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Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Sierra y Mar; City: Pitres La Taha Province of Granada Andalucia; Review: We stayed at Sierra Y Mar for one night on 24th July 2010. Ferreirola is tucked away in a beautiful valley in Las Alpujarras. The first thing we realised was that this little Andalucian village was designed without the car in mind....as it should be. Leave the car in the little village square next to the church and the natural spring taps. A quaint little whitewashed alleyway takes you to the renowned blue door that is the entrance to tranquility and rest. Sierra Y Mar is a beautiful terraced garden, punctuated with typically Alpujarran styled rooms, each with its own patio area, overlooking the Trevelez gorge. Sierra Y Mar, is the real thing, and not some design fabrication. The hosts are charming and relaxed, and more than happy to share their extensive knowledge of the area and its many secrets. An ample and delicious breakfast of locally produced fayre (tomatoes, cheese, bread, marmalades and jams) is served on the garden terrace. There is a well equipped kitchen with an "honesty" fridge (wine, water, juices,beer) along with a table full of walking guides, maps and local information. Sierra Y Mar is one of those beautiful secrets that you don´t want people to find out about.....but you can´t help but share it. We will return for a longer stay in the cooler months when we can make more of the beautiful walking opportunities this area has to offer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hollins Hall Hotel Country Club Leeds; City: Baildon Bradford West Yorkshire England; Review: We stayed at the hotel whilst visiting family. We found it to be a lovely hotel in a superb setting. Great leisure facilities, very comfortable room and very helpful and attentive staff. A lovely touch was a chambermaid knocking on our door in the evening asking if we wanted any extra milk, tea, coffee or chocolates. The breakfast was great and a very comprehensive selection to choose from, all in a lovely dining room. We will certainly stay here again soon.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Finca Buen Vino; City: Huelva Province of Huelva Andalucia; Review: We stayed here for one night this summer. We found it in Guy Hunter Watts superb and addictive guide "Small inns and hotels in Andalusia", a must for anyone travelling in southern Spain. As the only guests staying there the night, we shared the stunning picture postcard pool with Sam and Jeannies daughter, her friends, and the cute family dog. We were treated like royalty, and like another reviewer has written, Sam and Jeannie strike a wonderful balance as hosts. You are made to feel at home left to enjoy the stunning scenery. With wonderful hospitality, Sam and Jeannie make your stay a special time. In the evening we were treated to a romantic candlelit meal on the veranda. Jeannies food is wholesome, hearty, rustic, spanish, delicious. Overall a stay that you would love to keep a secret. Sam, I do hope you received and enjoyed "The Fatal Shore"; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ballymascanlon House Hotel; City: Dundalk County Louth; Review: We spent 3 nights at the Ballymascalon Hotel with 13 family members from 3 generations. We can highly recommend the Ballymac for its efficiency in dealing with our varying room requests, excellent facilities to suit all members of our party (walks, golf, spa and pool, board games, internet/wifi, lounge bar etc), suberb restaurant quality food (in generous portions!)both in the evening and at breakfast, standards of cleanliness, spacious rooms and the warmest of welcomes. After having trawled through a range of options in Ireland and deciding on the Ballymascanlon, we were not let down. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the stay and commented on how wonderful this hotel was. We would definitely recommend this hotel for a large family gathering or a relaxing break for couples - you won't be disappointed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mercure Bradford Bankfield Hotel; City: Bingley Bradford West Yorkshire England; Review: Good location for a family trip to yorkshire. The hotel was a Ramada Hotel and has been taken over by Mercure. It feels like the Mercure marketing team have not quite put their new aqcuisition on the map yet. The rooms are comfortable enough, we were upgraded to an executive suite which was fine, however the bathrooms are a bit tired. The bed was very comfortable, almost like a Marriot bed. The big problem are the doors, they slam shut and shatter the peace down the corridors, luckily there were only a few people staying. The food is very expensive, the breakfasts particularly so. All that said, we had a good nights sleep. Hopefully Mercure will update the rooms as this could be a great hotel given the right TLC.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Alfonso IX; City: Sarria Province of Lugo Galicia; Review: Myself and my wife stayed here on our recent Camino walk from Ocebreiro to Santiago. the hotel is perfectly placed on the Camino, but suffers slightly from being in the new town away from historic Sarria. The staff were okay, but a little indifferent to anyone who was doing the Camino. That said, the room was great and the breakfast was fab and comprehensive . Nice pool at the side of tghe hotel.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Casa Teodora; City: Arzua Province of A Coruna Galicia; Review: myself and my wife stayed here on our recent Camino from O'Cebreiro to Santiago. This is a lovely small hotel, very clean, with beautiful views of the countryside if you have a room facing out the back. Aslo a bonus, the fact that the hotel is right on the Camino. The best thing about the hotel was its lovely restaurant. The food was delicious, and we only had the pilgrim menu. Great care is taken in the service, preparation and execution of the food. It was the best meal we had on the Camino. I can highly recommend a stay here if you are walking the Camino. If you already have accomodation, then a meal here is a must.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Casa Benilde; City: Palas de Rei Province of Lugo Galicia; Review: we Stayed at Casa Benilde recently on our Camino to Santiago. I have to say what a delightful and friendly stay it was. On check in, the Staff were Impeccable. It felt like we were the first people ever to stay at the Hotel. Nothing was too much trouble, everything about the Hotel and town was explained in great detail, with such charm and genuine professionalism. We couldnt have felt more at home. The Breakfast was so comprehensively layed out, it was difficult to know where to start. Wonderful. If you are walking the Camino and you are staying at Palas de Rey, then you have to stay here. Please, if the hotel owners read this, thank your wonderful staff, they make Casa Benilde such a memorable stay, their greeting from the moment you walk in is a delight, they make you feel so special and at home. They are proud of where they work. I cannot rate a stay at Casa Benilde highly enough. Many thanks; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pousada De Portomarin; City: Portomarin Province of Lugo Galicia; Review: myself and my wife recently stayed here during our Camino, great room with a small balcony overlooking the pool. the room was nicely decorated and reminded me of a parador. Breakfast was lovely. We had the pool to ourselves when we checked in, and the staff kindly brought us towels to use. lovely staff, lovely stay. highly recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Casa David; City: Triacastela Province of Lugo Galicia; Review: Stayed here on the Camino with my wife, we found it lovely and clean, lovely breakfast. Nice garden to relax in, and good washing and drying facilities. Enjoyed our stay here very much. the small town of Triacastela is beautiful, a great stop on the Camino; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: San Francisco Hotel Monumento; City: Santiago de Compostela Province of A Coruna Galicia; Review: We stayed here on the last night of our Camino to Santiago. This hotel is simply beautiful in every way. The location is perfect, not far from the main square. The building is steeped in history. The rooms are beautifully layed out. The food is wonderful, the breakfasts especially. Unlike its closest rival, the Parador, Monumento is simply but stylishly furnished. The staff are very friendly and eager to help. A bonus is the indoor pool and spa area. Loved it. a great place to stay. A nice treat after a long walk.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Akerreta; City: Akerreta Navarra; Review: Stayed here on our Camino, which is right on the doorstep, and is a location used in the film The Way. Joseph was a wonderful host. The evening meal was delicious and beautifully presented. The bedrooms are stunning as are the main lounges. This truelly is a very relaxing place to stay. If you are doing the Camino, book ahead. Then sit and enjoy the stunning views. Many thanks to Joseph for his kind hospitality.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Eslava; City: Pamplona Navarra; Review: An "on the camino hotel". A good central place to stay in Pamplona, clean and welcoming. The rooms are fine, though a little noisy, room to room. The staff are charming and helpful, and the breakfast was terrific. All in all a good mid range hotel to stay in Pamplona.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hospederia Chapitel; City: Estella Navarra; Review: This hotel is a wonderful place to stay if you need a bit of luxury whilst walking the Camino. The welcome is the first thing that hits you, genuine charm. The staff were incredibly helpful and eager to please. The room was to die for, great shower and a bed that was huge and comfortable. The breakfast here was probably the most comprehensive we had on our Caminio. would highly recommend a stay here. Great location in the old town.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel El Cerco; City: Puente la Reina Navarra; Review: We stayed here on our recent Camino. Wow. Our room was stunning, more like a studio apartment. Clean modern furnishings, very comfortable bed. The hotel has a lovely and relaxing lounge on the first floor. Warm welcome and a great breakfast. Would recommend this highly for a bit of luxury on the Camino.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Maison Ziberoa; City: Saint Jean Pied de Port Basque Country Pyrenees Atlantiques Nouvelle Aq; Review: We stayed here on our recent camino into Spain. Maire Jose has transformed this property into a wonderful atmospheric place to stay. The rooms are beautifully decorated, the entrance hall alone is stunning. There is a constant aroma of the most wonderful food, (Marie Jose is a trained chef) Our stay here was a great start to our walk. Many thanks Marie Jose for a warm welcome and a superb breakfast.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Marques de Vallejo; City: Logrono La Rioja; Review: a great place to stay during a long camino walk. The hotel is ideally placed in Logrono, especially for the proximity of some great Tapas restaurants. We stayed here twice in 2012. The staff are very warm and welcoming and the breakfast is very comprehensive. A free glass of Rioja and Tapas is complimentary when you arrive. we would highly recommend this hotel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Preciados; City: Madrid; Review: we stayed here for one night before travelling back home. I had booked the hotel based on reviews I had read on this site. They did not disappoint. Great location, very helpful staff and a terrific breakfast. The rooms were great, and an added bonus being the free mini bar. all in all a little gem. Dont tell anyone!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hilton Madrid Airport; City: Madrid; Review: we stayed here at the end of our recent Camino tour, on Friday 5th April. Firstly, the courtesy bus from the airport both ways worked out a treat. The check in staff were impeccable and very friendly, even though we looked like two ragtag hikers. We had booked a twin executive room and were immediately upgraded to a double executive without even asking. The hotel itself is beautifully airy and styled like a modern monastery. The room was sublime, huge, and had everything you could wish for. Beautiful. We both had a great and undisturbed nights sleep, ready for our early morning flight back to the UK. We had to leave before breakfast, but the staff had kindly put coffees, juices and croissants in reception for those people who needed to check out early. The hotel is spotless, and run with a calm and friendly efficiency, a credit to the management and all the staff. Our only problem was that we had such a short visit, we would have loved to have stayed longer, and definitely will do the next time we visit Madrid.