and do it. They are working on the front of the arch ( the park ) so getting to it is a looooong walk. You ride to the top in a pod that seats 5 very uncomfortably. If you are claustrophobic in the least, you will be uncomfortable. We rode with another couple and it was ok. The ride up is LOUD. That freaked me out, but we made it and the views are pretty great. You can stay as long as you want up there. We stayed maybe 7 minutes, took pictures and then left. End of visit. Took us maybe 45 minutes, to do the whole thing, Not bad.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Old Coffee Pot Restaurant; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Great restaurant tucked away on Saint Peter Street. Hubby and I had lunch there on our last trip to NOLA. I had corn and crab chowder and crab balls and was not disappointed. It was excellent. Service was a little slow, but that was OK. We were seated outside on a gorgeous March afternoon. Definitely will go back.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea; Author: Jules Verne; Genres: history, young-adult, children, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Excellent! Jules Verne is a master storyteller!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Scarlet Letter (The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written); Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: very nice; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde; Author: Robert Louis Stevenson; Genres: history, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Excellent!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Walden; Author: Henry David Thoreau; Genres: history, poetry, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: boring, fat-headed philosopher without a clue. seems to have a knowledge of everything with a belief in nothing.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Gulliver's Travels; Author: Jonathan Swift; Genres: history, young-adult, children, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: It was well-written, yet I don't care for political symbolism very much. The more I read the less I liked the main character. Regardless of the obvious symbolism throughout the book, the story itself seemed more like fanciful lies Gulliver created to explain why he was away from his family so much. Is it any wonder that the children's versions of this story stop, with a nice happy ending, after he returns from Brobdingnag?; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Moby Dick; or, The Whale; Author: Herman Melville; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Only about half of this unabridged version was interesting to me; the other half was just the author's rants on whales. What irked me was that he kept referring to them as fish. A whale is not a fish, it is a mammal. It breathes air for pete's sake! I recommend reading a short version that sticks to the storyline. That in itself is a great read with lots of action, adventure, etc. I might add, "Call me Ishmael." is probably one of the best opening lines to any story every written. It just grabs you right from the start.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Of Mice and Men; Author: John Steinbeck; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: Here is a high school required reading selection I actually enjoyed. I've read this twice (I think), the dates of which I'm not quite sure, and seen movie adaptations a few times, my favorite being the version with John Malkovich portraying the role of Lenny.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Iliad; Author: Homer; Genres: history, poetry, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: This book, although interesting and enjoyable, is difficult to follow if you aren't a fan of this writing style. I would recommend doing as I did and follow along with an audio version so that you get the true rhythm of the verse.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Writer's Reference; Author: Diana Hacker; Genres: non-fiction; Review: This is hands down the best reference I've ever used! It covers everything a writer needs in an easy to find, tabbed system. The copy I have is a Used Rental from the campus bookstore, but I'm hoping I can afford to keep it once the semester is ended. If I can't afford it right away, I am definitely buying a new one as soon as I have the money! This text is a Must-Have!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Draconia: Forging Trust; Author: F.J. Hansen; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is a nice read inspired by "The Dragonriders of Pern" by Anne McCaffrey. It flows well and sets the reader up for future "tails". I enjoyed Hansen's dragons and, altough I have yet to read "Dragonriders of Pern" myself, I think McCaffrey would be pleased at F.J.'s nod to her world of dragons. Well done, friend!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Flies; Author: William Golding; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I don't listen to audio-books very often. In fact, this is only my 2nd in over twenty years (The other was Gerald's Game by Stephen King). However, since this is read by William Golding himself, I thought it would be nice to hear it flow as the author intended. It did not disappoint. It was as engaging a story as I remembered when it was a required reading item back in high school.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Who Moved My Cheese?; Author: Spencer Johnson; Genres: non-fiction, fiction; Review: A funny, inspiring and aMAZING tome for change. Like an executive summary, this book is very brief in nature, designed for busy people with little time to read and who need to get into action quickly. Grab your running shoes, because you'll want to start looking for New Cheese as soon as you're done with the book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written); Author: Victor Hugo; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Very enjoyable. Once you read this wonderful tale, you can see how it has become a timeless classic.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The One Year Be-Tween You and God: Devotions for Girls (One Year Book); Author: Visit Amazon's Sandra Byrd Page; Review: I was thrilled to receive a copy of "The One Year Be-Tween You and God" devotional book for girls. As a mom of a teenage daughter, I am always on the lookout for great resources to help her grow in her relationship with Christ. The book contains 365 devotions, one for each day of the year. Each devotional contains a "Dear God" question (written from the prospective of a "tween"); a "Consider This" devotional thought written by the author; a follow-up question; and a passage of Scripture. The scripture passages were taken from the New Living Translation, which I think makes God's Word easily understood by preteens and teens. I think that the majority of "Dear God" questions were age-appropriate. They covered friendship, self-worth, popularity, fashion/beauty, school, following God and family relationships. Some, in my opinion, seemed geared towards older teens. For example, "Dear God, I still feel embarrassed about some stuff I did in the past. How can I stop thinking about it?" I'm not sure how much of a past a nine-year-old would have. I agree with my daughter that it would have been more appealing if the pages were in color instead of black, white and gray. I also agree that a topical index would allow for more personal application. Finally, it would have been great if the book included a space for the girls to journal some of their thoughts. Overall, I think the book is a great option for preteen and early teen girls. I think it will help girls grapple with their faith and other issues they face during these impressionable years.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The One Year Father-Daughter Devotions; Author: Visit Amazon's Jesse Florea Page; Review: The book contains 365 devotions, one for each day of the year. Each devotional contains a creative title, Daddy-Daughter Time reflections/discussion questions for a father and daughter to do together, and a "What's the Word?" section, which shares a verse or two about the chosen topic. The scripture passages were taken from the New Living Translation, which I think makes God's Word easily understood by early teens. The topics covered were definitely age-appropriate for early teenage girls. Topics covered included building a strong relationship with your dad, anger, technology use, forgiveness, inner beauty and communication. As mentioned above, the book features 2 bonus features. One bonus feature is "Father-Daughter Movie Nights". This section shares ways that dads and daughters can view a movie together and then a few questions to guide a discussion. The suggested movies were rated "G" and "PG" and included a mix of newer titles (such as "Soul Surfer") and classics (such as "Charlotte's Web"). The second bonus feature is "Daddy-Daughter Dates". This section outlines reasons for going on daddy-daughter dates, date ideas and conversation starters while you're on the date. I thought this was brilliant, as some guys need a little boost in the conversation department. I would have loved to have seen a prayer included with each devotional that the dads could pray over their daughter. I think having a dad pray over a teenage girl is very powerful and helps her to get a glimpse into what having a spiritual covering looks like. I am a visual person, so having more color throughout the book, especially when trying to appeal to teen girls, would have been a plus. Overall, I think the book is a great option for girls ages 13 and older. The content was solid and written in a relevant way. Not only does the book help girls grow closer to their Heavenly Father, it helps them grow closer to their earthly father as well. That's a winner in my book!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The One Year Book of Bible Trivia for Kids; Author: Visit Amazon's Katrina Cassel Page; Review: The book contains 365 devotions, one for each day of the year. Each devotional contains a creative title, trivia question, 3 possible answers, a brief devotional (which includes some modern-day examples), personal application points, the trivia question answer and the corresponding Bible passage. The scripture passages were taken from the New Living Translation, which I think makes Gods Word easily understood by older elementary children and preteens. Since the devotions weren't topical, they were mostly chronologically from Genesis Revelation. Since the devotions were mostly chronological, I loved that the book highlights how the Bible is divided (Books of the Law, Books of History, etc.). I also loved how a scripture index was included, making it easy to locate a particular scripture verse/passage. I am a visual person, so having more color throughout the book, especially when trying to appeal to kids, would have been a plus. Overall, I think the book is a great option for older elementary children & preteens. The content was solid and written in a relevant way. I think adding trivia into a Bible reading and devotional will be well-received by kids, who might be able to teach their parents a thing or two!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World; Author: Visit Amazon's Gary Chapman Page; Review: I read Gary Chapman's book, The 5 Love Languages, many years ago & loved it, so I had high hopes for this book. I enjoyed the content that spoke specifically to social media and how it affects not only children but adults, things such as: "The training necessary for growing up social isn't found on a phone or tablet. There's no app or video game that can replace interactions with other human beings. Social skills must be practiced in real life, beginning for a child in the home." "The more a child is involved in screen time, the less time there is for interaction with parents, siblings and friends." "More and more children are being taught how life works from a screen instead of the real-life classrooms of responsibility, chores, and family relationships." "If your children are not interacting with the family in a way you consider healthy, it's your responsibility to make a change." "...technology works best when it's a tool in your life. It becomes destructive when it becomes the main hub where most of your life is experienced." "Physical presence matters. You cannot communicate intimacy through texts, emails, or tweets. The deepest form of affection is given face to face in real-time." "If we leave our children unattended with their screens, we must be prepared to accept the consequences." Many of the tips offered in the book were practical and easy to implement. I think it equally balanced emphasized being intentional in taking proactive measures as well as measures to change bad habits that have formed. The middle section of the book spoke to five "A+ skills" that every healthy child needs to master. While this was great stuff, I felt like it didn't belong in this book. It would've been great in a separate book. I also felt like some of the content was repeated several times throughout each chapter. In addition, some of the stories shared in the book seemed a little idealistic to me. Overall, the book had some good points that parents today should take notice of.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Love Letters from God: Bible Stories; Author: Visit Amazon's Glenys Nellist Page; Review: This storybook is unlike any other I've ever read - and I have read quite a few. Each beautifully illustrated story begins by using very kid-friendly language to explain Bible truths. Each story ends with a related Bible verse (from the very kid-friendly New International Reader's Version) that is a promise from God and a love letter from God to the child. I love that the love letter begins with Dear ________ to personalize to the child reading it. Even the title of the Bible stories were unique, such as "Noah Needs His Nails (Noah's Ark) and "The Lions Who Lost Their Lunch (Daniel in the Lions' Den). And as crazy as it seems, I love the book's size. It's perfect for an older child to read on their own as well as the perfect size for a parent to read to their child - the child would have no problem seeing the pictures or opening the love letter flap.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden; Author: Visit Amazon's Kevin DeYoung Page; Review: I love taking a look a those types of story books, particularly ones that take a different approach to traditional ones. However, this one in my opinion, just didn't sit well with me. In the beginning of the book, I was surprised to see that the word 'snake' had an uppercase "S". That was too close to making the evil one equal to God in my opinion. Unfortunately, the book didn't get any better. I didn't like some of the wording used. Maybe it was used to be more relevant? I'm not sure. Some examples that stood out include: "Noah was 'just as foul' as everybody else." "Abraham was 'a bit of a scaredy-cat'." "God is God, so he gets to pick." The images were also a bit scary, so it's definitely designed for older children. One of the most disturbing things (and one that I showed my husband to make sure that I wasn't seeing things) was a depiction of a skull and crossbones. I'm not sure where that fit in to anything mentioned in the book. I was also disappointed that there was not one reference to scripture anywhere in the book, which was a bit odd and puzzling. It made no reference that these events took place in the bible. It read more like fiction than a bible storybook, which was also disappointing. I would not recommend this book.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Love Letters from God; Bible Stories for a Girl’s Heart; Author: Visit Amazon's Glenys Nellist Page; Review: If you have a little girl in your life who needs to know (or be reminded of) the love of God toward her, I highly recommend that you grab a copy of this book for her. I think it'll become one of her most treasured story books.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Fun World - Skeleton Zombie Child Costume; Brand: Fun World; Review: This Costume was AWESOME. My son 9yr old son loved it. Probably the best costume I have ever ordered. Definitely well made. Worth the money.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: N'Ice Caps Boys Skeleton Print Waterproof Thinsulate Winter Snow Glove; Brand: ; Review: They fit smaller than I expected. In heavy wet snow hands did not stay dry.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: DC Court Graffik Skate Shoe (Little Kid/Big Kid); Brand: ; Review: My son loved these shoes. Couldn't beat the price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DC Kids' Pure Elastic; Brand: ; Review: My Son loves these shoes. Note they do not have tie laces. They are just elastic bands to slip on; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cropped Palazzo Trousers Culottes; Brand: EchoMerx; Review: I love them! Fit Great! So comfortable! I will be buying more; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: EVALESS Womens Strips Sporty Double up Two Piece Tankini Swimsuit; Brand: EVALESS; Review: I love this swim suite. Fits well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ruzishun Women's Sexy Lingerie Large Size (M- 4XL) Blue Skirt Sleepwear Dress; Brand: Ruzishun; Review: I am 5' and weight 150lbs, Bra sz 36D. I ended up ordering an XL based on reviews and wished I would have went with the Large. This is really cute. The coloring is awesome. For the price you can't beat it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
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: Shirley of Hollywood; Review: I am 5' and weight 150lbs, Bra sz 36D. This does not completely fit in the chest as I expected from reading other reviews, but it covers enough. It is very cute. They color awesome. For the price you can't go wrong.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: VIV Collection Popular Printed Brushed Buttery Soft Leggings Regular Plus 40+ Designs List 5; Brand: ; Review: These are super cute, lightweight. I love them!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: VIV Collection Popular Printed Brushed Buttery Soft Leggings Regular Plus 40+ Designs List 5; Brand: ; Review: These are super cute, lightweight. I love them!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Electroline EDA-FT08300 8 Port TV Signal Booster/Amplifier with Active Return Path - Retail Packaging; Brand: Electroline; Review: Skip all the other amps on the market. This is the one you need for supplying signal to all the rooms in your house from the one line in from your cable company. Works great with the On Demand feature of your cable box as well as with your cable modem. Have installed one in my house as well as my parents. Works Great and well worth the money.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: EEEKit for GoPro Hero 1/2/3 Accessory; Brand: EEEKit; Review: The way that the top section, in the photo, mounts to the clamp is not at all a firm fit. It is held on by a phillips head screw and after tightening it down a bit more, saw absolutely no improvement on the flop that I was encountering. The clamp itself works great but if you intend to use this on a moving object, ie...bike, motorcycle, then look elsewhere. The camera mount part flopped back and forth creating unusable footage.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Kanex Multi-Sync Bluetooth Keyboard for IOS Mac, iPad and iPhone (QWERTYX); Brand: Kanex; Review: Originally I was looking for the Logitech Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboard K811 and the Kanex keyboard came up in my search. Works on 2 AAA batteries, has an on/off switch and connects up to 3 devices via BlueTooth. It has a USB port and cable so I suppose it can be hooked up to a computer as well. Didn't read directions nor try this, as this is not what I needed it for. Works great with my AppleTV and iPad. I like having the HOME key on the keyboard, which is located on the bottom left of the keyboard. So far this has worked perfectly and I can highly recommend this if you are looking for a keyboard that can connect to 3 devices thru BlueTooth.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Samsung F7100 Series UN46F7100 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D Ultra Slim Smart LED HDTV Dual core Processor; Brand: Samsung; Review: Had a bunch of Amazon Gift Cards and had been looking at a replacement LCD TV for the bedroom. The price was great and according to a lot of other reviews between this and the newer 7500 series from Samsung, the benefits to the newer set did not justify the price difference. The picture quality is great, just be sure to shut off all the different motion settings. If you leave them on, you will see jittery video that is quite annoying. The remote is ok but we have a universal remote for all the components, so no big deal. Hope this LCD lasts as long as the old, flat screen Panasonic CRT tv it has replaced.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable 2, Full HD 1080p60 Recording Without PC Directly to SD Card, Ultra Low; Brand: AVerMedia; Review: Bought this not to record game play but to have a quick, portable HD video recorder, untethered from an additional computer for recording as the El Gato Game Capture is dependent on. Typically needed it to record video for shows going from 20 minutes to 4 hours long. This recorder, when in portable mode recording to a 64GB SD card, records in the TS file format. AverMedia supplies software, RECentral for Mac, that you can use to transfer to an MP4. It would seem that the TS file is only good at recording up to about 4.7GB of video, I assume this has something to do with the average dvd coming in at 4.8GB of space, then starts another file. Using the RECentral software to transfer to an MP4, the resulting files somehow develop an error in their timing and the files can not be joined or edited - easily. To overcome this, I had to turn to Video Converter Ultimate from Wondershare to transcode the TS file to an MP4 file that could be joined and edited. Video Converter Ultimate also seemed quicker than the AverMedia RECentral software. AverMedia needs to make some improvements on their software before I will give this product a 5 star rating. It wasn't clear before I bought the LGP whether power in the portable mode was coming from HDMI feed. It isn't. I needed to have a USB power supply and cable to power it up. In all, I am satisfied with the quality of the video, good enough for archiving for my own records as well as some clients. Would be nice if there was a firmware update in the near future to let it record in 1080i @60.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sabrent USB 3.0 to SATA Dual Bay External Hard Drive Docking Station for 2.5 or 3.5in; Brand: Sabrent; Review: Another site had a better price on the Sabrent Dual Bay USB 3 Dock so I bought 2, one for each computer. Only been using one of these since I purchased it less than 2 months ago, and not ma lot of usage on my part. Perhaps once every 2 weeks doing backups. Went to turn it on today, the drive spins up and nothing shows up. Tried different drives, USB 3 cables and nothing ever showed up. Opened the other one up for the first time, plugged it into the power supply and USB 3 cable from the first unit, works perfectly. Not good if this will only last 2 months and that is without heavy usage. Running on an iMac.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: HDML-Cloner Box, Standalone Mini 1080p Gaming and Video Capture Box. Lag-Free Video Past-Through. No PC Required.; Brand: ClonerAlliance; Review: Item arrived from China 4 weeks before its estimated delivery date, so very happy about that. Only 2 issues: The audio recorded is only Stereo, not 5.1 which hopefully soon Cloner Alliance will put out a firmware update to fix. Secondly, it is pretty picky about the USB thumb drives you may try using with it. I have a 64GB generic USB3 thumb drive that just would not work. If Cloner Alliance puts out a firmware update to fix the audio, I will change this to a 5 star rating. This is a great little box. See more detailed explanation at [...] about halfway down in the Comments section. 04-19-2016 **UPDATE** The Cloner Box is still working great! I can not recommend this stand alone recording device any more highly than I have. Still only 4 Stars since there is no way to record the audio in 5.1 but that is not a deal breaker for me.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blackmagic Design H.264 Pro Recorder, Distributes H.264 Video Files to Websites, YouTube, iPhone,; Brand: Blackmagic Design; Review: Bought this several years ago and in the course of Blackmagic Designs "upgrades" to the firmware, the H.264 Pro Recorder has turned into a Pro Piece of Crap. Recording anything longer than an hour, the audio and video lose sync. In agreement with others complaint about not having any audio adjustments as well. If you are considering this H.264 recorder, look somewhere else. If Blackmagic Designs ever gets around to addressing this issue, then I will fix my rating. But for $450, they should have their act together.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: ZyXEL Powerline AV 500 Mbps 4 Port Gigabit Switch Wall-plug Adapter with PLA4205 Powerline AV 500Mbps (PLA4225KIT); Brand: ZyXEL; Review: 11-27-17 - Had to replace an older 4-port Zyxel and these are great!. Have noticed the faster speed and am very happy with just this two port model.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Wiki Wags Male Dog Wraps; Brand: Wiki Wags; Review: Yes, this is a great product for male dogs but the cost is too high. I think they charge too much as I buy female diapers at Walmart 16 in a pack for $8.95. and disposable Vets Best dog warps for $9.95. Soon Walmart will carry male exposable diaper wraps. Love the product but hate the price, especially with shipping cost. You end up paying like $22 for one pack. Way too much.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blue Ribbon Pet Products ABLDWSP Rock and Driftwood for Aquarium, Small; Brand: Blue Ribbon; Review: BOILED FOR NEARLY 6 WEEKS EVERY DAY AND IT STILL TURNED WATER BROWN; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: PetSafe Easy Walk Harness; Brand: PetSafe; Review: IT DOESN'T WORK ON MY 100 POUND LABRADOR; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Oster Professional Turbo A5 Heavy Duty Animal Grooming Clippers with Detachable CryogenX #10 Blade, 2 Speed (078005-314-002); Brand: Oster; Review: I DO LOVE THIS EXCEPT IT GET TOO HOT BEFORE I FINISH CLIPPING LARGE DOG; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Oster Blade Wash, 18-ounces; Brand: Oster; Review: great stuff; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Guardian Gear Flexible Plastic Dog Basket Muzzle, 3X-Small, Beige; Brand: Guardian Gear; Review: DOGS CAN PULL THIS OFF EASILY; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Downtown Pet Supply Basket Cage Dog Muzzles, Adjustable for Small, Medium and Large Dogs - Great for; Brand: Downtown Pet Supply; Review: dog can pull off easily. waste of money; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Vet's Best 12 Count Comfort Fit Disposable Female Dog Diapers, Small; Brand: Vet's Best; Review: they are good but not as good as the ones Walmart sells for $8.98 16 small diapers; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Pet_Supplies |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Girl Scouts earn STEM badges at free Microsoft Store workshops; Abstract: Microsoft Stores and Girls Scouts partner to offer STEM badge workshops at Microsoft Stores; Category: lifestyle
Title: Student shot teen near California school, slipped into class; Abstract: A 17-year-old boy gunned down another student outside their school Tuesday, ditched his gun and slipped into a class without arousing suspicion, evading capture for almost two hours as he joined thousands of students locked down inside classrooms because of the shooting, police said.; Category: news
Title: US Fed cuts interest rates, signals it is on hold; Abstract: "We believe that monetary policy is in a good place," Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in a news conference after the U.S. central bank announced its decision to cut its key overnight lending rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a target range of between 1.50% and 1.75%.; Category: finance
Title: Heidi Klum's 2019 Halloween Costume Transformation Is Mind-Blowing But, Like, What Is It?; Abstract: You might say she's scary good at playing dress-up, because Heidi Klum's 2019 Halloween costume is even more impressive than we could have imagined and that's saying a lot, considering transformative Halloween costumes are kind of her thing. But this year Klum took it up one more notch as she shared her metamorphosis into,; Category: lifestyle
Title: 4 Things to Know About Keanu Reeves' New Girlfriend; Abstract: Keanu is single no more! From philanthropist to Instagram foodie, check out this video to learn more about his artist GF Alexandra Grant.; Category: entertainment
Title: LA firefighter banked $360,010 in overtime pay in one year, city audit finds; Abstract: Eighteen employees of the Los Angeles Fire Department earned more than $200,000 in overtime pay last fiscal year, with one firefighter making $360,010 in overtime alone, according to an audit released Wednesday by City Controller Ron Galperin.; Category: news
Title: Judge calls USC dad a 'thief,' gives longest prison sentence so far in college admissions scandal; Abstract: Toby MacFarlane, a California real estate executive, received six months for his actions in the college admissions scandal. It's the longest so far.; Category: news | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Canvas Low Top Sneaker; Brand: ; Review: there are something to prevent slipping on the rubber sole. The sign at the heel says CONVERSE ALL STAR instead of original one says ALL STAR only.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Core Ox; Brand: ; Review: there are something to prevent slipping on the rubber sole. The sign at the heel says CONVERSE ALL STAR instead of original one says ALL STAR only.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Core Ox; Brand: ; Review: there are something to prevent slipping on the rubber sole. The sign at the heel says CONVERSE ALL STAR instead of original one says ALL STAR only.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Converse Unisex Chuck Taylor All-Star High-Top Casual Sneakers in Classic Style and Color and Durable Canvas Uppers; Brand: ; Review: there are something to prevent slipping on the rubber sole. The sign at the heel says CONVERSE ALL STAR instead of original one says ALL STAR only.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Low Top (International Version) Sneaker; Brand: ; Review: there are something to prevent slipping on the rubber sole. The sign at the heel says CONVERSE ALL STAR instead of original one says ALL STAR only.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Converse Unisex Chuck Taylor All Star Hi Basketball Shoe; Brand: ; Review: there are something to prevent slipping on the rubber sole. The sign at the heel says CONVERSE ALL STAR instead of original one says ALL STAR only.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Melissa & Doug Rainbow Stamp Pad - 6 Washable Inks; Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: The washable ink is passable, but the colors are dull and difficult to get enough on the stamp to make any decent impressions. For instance, we pressed very hard using our thumbs to make thumbprints, and the red and purple and orange were very difficult to get enough ink on our fingers to make thumbprints. Once we made the prints, the colors were faint. The brightest, most visual color was yellow followed by blue and green. Buy this if there is no decent alternative.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Clock Educational Toy; Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: My girls sat down and played with this toy immediately. Then, we learned shapes, and they want to tell the time. They love it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Pizza Party Wooden Play Food Set With 54 Toppings; Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: My kids like cooking their pizza, and we have given this as a gift. The little boy we gave the pizza to has enjoyed playing with it for four years, and he still likes cooking his pizza and adding the toppings. Our girls enjoy baking pizza, too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Decorate-Your-Own Wooden Princess Mirror Craft Kit; Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: What little girl does not want a princess mirror of her own to decorate? Certainly not my two girls. They love this mirror.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hot Wheels 20 Cars Gift Pack, Styles May Vary; Brand: Hot Wheels; Review: My girls loved earning these cars, and they hold up pretty well to some pretty severe crashes. The girls loved talking about the different cars and how fast they could go. My husband had suggested buying these versus the cheap knock-off kind, and he was right. The girls LOVE playing with them. I believe these cars are their favorite toy right now.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Wyndham Ocean Walk; City: Daytona Beach Florida; Review: Spent 4 nights in January 2013. Shared a lovely one bedroom condo (oceanfront) with son and 2 grandchildren . 2 Queen beds plus Queen sofabed in livingroom. Ample space, very clean, comfortable and all the coveniences of home. Fantastic resort for children.Super amenities. Huge outdoor pool and also an indoor pool, both heated. Loved it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Quality Inn Suites; City: Tarpon Springs Florida; Review: Hotel located on US19 so good choice for travelling between Tarpon Springs and Clearwater/St. Petes. Close to shopping and restaurants. We stayed in a standard room with a king bed. Rooms are very basic and quite cramped. We stayed there 2 times now and both times we had to ask for a different room upon check-in. Small closet and no luggage racks. The rooms actually do have a luggage table/surface but then they put your coffee maker and ice bucket on it so nowhere for your luggage. No microwave or refrigerator. Nice pool area with hot tub. Very good breakfast. The hotel was basically empty and we're returning guests and Choice Privilege members. One would think they would do well to take a cue from some other hotels such as Quality Inn, New Port Richey and take the opportunity in low season to offer such guests an upgrade at no charge.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Daytona Beach Regency; City: Daytona Beach Florida; Review: One week stay in January for entire family; grandparents,parents, three children. Located oceanfront iin the heart of the beach area, very near the pier. Great for all. Lovely, clean, fully equipped suites, attention to detail, every convenience. One bedroom suite with full kitchen, sofa bed, 2 TV's and balcony. Great facilities; indoor pool with hot tub, oceanfront outdoor pool with water slide, bbq's, Tiki bar, fire pit, organized children's activities. Welcoming staff, everyone was extremely helpful, and friendly. Absolutely loved everything about the hotel except for the noise. No fault of the hotel just traffic and noise from adjacent Ocean Walk resort. Rooms on North side of building maybe quieter. This is the only reason I did not give it 5 star rating. Would definitely give it another try anyway,; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beach House Inn; City: Daytona Beach Florida; Review: Location is the only good thing about this hotel. Oceanfront with a heated pool. Old, old hotel . Room looked clean enough but offers the most basic of accommodations. Bathroom with shower only and not even a place to put your soap in the shower. Had to use the floor. A lot better choices for the money FOR SURE.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn Daytona Speedway Airport; City: Daytona Beach Florida; Review: Very nice hotel. Extremely welcoming, friendly staff. Inviting lobby, modern, clean facility. Nice outdoor pool. Super comfy, well-equippied rooms. Good location, convenient to the iinterstate, close to restaurants, shopping and the flea market. Very good complimentary breakfast. Great value.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Residence Inn by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard; City: Sandestin Miramar Beach Destin Fl; Review: First trip to this part of Florida and first stay at a Residence Inn. A great experience all around. The hotel was outstanding! Beautiful, spotless, spacious suite with full kitchen. Breakfast included with wide selection of hot and cold items as well as light dinner/snacks and drinks evenings Monday to Thursday. Good location, close to beaches and convenient to shopping and restaurants. All the staff was very friendly and helpful. Absolutely loved it!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn Suites Pensacola Gulf Breeze; City: Gulf Breeze Florida; Review: Standard room, no microwave or fridge. Only stayed one night. Comfortable, spacious rooms. Clean and nicely decorated. Free WiFi. Good breakfast included. Not a great selection of restaurants nearby. Roadway was EXTREMELY busy making it very difficult exiting and entering the parking lot at dinner time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Seaside Beach Resort; City: Saint Andrews New Brunswick; Review: Cute, coming mfotabke 2 bedroom unit. Super clean, well equipped and nicely decorated. Private patio. Outdoor furniture and picnic tables. Great location. Waterfront property with beautiful view. Walking distance to town.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Commodore Airport Hotel Christchurch; City: Christchurch Canterbury Region South Island; Review: I booked this hotel after reading the reviews on this web site and we were not disappointed. Stayed here with my husband for 3 nights after two and a half weeks on the South Island before flying back to UK. The staff were lovely, very friendly and helpful - no request was too much - courtesy transport to Antartic Centre and Airport and free bus passes into the City - approx. 20 mins by local bus. The restaurant was excellent - can highly recommend the beef fillet! Room was very nice and bed extremely comfortable. We made good use of the hotel pool - plenty of clean towels. The only down side was the weather on our first day - but hey, not much the hotel could do about that! I would recommend this hotel without hesitation and will definately stay there again on our next trip to NZ.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Larnach Castle Lodge; City: Dunedin Otago Region South Island; Review: Booked this accommodation direct before leaving the UK. Web site made it sound perfect and I have to say the room was lovely - I picked Katies room - a lot of them were very highly themed and just did not appeal to us, although I know there are a lot of people out there who would find them great fun! My advice is to check them out carefully before booking. Bed was extremely comfortable, shower room OK but floor VERY cold! The view was amazing - out over the Otago peninsula - you would never tire of looking at it! However, the breakfast was extremely disappointing and really let the place down. Across the courtyard to the old stable block so quite cold in there. We arrived before 8 o'clock but there was hardly any fruit left by then. You had to order your hot food through a hatch and it was served before we had finished eating our cereal so had the potential to get cold before we could eat it. You make your own toast, which I know is normal in a lot of hotels these days, but for a place which aims to be slightly up market (and for the price you pay) they could at least provide 'decent' bread rather sliced supermarket bread and perhaps more choice of breads, croissants, etc. Free tour of the castle included which was good and the grounds are lovely. The Otago peninsular well worth further exploration - we found our way to Sandfly Bay (don't let the name put you off!), fantastic view from the top before you climb down.