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Les Granges de Bigose; City: Rimeize Lozere Occitanie; Review: Myself and my wife Kathryn stayed here on our recent walk from Le Puy to Conques. Les Granges was the highlight in our stopovers. The welcome was warm and polite. The room (a classic double) was huge, beautifully decorated and very comfortable. The evening meal, prepared by the owner, was served with style and some great humour. it was delicious. The whole place has been designed and built with the guest in mind, and as such, every little detail oozes charm . its modern but with a very traditional heart. All in all, a great place to stay, made special by the enthusiasm of its owner and staff. loved it paul and kathryn; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel du Chateau SPA Carita; City: Carcassonne Center Carcassonne Aude Occitanie; Review: Myself and my Wife had a three night stay here in August. The Staff are superb, particularly the Lady who checked us in and out. The location of the Hotel coudn't be more convenient and picturesque. Carcassonne city walls are the backdrop. There is a shuttle bus stop for the airport a minute walk away. A lovely and quiet pool area and garden. if you are looking for a relaxing break in stunning surroundings, with staff that are so attentive and helpful, then this is the place for you. we will definately be back, and would/do recommend this boutique hotel to our friends.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Infected: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Scott Sigler Page; Review: Excellent reading, very hard driving and one that is hard to put down. Fun to read; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Summer of the Apocalypse; Author: Visit Amazon's James Van Pelt Page; Review: I liked the "read" most of the time. Very interesting to hear of the material things referenced that were big back in the day. It did become slow and boring in some places, but overall very positive.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Day by Day Armageddon (A Zombie Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's J. L. Bourne Page; Review: I loved this book..in many ways it was as if the news around the world was coming off the AP wire. Very well written and moves you quickly. Makes you feel like you need to get ready, for what (something)? Loved it and have ordered other works of Bourne. I hope his other books are as much fun to read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Given Day Unabridged CD, The; Author: Visit Amazon's Dennis Lehane Page; Review: I cannot remember reading a book that was as interesting and exciting as this one. It was an epic depiction of the Boston metro labor movement and the cut throat politics during and after WWI. I loved it. The only problem with 700+ pages is that it did not continue for another 700 pages. Truly his best work. The historical correctness coupled with the fictional charaters was absolutely perfect. The problem with such a good book is trying to find another that will match the interest level.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Easter Day 1941; Author: Visit Amazon's G.F. Borden Page; Review: I loved this book. I could not find any mention of military experience by the author which made it even more remarkable. The descriptive realism of the tank battles and desert warefare were extremely effective to the point of almost feeling the tension, the temperature, the combat mood and the smell of battle. Great book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dirty White Boys: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Stephen Hunter Page; Review: I was very entertained the first two thirds of the book, knowing there are actually prison cons that are just as crazy and tough as Lamar. I also personally know about 5 Texas Rangers and State Troopers. I would be the first to agree they are tough as nails..but come on, Bud should have met his maker about 7 times during the book. Any law enforcement officer would agree. The last one third of the book was "corn". The thing with Holly is over the top. She sounds too much like a "fatal attraction" little twit that just needs to go get a life. Having sex with Lamar would have probably made her stalk Lamar and they could have lived happily ever after. This book could have been superb but I think the author got a little carried away with the "Bud tough guy thing" or obsession with the 9 lives. I would try other Hunter books but I don't think I could handle anymore unreal scenerios.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Texas Tough; Author: ROBERT PERKINSON; Review: I'm just passed the first 100 pages. I find the manuscript well written but should be if he attended Yale. It is his northeastern liberal slant that started shining right away in the intro. This slant picked up momentum and at times seemed more like opportunistic rants. I finished the book finally and my assessment is even more critical. He takes every opportunity to bash southerners with his stereotypical desciptors. Ater prolonged exposure to this it is evident to me that many people would find the book polarizing to say the least. This seems commonplace at this time in our history. The only good thing to come out of reading this for me was I checked it out at the library instead of paying money for it. I'm relieved at that.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Thirteen Moons: A Novel (Random House Large Print); Author: Visit Amazon's Charles Frazier Page; Review: Yes, I like Cold Mountain", yadayada, but I found this the worst drag of reading I have experienced in a long time. I read 350 pages out of 400 and just closed it once and for all. There is totally nothing to this book other rambling and poor characterizations. The author rode his reputation into this book and ultimately damaged it in the end.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: 4-Wheel Freedom: The Art Of Off-Road Driving; Author: Visit Amazon's Brad DeLong Page; Review: condition of the book was excellent and the book itself is very helpful and informative. I purchase a 4X4 this year and level of intsuction of the book is what I need. Lots of helpful information, good reading. The buy was right on, again the condition sure didn't look used to me.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Branch and the Scaffold: The True Story of the West's Hanging Judge; Author: Visit Amazon's Loren D. Estleman Page; Review: I just discovered Estleman as an author and found his writing style beyond the routine story telling that is out there generally among authors. Obviously he researches subject matter if he is going to write a novel involving historical devices, personalities, and regional descriptors. This is the second book I read by him and it lead me to the Detroit series and now I am in the Murdock series. He is right on with weaponary of the turn of the century or prior era and the way of life for which this country was earlier settled. I am really enjoing the Murdock series. The Branch and the Scaffold is a depiction of an executioner (hangman) who treated his job almost with scientific pride as opposed to "stretching the necks" of hooligans as was the common method of execution during the 1800's. Happy reading friends.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Silver Snaffles; Author: Visit Amazon's Primrose Cumming Page; Review: I ordered this book for my wife and as I read the "product description" it mentioned content being 250 pages. She really wanted this book (not abbreviated version) as she had it as a child. We received it and obviously it was the abbreviated version of 134 pages. She was really disappointed especially since it was for her 60th birthday. What a rip off.....price was 20.00 plus shipping and erroneous product description.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Bayou Trilogy: Under the Bright Lights, Muscle for the Wing, and The Ones You Do; Author: Visit Amazon's Daniel Woodrell Page; Review: Lots of fun reading this one. You can feel the heat and smell the aromas of a nasty, hot town with its street level characters and true to life characterizations. The adjectives are graphic, real and in your face. The crime does not go well for the perpertrator which is more authentic in the real world as opposed to the run of the mill mystery books that are turned out by the thousands and after awhile all sound and end the same, not this author.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Before I Go to Sleep: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's S. J. Watson Page; Review: I anticipated a good read when I picked up the book. Unfortunately due to the repetitive discussion of the daily "journal" I found myself reverting to "speed reading". I turned each page as fast as I could grasp the main thought for the page. I felt relieved to have finished. Sometimes I get discouraged from some of the high ratings books receive on Amazon. I now will find myself only reading books with 5 star ratings and then it is taking a chance at times.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hard Country (The American West Trilogy); Author: Visit Amazon's Michael McGarrity Page; Review: I believe on the cover of this work comparisons are made of the author to Vardis Fisher, A.B. Guthrie, and Larry McMurtry. With great anticipation I picked this book, looking forward to a long book journey that was very enthralling. Instead, I found the story and the characterizations very disjointed and the book poorly written. This book does not at all favorably compare to Fisher's Mountain Man, or the works of Guthrie or McMurtry, even as I hoped it would.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Breeds; Author: Visit Amazon's Keith C Blackmore Page; Review: I read a lot. I read all genres, with my favorite being southern fiction and military nonfiction. I don't know why I picked this book up but I thought I would give it a try. Rarely do I find a book entertaining from the first page to the very end of the book. This book is uniquely awesome since it was really interesting, fun to read and did not follow the typical blood and guts horror scare theme. I found myself reading until 2 am to finish the book and this is also rare for me. Looking back I think the most entertaining portion of the book was the weather description and how the author seemed to place you right in the natural setting of the storm and kept you there during the whole book. The most awesome part was the ease for which they depicted the Newfoundland dialect to perfection. I enjoyed and related to the elderly inhabitants of the island and could easily imagine how they argued with each other, fought with other and were friends enough with each other to be unpredictable and total selfless at times as they looked out for one another. It is a very well written book and true to the author's prologue; it was violent, sometimes grotesque, mean, and was amusing at times. I have read some great books in my time, mostly average, sometimes boring, some a waste of time and really never drawn to horror or supernatural reads and many with undeserving high ratings. Trust me, this is a very good book and a blast to read. I'm going to read it again and enjoy it again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Last Panther - Slaughter of the Reich - The Halbe Kessel 1945; Author: Visit Amazon's Wolfgang Faust Page; Review: Takes you to the retreat and pull back to Germany while being constantly attacked by the russians. No sympathy awaited German soldiers, especially SS, if captured. The choice of suicide was popular for the wounded and those unable to continue with the retreating army trying to breakthrough to the large German 12th army. Very good book, well written, graphic and centered around the panzer units retreating with the infantry.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Pictures of You; Author: Caroline Leavitt; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: I loved this book, but I hated the ending. Yes, it was realistic, but it left me feeling disappointed.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Killed Strangely: The Death of Rebecca Cornell; Author: Elaine Forman Crane; Genres: history, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, mystery; Review: Interesting! I'm still not certain if Thomas Cornell, Jr. murdered his mother Rebecca Briggs Cornell (my 12th great grandmother).; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shirley; Author: Susan Scarf Merrell; Genres: history, fiction, thriller, comics, crime, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, mystery; Review: Told through the eyes of protagonist Rose Nemser, this beautifully written novel imagines Shirley Jackson, author of the famous short story "The Lottery" and novel "The Haunting of Hill House," as both a jealous wife who struggles to retain her philandering husband's attention and an offbeat writer who finds herself misunderstood by the Bennington community. The novel has a deliciously gothic feel, particularly when young Rose begins to sense that the Hyman's farmhouse "knows" and even controls its inhabitants. Only by committing an unforgiveable act is Rose able to break the Hymans' and the house's spell over her growing family.