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Annandale Arms Hotel; City: Moffat Dumfries and Galloway Scotland; Review: Lovely re-furbished room, spacious bathroom, very comfortable bed. It would seem that a lot of money has recently been spent doing up this hotel - still ongoing i think. If you park at the rear of the hotel your first impression might be on the negative side - it does look a bit tardy - perhaps they should now concentrate on improving the external appearance. Both dinner and breakfast were excellent and the staff were very friendly. I would have no hesitation in recommending this hotel to anyone and would certainly stay there again if I am ever in the area.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Entrecercas; City: Santiago de Compostela Province of A Coruna Galicia; Review: We read the reviews on this website and booked on the strength of them but I cannot believe that nobody else has commented on the noise from the narrow street on which the hotel is situated! The hotel owners are lovely and as previously stated by many here are VERY friendly and helpful. We had a room on the 1st floor overlooking the street (No. 12 - be warned!) and OK it was Saturday night when we arrived so you might expect it to be be 'lively'. The revelry went on until about 4 in the morning and we later found out there is a club a few yards down the street. We had the windows and shutters firmly closed but were still kept awake. The next two nights were slightly better but there is still the noise of the bars clearing up and the dustbin lorry doing its job and then quite early in the morning the street being washed down. The shower was 'hit and miss' It was either too hot or very cold if other guests had been using theirs! The breakfast provided is minimal - jug of orange juice, bread and croissant, tea or coffee and on two out of the three mornings we had plain yoghurt as well - don't know why it wasn't provided the first morning! It would have been lovely to have some fruit with it. However, to be fair we were asked each day if we wanted more. There was no hairdryer in the room but by using a bit of sign language and the spanish phrasebook the older gentleman on the reception desk was more than happy to provide one. This is an extremely patriotic area and (rightly so) English or any other European language are not widely understood so be prepared to use your phrasebook and attempt to converse in Spanish or indeed in the local Galician dialect. The hotel is in a great location for exploring the old town which is beautiful and there are numerous bars and restaurants nearby, although I would recommend that you walk just a bit further beyond the street immediately behind the hotel which seems to be "tourist alley"! with its tanks of octopi and lobsters. It is a fish/seafood lovers paradise here by the way! We had a lovely short break, the weather was fantastic, the people are very friendly - would I use the same hotel again-probably not because of the noise from the street and on walking around we saw others within the old city that seemed to be in quieter locations. Would I recommend Santiango de Compestela as a place to visit - DEFINATELY! One other bit of advice - don't bother with the land train that runs from the Cathedral Square. It costs 5 Euros each - not much granted - but its hard to understand the English translation, takes you round the bits beyond the old city and through a lot of the modern university campus - well you can do that at home when you take your son/daughter; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Premier Inn London Southwark Bankside Hotel; City: London England; Review: Have just returned from a three night stay at Premier Inn, Southwark - this is a great location for attractions on the south bank and also for Tower of London, Tower Bridge and for the river ferry service. The room was quite large by London standards, bed very comfortable after hard day's sightseeing, a bath as well as shower which was most welcome to soak in and warm up as the weather was quite cold while we there. All the staff we met on reception were extremely friendly and courteous, check-in was speedy and local information given out. We booked the breakfast to save us having to go looking elsewhere and I have to praise the little blonde haired waitress, didn't catch her name unfortunately, who worked her socks off every morning booking people in, taking them to their table, taking orders for hot food, serving the food, clearing tables and replenishing the buffet area. She really needs more help in that dining room but she was always pleasant and friendly! There are plenty of places for eating and drinking nearby and to suit all pockets. The Borough market on Fridays and Saturdays is a must to visit and take in the atmosphere as well as sample the wares on offer. All in all a very good hotel at a reasonable price in an excellent location by the river and we would definately stay there again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Best Western Royal Hotel; City: St Helier Jersey Channel Islands; Review: We have just returned from a four night stay at this hotel picked because of the reviews on here and it is indeed a lovely place to stay. ALL the staff are wonderful and their attention to customer service is second to none, everyone so friendly and helpful. The breakfast was very good, plenty of choice and if you prefer something that is not in the serve yourself area then it is no trouble eg. poached egg rather than the pre-made scrambled eggs. We also ate here on two evenings of our stay and again the food was excellent and plenty of it - one of these occasions was part of the Jersey Tennerfest when hotels and restaurants offer 2 or 3 course menus at set prices. The only downside to the stay was the location of our room at the front of the hotel and the subsequent traffic noise. I had read about this from previous reviewers and had requested a quiet room away from traffice and street noise when I booked our stay. We were allocated a room on the top floor which we then hoped would be far enough above the road so as not to be a problem, however the road is such a busy one that it did not make much difference and also on the Saturday night there was the added problem of a large group of very drunk revellers going past shouting and swearing at 3 in the morning, however we do appreciate that this is something the hotel has no control over. As others have commented the car park is quite tight with only limited places but we had no problem parking there although I imagine in the height of the season it would be difficult if you don't return quite early in the day. This was our first trip to Jersey and we were very impressed with the hotel and the island in general, the friendliness of the staff at the hotel seems to apply to everyone we met on our travels round the island.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ibis London Blackfriars Hotel; City: London England; Review: Have recently returned from 3 night stay at this hotel. It is in an excellent spot on the southbank, two minute walk from nearest tube and approx 5 minutes to Blackfriars Bridge and the path along the Thames from which you can walk one way towards Tower Bridge and the other way towards the London Eye and Houses of Parliament. All staff were very friendly and welcoming and the bed was very comfortable although we found the room to be too hot (even during this recent very cold spell) and actually had to put the air-con on! The bathroom can only be described as a capsule and we actually referred to it as the tardis and it was certainly not soundproof! Very good breakfast although found the oblong plates to be cumbersome, and the first morning when we went down around 8.30 and found the place to be full of young business people obviously staying there before attending some conference or other, we decided to go later for breakfast and it was much quieter. All in all we had a good stay but as older travellers would probably not use the hotel again as we found it far too modern - even had the latest tweets being projected onto the breakfast room wall while we were eating. A great hotel for the young business people who were in the majority as guests though.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Astoria Playa Only Adults; City: Port d Alcudia Alcudia Majorca Balearic Islands; Review: My husband and I have recently returned from a 9 night stay at this refurbished, adults only hotel and I must begin by saying how wonderful ALL the staff are! They really make this hotel a pleasant place to stay and I hope the hotel owner appreciates their hard work and rewards them accordingly. It has been refurbished in a very minimalistic way - don't expect pictures on walls, and there is not much storage space. In our opinion the rather useless sofa in the bedroom would be better being replaced with some sort of dressing table or shelving as we had to use the sofa as a place to leave one of the cases and spread clothes all over it which did not make for a tidy looking room. There is a small fridge/mini-bar in the room which we used for our own wine and beer by moving the contents around to make space. Talking of wine - when we went to dinner on our first night we asked to see the wine list but they don't have one, you just ask for white, red or rose and they will bring you a bottle and then it is trial and error to get the one you like and then try and remember what it is called so you get the same one again - I really think if they are now appealing to the adults only market they should provide a comprehensive wine list for people to make discerned choices. Our other gripe with the restaurant is that the prepared vegetables, rice etc are really not hot enough. However the choice of food at both breakfast and dinner is very good - a different roast joint every night, freshly cooked fish or stir-fry of your choice. On our first morning at breakfast the chef was cooking fresh omelettes with filling of your choice but this was the only morning out of the 9 that we there that this happened - I did ask after a few days if he was doing omelettes again but the answer was no. If you are a couple and want a cosy dinner you will be out of luck as in our opinion the tables are far too close - no more than an inch between some of them. Perhaps they should consider having two sittings for dinner and spreading the area out a bit, this would also make it a little less busy for the staff who are running around non-stop clearing plates, etc, sometimes while you are still chewing your last mouthful! The hotel does have a no swimsuit and no vest rule for dinner but we felt it would also be nicer if they had a no shorts rule too - but I appreciate that this is a personal choice, as "slightly older" travellers we like to see people have made a bit of an effort for dinner! The hotel "rules" did seem to change during our stay too - on the first two evenings it was possible to make coffee after dinner; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The King Jason Paphos; City: Paphos Paphos District; Review: My husband and I recently stayed at the King Jason on our first visit to Cyprus and from the moment you arrive the excellent customer service begins. There were many repeat guests here but we were welcomed in exactly the same warm way. Small bottle of local wine in room on arrival and small jar of local honey on departure. We had one of the lovely new suites and initially were a little disappointed with the view from the balcony which seemed to be just a back road in and out of the hotel grounds, however we were later told that within the next few months another swimming pool and decking area is going to be built in front of these suites, and indeed as we left work had already started in the area and this will greatly enhance it. We were on the all-inclusive tariff, but no need to wear one of those awful rubber armbands here! The food selection at all meals was excellent, our compliments to all the chefs. Wine was also of a good standard - I particularly enjoyed the rose. Plenty of choice of cocktails and spirits also on AI, again, all of a good standard. During our visit we celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary and when Andreas, the fantastic manager discovered this he arranged for a bottle of bubbly to be sent to our room - thank you! What can I say about Andreas, Maria and all the staff that hasn't been said already? They are brilliant - Andreas is very hands on, helping out in the dining room, visiting each table at breakfast and dinner to ensure everyone is ok, his marvellous sense of humour making us all feel happy and it rubs off on his staff who are so friendly and warm. Maria is also full of energy and enthusiasm for the hotel and all it's guests. There are currently two pools, one a hydro pool with jets etc and while we were there (Nov.) plenty of sunbeds, but I'm sure that even at the height of the season there would still be plenty of beds available and of course when the new pool is finished there will be even more. There is also a small, heated indoor plunge pool. Pool towels are available to guests and can be exchanged at reception frequently. Apparently the shop is being moved also and extended, and there will be more seating in the restaurant area with a new bar being built too - it sounds like exciting times ahead for the hotel. Although the hotel is not adults only, at the time of our visit there were only a couple of teenage visitors but no small children and to be honest there are not really any facilities for little ones - a small paddling pool being the only thing - so I think it is a good choice for those, like us, who appreciate child-free breaks. The hotel is approximately 15mins walk from the harbour and the area between does appear to be fairly run down -although; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beau Rivage Hotel; City: St Brelade Jersey Channel Islands; Review: Have just returned from a 5 day stay at this aparthotel. Very spacious, clean, self catering suite with 2 balconies overlooking the beautiful St. Brelades beach, equipped with just about everything you need - perhaps just one more chopping board would be helpful for preparing meat etc. as I could only find the one bread board so used a plate for chopping on, but this is a minor point. The hotel is slightly set back from the walkway along the beach and our rooms were on the first floor right above the entrance to the bar and conservatory, consequently we found it to be quite noisy on our first night as well as all the cigarette smoke drifting up to the balcony, however there was a world cup football match showing in the bar which probably added to the noise level etc.! The following morning we mentioned it to the lovely young man on reception when he asked if everything was ok. He said he would ask the bar staff to try and keep noise levels down, however we did say we would not want people to stop enjoying themselves - we are definitely not killjoys!! It was noticeable though that the bar staff did everything they could to ensure that the remainder of our stay was more pleasurable and asked us everyday if everything was alright - which it was! All credit to the team of staff at this hotel, always polite, considerate and wanting guests to have a pleasant stay. We did not eat at the hotel so cannot comment on the food but the menu looked very good and plenty of people were ordering food so I guess that is testimony itself. Would we stay here again? Yes we would but would ask for a room on the top floor and overlooking the sundeck area rather than the bar.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Premier Inn Telford North Hotel; City: Telford Shropshire England; Review: Stayed at this hotel for one night over the weekend for a family party being held just down the road so picked it for its location. As a group we had booked 5 rooms - we were all on the ground floor, rooms were clean and comfortable. We did wonder how quiet it would be as the hotel is located next to a garage, a Mcdonalds and a busy road but any fears were non founded as within the rooms it was lovely and quiet. Check-in was speedy and courteous. The only down side to our visit was that the following morning one member of our party was ill (so much so that we eventually had to get an ambulance out to the car park following checkout) but this has absolutely no reflection on the hotel whatsoever. In fact the lady on reception was very helpful and understanding thus helping to ease the stress of the situation. Excellent customer care! I would have no hesitation in returning to this Premier Inn or recommending it to others if you need a place to stay in Telford.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: YIANNA Women's Underbust Latex Sport Girdle Waist Trainer Corsets Hourglass Body Shaper; Brand: YIANNA; Review: Girlfriend loves it saw results within 2 weeks; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: YIANNA Women's Underbust Latex Sport Girdle Waist Trainer Corsets Hourglass Body Shaper; Brand: YIANNA; Review: Girlfriend loves it saw results within 2 weeks; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kerusso Salvation T-Shirt - Christian Fashion Gifts Black; Brand: Kerusso; Review: Great looking shirt, my dad loves it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: JANE STONE Choker Black Stretch Gothic Tattoo Henna Necklace; Brand: JANE STONE; Review: Looks very high quality; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vbiger Canvas Backpack for Women & Girls Boys Casual Book Bag Sports Daypack (Birds 2); Brand: VBIGER; Review: Great package has lots of space holds everything I need; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Godyce Women Cross Necklace Plated 18k Gold Zircon Rose-Gold/Gold/Silver - 20.5" with Gift Box; Brand: Godyce; Review: Great looking necklace; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Greenwoods Resort; City: Thekkady Idukki District Kerala; Review: Had a very good hospitality and experience @ Green woods. Martin, Ratheesh and team ensured not only we had a comfortable stay, but guided places, activities to visit and have a memorable experience. Also I want to specifically share the way the Martin and team went out of there way to find and ship back a item which had left behind. Thanks team and keep up such a great customer focus and experience; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rama Resort Agonda Beach; City: Agonda South Goa District Goa; Review: It was second stay and it has improved significantly. The quality and the neatness of the room is very good. Overall the property has good ambience with coconut trees, little garden and beach front. It is very relaxing and sure you find some peace for yourself I'd you are alone. The food was average as I did not had only once. So can comment only on based on that.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: WelcomHeritage Panjim Peoples; City: Panjim North Goa District Goa; Review: It was very good experience in staying at heritage hotel in Panjim Inn. The room was very nice with old style design and decor including the beds, table, wardrobe. The staff were very cordial and supportive. The breakfast was good, but not many options. If the stay is for more days then you might get bored. The restaurant (The Verandh) food was extremely good and I had typical Goa food and it was just fabulous. Overall a very good experience and surely would recommend compared to other star hotels.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Giridarshini; City: Bandipur Chamarajanagar District Karnataka; Review: This place is very nice and clean. They have 8 cottages which is well maintained and also has go good painting of an animal in every room. The food was very good mainly veg which was typical Karnataka dishes and on request provides non-veg. Also they organized nature walks and Prashant who is a naturalist was showing us birds, explaining foot prints of animals and sharing the animal stories during the walks. Overall was very good experience and very customer focused.