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The March; Author: E.L. Doctorow; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: The March is the story of individual characters following Sherman's massive army as they marched from Georgia through South Carolina and into North Carolina, disabling the American south to end the Civil War. Confederate soldier prisoners, southern belles, former slaves, Union Army officers and others come alive through a multi-viewpoint tale expertly woven by the author. An abundance of beautiful prose and action can be found herein, but little romance.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Letters from Skye; Author: Jessica Brockmole; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I loved this historical romance, which unites the two wold wars through a series of revealing letters. The story is expertly told, the characters are likeable, the conflict is real, and the resolution is both realistic and satisfying.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Midwife's Revolt; Author: Jodi Daynard; Genres: history, fiction, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, mystery; Review: This well researched and expertly written Revolutionary War novel allows readers to experience the war through the eyes of Lizzie Boylston, a widowed midwife and good friend of neighbor Abigail Adams. Through Lizzie's eyes, readers witness a war-torn world removed from smoky battlefields and crackling muskets, where women work to preserve their farms and their families despite the pandemonium around them. The details of daily colonial life, medicine, social customs and more set the book apart from others I've read in the same time period. I recommend it absolutely.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Girl on the Train; Author: Paula Hawkins; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: Definitely a page-turner that keeps the reader guessing until near the very end. I liked that the point of view rests on the perspectives of three female characters. I found the time shifts (represented as specific dates) at the beginning of each chapter, however, disruptive to the story; I stopped several times to go back to past chapters and review what had happened when. It was very hard to put down, though, and that means it was a great read overall.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beet; Author: Roger Rosenblatt; Genres: fiction; Review: A must read for those who teach college! Funny because so much of it is true.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Nanyuan Hotel; City: Ningbo Zhejiang; Review: Was in Ningbo on business for 2.5 weeks in June. Excellent staff service overall. I will always remember the hotel laundry staff returning the USD75 I left in my jeans back-pocket in a sealed bag, and also my cufflnks which I left on my shirt. Room was huge with tasteful furniture. Clean, crisp sheets. Fresh fruits everyday of various variety. They had to come looking for another guest's missing laundry one day, but were totally apologetic. A very nice touch is that the bathroom mirror is "de-fogged" so that it does not get steamed up at all. One thing - shower is not sufficiently shielded, so the rest of the bathroom tend to get wet if I use the shower and not the tub. Breakfast was OK.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Novotel Geelong; City: Geelong City of Greater Geelong Victoria; Review: Stayed for 1 night, on our way back to Melbourne after GOR. No complaints whatsoever - new, clean, quiet, beautiful view. Free wireless in hotel lobby - a plus!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grand Chancellor Melbourne; City: Melbourne Victoria; Review: Decent location but with tired and worn facilities. Stayed 4 nights with a friend (Aug 11 to 15). They were reburbishing the elevators and the ones in use sure look well past their prime. I did not even realise the room we had had been refurbished, until my friend pointed out the fresh paint and newish looking lamps (still too dim). Bed mattress was slanting to one side. Bathroom was clean but towels not quite (kind of a faint smell in them). Furniture was retro-style (I suspect they ARE that old). Having said that, we paid (AUD99/115) for the room, so I would say we got what we paid for.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Ca Zusto Venezia; City: Venice Veneto; Review: For a much easier arrival at the hotel, take the vaporetto (yes, 1 stop only) from the train station or car park! No steps to negotiate at all if doing it this way, and very difficult to get lost (a bigger challenge if walking directly from train station). The hotel is housed in charming old (medieval?) building and the interior is new and nicely furnished. Our breakfast was not room service but maybe because the breakfast spread was literally just outside our room. Soy milk was a nice plus. There is a wide selection of English TV channels (beyond CNN and BBC). We stayed at Domina Home Ca'Zusto on the night of Feb 13 (start of Carnevale). The rate of 129E during Carnevale was really good value. Note: The hotel is located at Campielo (a small square) Rielo, vs. Campo Rielo. The tiny entrance is much much easier to locate if approaching from the vaporetto stop.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Casa de Billy Barcelona; City: Barcelona Catalonia; Review: Easy enough to locate, along Gran Via between 2 metro stations. Billy and Joaquin both friendly and warm. Billy is the consummate host I wished I could have for the rest of my trip. Apartment was well kept and cleaned. The single I stayed in was small but spacious enough, and it had a window which was nice. Never had issue with noise or the shared bath. Could help myself to tea and coffee anytime I wanted, and no curfew or restrictions whatsoever. Had a chance to peek into the other bigger rooms and they looked fantastic. No reason whatsoever not to recommend this place - if you manage to snag a reservation, that is!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hostal gonzalo; City: Madrid; Review: This place fully deserves the good reviews. Clean and convenient. Close to all 3 museums - very useful as I visited the Prado and Reina Sofia during their free entry hours in the evening. Nearest metro Anton Martin an uphill walk. 10 minutes walk to/from Plaza Cibeles where the airport bus stop is. Quick hop on the metro to Sol, Plaza Mayor and Atocha Renfe where the trains to Seville, Cordoba, El Escorial are. I could not get wifi from my room (#5) and had to go out to the hall. No biggie.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pension Cordoba; City: Seville Province of Seville Andalucia; Review: Pension Cordoba is located in a tiny alley within the old town. Not easy to find - I took the airport bus to town and missed a turn on my walk there. Once there, though, it is conveniently located, close to everything within the old town. Furniture and fittings are old, but everything is in working condition. Ensuite bathroom is nice and room rate more than reasonable. Could not get good wifi signal from my room - there is a common room with good signal, where there is a kettle as well to boil water. A longish (but easy) walk to the railway station, give yourself plenty of time to reach there.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Formosa Hotel; City: Nagoya Batam Riau Archipelago Riau Islands Province; Review: I had a renovated room, so carpet, furnishings look ok (cheap, but ok). Can still see remnants of old days, e.g. wash basin, basin counter, toilet bowl and bathtub. There is a KTV on 4th floor, better to avoid rooms where you can hear the loud singing. No issue with cleanliness, although there is a distinct cheap perfume smell in the towels. Breakfast is ok (noodles/ fried rice/ porridge, cereal/ bread etc.) Not sure if the hotel is (still) under renovation. Can still see old carpets are strewn along the hallway. Wifi signal is unstable. Connection is slow.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Thawed Fortunes (The Guadel Chronicles Book 2) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Dean Murray Page; Review: I could not put this book down. Actually, I should say that I could not stop reading this book, as I am reading it on my iPad Kindle App. The only thing I didn't like was the over abundance of wounding the hero had to suffer. I thought that was really overdone and unnecessary. I read the first book in the series, and immediately upon finishing it, had to order this one. And got it immediately. That is what I love about the Kindle. You INSTANTLY have the book you want with just a tap of your finger. No going out in the rain or the cold, no warming up the car, or fighting the traffic, just instant results. And now on to Volume 3.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mail Order Meddler (Brides of Beckham Book 10) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Kirsten Osbourne Page; Review: A lovely story with unhappiness, happiness, selfishness, a little danger, lots of love. Read it straight through...couldn't put it down.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mail Order Marion - A Clean Historical Mail Order Bride Story (Chapman Mail Order Brides Book 1); Brand: Visit Amazon's Kate Whitsby Page; Review: This story is different from the usual mail-order-bride formula which usually has the usual sequence of events. Bride arrives in the West and gets married within an hour or two. They consummate their marriage same night; the virgin bride is prepared to put up with her husband's desires; lo and behold! she loves it. She either can't cook and learns to conquer all her inadequacies and they live happily ever after. Or she is a great cook and super homemaker and they live happily ever after. She is always beautiful. He is always a gorgeous tall stud with large biceps, hugely broad shoulders, and a perfect six-pack. This story has three brides, all strangers to each other, and coming to the West to marry three brothers and all planning to live in the same room. But the brothers are not happy with two of the brides-to-be. There is some real danger involved. No emphasis is placed on their physical descriptions. They are neither beautiful women nor studly men. A very interesting story, a refreshing depiction of the mail-order-bride saga.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Seven Day Fianc: A Love and Games Novel - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Rachel Harris Page; Review: Characters well done. I enjoyed the Cajun references and language, although I had to look most of them up. An immediate translation for us non-natives would have allowed me to not have to leave the story. And some of the words were not in the dictionary. I needed a Cajun one. But, in spite of that, I thought it was well written and well edited...not the usual grammar errors. And a really nice love story...not the usual detailed graphic sex scenes.. I will read her again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Luke's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Cowboy Historical Romance)( Brothers of Montana series Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Maya Stirling Page; Review: A lot of danger, a lot of love. Great new characters. An excellent clean story by Maya, as is always to be expected.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: His Lavender Bride (Shades of Romance Collection) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Kalyn Keyes Page; Review: I was so disappointed in the ending. I like happy endings and it wasn't happy for one of the characters. Don't want this to be a spoiler, so am not mentioning names. I realize the author thought it was best and I am sure it was, but I would have ended it differently. It is a lovely mail order bride story.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_Kindle_Store |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: UniquExceptional AD80RF Phone Dialer Motion Detector Alarm with Remote (White); Brand: UniquExceptional; Review: would call number for no reason....; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Polk Audio PSW10 10-Inch Powered Subwoofer (Single, Black); Brand: Polk; Review: Its All About That Bass.....I say yeah!