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: New Golden Flower Heritage Houseboat; City: Srinagar Srinagar District Kashmir Jammu and Kash; Review: Had been to this 100year old heritage boathouse and it was a wonderful experience. Yakub played a perfect host with providing a comfortable stay and cannot ask for more. Right from the transferring from airport, providing very clean stay, good food, special tea and also giving the right info for our visit and onward journeys. It was memorable stay and surely will come back. Very highly recommend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Gray Mountain: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's John Grisham Page; Review: i am a fan of grisham and a lawyer myself so i don't mind a little hyperbole,plus i practiced in the coal country but this was absurb .i didn't need to hear 15000 times the evil of strip mining to get it ,plus there was no story there.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Subprimes: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Karl Taro Greenfeld Page; Review: A fabulous read and incredibly funny takedown of the republican future!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock 'n' Roll; Author: Visit Amazon's Peter Guralnick Page; Review: This book would have been outstanding in half the size .I get it that Sam .liked to think and talk big but even the sermon on the mount gets old the 15 th time you hear it in the space of a book.no doubt it is a great story and the early history really comes alive but too much detail on minor players and.nothing really happens in Sam's life after the50s.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Testimony; Author: Visit Amazon's Scott Turow Page; Review: I found this book to be totally engrossing. The plot involving an investigation by the ICC and the intrepid prosecutor Boom of war crimes in Bosnia in 2004 was fascinating to me. What I feel Turow does better than other writers in this genre is to create compelling characters like the gypsy lawyer Esma as well as defense attorney Kara .Highly recommend!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Force: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Don Winslow Page; Review: First book by Winslow I have read and I thought it was fantastic. I The story just moves along at a breakneck pace but the various characters are fully developed. Fiction but maybe not!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: 2(X)IST Men's Essential Cotton No Show Trunk Multipack; Brand: ; Review: Love 2xist with the no show but these no show pouches are low while my guy like to sit up higher; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: PUMA Men's Future CAT SUPERLT-GR-M; Brand: ; Review: The laces aren't centered and is way more euro than my liking. If you're a big soccer fan you'll love these....I am not; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mens 2xist Love No-Show Trunk; Brand: ; Review: Great product; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Reebok Men's Trainfusion RS 3.0 Leather Cross-Training Shoe; Brand: ; Review: Memory foam inside the shoe; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Madden Men's M-Dartt Fashion Sneaker; Brand: Madden; Review: Love these shoes. People compliment me on them and they are comfortable.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Timberland Women's Savin Hill Tall Boot; Brand: ; Review: Bought these for the wife and she loves them. Super comfortable and looks exactly like the picture; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: COCOLEGGINGS Womens 3D Digital Cartoon Print Stretch Leggings Footless Tights; Brand: COCOLEGGINGS; Review: Super cheap feeling but still awesome; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: U-Shark Men's Compact Bag Style G-Strings & Thongs/Ultra Bulge Bikini Pouch; Brand: U-Shark; Review: It constantly was falling off when I was a full mass. It was like a garbage bag and a hot dog; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mio Marino Classic Ratchet Belt - Premium Leather - 1.38 Wide - Adjustable Buckle - Free Gift Box; Brand: ; Review: Nice look but the belt doesnt function well. I have other ratchet bet that work way better. The problem with this belt is that it incredibly hard to take off; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Woodgrain Wooden Watch with Genuine Leather Strap Analog Casual Wood Watches; Brand: Woodgrain Watches; Review: Nice light watch for the price. The band does seem very cheap, so it will be interesting to see how it holds up.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: DREAM PAIRS Men's Casual Walking Shoes Athletic Running Sneakers; Brand: DREAM PAIRS; Review: Cheap shoes, comfortable but not alot of ankle support. The black parts on the rubber came off in the first week and were just some thin plastic; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: LeapFrog Chat and Count Smart Phone, Scout, Assorted Colors; Brand: LeapFrog; Review: My 16 month son enjoyed this for a time. At this stage nothing seems to keep his attention very long. He is able to push the buttons and likes the music button the most. This is a nice toy at a good price. I think when he is a little older he may get more out of it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fun Express Luau Couple Face Photo Door Banner Poster Party Decor; Brand: Fun Express; Review: so fun!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Reverse Charades Board Game - Fun & Hilarious Family Games - For All Ages; Brand: Reverse Charades; Review: best game ever!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fun Express - Tissue Tropical Fish Decorations (10 Inches) (2-Pack of 6); Brand: Fun Express; Review: cute but tape doesn't stay too well.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Magnetic Wooden Puzzle Game Set: Fishing and Bug Catching; Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: almost 4 year old really likes these though they are a little easy for him.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sunny Days Entertainment Maxx Action Toy Hand Gun with 13" Silencer with Electronic Sound; Brand: Sunny Days Entertainment; Review: My almost 4 year old loves this. It vibrates when it is shooting and lights up. Not sure how long it will hold up, but great so far.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Strokes Art Clay and Dough Tools Six Piece Set - Ages 3 & Up; Brand: Strokes Art Supplies; Review: my two toddles love to use these with their play dough, one toy we got our money's worth out of.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jurassic World Chomping Velociraptor Head; Brand: Jurassic Park; Review: such a fun toy to chase my 4 year old around with!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Boon Building Bath Pipes Toy Set, Set of 5; Brand: Boon; Review: 3 and 4 year old love playing with these in the bath. Excellent toy, good price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Reusable Sticker Pads Set: Adventure - 245+ Stickers; Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: 3 and 4 year old both really liked playing with these and I could put the stickers back on the sheet after use so they can be redone.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition; Brand: The Elf on the Shelf; Review: Kids are loving this tradition but with so many tutorials out there explaining how to put wire in your elf's arms and legs so it bends, and Velcro on it's hands so it can do more, why haven't they come out with a newer version that does not require people to jerry rig their elf so it does these things?; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rainbow Lot 6 P 6x Fashion Handmade Clothes Dresses Grows Outfit for Barbie Doll by Rainbow Toy; Brand: Colors of Rainbow; Review: pretty, and I guess good for the price, but not high quality and several have torn with mild use.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ty Beanie Boo 6" Owlette The Owl; Brand: Ty; Review: Very cute but mine will not stand up on it's own, must be a defect.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Aloha Streamer Party Accessory (1 count) (1/Pkg); Brand: Beistle; Review: Ok, nothing special.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: PlayMonster Magnetic Personalities - Original Wooly Willy; Brand: PlayMonster; Review: This is cute but would be better if the pen was attached to the cardboard with string, it's easy to lose.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Dress-Up Wands for Costume Role Play (4 pcs); Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: Daughter loves them, they are bigger then what I expected and reasonably sturdy. Very happy with the purchase.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: VTech Go! Go! Smart Friends Twinkle the Magical Unicorn (Frustration Free Packaging); Brand: VTech; Review: Got this for a friends daughter's birthday party and the mom told me several months later it was her favorite gift. Good price, good size.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Great Explorations Micro Stars; Brand: University Games; Review: The stars are smaller then what I imagined and the putty you are given to stick them on the wall was not enough for us to nearly put them all up.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Play-Doh Disguise Lab Featuring Despicable Me Minions; Brand: Play-Doh; Review: Play-doh gets stuck in the hair holes and doesn't come out.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Fisher-Price Kick 'n Play Piano Gym; Brand: Fisher-Price; Review: My baby has loved this for several months now (he is six months old). Colorful and everything I expected.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Melissa & Doug Dress-Up Tiaras for Costume Role Play (4 pcs); Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: Exactly what one would want with these, not fragile. My three year old uses them often.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tutus for Girls (Set of 3 -- Dress Up Tutu Costumes -- Pink, Purple and Blue); Brand: Tutus for Girls; Review: Cute but not super durable. Daughter still loves them.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: USC roars to a 35-31 comeback win over Colorado; Abstract: BOULDER, Colo. (AP) Kedon Slovis threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Michael Pittman Jr. with 2:15 left and Southern California escaped Folsom Field with a 35-31 win Friday night over the hard-luck Colorado Buffaloes, who nearly pulled off their first ever victory over the Trojans.; Category: sports
Title: Amelia Bambridge: Body of missing backpacker found in sea; Abstract: The body of a 21-year-old British backpacker who went missing after a beach party on a Cambodian island has been found, according to the charity assisting her family.; Category: news
Title: Georgia Southern RB scorches Appalachian State with 68-yard TD; Abstract: App State already encountered enough problems attempting to stop Kennedy in the first half, and then he demonstrated what he can really do in open space.; Category: sports
Title: Norway arrests US white supremacist ahead of far-right conference; Abstract: Norwegian authorities have arrested high-profile American white supremacist Greg Johnson, hours before he was due to give a speech at a far-right conference in Oslo on Saturday.; Category: news
Title: Nike hit with another damning op-ed: 'I was emotionally and physically abused'; Abstract: Nike has been hit with another damning op-ed, highlighting the obstacles female athletes have faced through training with the company.; Category: finance
Title: 'Monday Night Football' commentator under fire after belittling criticism of 49ers kicker for missed field goal; Abstract: Joe Tessitore called out 49ers kicker Chase McLaughlin after he shanked a potential game-winning kick in San Francisco, and some fans weren't happy.; Category: sports | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Teva Women's, Olowahu BLACK FABRIC 8 M; Brand: ; Review: Love my Tevas!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Teva Women's Olowahu Flip-Flop; Brand: ; Review: Love my Tevas!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Teva Women's Olowahu Flip-Flop; Brand: ; Review: Love my Tevas!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SHARDON Men's 8mm IP Black Titanium 3 Crosses Real Forest Camo Ring; Brand: SHARDON; Review: Love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crocs Men's Yukon Mesa Clog, Comfortable Casual Outdoor Shoe with Adjustable Fit; Brand: ; Review: I like them a lot; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Elegant Comfort 1500 Thread Count Egyptian Quality Super Soft Wrinkle Free 4-Piece Sheet Set, King, Aqua; Brand: Elegant Comfort; Review: Not only do these sheets fit my mattress and topper, the softness of these sheets are just another level of heaven.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mega Candles 12 pcs Unscented Red Taper Candle | Hand Poured Wax Candles 10" x 7/8" | for Home; Brand: Mega Candles; Review: The candles are burning unevenly. Half of the candles fall away. Won't be purchasing these again.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Bathroom Rug Mats Set 3 Piece; Brand: Elvoki; Review: The rugs are nice however the toilet lid cover slips which causes the lid to fall forward after lifting it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: ORBLUE All-In-One Onion Holder, Odor Remover, Slicer, Cutter & Chopper; Brand: Orblue; Review: There isn't an opening in the center which I remembered seeing on the ad. My daughter has small hands and the one we received didn't have an opening in the center to make it easier for her to hold.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Accutimer Digital Kitchen Timer. Large Digit Electronic Display. Strong Magnetic Back and Retractable Stand. Loud Alarm Count up Countdown.; Brand: Accutimer; Review: Broke after 3rd use; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Garland Rug Traditional Plush Washable Nylon Rug, 24-Inch by 40-Inch, Purple; Brand: Garland Rug; Review: Lid cover is really small, otherwise, the other two pieces are nice.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Tua Tagovailoa proves his value to Alabama in absence against Tennessee; Abstract: The Crimson Tide's offense wasn't the same after the junior quarterback left with a high ankle sprain. It's clear that as Tua goes, so, too, could Alabama.; Category: sports
Title: Kevin Spacey Won't Be Charged in Sexual Assault Case After Accuser Dies; Abstract: The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has formally dropped a case against actor Kevin Spacey, after the accuser died.; Category: movies
Title: White House Ukraine Expert Sought to Correct Transcript of Trump Call; Abstract: Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman told investigators that the White House transcript of a July call between President Trump and Ukraine's president omitted crucial words and phrases.; Category: news
Title: Former NBA first-round pick Jim Farmer arrested in sex sting operation; Abstract: Farmer, 55, was booked for trafficking a person for a commercial sex act.; Category: sports
Title: 1 killed when plane crashes into townhome in Atlanta area; Abstract: ATLANTA (AP) A small plane crashed into a townhome Wednesday morning in a leafy Atlanta-area neighborhood near a major interstate, killing at least one person and tearing off the home's brick exterior, authorities said. The crash scattered wreckage and shook up nearby residents. A second person who was on the plane was unaccounted for, but no one was home at the time and there were no injuries on the ground, DeKalb County Fire Capt. Dion...; Category: news
Title: Surfing executive sentenced to prison in college admissions scam; Abstract: Federal prosecutors in Boston said Wednesday that surfing executive Jeffrey Bizzack has been sentenced to two months in prison for participating in the massive college admissions scheme.; Category: news
Title: The Average Retirement Age in Every State; Abstract: See how your state stacks up in the retirement race; Category: finance
Title: Cause determined in Jessi Combs' fatal speed record crash; Abstract: Occurred at speeds near 550 mph; Category: autos
Title: Demi Moore Says Her 'Addiction' to Ashton Kutcher Was 'Devastating': 'It Took Me Away Emotionally'; Abstract: Demi Moore Says Her 'Addiction' to Ashton Kutcher Was 'Devastating'; Category: tv
Title: Poll: Majority expects Trump to win in 2020; Abstract: With less than a year to go before the 2020 election, a majority of registered voters say they think it's at least somewhat likely that President Donald Trump will secure a second term in the White House, a new poll has found, with almost a third of voters saying the president will be top of mind when casting their vote next November.; Category: news
Title: Roger Stone Lied to Congress After Helping Trump Win, Prosecutor Says; Abstract: Roger Stone wasn't lying to Congress about his contact with WikiLeaks over stolen emails that helped Donald Trump win the presidency, his lawyer told a jury at the start of the longtime Republican operative's criminal trial.; Category: news
Title: The Woman Who Flipped Off Trump Has Won an Election in Virginia; Abstract: The cyclist who lost her job after giving the middle finger to President Trump's motorcade has found a new one after running for local office and ousting a Republican supervisor in Loudoun County, Va., on Tuesday. The cyclist, Juli Briskman, had been active in local politics before, but in October 2017 she lifted that one specific finger to make a point and ended up gaining the national spotlight. Mr. Trump had just finished a round of golf at...; Category: news
Title: 'It's not over': Sarah Palin says she is fighting to repair her marriage; Abstract: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said she learned her husband, Todd, wanted a divorce in an email from his lawyer and that the two are seeking counseling.; Category: news | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Hanes Men's Big and Tall Tank Tagless Fresh IQ Comfort Soft Ribbed A-Shirt 100% Cotton; Brand: ; Review: Fits well but a bit longer than expected, still a great buy!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hanes Men's 6-Pack ComfortSoft Tanks, White, Medium; Brand: Hanes; Review: Fits well but a bit longer than expected, still a great buy!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fruit of Loom Men's A-Shirt Multipack; Brand: ; Review: Loved the colors, great buy.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fruit of Loom Men's A-Shirt Multipack; Brand: ; Review: Loved the colors, great buy.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: adidas Performance Women's Thrasher 1.1 W Trail Running Shoe; Brand: ; Review: Great fit & long day long comfort. At first felt a bit odd but once I began walking in them it was fine. Definitely buy another pair.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fruit of Loom Men's A-Shirt Multipack; Brand: ; Review: Great buy, product is well made.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fruit of Loom Men's A-Shirt Multipack; Brand: ; Review: Great buy, product is well made.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Salomon Men's Anka CS Waterproof Snow Boot; Brand: Salomon; Review: Great boot, not to be used with thick socks. If laced to the top it feels still like a ski boot however your feet will never be cold & this boot so far is quite durable.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crocs Men's and Women's Baya Clog; Brand: ; Review: Great for vacation; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fishing T-Shirt Eat Sleep Fish Repeat; Brand: Trenz Shirt Company; Review: Nice for the weekend or fishing. Expected the gray to be a bit more vibrant.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Grunt Style Life Knocks You Down Men's T-Shirt; Brand: Grunt Style; Review: Love it, everything about the shirt is great. From the colors, to the fit; I just hope that when I finally wash it doesn't fade. Definitely recommend!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Guess Men's Jermaine Harness Boot; Brand: GUESS; Review: Love it! Goes great with jeans.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Salomon Men's Speedcross 3 Trail Running Shoe; Brand: Salomon; Review: Bought them before and it's great when I am on my feet all day. These shoes allow my feet to breath.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Salomon Men's Speedcross 3 Trail Running Shoe; Brand: Salomon; Review: Bought them before and it's great when I am on my feet all day. These shoes allow my feet to breath.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Salomon Men's Speedcross 3 Trail Running Shoe (14 D(M) US, White/Boss Blue/Black); Brand: Salomon; Review: Bought them before and it's great when I am on my feet all day. These shoes allow my feet to breath.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Cowboy Bebop; Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi, Space; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Mononoke Hime; Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi; Genres: Adventure, Drama, Supernatural; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Elfen Lied; Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Psychological, Romance, Seinen, Supernatural; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Tenkuu no Shiro Laputa; Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Tonari no Totoro; Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Neko no Ongaeshi; Genres: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Black Lagoon; Genres: Action, Seinen; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Lupin III: Cagliostro no Shiro; Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Shounen; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: Death Note; Genres: Mystery, Police, Psychological, Supernatural, Thriller; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Gake no Ue no Ponyo; Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 6.0/10.0
Title: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood; Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Magic, Military, Shounen; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Highschool of the Dead; Genres: Action, Ecchi, Horror, Supernatural; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Koisuru Boukun; Genres: Comedy, Romance, Yaoi; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Highschool of the Dead: Drifters of the Dead; Genres: Comedy, Ecchi, Supernatural; Rating: 5.0/10.0
Title: Mirai Nikki (TV); Genres: Action, Mystery, Psychological, Shounen, Supernatural, Thriller; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Guilty Crown; Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Super Power; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Kuroko no Basket; Genres: Comedy, School, Shounen, Sports; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou; Genres: Comedy, School, Shounen, Slice of Life; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Psycho-Pass; Genres: Action, Police, Psychological, Sci-Fi; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Zetsuen no Tempest; Genres: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Magic, Mystery, Psychological, Shounen; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Hataraku Maou-sama!; Genres: Comedy, Demons, Fantasy, Romance, Shounen; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: Shingeki no Kyojin; Genres: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Shounen, Super Power; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Kuroko no Basket 2nd Season; Genres: Comedy, School, Shounen, Sports; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Kuroko no Basket: Tip Off; Genres: Comedy, School, Shounen, Sports; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Free!; Genres: Comedy, School, Slice of Life, Sports; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: No Game No Life; Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Ecchi, Fantasy, Game, Supernatural; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Noragami; Genres: Action, Adventure, Shounen, Supernatural; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Haikyuu!!; Genres: Comedy, Drama, School, Shounen, Sports; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Akame ga Kill!; Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Free!: Eternal Summer; Genres: Comedy, School, Slice of Life, Sports; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Tokyo Ghoul; Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Seinen, Supernatural; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu; Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Psychological, Sci-Fi, Seinen; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: Barakamon; Genres: Comedy, Slice of Life; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: Psycho-Pass 2; Genres: Action, Police, Psychological, Sci-Fi; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun; Genres: Comedy, Romance, School; Rating: 9.0/10.0
Title: Kuroko no Basket 3rd Season; Genres: Comedy, School, Shounen, Sports; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Yamada-kun to 7-nin no Majo (OVA); Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Shounen; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Barakamon: Mijikamon; Genres: Comedy; Rating: 6.0/10.0
Title: Owari no Seraph; Genres: Action, Drama, Shounen, Supernatural, Vampire; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun Specials; Genres: Comedy, Romance, School; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Tokyo Ghoul √A; Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Seinen, Supernatural; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Shokugeki no Souma; Genres: Ecchi, School, Shounen; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Death Parade; Genres: Drama, Game, Mystery, Psychological, Thriller; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Koutetsujou no Kabaneri; Genres: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Yamada-kun to 7-nin no Majo (TV); Genres: Comedy, Harem, Mystery, Romance, School, Shounen, Supernatural; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Haikyuu!! Second Season; Genres: Comedy, Drama, School, Shounen, Sports; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Charlotte; Genres: Drama, School, Super Power; Rating: 8.0/10.0
Title: Kuroko no Basket: Oshaberi Demo Shimasen ka; Genres: Comedy, School, Shounen, Sports; Rating: 6.0/10.0
Title: ReLIFE; Genres: Romance, School, Slice of Life; Rating: 6.0/10.0
Title: One Punch Man; Genres: Action, Comedy, Parody, Sci-Fi, Seinen, Super Power, Supernatural; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Noragami Aragoto; Genres: Action, Adventure, Shounen, Supernatural; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Noragami Aragoto OVA; Genres: Action, Adventure, Shounen; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Boku dake ga Inai Machi; Genres: Mystery, Psychological, Seinen, Supernatural; Rating: 10.0/10.0
Title: Kiznaiver; Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 7.0/10.0
Title: Boku no Hero Academia; Genres: Action, Comedy, School, Shounen, Super Power; Rating: 7.0/10.0 | anime |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Hurricane, The (1999); Genres: Drama; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Toys (1992); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Corpse Bride (2005); Genres: Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Spider-Man 3 (2007); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Cats & Dogs (2001); Genres: Children, Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Scanner Darkly, A (2006); Genres: Animation, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Click (2006); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Transporter 2 (2005); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Basic (2003); Genres: Drama, Thriller, War; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Beowulf (2007); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Kingdom, The (2007); Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Around the World in 80 Days (2004); Genres: Adventure, Children, Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Shoot 'Em Up (2007); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, The (Fast and the Furious 3, The) (2006); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Incredibles, The (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Toy Story (1995); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Shrek (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park (1993); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Finding Nemo (2003); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Matrix, The (1999); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Batman Begins (2005); Genres: Action, Crime, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Independence Day (a.k.a. ID4) (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dark Knight, The (2008); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Minority Report (2002); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monsters, Inc. (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: True Lies (1994); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: X-Men (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Titanic (1997); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
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 IV - A New Hope (1977); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; 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 III - Revenge of the Sith (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, 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: Iron Man (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sin City (2005); Genres: Action, Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0 | movielens |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: KONOV Plain Black Stainless Steel Mens Huggie Hinged Hoop Earrings, 2pcs, Black; Brand: KONOV; Review: very good and thank you ordering more; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: KONOV Stainless Steel Punk Cool Hip Hop Mens Awl Taper Huggie Hinged Hoop Earrings 2pcs; Brand: KONOV; Review: very solid and it fits; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: adidas Originals Men's Campus 2 Lifestyle Basketball Sneaker; Brand: ; Review: love it wanted to get the black one but didn't have my size; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: O'Neill Men's Delta Short; Brand: ; Review: will i put the shorts on and it was to short length wise the size 40 was okay but from waist to knee was short. i like it past my knees. it said it would it be 40' 14 i must of read it wrong; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: O'Neill Men's Delta Short; Brand: ; Review: will i put the shorts on and it was to short length wise the size 40 was okay but from waist to knee was short. i like it past my knees. it said it would it be 40' 14 i must of read it wrong; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: O'Neill Men's Delta Plaid Short; Brand: ; Review: perfected perfect; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Hello Kitty Girls' Composition 15 Inch Backpack with Lunch Kit, Pink/Black; Brand: Hello Kitty; Review: nice; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lancardo Luxury Mens Quartz Watch with Milanese Loop Woven Stainless Steel Mesh Band (Gold); Brand: Lancardo; Review: satisfactory; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TIBES Canvas Laptop Backpack Casual Shoulder Bag Cute Purse 3pcs Set School Backpack; Brand: TIBES; Review: great buy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: anmao 8MM Wide 4 Sizes 24K Gold Plated Necklace Mens Gold Chains Snake Gold Chain Necklace; Brand: anmao; Review: satisfactory; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Disney Little Girls Minnie Polka Dot Backpack with Lunch, Pink, One Size; Brand: Disney; Review: nice; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: PopCo; Author: Scarlett Thomas; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: 5 Reasons why this is a great book - 1 - It's by Scarlett Thomas. 2 - It contains the sentence 'The dawn nibbled the sky like a biscuit it didn't really want' 3 - It's got RPG's! (for Tom Clancey fans, thats role playing games, not rocket propelled grenades) 4 - She uses words like 'meme' with feeling any need to elucidate. 5 - It will change the way you look at popular culture. Probably.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Atomised; Author: Michel Houellebecq; Genres: fiction; Review: Every so often something crops up in the flotsam and jetsam of out lives that, over time, becomes of a greater significance than at first imagined. I did physics a college. I was sat in some lecture or other (I think it was Thermodynamics) when the professor made the of hand comment 'The Universe defines itself at the boundary layer'. This makes sense in physics - the phase change, particle interactions, singularities. Blah Blah. It's only much later that I began remembering this statement when thinking about the human experience. It's lives and people at the boundaries that tell us more about ourselves than any other. The marginalized, the disposed, the forgotten or ignored. And this is what we have in Atomised. Two brothers at extreme ends of the human experience. One cold, rational, self contained (and, although not mentioned in the book, someone who could probably sit comfortably on the Autistic spectrum). The other passionate, irrational, needy. Yet somewhere between them they have something important to say about us all. Some people find the style irritating. It jumps all over the place, and Houellebecq will occasionally drop the narrative all together to go off on a rant about science or philosophy and stuff. Personally I think this is kinda cool. Any recommendation should come with a caveat - don't read if your feeling down. This book is in turns tragic, depressing, filthy, harrowing, but - ultimatly - uplifting. Classic cult literature.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close; Author: Jonathan Safran Foer; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: If you want to write the sort of book that makes grown men cry on the bus, you couldn't pick better subject matter than this. A young boy's father dies in the September 11th attack on New York, and he sets off on a mission of discovery, trying to bring himself some resolution. Meanwhile, his estranged grandfather is a survivor of the fire bombing of Dresden, who has lost the ability to speak, but gained an obsession with the written word. One would think this premise would make it easy to pull at the heart strings. But in reality not so. It would be easy to be ham fisted, throwing out the trauma and extreme details of the madness of the world. To the authors credit he does not. It's the human experience that drives this book, and he has chosen to very human characters indeed. Young Oskar is our primary narrator. His voice is a scatter gun of ideas and associations. The pacing is fast, at at times almost brutal. Revelations come with little warning, which can make you feel as unbalanced as the little chap himself. The lack of emotional vocabulary adds to the tension, and is perfectly in keeping with the young voice. Grandfather Oskar is the counterpoint. Minutes stretch to decades as he contemplates and seeks significance in everything. One is unable to rest, while the other is unable to move. Yet they are both seeking the same thing. Something, anything, to make sense of the senseless. The horrors that people do, and people suffer. We know there is no end to this, and the author does not condescend to any conclusions, moral or otherwise. It's just the experience, the extremity of what it is to be human, that is reflected upon. As a piece of art, this makes it both the more moving, and important. A work of great skill, heart and intelligence. Thoroughly recommended to everyone.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Stranger; Author: Albert Camus; Genres: thriller, crime, mystery, fiction; Review: This isn't the sort of book I can say I enjoyed - but that's OK. I don't think enjoyment was really on his mind when Camus wrote it. It's a book that's meant to make you feel uncomfortable, challenged. Even a bit sweaty and dizzy. I read it in London in February and still felt the Algerian sun getting to me. Essentially this is little book with a thousand questions and only one answer. I won't try to list too many but here's a few off the top of my head - 1 - Who comes first the person or the people? 2 - What's the difference between justice and punishment? 3 - Can people really be responsible for their actions? 4 - What if it's all instinct no consciousness? 5 - If societies values aren't absolute can they have any authority? And so on. One could go on for pages, and many have. But it's all rhetoric before the benign indifference of the universe. An absolute masterpiece, undoubtedly. But as an existentialist tract it falls way too heavy in the nihilist side. I don't. So I've benignly docked it one indifferent star.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Owl Killers; Author: Karen Maitland; Genres: history, fiction, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I picked this up after reading the Gargoyle. I couldn't get into anything else and thought 'Cool - Beguines' so I gave it a try. I'm very glad I did. On the surface, this is a very dark look at life in medieval England. The life of the village is wonderfully evocative, and the characters well drawn and deeply human. The story is all told in the first person, with different characters taking the lead in each chapter. Writing in so many voices can't be easy - but she absolutely pulls it off. Everything flows nicely, the plot advances at pace, and the whole things drips with atmosphere. But, ultimately, this is a book about belief. It's about the extremities people will go to do when they feel justified by their faith - and the real dangers that arise when cultures collide. A such it's it's very relevant today.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Book Thief; Author: Markus Zusak; Genres: history, young-adult, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Last lines are important. The way a book wraps itself up, puts a bow on top and says 'there ya go'. I've just finished this on the bus home from work. I'm 40 something, a bit jaded, but I have to admit, when I got to the last line I misted over a bit. Outstanding. This is a book about growing up. I's about living in Nazi Germany. It's about the holocaust. It's about little victories and big defeats. It's about hope and despair. And it's narrated by Death. This Death is not human, but he does care. He watches us closely, but from a distance. Through a microscope. He casually observes the details, and questions things, rolls them around in his not human head and ponders. It's hard to describe quite how well this works, but it really does. Highly Recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Orlando; Author: Virginia Woolf; Genres: history, romance, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I recently read Christie Malry's Own Double Entry, and Orlando reminded me of something said in the introduction. If you want to tell a story, Johnson proposed, write a script, as film is a better medium. What novels give you is an opportunity to explore internal states. Although written 40 years earlier, Orlando is a great example of this. We meet a young Orlando in the 16th century. Innocent, naive, and with great legs (so we're told) Orlando bounces around his world looking for ... something. But things don't quite work out. So Orlando sits and thinks. About life, love, poetry, time, age, meaning, a ray of light, a tobacco leaf - of such things are life compounded. But then (Lo!) - a conclusion. But one whose details we are spared, because this is, after all, a biography. So Orlando is spurred into action. There follows a change - of century, of continent, of culture, epoch or gender. But things don't work out for Orlando... And so it goes. It's lush, meandering, patchy and indulgent. But Virginia loves her Orlando (Vita). The feeling is infectious. I suggest you kick back, relax, and bathe in it's reflected glow. Nearly 80 years later it's still shining bright.