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: STR-169106 Silver Ticket 4K Ultra HD Ready Cinema Format (6 Piece Fixed Frame) Projector Screen (16:9, 106", White Material); Brand: Silver Ticket Products; Review: IT'S great! being a DIY, IT took a lot longer to put togather and I used a couple of people to hang it up on the wall.... now what about their speakers great prices do they sound as great as the price??; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: iMeshbean® Wireless PIR Home Security Burglar Alarm System Auto Dialing Dialer K05 99 Zones; Brand: iMeshbean; Review: I don't do review often(I should). But this alarm works great. YES they need a better owners manual mailed with it! Someone has written a detailed manual here in reviews and it helped me in everything I needed I have two of the alarms using both at different places. I got one over 1yr and the other longer BOTH still working great I've trip them myself just to confirm they're working still. THE MAIN REASON I'm up-dating is about batteries! 1st keep an eye on them it doesn't tell you when they need replaced. AND I did the dumbest thing I put the 9v on wrong for a second and it burned out the motion Sensor. :-( Luckily I only need 2 ALL I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE IT IS great for THE MONEY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TCL 48FS3750 48-Inch 1080p Roku Smart LED TV (2016 Model); Brand: TCL; Review: just got yesterday! BUT I want to say sometimes reading reviews make me question buying things! this would be one of them 3 things TV broke, bad color, craps out after a couple days (ok at this time I've only had TV turned on for 8hrs give or take) But the TV looks great sounds good Its now been a month NO change in picture etc.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clip Style Headphone Black Lightweight and Comfortable Ear; Brand: JVC; Review: Didn't hold up sound changed after time. They did stay in the ears good; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: HAVIT in-Car FM Transmitter, Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Radio Adapter Car Kit, with USB Charging and Hands-Free Calling for; Brand: comoxi; Review: using for hands free doesn't work good at all!! That not why got it. I got it so I could play music and I'd almost give it A 5 star but back to the poor owner manual. So the only way I can get the music to play is to make a phone call then when I hang up it play music AND AMAZON NEED TO STOP THE PEOPLE GET FREE TO WRITE A REVIEW; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: VicTsing VGA to HDMI Adapter Converter 1080p Video Cable from Desktop/Laptop/Notebook/Computer/PC/HD TV-Box to HDTV/Monitor/Projector; Brand: VicTsing; Review: OK it works great on 2 of 3 computers and 3rd one it didn't work on was not where I was going to use it that's why 4 star otherwise it works better then other ones I have!!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 1byone O00QH-0016, White; Brand: 1byone; Review: Been using them since Feb. 2016 wasn't sure at first! I'm not using them for cars I'm using them on sidewalk and they let me know when someone is coming to the door. and yes you get faults sound and I've learned was to get around them. If you'd like to know I can send try to help just ask and I'll try to help; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 1byone Wireless Home Security Driveway Alarm, 1 Plug-in Receiver and 1 PIR Motion Sensor Detector Weatherproof Alert System; Brand: 1byone; Review: Been using them since Feb. 2016 wasn't sure at first! I'm not using them for cars I'm using them on sidewalk and they let me know when someone is coming to the door. and yes you get faults sound and I've learned was to get around them. If you'd like to know I can send try to help just ask and I'll try to help; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 1byone Wireless Driveway Alert, Infrared Motion Sensor with 1 Plug-in Receiver and 2 Sensors; Brand: 1byone; Review: Been using them since Feb. 2016 wasn't sure at first! I'm not using them for cars I'm using them on sidewalk and they let me know when someone is coming to the door. and yes you get faults sound and I've learned was to get around them. If you'd like to know I can send try to help just ask and I'll try to help; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mini DisplayPort DP to HDMI VGA Converter Adapter Cable; Brand: ASINNO; Review: Only had projector for a few days But picture looks great! will Up-date more later I have another projector (Bulb type) It has more extras BUT for the final picture I'd go with this ONE over the other any day!! some reasons: LED going to last much longer price I see that reviews talk about the noise of the fan and I agree its not the quietness and speakers aren't great. I think if you using in your home your going to put in a home type stereo system so it won't make any difference. It covers up the fan sound. My other projector put out the same amount sound = fan/speakers And it cost me over 700 on sale; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Western Digital Caviar SE (WD3200AAKS) 320GB 16MB Cache 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Desktop Hard Drive [Certified Refurbished]-; Brand: Western Digital; Review: What I used this HDD for it is working great and it was so easy to put in. I installed in minutes. For what I got it for (channel Master DVR) the hardest part was just getting the thing open to get to the HDD. BUT after that I put it in, plug it in and after it came up I formatted it Just by followed the direction on the screen and its been working perfect (even better then I remember it working); Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: SANOXY USB A (F) to USB A (F) Adapter (USB_F-USB_F); Brand: SANOXY; Review: Used as usb connect cable. Plugged in moise, didn not work. Plugged in memory stick, did not recognize the memory stick.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: AmazonBasics Adjustable Tablet Stand; Brand: AmazonBasics; Review: Works well, no slip feet and slots, very adjustable, folds flat, but it is quite large. Size is larger than expexted!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Case Logic CDW-32 32 Capacity Classic CD Wallet (Black); Brand: Case Logic; Review: Wish it was more attractive and less like an ugly black brick. Haven't designers heard of color and roundness?; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Neoprene Sleeve Protective Cover & Handstrap for Amazon Kindle Fire HDX/HD 8.9-inch Tablets (Black & Red Trim); Brand: Vangoddy; Review: Liked this product very much, but there is no handstrap ! Had to sew a strap fron an oks clutch onto it. It woukd he nice to have a strao that matches it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: ArmorSuit Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" Screen Protector Max Coverage MilitaryShield Screen Protector For Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9"; Brand: ArmorSuit; Review: Very difficult to install for me: poor eyesight and diabetic neuropathy.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: ArmorSuit Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7" 2013 Screen Protector Max Coverage MilitaryShield Screen Protector For Amazon Kindle Fire HD; Brand: ArmorSuit; Review: Very difficult to install for me: diabetic neuropathy and poor eyesight.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Clear Screen Protector Kit (3-Pack) for Fire HD 6 (2014 model: 4th Generation); Brand: Nupro; Review: Very difficult to install for me: poor eyesight and diabetic neuropathy.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Shepard Smith leaving Fox News; Abstract: Longtime Fox News host Shepard Smith is leaving the network after 23 years, saying he plans to "begin a new chapter."; Category: news
Title: Montana Men Arrested With $4.25 Million Worth of Marijuana Go Free; Abstract: Two Montana men arrested for possession of 900 pounds of marijuana had their charges dismissed when a judge ruled the seizure was illegal.; Category: news
Title: LSU makes case as No. 1 while massive upset shakes up SEC picture; Abstract: ; Category: sports
Title: Kate Beckinsale is a knockout in corset dress adorned with white feathers at 'Farming' premiere; Abstract: Kate Beckinsale isn't too chicken to wear head-to-toe feathers.; Category: lifestyle
Title: Woman arrested after RV crash into Cannery Casino in North Las Vegas; Abstract: NORTH LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -- North Las Vegas police said a woman intentionally drove into a hotel-casino Friday morning after she was trespassed from the property Thursday night. NLVPD Officer Eric Leavitt said a 50-year-old woman drove her RV into the Cannery Casino & Hotel at 2121 E. Craig Road. Leavitt said the woman was hit a 66-year-old custodian who was just outside the casino when she tried to drive inside. Cannery employees told NLVPD that...; Category: news
Title: The News In Cartoons; Abstract: News as seen through the eyes of the nation's editorial cartoonists.; Category: news
Title: Panic in Pakistani City After 900 Children Test Positive for H.I.V.; Abstract: Nearly 900 children in the small Pakistani city of Ratodero were bedridden early this year with raging fevers that resisted treatment. Parents were frantic, with everyone seeming to know a family with a sick child.; Category: news
Title: Garth Brooks Got Called Out by Jimmy Carter for Taking Break During Habitat for Humanity Build; Abstract: Garth Brooks Called Out by Jimmy Carter; Category: music
Title: Week in celebrity photos for Oct. 28-Nov. 1, 2019; Abstract: See what the stars were up to during the last week of October.; Category: entertainment
Title: 430 Bags Of Heroin Seized, 2 Arrested In Manchester: Police; Abstract: ; Category: news
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: He was one of the first prisoners released under Trump's criminal justice reform law. Now he's accused of murder.; Abstract: In February, Joel Francisco became one of the first federal prisoners to walk free as a result of the First Step Act, a landmark piece of criminal justice reform legislation. Last month, he was handcuffed again, accused this time of fatally stabbing another man.; Category: news | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: High Tide (Fear Street Super Chillers, No. 12); Author: Visit Amazon's R. L. Stine Page; Review: love all books by him and this one too; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: One Evil Summer (Fear Street, No. 25); Author: Visit Amazon's R.L. Stine Page; Review: love; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Thrill Club (Fear Street, No. 24); Author: Visit Amazon's R. L. Stine Page; Review: thank you for getting this to me; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: That Risen Snow: A Scary Tale of Snow White and Zombies (The Scary Tales) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Rob E. Boley Page; Review: i loved this book so much; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 30 Days; Author: Visit Amazon's K. Larsen Page; Review: loved it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Runes; Author: Visit Amazon's Ednah Walters Page; Review: loved very much; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clarity; Author: Visit Amazon's Loretta Lost Page; Review: loved; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Girl Across The Street; Author: Visit Amazon's G. Lusby Page; Review: loved; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zombie Fallout; Author: Visit Amazon's Mark Tufo Page; Review: this book is very good; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: How I Live Now; Author: meg-rosoff; Review: Loved the book it was in great shape; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Cinderella Ballet Mystery (Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #4); Author: Visit Amazon's Carolyn Keene Page; Review: It was in great shape not a rip or anything wrong with it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beautiful Bastard; Author: Visit Amazon's Christina Lauren Page; Review: Great book; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beautiful Bitch (The Beautiful Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Christina Lauren Page; Review: It came in great shape; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Angels in Pink: Kathleen's Story; Author: Visit Amazon's Lurlene McDaniel Page; Review: In very good shape not a rip or anything wrong with it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Secret Santa (Nancy Drew Notebooks #3); Author: Visit Amazon's Carolyn Keene Page; Review: The cover was different but I liked it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Flowers in the Attic / Petals on the Wind (Dollanganger); Author: V.C. Andrews; Review: Cover was a little messed up but I still loved it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grimm Fairy Tales Volume 1 (Grimm Fairy Tales Graphic Novels); Author: Joe Tyler; Review: loved this; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Bride (Fox): S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure; Author: Visit Amazon's William Goldman Page; Review: i liked it a little bit but when the author kept popping up to say something stupid i was like shut up and get back to the story i liked the buttercup's baby part in the book it was good just wish he would finish it seemed like there could be more to that part in the story; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sing Along Songs:Lion King - Circle; Author: Lion King Ddwd 29382; Review: cool movie worked great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dracula: A Coloring Classic; Author: Bram Stoker; Review: loved it came a lot sooner then I thought; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fanciful Faces Coloring Book (Creative Haven); Author: Visit Amazon's Miryam Adatto Page; Review: cool it looked great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Orphan at My Door : The Home Child Diary of Victoria Cope; Author: Visit Amazon's Jean Little Page; Review: i love it, it came in a lot faster then i thought and it was in great shape; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Penguin Essential Midwich Cuckoos; Author: Visit Amazon's John Wyndham Page; Review: loved; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Light Between Oceans: The heartbreaking Richard and Judy bestseller; Author: Visit Amazon's M L Stedman Page; Review: I couldn't put this book down. Hopefully, this first-time author will be writing others. She developed several themes while weaving a thought provoking story line. The ending was a bit weak but it was truly a "Solomon's Choice".; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: And the Mountains Echoed; Author: Hosdeini Khaled; Review: Illustrating the paradox of Afghanistan, Hosseini once again gives a story which promotes better understanding of the Afghan people and their experiences as they live through and survive their wars.