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Never Let Me Go; Author: Kazuo Ishiguro; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is only the second Ishiguro book I've read (the other one was 'Remains of the day') and I am getting to like him. This isn't really a Science Fiction as such, it's a book about belonging and identity. It's a very 'British' book, in that the first person narrative has a rambling, conversational tone. There is also an emotional reserve that runs throughout, that may seem stereotypical - the middle class 'stiff upper lip' sort of thing. Like Isiguro, I immigrated to the UK as a child, and have made it my home. I see something in his work that's kind of like an 'inside outsider' if you see what I mean. He writes from inside a culture, yet always seems to be observing it, scrutinizing the details of the characters and environments in an almost scientific way. It's as if he's never sure if he's got it just right yet. I find thus very touching, and for all it's reserve, this book is full of heart. Liked it very much; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Going Out; Author: Scarlett Thomas; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: I've really got into Scarlett Thomas. This is a bit of a transitional book, between her YA books (which I haven't read), and the more literary stuff she has on her website. But it's still very much a Scarlett Thomas novel. The philosophical meanderings, off the wall plot, and the sort of characters I'd love to have around for dinner one night. Not quite as grand as The End of Mr Y, but for fans it's well worth checking out. It is a 'book of ideas' - very clever but not at all smug. It's also very funny. She always does good dialog, here turns it to very good comic effect. All in a really good read - I may do some quick reviews of her other books as well....; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Norwegian Wood; Author: Haruki Murakami; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Ok, this is quite a simple story - just a love story really. It's a story about young people, but told from the persecutive of maturity. It's full of a melancholy nostalgia, but there is also hope. Wanatabe, the narrator, is practically monosyllabic in parts, but his thoughts run deep. It's his contemplations that add so much to this book, looking out to the world so much he rarely sees himself at all. The language is beautiful, restrained, but with odd flourishes that can really make yo catch your breath. The plot meanders, characters tell their own stories, and it all adds up to a beautiful whole. And it has one of the best last line ever. I have a fairly sparsely populated favorites shelf, but this ones earned a place. Fantastic book; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Little Money Book; Author: David Boyle; Genres: non-fiction; Review: This is a really useful little book. I have to admit I've not read a lot of economics, and this just shows how different things could be with a little creativity and imagination. I won't quote figures here, but this book is all about challenging what governments, banks and markets are for, and how individuals and communities can take initiative for themselves. It will also be great for annoying conservatives when they come out with empty platitudes about tough choices and there bing no money left. This should be compulsory reading for anyone who ever read the Daily Mail.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Russell; Author: Ray Monk; Genres: history, non-fiction, biography, historical fiction; Review: This is a tiny little book I found in a second hand shop for a few pence, and as I quite like Bertrand Russel just bought it on a whim. You could really finish this over a cup of coffee, so it would be easy to go on about what's not in it. But it does capture a certain spirit. For a mathematician, I tend to think of him as essentially an ethical philosopher. In that he had an almost desperate faith in truth and beauty. This little book gives a real sense of his struggles with a massive body of work that never achieved what he wanted. It does just cover the big issues of his philosophy, without touching on his politics or private life at all. If this is something you might want to get into, this is as good a place to start as any.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Nietzsche and Postmodernism; Author: Dave Robinson; Genres: history, non-fiction, biography, historical fiction; Review: Another tiny little philosophy book I found in my local Oxfam shop (they do a good line in them...) It's written from postmodernist perspective, and just asks if Nietzsche should be included or not, without giving too much background into either. After 80 odd pages it comes up with 'probably'. Could have said that on page one really. Still, it's an interesting discussion and there's worse ways to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon, so I'll give it a '3'.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Raw Shark Texts; Author: Steven Hall; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This is an outstanding book. Yes, it messes with your mind, plays with genres and forms, and takes you on a genuinely quite wild ride. But it's also touching and at times very funny. For a 'literary' book he doesn't take himself to seriously. But within all that, Stephen Hall is a thoughtful bloke. Scattered throughout this book are some really lovely ideas. I read this as a recommendation from someone who also liked 'The end of Mr Y'. It does have a similar deconstructionist thought experiment sort of thing going on, but with a darker tone to it as well. Very highly recommended - and I'm looking forward to seeing what he does next.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ark Baby; Author: Liz Jensen; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This book is a hoot. For a start it is actually a good book about evolution. I could almost shelve it under science. Even structurally, the two time lines coil around each other like a double helix. It is funny - she has a great turn of phrase. 'Carpe Deum', says the newly reinvented Buck De Saville, 'Seize the day. Grab it by the through and rattle its bollocks'. There's the moment when a creationist preacher refutes Darwin with tales of how intelligent his God is. Not only does God make a lobster to feed us, he proclaims, but also to entertain is with the funny way he changes color and waves his claws around when you boil him. I think Ms Jenson's a vegetarian. So am I. This provides a very strong subtext - but don't worry about it - she doesn't preach. But despite the publicity it's not really a comedy. Funny sure, but there is much more to it than that. If there is a big theme it's about humanity, and how those of us who are least 'human' can be the most humane. In fact, the walls we build around ourselves are really exposed for the works of arrogance they are. This is a smart book. And best of all, Liz Jensen shows us that smart can be fun too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Book Of Illusions; Author: Paul Auster; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: Review to follow (again..); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Our Tragic Universe; Author: Scarlett Thomas; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I read fast. Too fast sometimes. I can devour books (and music and films..) to the extent that I don't always give them the attention they deserve. I blame the internet - now I can be selective I haven't read a crap book for ages, and there is always something else to look forward to. A really good book, however, will slow me down. I like a book that makes me ponder, where I have to put it down for a few minutes to digest, and just make sure I got that bit right. If a book can do that a dozen times it is destined for my absolute favourites shelf. With Our Tragic Universe this sometimes happened twice on one page. So what's it about? On the surface it's about a bunch of dissatisfied people trying to sort themselves out. Yes there are odd events bolted on, but that's' about it. And that's just as it should be. As a statement on the human condition it's the best thing I've read in a very long time. This is a book of very big ideas. I'll give an example. Early on some of the characters are making beetroot soup and discussing existentialist aesthetics. Within a few pages they come to the conclusion that, if Nietzsche's right then no one finds anything and they all end up dead, with 'shit happens' being the only narrative strategy left. The sheer brilliance of the writing is such that this is not at all pretentious, it is very funny, and you feel closer to the characters as a result. It keeps that standard all the way through. Every piece of dialogue is like the best conversation you've had with you closest friend, but with out the filler. The sheer amount of thought is impressive enough. Dostoevsky and Chekhov play a big part, as does Cosmology, Mythology and Magic. You'll find one of Xeno's Paradox's her, some Quantum Conciousness there, even Chalmers Philosophical Zombie's have a walk on part. It's fun to play spot the reference, and think you've been reading some of the same things Scarlett Thomas has. It's a cleaver book that makes you feel clever while you're reading it. It never shows off or or talks down to you. What stands out for me though, is the way she weaves all these disparate threads together into a seamless whole. Like knitting a sock I suppose.. Yet all this philosophising if for a purpose. Wittgenstein said something about philosophy being therapy (see - now I'm sounding pretentious), and that's what's going on here. These people care - they want to feel good about themselves, and they want to do the right thing. Both at the same time of possible. In this sense, the lack of story allows the reader to relate to the book in so many different ways that it becomes something like a literary Rorschach Test. I could say so much more, but this is already my longest review. On the top of the good reads home page it's asks us to list; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim; Author: Jonathan Coe; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I read once, oh, on the internet or somewhere, that laughter, as a behaviour, is an evolution of a snarl. Think of wolves. If there is a weak member of the pack, an individual who no longer contributes to the whole, the rest will turn on them. They pull back their lips, to reveal their teeth, and make deep resonant sounds. I can see how this is like a laugh. And laughter can be threatening, especially to the one who receives it. But somehow, in the course of human evolution, we have come to love our fools. The outsiders, the losers. As much as we ridicule them, and seek to drive them away, we are also pulling for them. Hoping they can turn things around, make things better. We're still waiting to welcome them back to the fold. Mostly. Hence the comic tragedy. They are the same things really. Like in Shakespeare, or the three stooges. It seems to me Jonathan Coe is pretty good at this sort of thing. Max is one of life's losers. It's easy to laugh at him, and we do. But we never lose sympathy. There's an earnestness to his attempts at redemption, even when they are clearly doomed to failure, that consistently engages. He's a real human, is our Max. Personally, I'd be quite happy to take Max down the pub, just for a little encouragement. ..."Tooth brushes you say... Yeah, great idea... To Scotland you say... Sweet..." Then back slowly away and just hope for the best. Genuinely. You'll have to read this to see if he makes it back. But for me the slap yourself in the forehead ending works beautifully. Coe is one of my favourite contemporary writers, but I must admit to being a little underwhelmed with some of his recent outings. Although not quite up to the heights of 'The House of Sleep', this is a clear return to form, and his best book for several years.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: South of the Border, West of the Sun; Author: Haruki Murakami; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This is a little Murakami book. Really, you could summarise the plot on the back of an envelope. But he can write about anything, and this demonstrates all his skills. The characters are beautifully drawn. They're very flawed, at times selfish, yet endowed with a depth and dignity that makes them very easy to empathies with. You understand them, like them, want them to be OK. He creates his usual sense of atmosphere, with a minute attention to detail. He tells you about what people are wearing, the weather, cigarette ends and cocktail glasses, the music that's playing. (God knows how these people would cope with the smoking ban...) If you're already a fan you will like it. If you've not read him before there are probably better places to start, but if you want a short sample this could be for you.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Virus of the Mind; Author: Richard Brodie; Genres: non-fiction, young-adult; Review: Oh this is a bad book. He does say in the introduction '...even reading these words might make you angry...'. This was true for the following 200 pages. I don't normally finish things I don't like. But as it was short I guess I wanted to get to the end to see if my anger was justified. I could go on about what's wrong with it, but I'll just describe the formula for each chapter. 1. Make a general statement about a big idea. 2. Expound on it in 'ordinary' language. Miss the point completely. 3. Digress onto something irrelevant. 4. Repeat. 5. Slip in some reference to neo-conservative values like they're fact. (Careful - he's trying to spread his meme's!) 6. Repeat again. This time with the text in a box. He thinks your stupid. I think he's an idiot. This book says nothing of value about the world. It says 2 things of interest about the author. 1. He made a lot of money with Mico$oft. He thinks they're wonderful. Sure, their successful at spreading the 'Get people to spend a lot of money on something they don't even know they're buying' meme. Not something designed to make you popular. 2. On page 187 he casually refers to the influence of Scientology.... Start backing slowly away. OK - I know the statement in point 1 is not a meme. But that's the sort of sloppiness this book is full of. If your interested in Memetics have a poke around the internet. Read The Raw Shark Texts even. Avoid this book. Its drivel. There. Feel better now.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Graveyard Book; Author: Neil Gaiman; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I've been following Neil Gaiman since since the early days of the Sandman, and the writing here is some of his best. Plot wise it's less ambitious (necessarily) than his more adult fiction, but it's very tight, disciplined writing. There's an economy to the language that suits his narrative style, pulling out little details or mannerism to animate the text. It's dark, sure, but there are moments or real humor. The characterization is great - Neil really cares about his characters, and you can feel that affection throughout. As always, there is a very immersive sense of place and atmosphere, a seductive dream like quality to the language. A great book by a great writer on top form.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Great God Pan; Author: Arthur Machen; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: ; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Slaughterhouse Five, or The Children's Crusade; Author: Kurt Vonnegut Jr.; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: It's very hard to review this book, when so much has already been said about it. It is a bit of paradox. On one level it is about absurdity. Billy Pilgrims beliefs are absurd, yet, to him at least, meaningful and hopeful. Everyone thinks he's mad. The bombing of Dresden was tragic, horrific, pointless, and absurd. But it happened. Yet this book never falls into solipsism - the sense of outrage is as strong now as when it was written. Outstanding in every way.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Story of the Eye; Author: Georges Bataille; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, non-fiction, mystery; Review: I don' t hang on to novels these days. I tend to give them away when I've finished. To friends, colleges, over the internet. But not this one, I think this is going to a charity shop, mixed in with a bag of old shirts. Really, reading this on the bus, I felt I should hide it in a copy of 'Hustler' for discretion. But for all that I did like. I didn't enjoy it, but I did like it. They're different things. Sure, it's full of sexual language, but not much sex. Lots of debauchery though. The odd thing for me is, considering his 'Metaphysician of Evil' epithet, it's actually a very innocent, almost naive book. Thing is - it's just a story. No one really gets killed. Bataille is aware of this, and seems to blithely assumes everyone else sees it the same way. He even goes some way to explain it's origins in the appendices. As a young man he looked after his father, who was blind and incontinent. At such a formative age this seems to have resulted in a fetishisation of the white ovoid (eye) and micturation. Oh yeah, and general degradation as well. What he does is hold these things up for examination, creates fictional characters to bestow them upon, and imagines what would happen to them in an unreal, fictional world, freed from the constraints of consequence. Thoughtful stuff, and done with quite good writing. I also found it's one of those books that wheedles it's way into your subconscious, and every so often crops up an makes you feel a bit queasy. I will be a while before I can look an egg sandwich in the, er, eye again. So anyway, go on, give it a go. Just don't say it was me that recommended it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Girl at the Lion d'Or; Author: Sebastian Faulks; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Ok, this is quite well written. The language is quite beautiful, and the historical elements work well. Where it falls down is on the characters. Hartman is just annoying and self indulgent. Anne is nicer, but the plucky working class element comes across a bit condescending. Considering class plays such a big part in their story they are both far too stereotyped. Still enjoyed it though.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Christie Malry's Own Double-Entry; Author: B.S. Johnson; Genres: thriller, comics, crime, graphic, fiction, mystery; Review: This book is very interesting indeed. Johnson was writing at a time when much of the literati were bemoaning the death of the novel. The introduction tells us that Johnson, in many ways, agreed. If all you wanted to do was tell a story then film or television was a better medium. The saving grace of the novel was it's ability to delve into internal states. All very true. Yet here's a book that's packed with plot. It fizzes along, casually throwing around some very big ideas, neat po-mo tricks, snappy dialog and even some made up (?) words. Very funny and very dark this is an intense by highly enjoyable ride.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dead Clever (Lily Pascale, #1); Author: Scarlett Thomas; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: Ok, this is a qualified 4 stars. I am a Scarlett Thomas fan. I read this as something showing the emergence of a very good writer, rather than entirely on it's own merits, and to that extent it's quite fun. There are odd glimpses here and there that foreshadow things to come. Viewed totally on it's own, it's an interesting enough crime thriller, with a few clever asides. 2 or 3 stars only I'm afraid. If you a big fan it's probably worth you time if you find it in a second hand shop. If you've not read her before read The End of Mr. Y instead.