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West; Author: Visit Amazon's Dorothy Wickenden Page; Review: This story was a delight. I had to get a map out and figure exactly where the women went as well as their hometown.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West; Author: Visit Amazon's Dorothy Wickenden Page; Review: This story was a delight. I had to get a map out and figure exactly where the women went as well as their hometown.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Capital in the Twenty First Century; Author: Visit Amazon's Thomas Piketty Page; Review: Definitely food for thought. It will be interesting to watch for others comments.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Capital in the Twenty-First Century eBook; Author: Visit Amazon's Thomas Piketty Page; Review: Definitely food for thought. It will be interesting to watch for others comments.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Orphan Train: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Christina Baker Kline Page; Review: I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to a discussion of it with my book club and the author's visit to our community. Barbara A. Smith; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Marjorie Harris Carr: Defender of Florida's Environment; Author: Visit Amazon's Peggy Macdonald Page; Review: Peggy MacDonald spoke about her book at our local historical society annual meeting - it was an honor and privilege. This book should be part of every high school's library and it would be great if significant numbers of high school students elected to read it. We in Florida are fortunate that brave, courageous women like Margery Harris Carr preceded us, pursued the correct and difficult route, and dealt with calamities about to befall Florida such as the trans Florida canal. Congratulations to MacDonald for pulling together this biography.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: HIKPRO 20L - The Most Durable Lightweight Packable Backpack, Water Resistant Travel Hiking Daypack For Men & Women; Brand: HIKPRO; Review: AWESOME! For quick day trips, my kids normally use string bags -- and complain loudly and often about the strings biting into their shoulders. What's a Mom to do? Grab a HIKPRO!! I received one from the company to test out and I must admit that the moement it came out of the box it garnered a LOT of interest from the kiddos, and even the Twinagers, who are high level Boy Scouts, were REALLY impressed with it! The fact that it packs up into a tiny square was really appealling to me, because now I don't have yet another string bag hanging from the hooks in my laundry room & catching on stuff. The kids liked the fact that there were multiple pockets AND it had "real" straps -- no strings to bite into their arms/shoulders! The side pockets were large enough for a water bottle to SECURELY fit into it & during a whole weekend Cub Scout campout, Little Dude never once had to retrieve a bottle that was rolling away from him! He was able to fit tissues, a rain poncho, his Cub Scout book, a frisbee, snacks, a hat, sunglases - and still could have fit more items in. I do not know how this would actually work as a school backpack; but for travel purposes and/or short trips, or as a pool bag, this is a SUPER product! I really like the contrasting colors on the outside and believe that I'll be purchasing oen of the pink ones for myself -- that way I KNOW that none of my sons will try to take it!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alex Carseon Folding stool by, small, lightweight, portable seat. Foldable tripod camp chair for camping, fishing, travel, parks,; Brand: Alex Carseon; Review: This is a cute little folding stool, useful in the garden or at the campsite! The nice thing is that it has a very sturdy fabric used with very nicely reinforced stitching. There is a thick webbed strap that can be used to put it over your shoulder to carry. The tri-legged stand has a velcro strap used to close up the top, like an umbrella, to give it a collapsed tubular shape. The concept is FANTASTIC on this folding stool! However, the REALITY of the stool just doesn't quite measure up. The manufacturer is very upfront about the fact that it is 15 inches high, and they are NOT misleading you on that. If you can't easily "visualize" that, think about the fact that a magazine opened up, side to side, is 17 inches. I am 63 inches tall so squatting down isn't always.... comfortable... on the stool. One of my sons is about 5'10" and 165/170 pounds and he complained about crouching down to sit on the stool (and the legs sorta moved out a bit when he did - so I'm not sure if extended use by anyone over 140 pounds would be feasible). The best use for this stool? A CHILD. My 9 year old thinks he is hot stuff now on Cub Scout campouts; the over-the-shoulder strap fits him well (an adult has to sling it over their forearm) and the seat is PERFECTLY SIZED for him. He is easily able to manipulate the opening, closing & folding of the stool and got many raves from his friends on it!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: FiveJoy Aluminum Foldable Campfire Tripod - Adjustable Hang Chain - Collapsible Legs - Lightweight, Portable, Sturdy; Brand: FiveJoy; Review: This was a ireat tripod for the money, and held our Cub Scout Lodge cast iron pot just fine. However, PLEASE BE SURE to PAY ATTENTION to the height of this tripod. It is 36". And that isn't inaccurate. It's short. Yardstick size.... so by time you hang the cast iron pot, you're basically leaving it in the coals anyway. Does have a nice travel cover to keep all the tripod together. If this were a taller tripod I would very happily recommend it. At this size? It's 50/50 as to if it's actually useful or not...; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: MIU COLOR 18.5 oz Glass Water Bottle - Eco-friendly Borosilicate, BPA, PVC and Lead Free, with Portable Nylon; Brand: MIU COLOR; Review: Seriously? I am LOVING these bottles! I have purchased one of the 18.5 oz sizes, and 4 others of 24.5 oz sizes. If you're like me and need to google "borosilicate glass", here's some info on it... Creating borosilicate glass requires higher temperatures than those necessary for the production of regular glass, although this also accounts for its higher heat resistance. It also faces far less material stress than regular glass due to its lower thermal expansion coefficient, which also adds to its exceptional performance at high temperatures. Additionally, borosilicate glass is far more durable than traditional glass, and can withstand accidents that would break other glassware. Even when it does crack, it typically performs better, as it rarely shatters. Not only do these have a clean and streamlined look to them, these bottles come with a handy foam cleaning sponge on a wand to reach the bottom, in addition to the zippered cozy with hanging strap. DEFINITELY will recommend these to EVERYONE!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Littlearth NCAA Clear Square Stadium Tote; Brand: Littlearth; Review: Nice construction, well made for what it was needed for - which was a basic bag to use at a stadium for a few times. Screen print is vibrant and well applied, and black fabric taping around edges helps to keep its sturdiness.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Prepac Triple Width Wall Storage Cabinet, Black; Brand: Prepac; Review: Big and beautiful! Now I have enough room for all my DVDs, and room to grow :) I'm not using the wall anchor and it's standing sturdy as ever.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ClosetMaid 31220 Double Hang Closet Rod, Nickel; Brand: ClosetMaid; Review: My mom moved in to a super small apartment and needed to use all the extra space available. This item worked out perfectly! Ordered 2 and it doubled her closet space.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 4PCS Multifunction Acrylic Shelf Dividers,Closets Shelf and Closet Separator for Wood Closet,Only Need to Slide to Adjust The Appropriate Distance; Brand: Cq acrylic; Review: My mom moved into a super small apartment and we had to use any extra space available. We bought 2 of these along with 2 "Closet Maid double hang closet rod" and now her closet can fit all her clothes. (she only had room for 1 dresser in her bedroom). I found these to be quite sturdy and fit well on her closet shelf.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shoe Slotz Space Saver, 6 Piece Set; Brand: Shoe Slotz; Review: They are what they are. Nothing fancy. NOT anti-slip. I had to make some modifications to make them anti-slip (hot glue) Mine sit at an angle on a Closet Maid shoe rack (I left a review for them as well).; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: OXO Good Grips LockTop 101-2/5-Ounce Rectangle Container with Green Lid; Brand: OXO; Review: The small ones are perfect for dressing. Thank you!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: ZON Ankle/Wrist Weights (Silver/Black); Brand: ZON; Review: The fabric and weight distribution is smooth & comfortable. You cannot remove part of the weight/adjust the weight, though. I wear them pretty darn tight and they jiggle when I walk (maybe because they are just not rigid). No big deal but takes a little getting used to. I don't mind walking with them on, but running with them on would be extremely uncomfortable, not only because of the weight but also the jiggle. But I got them for walking and for leg lifting exercises and they suit their purpose.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: invisaband 6 Pack Natural Mosquito Repellent Bracelets Band - 30 Day Protection - 100% Guaranteed To Work - No; Brand: Invisaband; Review: I am mystified at this products good reviews. Not because it doesn't repel mosquitoes, but because the damn things don't stay on so I can't even know if they work. Tried more than one. They did not stay on with normal daily activity.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Brita Sport Water Filter Bottle, Twin Pack, 20 Ounce; Brand: Brita; Review: True, they make water taste good. Only con is if you are really thirsty you may be upset with the lack of flow. You really have to squeeze the water through the filter.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Great Gear Infuser Water Bottle Sport Flip-top BPA-Free Tritan 25 Oz (Multiple Infused Water Color Options); Brand: Great Gear; Review: this is mostly a great design but there is not a lot of threading or security to keep the lid on and the way the mouth opens isn't very secure, and it just doesn't feel like the kind of thing your kid can throw in their backpack. But if you want to just carry it around, great, does the job.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Stamina 36-Inch Folding Trampoline | Quiet and Safe Bounce | Access To Free Online Workouts Included; Brand: Stamina; Review: It's not a ten foot trampoline like I want but it'll do until then ;) I like that it is spring free so squeak free but so reasonable in price. If it fails like some of the reviewers experience I suppose I can afford to buy another! I'm a lightweight lady and was able to pop it together with the help of a 9yr old so I think most anyone can assemble it. This is a good rainy day indoor active toy for myself and the big kids.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: CLARKS Men's Desert Chukka Boot; Brand: ; Review: Somewhere hurt my ankles; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: CLARKS Men's Desert Chukka Boot; Brand: ; Review: Somewhere hurt my ankles; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: CLARKS Men's Desert Chukka Boot; Brand: ; Review: Somewhere hurt my ankles; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: CLARKS Men's Desert Chukka Boot; Brand: ; Review: Somewhere hurt my ankles; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: CLARKS Men's Desert Chukka Boot; Brand: ; Review: Somewhere hurt my ankles; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: CLARKS Men's Desert Chukka Boot; Brand: ; Review: Somewhere hurt my ankles; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Clarks Men's Kalden Step Slip-On Loafer; Brand: ; Review: my instep could not fit well; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: CLARKS Men's Desert Chukka Boot; Brand: ; Review: Somewhere hurt my ankles; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: CLARKS Men's Desert Chukka Boot; Brand: ; Review: Somewhere hurt my ankles; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: CLARKS Men's Desert Chukka Boot; Brand: ; Review: Somewhere hurt my ankles; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Pink Queen Women's Brazilian V-Style Bikini Swimsuit Bottoms Swimwear; Brand: Pink Queen; Review: I like the fit and sizing was accurate. The pattern doesn't match up on the sew lines, but that's expected for the price. Overall good but!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Children's 14k Yellow Gold-Filled Heart Locket Pendant Necklace, 15"; Brand: Amazon Collection; Review: Very tiny. The chain broke after 2 months; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jumping Jacks Bristol II Boot (Toddler/Little Kid/Big Kid); Brand: Jumping Jacks; Review: The boot is loose and flimsy. Edges got worn down quickly because of it; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Steve Madden Jjacksin Bootie (Little Kid/Big Kid); Brand: ; Review: Lasted my daughter a while. With better care they would've held up well. She loved them; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Happy Family Clothing Big Boys' Superhero Sixth Birthday T-Shirt; Brand: Happy Family Clothing; Review: Worked out great for a theme park! everyone got the clue without making an over statement. Washed a few time didn't fade or shrink; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ssyiz Custom Women's Elegant Pleated Chiffon Floor Length Evening Party Dress…; Brand: Ssyiz; Review: I ordered the light blue dress for my daughter. The dress was made exactly to her measurements and the seller reached out to confirm the fit because I messed up thehollow measurement. Had they not reached me, the dress would have been to her knees. Good on shipping time too, I ended up getting it a week before it was expected to be here. Great fit and made well.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Belle House Tulle Sheer Wedding Bridal Veils Cathedral for Bride 11059-2; Brand: Belle House; Review: I bought this because the reviews were pretty good but Im surprised by the poor quality and bad stitching of this product. Definitely disappointed. Wont be wearing this for my wedding.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo; City: Venice Veneto; Review: This place exceeded all my expectations, and is so charming. The rooms are spotless and really nice and huge compared to any other rooms I stayed in. Staff are friendly and helpful. A nice breakfast is provided. Overall excellent value for money. I payed much more in other places of Europe and Italy that didn't even compare. The only downside to this place is that there's no computer to use with Internet, but there's an Internet cafe nearby so it's not really a big issue.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Athens Diamond Homtel; City: Athens Attica; Review: Stayed here for 4 nights at the start of our europe trip. Location is really in the middle of things and couldn't be better. Bed was really comfortable, room had good heating so was always warm, shower was really small but that is the only fault. Reception staff nice and helpful and breakfast is amazing - so much variety! Would recommend staying here and it's a bargain for what you get.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: La Residenza dell Orafo; City: Florence Tuscany; Review: We stayed for 1night and would recommend staying here. Room is good and so quiet considering how busy the area is, the host is really nice and friendly, and the location is close to train station and you can walk to all the other attractions. You get a breakfast voucher for a nearby cafe - a tip when making your choice is to opt for the sandwich and pastry option. I went for the toast option and its just some tiny pieces of toasted thin bread. I was jealous of my boyfriends Ham and cheese panini and croissant that he got!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Berna; City: Milan Lombardy; Review: You couldn't ask for more staying here. It's easy to find from the central train station. We checked in at noon and that was fine. The staff were so friendly and welcoming. The room was large compared to others we'd stayed in and the bathroom was huge compared to others. The shower was really hot and had good pressure. The bed was really comfortable and the room was quiet even thouh we were right near the lift. The breakfast buffet is amazing. The choices available are so extensive that even if you stayed for a few days you couldn't possibly try everything they have to offer. Definetely stay here if you come to milan.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Travellers House Studios; City: Lisbon Lisbon District Central Portugal; Review: After 3 weeks of cramped european hotel rooms it was so nice to have a big apartment to spread out in. We stayed in the liberade suite for 4 nights and it was spotlessly clean and well furnished. Incredible value at 60 euros a night. So good to have washing machine and kitchen. The smaller units are even cheaper. Its a real hike up a steep hill then steep staircase up to the third level to get to it so if you are unfit you would struggle heaps. We are 2 fit 30 year olds and we struggled - especially if you do it a few times a day! Other than the steep hill the only other downer was that the shower seemed to be on some sort of a timer. The hot water lasted about a minute (maybe even less) each time we showered. At first we thought the hot water was running out but it cut out after exactly the same amount of time each time we showered. Not enough time to even wash my hair. This got annoying after a while. Would definetly stay here again for the space and value. You have access to the hostel and the activities they run too.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tsikeli Hotel; City: Kastraki Kalambaka Trikala Region Thessaly; Review: Pros: clean, comfortable beds, free wifi, good location, nice hosts, good free breakfast, nice warm communal area Cons: had to make bed, small difficult shower, 2 single beds pushed together instead of a double Overall definitely good value and fine for a Ono night stop over; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Dorica; City: Rome Lazio; Review: We stayed here for 5 nights. The locaion was handy to the termini and not seedy like we'd expected. All the staff are super friendly. Room was a decent size,warm and bathroom was big. The room which looked over the street and fountain was a bit noisy -theres no way i could have slept with the indow open in summer but it was winter so had the windows shut and it wasn't too big of an issue. The walls are pretty thin so you can hear a bit of what the people next door are doing. Breakfast is only served from 7-9 in the morning and we like to sleep in when on holidays so we only made it to breakfast twice. Brwakfast is ok but all on a plate at the table before you sit down so you get no choice in what you have except for the coffee. It also means that our cheese and yoghurt is at room temperature even when we got there at 8.15. We payed 79 euros a night so its really good value for rome. If you stay here make sure you eat at ristoante al viminale which is right nearby. The hotel recommended it and it was soooo good and cheap. Pasta amazing. We te here several times and couldn't believe how cheap it was. It looks always looks empty from the front but the dining room out he back is where everyone sits - all locals as far as i could tell.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fedriades Delphi Hotel; City: Delphi Phocis Region Central Greece; Review: We stayed here for one night and were really surprised by the quality of the accommodation for the price (62 euros). Our room was really well heated, so much so that in the middle of winter we only needed a sheet! We were on the second floor and had a balcony with an awesome view. For the first time after staying in many similarly priced hotels in Greece we had a decent sized bathroom with a shower over a bath so there were no problems with flooding the floor like at other places. The staff were so friendly and the buffet breakfast included many hot and cold choices which we did not expect as it was included in the low price of the room. Overall would definitely recommend this hotel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel des Arts Montmartre; City: Paris Ile de France; Review: Stayed for 2 nights. Couldn't be in a better spot. Heaps of good eating places around and cute shops. Staff all really nice and spoke english. Didn't have breakfast there as theres heaps of nice pastry shops around. Specifically about roos Pros- free wifi, good shower, quiet street, really warm room Cons- no englsh tv channels, crappy flat pillows, small bed Overall would recommend. If i had stayed any longer i would have asked reception for some other pillws for better sleep quality.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Abel Tasman Motor Inn; City: Dubbo New South Wales; Review: We enjoyed our overnight stay here, and would definitely recommend it. We stayed with a toddler, and there was plenty of room for him to move around the room. We will return when passing through next time. It was really busy when we were there so must be popular.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Econo Lodge Alabaster Motel; City: Cowra New South Wales; Review: From the outside this hotel is pretty average looking but the rooms are awesome. We stopped overnight in one of the rooms at the back of the motel away from the road. It was huge, spotless and had a brand new bathroom. It was so quiet as well. We stayed with our one yr old and he had so much room to run around in the room. It even had a table and chairs and a little couch. We were on a road trip and stayed at a few country motels and this was the best by a mile, and was the cheapest ($110).; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pegasus Apart Hotel; City: Melbourne Victoria; Review: I stayed here for 4 nights with 2 girlfriends in a 2 bedroom apartment as a base for the Australian Open. The location was great. The beds are super comfy. Reception open 24 hrs which is so good. Nice heated pool and spa. I felt it was excellent value compared to other 2 bedroom apartments of the same quality. The only thing I can say that was disappointing was the couches and armchairs. They were horribly uncomfortable and pretty shabby but we didn't use them much so it wasn't too bid a deal. We would definitely stay here again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Tumor: A Non-Legal Thriller; Author: ; Review: Very good but sad.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Last Coyote (Harry Bosch); Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Connelly Page; Review: Another good read by Connelly; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Arms and the Dudes: How Three Stoners from Miami Beach Became the Most Unlikely Gunrunners in History; Author: Visit Amazon's Guy Lawson Page; Review: I liked it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Darkness More Than Night (Harry Bosch); Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Connelly Page; Review: Very good; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Whistler; Author: Visit Amazon's John Grisham Page; Review: Very good. Didn't like the end ? Did he get out of jail ?