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Written On The Body; Author: Jeanette Winterson; Genres: poetry, romance, fiction; Review: 'Every time we say " love you", we're speaking a quote', says Jeanette Winterson early on in this book, and then proceeds to fill every page with quotable contemplations about that very thing. But the love she talks about is a very internal thing, which is in many ways it's own downfall. She lionises the physicality of the other, with intensely sensual language. There's hardly any dialogue, but pages and pages of intimate description, most of it introspective. It's a contemplation of the effects of love and desire on the self. It's this focus, in my opinion, that leads the narrator to make a god-awful mistake half way through. Sure it adds dramatic tension, but I spent long sections of the book thinking what an idiot they were. So - for me, in the end, it's more of a chronicle of obsession than a treatise on being in love. But if you enjoy a good dose of introspection with prose as purple as a fresh bruise, give it a go.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle; Author: Haruki Murakami; Genres: history, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: 607 pages. That's quite a lot. And the font's pretty small too. It's a commitment. Especially when you work a lot, and I do. But that's OK, I like my job, and it (more or less) pays the rent. That's not always been the case though. Sometimes I've been miserable as sin. But still, bills need paying, so I carried on. Toru Okada didn't like like his job. So he quit. He needed time to think. It didn't seem to matter, those bills got paid anyway. Lucky Okada. So what does he do? Not a lot. Other people come and go, each with their story to tell. They seem to find Okada. He's just there, not doing much. He has time to listen, since he quit his job. Some of these people are full of life, some defeated, some rich and some poor, some have faces and some don't. They're real and not real at the same time. So is it worth the commitment? I don't know. I need time to think. I might climb into the well in my garden. But I don't have a well. Or a garden. I could gaze interminably into my navel, I suppose. Same thing really. I think. Except I can't, because I have to get up for work. So I guess I should drag one concrete statement out of my befuddled brain and say - yes, 4 stars.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kafka On The Shore; Author: Haruki Murakami; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Awesome! review on the way; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Other Side of You; Author: Salley Vickers; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Sally Vicker's Jungian background really shows through in this book, and that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned. It's dripping with art, mythology, archetypal imagery and even a bit of physics, yet she balances all the intellectualising with the telling of of a touching human story very well indeed. The characters of the story within the story are far more real than the narrator and the people in his life, but I don't think this is necessarily a flaw. It brings into sharp focus what is the real heart of the book. If I have a criticism, it's that it can be a bit dry in places, and she does occasionally throw in a good idea without really exploring it as deeply as she could. Still, a very good read, and I shall look into some more of her work.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kitchen; Author: Banana Yoshimoto; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: This is a lovely little book. It's two short stories, that tell tales of love, loss, death, destiny - oh lots of things. The language is sparse -Yoshimoto observes and reacts. She doesn't waste time on delving, when a metaphor will do. It's full in incisive one liners and quotable quotes. Sweet, funny, sad, but always hopeful. I look forward to reading more of her work.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture; Author: Douglas Coupland; Genres: non-fiction, fiction; Review: I've been making an effort to go through some of my TRl lately, and this has been there for - oh, 10 years or so. I had quite high expectations, which is not always a good thing. This is basically about Middle Class drop outs being a bit self satisfied with their disillusions. The dialogue is sharp, and it's all very clever, but in the end I just could't empathise with the characters. I am aware I have mentioned class in a couple of recent reviews. I don't want to come across as an inverted snob, but my earliest memories are of winter in a trailer park in Wisconsin. My Lumpen credentials are pretty solid. OK, the road from trailer park to garret passed through a couple of universities, and maybe I did have options to join the hollow middle classes these people reject. But if the choice was ever presented to me I didn't see it. Trailer park vision I suppose. At least they have the option to drop out of something, which is something most people don't get. Do I respect them for their decisions? Not sure. They know what they're rejecting and why, but there are no positive choices. There is no active seeking of anything. And they don't seem to be suffering too much for their pseudo-principles. I mean, can a barman afford to rent his own bungalow with a swimming pool? Not in my world he can't. I know Coupland's trying to capture a sense of rootlessness, hopelessness and general floating anxiety, but they all seem to have given up a bit easily for me. As a cultural critique he's also got a very soft target - at times it feels like he's shooting Middle-American fish in a barrel. I think that was my problem. I get what he's saying - and more or less agree. Yet for every point he makes, a feel like there are ten more waiting in the wings. And I wanted to grab his characters and give them a good shake. But I'll still give it 4 stars for being well written and producing a reaction.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sputnik Sweetheart; Author: Haruki Murakami; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: "The Earth, after all, doesn't creak and groan its way around the sun just so human beings can have a good time and a bit of a laugh" notes our unnamed narrator on page 12. He's observing the life of Sumire - young, talented and slightly chaotic, she breezed into his life in college, like a character stepping off the pages of a Murakami novel. Supported by her parents, Sumire has an excess of free time and a tendency to bouts of reflection, which include calling our narrator at 3 in the morning for chats. Sumire is attractive, but oblivious to that attraction, with mis-matched socks, tossled hair and oversized jackets. To our protagonist, she is the most desirable thing in the universe. He can't help it. Nor, in turn, can Sumire help her desire for Miu, an older married woman she meets at a wedding. And so they fall into each others orbit, drawn ever to the centre, while moving tangentially away. As this is a Murakami novel, things do get strange. The characters lives drift into metaphor, and they themselves become more real, more sympathetic in the process. Yeah, it gets messy. "Was the Earth put here just to nourish human loneliness?", questions our hero, a couple of hundred pages later. That's why I like this book, and why so many of us love Murakami so much. It's because, at the end of the day, if we weren't all as alienated as each other we'd just feel left out, right?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Post Office; Author: Charles Bukowski; Genres: history, comics, poetry, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: "So Hank, what's the deal?" "Wadaya mean?" "You know, the whole hard-drinking-tough-talking-don't-give-a-damn-about-nothin facade. Where did that come from?" "Hey, you tryin to say. I'm some kinda phoney??" "Well you know what facade means. And I'll bet you know how to use a . properly as well." "I get it - your some kinda wise guy - WHY I AUGHTTA..." "Chill Hank, your secret's safe with me..." "Aw hell..." "But really Hank, you need to be more careful. I mean, being able to give a critique of Beethoven's 3rd symphony because you read about it accidentally..." "Yeah but..." "Or when some shmuck wants your opinion of his 'novel', and you give him a real opinion that suggests you actually know what your talking about..." "Hey - I read! There's articles in Playboy too you know!" "Yeah Hank, but what else you got hidden between the sheets of your spank mag? Got some Ibsen stuck in there - just so nobody gets the wrong idea...?" "Oh Jeez..." "So tell me Hank. Why did you drop out? What are you hiding from? Did someone break your heart, or was the Admiral just too damn hard on you...?" "Ok Ok, I'll spill..." "Whisper whisper whisper..." "Whisper" "Whisper whisper whisper..." "No way - you too!" "What can I say" "I'm buyin the beers is usually a good thing to say..." "Wise. Guy" hehehehe; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Problems of Philosophy; Author: Bertrand Russell; Genres: history, non-fiction, biography, historical fiction; Review: This book was published 100 years ago, and was intended as a primer for philosophy undergraduates. It functions best as a summary of 'Classical' philosophy. Metaphysics, epistemology, a bit of ethics, that sort of thing. No existentialism here. No deconstruction-ism. No conciousness theory, hard or soft problem. In fact, it kind of misses out all of my favourite bits of modern philosophy. So why is it relevant? Why bother reviewing it? Well, there is a clue in the quote over there on the bottom of my home page... I am something of a fan of Russell. I like the way he thinks and writes. This book is a great example of his intellectual lucidity and human compassion. Take for example his chapter on idealism. In about four pages he takes on Berkley and just wipes the floor with him. In the end, he almost apologises. Beautiful thinking, beautiful writing, which he maintains for the whole, brief, 94 pages. This book does fulfil it's brief well. It introduces philosophical thought and method coherently and concisely. But, most importantly for me, gives an insight into Russell's world. For him, the universe was an untimely sensible place. Effect follows cause. When one knows all the parameters, the right thing to do will present itself clearly. Avoiding error and remaining ever logical is the best possible course of action. I referred to this as 'Classical' philosophy, because of it's similarity to classical physics. The Newtonian clock work world works perfectly well in most cases, but does not bear up well under close scrutiny. There is chaos in the universe. In fact, if it were not for random fluctuations, there would be no universe at all. Human thought and perception works, in part at least, on a quantum level. We are, by nature, random and unpredictable. There are no absolutes. By his own admission, most of Russell's mathematical and philosophical work was in error. His number theory, though almost perfect, was fatally flawed. He was also an early adaptor of behaviourism, which had a disasterous effect on his family. Yet, in terms of his political and social activism, this basic, sensible outlook served him well. He was, consistently, a beacon of humanism and rationality at times when those precious things were in very short supply. As a legacy, that is something we can all aspire to.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lux the Poet; Author: Martin Millar; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: (T)he Ro(b)in (Ho)od pub sits on the tow path of the river Lee at the bottom of Springfield Park. Back in the day, they didn't mind you taking your beer outside, so you could sit on the grass watching the rowers, with the marshes behind, and the tower blocks of Stratford still further beyond. It was my Sunday afternoon pub. I don't know how it started. Our weekends began on Friday at the Cricketers. The sort of pub where everybody knew everyone else. Pete and I would usually walk down together, but soon our paths would diverge. There were warehouse parties, gigs, Camden, West End, oh who knew - a world of possibilities. But somehow, come Sunday afternoon, I always found myself at the 'Hood'. Back then some scamp had broken some of the letters on the sign above the door. Hence the parentheses above. Work it out. It wasn't a junkie pub, and neither were we. But with the ripped jeans, dyed hair and sallow complexions we all looked a bit like Johnny Thunders, so you can't blame the estate kids for making an assumption. There would be some of the Friday crowd there, in one's and two's. But Pete always showed up sooner or later. We'd tell each other the stories of what had happened in the previous 48 hours. The things we'd got up to, people we'd met, stories we'd heard. Tales of excess and rebellion, romance and danger, failed art and ever successful self-depreciation. It was generally entertaining, in the way a story is often better than the source material that inspired it. We'd listen to Pete Starstedt and Minnie Ripperton on the jukebox. They helped with the perspective, and the come down. Eventually I started making notes. Just snippets - key words or a funny one liner. I'd write them on fag packets, beer mats, bus tickets. Whatever was handy. When I got home I would stuff them in an envelop under my bed. I had no idea what I would do with them. I just wanted to keep them. Eventually the good craziness turned bad. I ended up moving around a lot for a while. Then Pete had a fatal motorcycle accident. I still haven't forgiven him. Bastard. And somewhere around that time the envelop got lost. Then, early this year I read an interview with Neil Gaimen, where he name checked Martin Millar as one of his favorite writers. I'd never heard of him, but trusting the man's judgement, I made a note of the name on my phone, for when I was browsing second hand shops with the Padawan. Within a few weeks I'd found three of his books. I picked 'Lux the Poet' for my commuting read. Well. I'm very pleased to see that my envelop had not gone missing after all. It had somehow fallen into Mr Millar's hands. He'd taken those chaotic scraps and stitched them together into a single narrative. What's more he's done so in a way that compels me into a list of very unwriterly adjectives - visceral,; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Terror; Author: Arthur Machen; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: review to follow; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: The Virginian: Season 8; Brand: James Drury; Review: I got my wife season six seven eight and nine, this is a great set of movies. well protected, you can't beat these.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tales from the Crypt: Season 1; Brand: William Sadler; Review: great---wished I had ordered season 2 and 4 along with the four seasons I did order.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tales from the Crypt: Season 3; Brand: ; Review: great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tales from the Crypt: The Complete Fifth and Sixth Seasons; Brand: Various; Review: great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dark Shadows 12; Brand: Jonathan Frid; Review: The good thing about Dark Shadows is I don't remember any of the episodes from when I was a kid. So its like watching them for the first time. The big thing is, what am i going to do when I finish watching them all?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dark Shadows Collection 08; Brand: ; Review: Watching this one right now, rooting for Adam; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Movies_and_TV |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Quality Inn and Suites River Country Resort; City: Manali Manali Tehsil Kullu District Himacha; Review: I visited in March, the view from the hotel was Ok, but the moment I entered the room it was good. The over all service was also good. They have a restaurant which server good food. I was there for 3 days and had my meal in the hotel. Will definitely recommend this to my family and friends.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Mount View; City: Dalhousie Chamba District Himachal Pradesh; Review: I visited in March, the view from the hotel was good, but the moment I entered the room it was not good. The door lock was broken also there was leakage in the bathroom. The management gave a different room after 10 mins of discussion, but the other room had its own problems. The 2nd room had fused lights and water stains on wall. The heater in all the rooms are not adequate to increase the temperature of the room when it snows. I will never recommend this hotel to anyone.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Kufri Holiday Resort; City: Kufri Shimla District Himachal Pradesh; Review: I visited in March, the view from the hotel was good, but the moment I entered the room it was OK. The room had fused lights. The heater in all the rooms are not adequate to increase the temperature of the room when it snows.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Mount View; City: Dalhousie Chamba District Himachal Pradesh; Review: I was there for just 2 days in Dalhousie. I checked in at night and it was a mess for me. The door lock was working, there was water dripping from the roof. I complained to the management, but the person was ready to listen. After sometime he moved me to another room, but that didn't help. the room had just one tower heater which was not enough. I planned to check-out next day and moved to a different hotel.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Renzo s Inn; City: Calangute North Goa District Goa; Review: I stayed here for 3 days, the hotel is compact with decent rooms. The staff is polite and helpful. It is one of the best budget hotel right next to the beach and has every possible thing accessible with just 5 mins walk or drive.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: West Hill; City: Mahabaleshwar Satara District Maharashtra; Review: I visited Mahabaleshwar for 3 days and opted to stay at West Hill. The Hotel is right on the main road. It's a 2 floor hotel, but has a veg. restaurant in it which provides you with delicious food. Has indoor games you kids and adults. They even have kids playing room and top it all they have live music at evenings. I am sure that my family will stay here when ever we visit Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar. The staff is very helpful and ensure that they don't bother.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Philips GoGear Ariaz 8 GB MP3 Player; Brand: Philips; Review: A very reliable and durable product. I was originally looking into purchasing an Ipod. Yet, after checking out the GoGear I saw the advantage of phillips products and savings. The Ariz is light, super fast and user friendly. If you are looking for an MP3 that has the ability to store your music and play it without jacking up, get this one. By the way, my player maintains a charge for more than 5 hours. Thats a long life for a small battery. The screen is big and oddly enough this thing can play videos, tune to radio stations and keep some files that you would like to read. I definitely recommend this product to anyone looking for a common sense MP3 without the fluff.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ASUS ROG G750JX 17-Inch Gaming Laptop [OLD VERSION]; Brand: Asus; Review: An absolutely amazing laptop. Super fast, pretty big (of course) for a 17 inch laptop. This thing is so advanced that I am taken aback. The laptop features this super neat cooling system which draws air in one port and pushes the hot air out of the other port. The keys alight and are very easy to see in the dark (great for gaming or typing late night college homework). I would recommend this laptop for a second or third time laptop user. This is a darling of a concept but for the price you better know how to handle all the power. Its the Limbo of laptops, hands down.