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Wrong Side of Goodbye (A Harry Bosch Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Connelly Page; Review: Very good; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: We Have Always Lived in the Castle; Author: Visit Amazon's Shirley Jackson Page; Review: 18-year-old Mary Katherine BlackwoodMerricat for shortnarrates this unsettling tale of isolation, neuroses, and dark comedy. Together with her sister Constance, Uncle Julian, and cat Jordan, Merricat lives in the secluded Blackwood mansion near a typical New England village. Merricat, in the first few sentences of her narrative, states, "Everyone else in my family is dead." It quickly becomes evident that the controversial poisoning of Merricat's family is the pivotal event around which Jackson builds her story. Neuroses and phobias abound among the remaining Blackwood clan. Constance will not step foot beyond her cherished garden. Uncle Julian, an invalid, refuses to leave the mansion and often unknowingly relives the past. Merricat ventures the furthest, going into town on Tuesdays to buy supplies despite constant heckling by the townspeople who can't help but gossip about her family's poisoning. Merricat's frequent morbid thoughtsintermixed with flights of fantasy and absurditypoint to her mental immaturity. Despite their problems, however, the Blackwood family has come to grips with their situation and has arrived at a routine, if isolated, way of life. And there they teeter, on the edge of normality, until trouble comes knocking. The arrival of their cousin, Charles, sets in motion events that put Constance and Merricat at odds, and fans the flames of conflict between the townspeople and the Blackwood clan. With great skill, Jackson interweaves the truth about the past with the troubles of the present. This she does through the eyes of a young narrator who may or may not be reliableor even sane. We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a gripping story, a book short on thrills but full of subtle pleasures. It is not as shocking as "The Lottery", nor as breathtaking as The Haunting of Hill House. It is a narrative that slides under the skin, that tempts you to examine the people in your own life, to wonder what strange thoughts may lurk in their minds or what dark deeds may lay in their pasts. It touches on relationships, sympathy (and lack thereof), alienation, greed, and eviland does so in such an unsettling way that you may well question Jackson's own state of mind.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jeeves and the Wedding Bells: An Homage to P.G. Wodehouse (Jeeves and Wooster Novels); Author: Visit Amazon's Sebastian Faulks Page; Review: I received a free copy of Jeeves and the Wedding Bells via the GoodReads First Reads program. Jeeves and the Wedding Bells is a brave (and mostly successful) attempt at finishing the Jeeves & Wooster series of stories started nearly a century ago by P. G. Wodehouse. I came into the book having read all but the last book in the series (Aunt's Aren't Gentlemen), and all of this in the last 2-3 years. Thus, the characters and situations from the previous novels were fairly fresh in my mind. So, down to the nitty gritty. In Jeeves and the Wedding Bells, we follow Bertram Wooster and Reginald Jeeves down to Dorset, where the tables are turned and Jeeves must pose as a peer (Lord Etringham), while Bertie must pretend to be his manservant (Wilberforce). As is the case in many Jeeves & Wooster stories, their mission is to help Bertie's friend (Woody, in this case) patch up his relationship with a girl. The difference here is that Wooster himself is in love (for real), although he does vacillate, and it takes him the bulk of the story to come to grips with it. In the end, with the help of Jeeves and his magnificent brain, everyone gets their girl, including Bertie. Along the way, there are hilarious scenes, lots of impersonation, and enough funny situations to keep a grin on your face. Faulks does an admirable job turning the phrases in ways similar to Wodehouse -- at times you may swear he is channeling the old boy himself. Overall, I have to give him props for what must have been a daunting task. Jeeves and the Wedding Bells makes a fitting conclusion to one of the great comic series of all time.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Conjure Wife; Author: Visit Amazon's Fritz Leiber Page; Review: While the plot is tight, with twists and turns aplenty, the whole premise is a love it or hate it thing. Unfortunately, I didn't love it. Leiber's writing was enough to keep me reading to the end, but just barely. This is the second non-Lankhmar Leiber book I've tried and not liked.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Good Boy: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Theresa Schwegel Page; Review: I recieved a free copy of The Good Boy via the GoodReads First Reads program. The Good Boy tells the story of K9 police officer Pete Murphy, his family, and his K9 dog. When the story starts, Pete and his family have moved to a new house to escape a scandal that involved a judge and the trial of a gang member. Unfortunately, Pete finds himself involved in a second scandal when he mistakenly pulls over a minivan, and his dog, Butchie, bites the brother of the gang member from the previous trial. Soon thereafter, Pete's son, Joel, takes Butchie and follows his older sister to a party where there are drugs and gang members. Butchie attacks and bites one of the gang members, who then shoots at both the dog and Joel, accidentally hitting and wounding another party goer. Joel takes Butchie and runs. He's afraid of what will happen to Butchie, so he decides to take Butchie across town to a Judge that had previously promised a fair trial if he ever needed it. The Good Boy, then, is the story of Joel and Butchie's journey across Chicago intertwined with Pete's search for his missing son. The narrative bounces back and forth between those two points of view as the story unfolds. While Pete's story had some tension to it, Joel's journey did not. Joel's weak narrative and the uninspired plot made for a frustrating read that left me unsatisfied. There was little in the way of thrills or mystery.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: She Walks in Darkness; Author: Evangeline Walton; Review: Written in the early 1960's, She Walks in Darkness is a gothic suspense novella set at a Tuscan villa. Combining business with pleasure, newlyweds Barbara and Richard Keyes set out to honeymoon at a remote Tuscan villa where Richard, an archeologist, will search for ancient Etruscan artifacts in the underground catacombs. Disaster strikes immediately upon arrival as mysterious circumstances leave Barbara with both an unconscious husband and a dead villa caretaker. When two dangerous men appear on the scene, Barbara is ensnared in a game of cat and mouse as she strives to keep her husband safe and figure out who the two men are and what they are up to. A generation-spanning conflict has resurfaced, a whirlwind of intrigue and suspense centered on the catacombs beneath the villa, and Barbara must solve the mystery before it's too late. She Walks in Darkness is billed as a gothic fantasy, but there are no fantastical elements to be found. This is suspense with a smidgen of mystery and horror. Walton is a fine descriptive writer and creates a creepy gothic atmosphere in which to stage Barbara's narrative. It is not so much a puzzler, like Christie's Murder in Mesopotamia, as it is a thriller in which its protagonist is forced to delve into the mysteries of the past in order to preserve her own future. While I liked the story, what I enjoyed most was Walton's writing style. Her well regarded Mabinogion series is now on my to-read list.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Beneath London (Langdon St. Ives); Author: Visit Amazon's James P. Blaylock Page; Review: Victorian Steampunk / Dark Fantasy / Horror. Continuing from where The Aylesford Skull left off, Langdon St. Ives and gang thwart an evil man that is using a London hospital as a front for experiments with life-extending vampiric fungi discovered deep beneath London. Blaylock is at the top of his form here, with excellent prose, memorable characters, and a thrilling plot. Lots of fun, in a gruesome way.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Snoozer Lookout II Pet Car Seat - Small; Brand: Snoozer; Review: We bought two of these before our road trip from Florida to Canada. We have a minivan and wanted the dogs t be able to see out the windows when we drove so they would remain calmer and less restless. Well, these did the trick. First, let me say that the Snoozer Lookout 2 looks great. It looks fancy, well made, comfortable and generally awesome. I have an SUV and the seats fit in both vehicles well, and are easily secured and removed with the seatbelt. My dogs were a bit nervous to sit in their Snoozer seats at first, until we got on the road and they were able to lie down and see out the window at the same time!! We used the safety strap that comes with it and secured it to their travel harnesses. So, with the seats secured and the dogs secured, we hit the road. The dogs were able to sit, stand, lie down and turn around comfortable with the space they had. If you have a dog that sometimes has potty accidents, you may want to put a pad to cover the sheepskin material. On our trip, I used the pull out drawer for their snacks, and leashes. The car seats are well constructed and I believe will last a long time for our pets. When we arrived in Canada, my family was so amused by the luxurious way we transported our pets lol. My neice said its better than the car seat she has for her newborn. Anyway, you will love this car seat and will be happy about your purchase.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Company of Animals Clix Car Safe Dog Harness Size; Brand: The Company of Animals; Review: I ordered two of these for a road trip we did from Florida to Canada and back in August. I have a 9lb Yorkie and a 12lb Bichon Frise. In preparation for the trip, I took about a week to get the dogs used to their new Clix harnesses. Firstly, the harness fits over their heads easily, and just click snap into place. The buckles are strong and with very strong tugging, they do not come unsnapped. The harness feels well made and doesnt appear flimsy. In the car, both dogs have their own Snoozer lookout 2 seats which comes with a safety strap. the safety strap attaches nicely to the metal seat belt clip.. If I don't use the seats, the metal piece will click directly into the seat belt and the dogs are secured. After getting the dogs used to their new harnesses, we were off on our road trip. I put a tshirt under the harness as both of my dogs have longer hair. For the next two days the dogs were in the Clix harness except for bedtime. They didn't have any problems trying to potty, run or sleep with it on. I was able to easily attach their leashes to the harness, and I did not have to make any adjustments to the harness once they were put on for the day. Whenever the dogs see me reaching for their Clix now, they know they are heading out on an adventure.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: PanDaDa Dog Cat T Shirt Pet Clothing Shirt Puppy Clothes Summer Apparel; Brand: PanDaDa; Review: This shirt fit my 12lb bichon fries very well. The shirt is very cute, but was slightly faded. We dressed up our boy for a Hawaiian themed pool party and he stole the show. Lots of compliments from both my pet lover and non pet lover friends. Anyway, looks great, fits great and my boy seemed happy and proud to be in his new shirt:); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 50pcs/pack Cute New Dog Hair Bows Pairs Rhinestone Pearls Flowers Topknot Mix Styles Dog Bows Pet Grooming Products Mix Colors; Brand: yagopet; Review: These bows look so cute on my Yorkie. I am just learning how to put bows in her hair since her bangs are growing out. These bows are beautiful, feel like really good quality and the colors are vibrant. There is enough color selection in this 50 piece pack to match all of my little Ginger's tshirts, collars and leashes. I have only recently received these, but have already had many compliments and people asking me where I bought them. You won't regret buying these bows.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: blyyasgi 20 X Puppy Dog Cute Hair Bows Pets for Grooming Pet Charms Hair Accessories; Brand: blyyasgi; Review: My little yorkie hates having her hair tied up, and we are both getting used to putting bows into her hair. These bows are well made, I love the colors and they hold their shape well. My yorkie has very fine hair so a slightly smaller elastic would be great for her, but I just wrap the elastic one or two more times around her little top knot and it fits just fine.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Pet_Supplies |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hotel Grande Bretagne a Luxury Collection Hotel Athens; City: Athens Attica; Review: Europe is not known for its mixology. This continent has mastered beer, wine, and basic gin & tonics, but little else alcoholically. There was that time I ordered a vodka martini in Amsterdam and received a glass of vodka on the rocks and a glass of vermouth on the rocks. But here at the Grand Bretagne, in Alexander's Cigar Lounge, I honestly had the best martini I've ever had in Europe. My husband and friend both had delicious cocktails as well, with impeccable service. My husband enjoyed a fine cigar and my friend and I got our wifi fix. Will definitely be a stopping point on every future Athens trip.