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ViewSonic VX2252MH 22 Inch 2ms 75Hz 1080p Gaming Monitor with HDMI DVI and VGA Inputs; Brand: ViewSonic; Review: Great screen so far. Has HMDI capability which is great. It even has built in speakers, which are not too hot to trot. Very clear screen. Apparently bugs made a home in my screen during production overseas. After growing tired of seeing little spots crawling on my screen, I performed an extermination. First, I took a trash bag and placed a Lysol soaked paper towel into the bottom. Second, I placed the screen into the bag and placed it where it would sit upright. Lastly, I sealed the bag with tape and let it "stew" for 8 hours at room temperature. I am happy to report that this technique did not damage my screen but, did kill the bugs. If you can put up with a high possibility of bugs - its a great screen. Just be ready to do some home remedy extermination.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Targus 4Vu Privacy Filter Screen for 14.1-Inch Widescreen (16:10 Ratio) Laptops (ASF141WUSZ); Brand: Targus; Review: The product does darken your screen and give privacy, but be warned order one inch larger than the actual size of your screen. I ordered a 22 inch privacy screen. I have light coming though on each side of the cover. Overall, it works but I do wish that I would have ordered a 23 or 24 inch privacy filter instead of a 22 inch.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Oral-B Pro 3000 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush, Non-Bluetooth; Brand: Oral-B; Review: Excellent product. So much better than manually brushing in circles. The little sucker has a lot of power beware. Overall a great dental aid.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ITIS Replacement Earpads Cushion Compatible For Bose QuietComfort2 QC2 QuietComfort 15 QC15,QuietComfort 25,QuietComfort35,AE2,AE2i,AE2w,SoundTrue, SoundLink(Around-Ear)Headphone With ITIS Cable Clip; Brand: It is; Review: Replacements for my headphone perfectly. Good quality too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: JEXON (TM) Micro USB to HDMI MHL Adapter; Brand: JEXON; Review: Works with my HTC One X AT&T. You must use this or similar device to output to tv. Local videos playoff fine, but the Netflix mobile app won't upscale properly so don't bother. Even works nicely for video games.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: HTC One X Screen Protector, Skinomi TechSkin Full Coverage Screen Protector for HTC One X Clear HD Anti-Bubble Film; Brand: Skinomi; Review: While it doesn't feel as thick, this screen protector is ultra clear, and doesn't feel cheap at all. It fits my HTC One X for AT&T perfectly, but be warned: YOU NEED TO HAVE REALLY GOOD LIGHTING WHEN APPLYING. I MEAN REALLY GOOD. The One X's screen is so black,and this so transparent, that it's hard to see if you lined it up properly. That's just how invisible the Skinomi was!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: HTC Micro USB Data Cable DC-M400 for HD2, Aria, Legend, Desire A8181, Wildfire, 4G Evo Supersonic and Droid Incredible; Brand: HTC; Review: 2 or 3 years later, they're still going!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SPIGEN LG G2 Case Slim [Slim Armor] [Metal Slate] Dual Layer Protective Case for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, International ONLY; Brand: Spigen; Review: This case is fairly tough, and it adds a layer of protection to your phone. It even has a hole for the extra mic on the AT&T version.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: iLLumiShield – LG G2 Screen Protector Japanese Ultra Clear HD Film with Anti-Bubble and Anti-Fingerprint – High Quality; Brand: iLLumiShield; Review: Customer service is quick to respond. I had a bad one, they immediately sent out replacements at no extra cost. The design is updated since the picture that I ordered. No precision holes, just the usual blankness where the sensors are. Made in the good ol' USofA. Once you let it settle, it looks nice. The oleophobic coating takes a little air to feel right. At first, it's very 'friction-y," but after it's sitting on e screen for an hour or two, it feels much better.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: [3 PACK] Kamor® LG G2 Screen Protector Film, Premium Anti-Glare & Anti-Fingerprint Screen Protector Matte Clear (Anti-Glare) edition; Brand: Kamor; Review: I bought the anti-glare (matte) for the LG G2. Worked well.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spigen Ultra Hybrid Galaxy Note 4 Case with Air Cushion Technology and Hybrid Drop Protection for Samsung Galaxy Note 4; Brand: Spigen; Review: This is the second Spigen case I've had. Both had the same annoying quality: sharp-@$$ edges. Very uncomfortable in my large, calloused hands. As the phone rests comfortably in your hand, prepped on a finger or two, it's very "jabby." The holes are serviceable, fits my AT&T Note 4 perfectly. Every STURDY case is going to scratch the Note 4's metal rim. My Casemate does it too, but it's more comfortable, despite being larger. Just by feel, I have serious doubts about this case's ability to protect. It doesn't feel like it could withstand much. It's average, so you may be better off with a gel or cheaper case if you're not looking for serious protection. UPDATE: a week later, the edginess has become noticeably easier so it's more comfortable than my previous Spigen case. Coupled with a tempered glass screen protector, usability is superior to my Casemate. I've dropped it 3 or 4 times now on concrete and no breaking or scratching.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Anker Powerline Micro USB - Charging Cable, with Aramid Fiber and 5000+ Bend Lifespan for Samsung, Nexus, LG,; Brand: Anker; Review: It lasted about a month and a half. In addition to the Anker battery and replacement battery that have all been bad, I think I'm done with Anker.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_Cell_Phones_and_Accessories |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Premier Inn Warwick Hotel; City: Warwick Warwickshire England; Review: This new Premier Inn at Warwick is very clean with a good restaurant and bar area. Service in the restaurant was excellent and the staff in the hotel all very accommodating. The automated checkin was efficient although a member of staff was also available to support.The room was bright and clean and very comfortable. Car parking is no problem with a good size and convenient car park. This hotel is very convenient for business in Warwick and I will certainly be using again when the need arises.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sandos Papagayo Beach Resort; City: Playa Blanca Lanzarote Canary Islands; Review: We have just returned from a 10 day holiday in the Papagayo Arena Hotel. Having done quite a bit of research on Trip Adviser and similar I was expecting great things and was not disappointed. Following earlier reviewers advice I requested a sea front room and was pleased when that was revealed as our room. The room was spacious with plenty of storage space. We travelled with two girls 12 and 8, and they had the use of a sofa bed. It would have been nice to have separate beds but it was comfortable enough. The bathroom was large and well appointed and the whole room was kept very clean by the friendly staff. This hotel is 'huge'. We were still finding new areas and bars after a week! The spa and gym are included but we did not have the time to make use of these. Pool towels are provided by the hotel and changed at will in the spa complex. The entertainment is geared very much for the Spanish holidaymakers but the Animation team did a great job in running a program for all ages. It may be the size of the hotel with 5 pools or the lateness in the season but we had no difficulty in securing sunbeds and shade on any day of the holiday. The food was plentiful and of very good quality. We made use of the mexican and Oriental restaurants, both of which were very good. The international buffet had an excellent range whatever time of day and the Italian was a big hit for pizzas and pasta. We did not make use of the French restaurant which attracted a premium. The grill bar provided great mid afternoon burgers etc and the crepes where a big hit. All the hotel staff were very courteous and friendly and can not be praised highly enough for their efforts. A shuttle bus runs into Playa Blanca several times a day as the Hotel is at the extremity of the resort. This however did not impact on our holiday at all. All in all, a great complex with great staff and facilities.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Premier Inn Watford Croxley Green Hotel; City: Watford Hertfordshire England; Review: The Premier Inn at Croxley Green was very typical of other Premier Inn hotels in the chain. Check in was easy and staffed rather that the automated machines in other hotels in the chain. On request I was moved to the back of the hotel as this is quieter. The hotel sits on a busy roundabout. The room and ensuite was spotless, the wifi was effective for email collection. I had an excellent steak in the restaurant but beware timings for breakfast. It was half term but breakfast was very busy. All in all a great value stay close to my business needs, and I would not hesitate to stay again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fletcher Landhotel Bosrijk Roermond; City: Roermond Limburg Province; Review: This 4* hotel was booked for a family trip. As the Golden Tulip Cox hotel it was excellent and highly recommended. Unfortunately since adoption by Fletcher, the standards have slipped massively. The staff were inattentive, our initial room was cold damp, water pouring in past closed window and had no functioning shower. When moved to two new rooms, one had a distinctively foul smell and the other was dusty. The restaurant did not cater for children and we were only offered a main course, one of which was off that evening. Breakfast was one of the worst I have experienced as a regular business traveller in Europe. The general hotel condition has seen better days and needs a major refresh. The rotting oranges in the bar did not indicate any care and attention and 4* hotel this is not. I only wish I had heeded some of the previous trip advisor comments before booking.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Thon Hotel Arena; City: Lillestrom Skedsmo Municipality Akershus Eastern Norway; Review: Having stayed at this hotel for a conference several years ago, I expected standards to be high and was not disappointed. The hotel is immaculate, staff in reception and restaurant were excellent. The room was very comfortable and breakfast was one of the best I have had in regular business trips.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bull Eugenia Victoria Spa; City: Playa del Ingles Maspalomas Gran Canaria Canary Islands; Review: We stayed as a family of four the first week in August in a Supreme room on 8th floor. If there is one negative to the hotel it is the temperature in the room. Had seen review comments prior to booking but wasn't prepared for the oven like temperatures. Impossible to get any meaningful sleep. Food was diverse and plentiful with great freshly made burgers and other snacks at the pool bar. The rotisserie chicken was delicious and steak on a stone was a pleasant experience. The main restaurant always had something for our fussy eaters and the pork was particularly good. Unlimited drinks and icecreams went down well. The sunbed situation is a joke. There are plenty of beds available but there is a rat run at 0630 once security open the doors to pool area. The lifeguard did tag beds with towels that did not appear to be in use and removed the towels after that. There needs to be a hotel policy on this. Entertainment in evening was poor and repetitive and seemed geared to the larger contingent of Dutch and German guests. In the main the staff where fantastic. Reception dealt with minor issues rapidly and efficiently. Thanks to Maya for reserving an excursion for us despite being busy with large arrival group. The pool bar was very busy at times so sometimes had to be patient. Again our European neighbours do not respect the concept of queuing so need to be direct with staff. The hotel was spotlessly clean and a credit. We enjoyed the holiday but would probably not return to the hotel due to room temperature.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: The Twilight Zone: Season 2; Brand: Rod Serling; Review: I remember this from the original, it was great. I like looking up the actors on google and seeing their careers, its fun. Twilight zone was quite ground breaking. They had their own format, where Rod Serling would step into a scene and narrate after a few minutes of the show. It was an exciting show, and its great watching them again without commercials.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tin Cup VHS; Brand: Kevin Costner; Review: Kind of a fun movie, about a weird golfer who has mental issues, it's a fun movie to watch if you accept that it's a movie about golf. I don't play golf, but I dug the premiss, it was an ok flick to watch!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: We Were Soldiers VHS; Brand: Mel Gibson; Review: I didn't serve in Viet Nam, I was the only conscientious objector my draft board gave out. I could have gone to England to dodge the draft like Bill Clinton, but we believed that if we did that, we could never come back (Clinton didn't care, I did). I was 20 years old, but I knew the Viet Nam war was not a good idea. The movie shows a list of 2 dozen or so who died in the battle portrayed in the movie, and we're suppose to feel badly for them. But what about the 1800 Vietnamese who died in the same battle? When we meet a vet, we say "thank you for your service". Could someone tell me how I'm better off because my fellow American went to Viet Nam? Could someone tell me what was accomplished because we went to Viet Nam? We lost that war, so what did we actually lose? Anyway, it's a pretty good movie. After all these years, all those deaths, most Americans still don't get it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: No Strings Attached; Brand: Richard Scott; Review: Some people hate it, some love it. It's ok, it's actually interesting and entertaining. I watched the whole thing. It was kind of funny in parts. It's not great like the old movies were, but compared to modern movies, it's ok. "No strings attached", the euphemism, is all you really need to know. Someone says "write a movie with this title", and there you have it. Casual sex, but where does it lead? I can't say anything else or I'll give away the whole movie.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Dictator; Brand: Sacha Baron Cohen; Review: As of this review, there were 40 five star reviews, 39 one star reviews, and 30 or less two, three, or four star reviews. People who are overly sensitive and easily offended might not like it. The movie makes fun of muslim terrorists, as well as ultra-liberal do-gooders. Personally, I don't get offended, and I thought it was pretty funny. At the end, when our beloved dictator is telling the pro-democracy crowd the great things about dictatorships, he's actually pointing out the falacy of democracy. He says, under a dictatorship you can wiretap phones, you can have rigged elections, you can lie about why you go to war, you can use the media to scare the people into supporting policies that are against their own interests. It's not a stupid movie, although there is plenty of crude humor.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Copper: Season 2; Brand: Tom Weston-Jones; Review: There are so many directions this can go, of course we have John Wilkes Booth in the action, and we know where that's going to lead. Season 1 was great. I hope I don't have to pay to see season 2, I can't afford to pay when there are so many old movies that are good.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nero'S Golden House; Brand: Various; Review: I think it's a very good documentary. I like the blues music; often the music in a documentary in irritating to me, but this fit right in. Showing the scenes of modern Rome was interesting; I don't see what other reviewers didn't like about it. I enjoy shows about the ancient world, and have seen many. This had lots of stuff I didn't know.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sensing Murder Season 1; Brand: Anthony Wemyss; Review: I read the other reviews before writing my own. The interesting thing is the case was solved. It would be great if the episode was amended to include the rest of the case. The "psychics" were basically dead wrong, and the police were right all along. If the detective had found the lost tip, instead of wasting time with these "psychics", the case might have been solved sooner. To read about the case, just google "Susannah Chase murder".; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Shrink; Brand: Kevin Spacey; Review: Not trying to beat up this movie, some people might like it. It's not a comedy, it's depressing. It's about suicide and people's problems. If that's what you're into, you may like it. My biggest issue is it being labeled a comedy.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Meet Wally Sparks; Brand: Rodney Dangerfield; Review: If you like Rodney, you'll like this movie.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Big Kahuna VHS; Brand: Kevin Spacey; Review: It sucked, boring, lame, not funny in the least, pretentious, dumb. Did I say it sucked? The shallowness of the rat race, commerce, money, verses the deep meaningfulness of religion, dogs, and love. Just in case you didn't catch it the first time, this movie SUCKS.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Godson; Brand: Carlos Alazraqui; Review: This isn't the best movie Rodney Dangerfield has done, and he isn't in this movie as much as I'd like to see. I like Rodney a lot, but this isn't the best example of his talent.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Three Stooges: The Ultimate Collection; Brand: Moe Howard; Review: I can't believe how many Stooges shorts I haven't seen. Those guys were incredible, and this set has everything.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Louie: Season 1; Brand: Louis C.K.; Review: The first pilot wasn't too bad, it was kind of funny. I watched enough of the next episode to find out more about how homosexual men have sex than I ever wanted to know. It was pretty disgusting, and I'm not really a prude.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: America's Dumbest Criminals - The Complete First Season; Brand: Daniel Butler; Review: Pretty dumb, not well done, lots of stuff repeated. The actual content isn't that good. Sounds made up, and there are lots of dumb little snippets that get repeated. Some of the cops did more than one case. I actually watched about 6 episodes, but no more. It's hard to believe the show was on the air for 4 seasons.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Good Will Hunting; Brand: Robin Williams; Review: "It's not your fault, it's not your fault"! I guess I just don't like self-pity, the shrink can fix you, lets talk about your past kind of movies. I'm the guy you should be feeling sorry for, I knew half way through it sucked, but I watched it to the end so I could write a review. Robin Williams takes himself too serious, in this movie and in real life. Robin Williams is that way in several of his movies, "Dead Poet's Society", "Mrs. Doubtfire". Too bad he suffered from depression and killed himself. It seems he was just playing himself in this movie. With all the great reviews I thought it might be good. The story is pretty much just a fantasy, not how anything actually happens in real life. The amazing thing is how many people think this is a good movie.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Off Limits; Brand: Bob Hope; Review: The night club singer is Tuttle's (Mickey Rooney's) aunt, who acts motherly toward him, and visa versa. Bob Hope marries her at the end. The description given for the movie is just wrong. Something like "A fight trainer becomes an army MP" would be more accurate. I thought it was a good, not great, Bob Hope comedy. Since Bing Crosby isn't in it, he's there in a cameo.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Movies_and_TV |
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