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Lefkas; City: Lefkada Ionian Islands; Review: This hotel was so much better than we expected (we stayed here for 3 nights in July in between stays at the luxurious Grand Bretagne in Athens). Our room was very clean and modern; the furnishings were very simple and streamlined, but all new and in great shape. Room did not look dated at all. Each day, I saw hotel staff cleaning general areas of the hotel, like stairways, picture frames, etc. There is a lot of pride in this building. And perhaps most importantly in July, the AC is our room worked wonderfully. Kept us nice and chilly. I would, however, recommend bringing your own shampoo; the hotel provides a dual shower gel/shampoo that left my hair feeling very rough by the 3rd day. Loved the view from our balcony; I was able to capture some beautiful sunrise photos (see my attached photos), and the view of the little kiddie carnival at night was very bright and colorful, but not loud. Perfect location; we walked all over Lefkada town and could explore all the lovely bars and restaurants. Front desk staff (especially Irina) were super helpful with suggestions, so be sure to ask them where the locals go!! Was a short drive to Agia Mavra, Gyros Beach, and the nearby monastery.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Amsterdam Centraal Station; City: Amsterdam North Holland Province; Review: My husband and I have stayed here twice, and have a third stay booked for next spring. Great location! Yes, there are other hotels more in the heart of Amsterdam, but this one is so easy for arriving and departing from the city. You just walk a block to Centraal Station to catch your train to the airport or your train to another country. And, you are still walking distance to everything you'd want to do anyway! You also have a plethora of public transit options here; the trams stops in front of Centraal Station, the Metro is close, and the free ferry from Centraal Station can take you across the water to the other side of town. Gorgeous views from the SkyLounge, but we don't really spend much time up there because we've found it to be very loud. If your room comes with access to the executive lounge, take advantage. Full breakfast in the morning (at least get a coffee to go if you don't eat much in the AM) with champagne, and wine, beer, and snacks in the afternoon.....perfect for a drink before heading out on the town. Rooms are clean, modern, and streamlined. Starbucks is connected through the lobby.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Magnolia Hotel St Louis A Tribute Portfolio Hotel; City: Saint Louis Missouri; Review: I stayed here for 2 nights while visiting family, and will absolutely return on my next trip to STL. The hotel is beautiful with many original details; there is charm and personality around every corner. Easy walk to the Arch and to Busch Stadium, and they have a Tesla to shuttle you around downtown in. No problems with my room. The bed was comfy, everything was clean, nice water pressure....none of the problems I read in some other reviews. I was on the 17th floor and had essentially no view, but I don't travel to stay in my room, so no big deal. (I actually did one night at the Four Seasons this trip so I could enjoy that iconic STL view of the Arch and the river.........that property has zero personality, and I won't return there!) Valet was fast (you can text them to fetch your car!) and very convenient, and all the staff I dealt with were friendly and efficient. I did not visit the bar/restaurant because I had so many local places I wanted to try, but they do serve the French onion soup from the old Famous Barr department stores.....how cool is that for a local treat?! They also provide a couple Bissinger (a local STL company) chocolates on your pillow at check-in. My only 2 "complaints": They only provide the 2 complimentary bottles of water to SPG guests at check-in; every other SPG property replenishes them every day. I even asked at the front desk in case this was an oversight, and was clearly told they are not provided daily. Not a big deal if I had known in advance; I would have bought some water on my way back. Also, the laundry bag in the room is a reusable one that stays within the hotel system, so I didn't have anything to put my laundry in.....I always snatch the disposable plastic bag from the closet! But, these issues are minor and I will return.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Palacio Mariana Pineda; City: Granada Province of Granada Andalucia; Review: My husband and I stayed here for 5 nights during Semana Santa (Holy Week) 2016. I know, I am very slooooow to write my review. We specifically selected this property because we wanted a room overlooking the Easter processions. We cross-referenced a map of the procession routes with a Google map search of the word “hotel”, then contacted a few properties that seemed to be a match. Maria Pineda won and they put us up in gorgeous suite 305, with an Alhambra view (which is indeed limited, but I don’t think you can blame the hotel for geography) and a balcony overlooking several processiorns along the Carrera del Darro. Even if you don’t visit at Easter, the view over the river and down the medieval street is quite charming (I’ve incldued photos). We arrived around 11pm after nearly a 12 hour delay in Madrid, so getting to the hotel was quite difficult in the midst of the Easter processions. The cab had to drop us off many blocks away and we had to fight the crowds with our luggage — no fault of the hotel’s, of course, but consider this yourself if traveling this time of year. Staff was very gracious and helpful; they were able to book us Alhambra tickets when the Alhambra’s own website stated they were sold out. Breakfast was not included, but was about €10 and quite varied and tasty. Very close to Plaza Neuva and basically anything you would want to walk to. We walked every where: to Alhambra, around downtown, to Albaicin, to Sacromonte. Only took a cab when it was time to go back to airport. Would absolutely return to this property! In fact, we wanted to visit during Easter again this year, but this same room was not available.....so we will be spending Easter in Madrid instead.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: About That Fling; Author: Visit Amazon's Tawna Fenske Page; Review: Pretty good book. Enjoyed the dialogue.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ghost Gifts (A Ghost Gifts Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Laura Spinella Page; Review: I loved the story line. It had some great little jumps and suspense throughout. It was predictable, but a good read overall.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: AN Unexpected Gentleman; Author: Visit Amazon's Alissa Johnson Page; Review: I really enjoyed this trilogy. All three books made me laugh (and cry) and I really felt like the story was cohesive with the others. Definitely looking for more like this in the future.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grimm Fairy Tales Adult Coloring Book; Author: Zenescope; Review: The only thing I wish was different: label the pictures with the fairytale. Some are very obvious, others not so much. Maybe I just didn't get some of the analogies? (Seriously though, what is the girl with the cars and "Hollywood" supposed to depict?) Other than that, love the book. Every picture is highly detailed and we'll thought out. No awkward faces or odd posing. Loved it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Butterfly Garden (The Collector); Author: Visit Amazon's Dot Hutchison Page; Review: Loved, loved, loved this book. It was exciting, twisted, and wondrous all at once. Breathtaking story and writing. Easy transitions between the past and present. Stunning work. I have recommended it to several friends and can't wait to hear what they say!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spring Rain (Witchling Series) (Volume 4); Author: Visit Amazon's Lizzy Ford Page; Review: I loved this series! This was a great ending book (thoufh my favorite is still Dark Summer). Definitely excited to read more of this author.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pandemic (Extinction Files); Author: Visit Amazon's A. G. Riddle Page; Review: Loved it! Looking forward to the next book. If you loved the Atlantis series, you're going to love this one! Ends on a cliffhanger, had great action throughout and well researched on the science aspects!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Fido; City: Nashville, TN; Review: Gluten intolerant's dream coffee shop! What a sweet change to be able to look in the pastry area and actually have options. Love the muffins and dessert! :) Overall, what a fun place! The atmosphere and cheese grits are worth the crazy parking situation out back. The different nooks and crannys of seating are delightful. Every personality has the perfect spot! Speaking of spotting, be on the look out for celebs! They love it too! Word to the management, LOVE the dog themed table stands! Even met the owner of mine in line! Keep it up! Only downside is the amount of traffic and noise. If you really need to have quiet to work, get a good meal in your belly and head down the road to JJ market for studying.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: J & J's Market & Cafe; City: Nashville, TN; Review: What a hidden treasure! Love the calm atmosphere for studying! Great selection of espresso drinks :); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Boston's Restaurant & Sports Bar; City: Tampa, FL; Review: BEST gluten free pizza! Perfect spot to catch a bite before a movie! Be sure to check out their online coupons--free apps, pizza, etc! On a non-gluten free note, the chicken parm wasn't good. Tasted like frozen chicken and canned tomato sauce. Mimi's Cafe still has the best! P.S. The manager is super friendly and able to answer any questions about the gluten free options! :); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: CALI - Tampa Palms; City: Tampa, FL; Review: Absolutely LOVE this place! Please keep making the kale and chorizo soup and Shanghai sizzle! Oh! And shout out to our awesome waitress, Sam! Give that girl a raise! She has great taste! Best Gluten free and dairy free meal in Tampa!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fairfield Inn & Suites Indianapolis - Avon; City: Avon, IN; Review: Wow! I cannot begin to say enough about our experience with Fairfield Inn and Suites. Jared, the manager, was more than helpful via email while planning our conference from a far. Mike answered a lot of questions about the area and super helpful during the check in process. Gary was absolutely wonderful and helped us above and beyond. We really appreciated the clean rooms, comfy beds and cheerful attitudes. Not to mention, the area is safe, restaurants are plenty, and the airport is close by! I would recommend this to anyone! We had a business meeting of 18 people and it was absolutely perfect for us! Thank you Jared, Mike and Gary!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe; City: Tampa, FL; Review: Just a heads up, don't go to Ella's expect gluten free service! Outside of a salad or bunless burger, your options are limited. Sidenote...thank you to the rude waitress that acted like I was a mad woman for suggesting gluten free pizza dough.... you did have it a while back! And you were kinda rude to our party. Unfortunately, no one at our table was impressed and wants to go back. :(; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Spaddy's Coffee; City: Tampa, FL; Review: Hands down best cold brew and espresso in Tampa. Not only does Greg know how to make a great cup of coffee but he gets good customer service. We're always sad when we have to settle for Starbucks at night but so thankful for excellent coffee to kick off our mornings!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chill Bros Scoop Shop; City: Tampa, FL; Review: They make awesome homemade ice cream (vegan options coming soon), cookies, AND gluten free waffle cones in the back and sling awesome customer service in the front!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 22nd Street Coffee; City: Tampa, FL; Review: LOVE this coffee shop! The staff is awesome, the coffee is wonderful and the dining area has dominos! I feel like they really thought through all of the details and have turned us into lifetime customers!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ybor City Chiropractic; City: Tampa, FL; Review: Dr. Lambert is a miracle worker! Due to stress, previous injuries, poor posture, etc. I've found myself in pain and every time Dr. Lambert was able to get me pain free fast! His staff is incredibly friendly and they all really show they care about you. Fully recommend Dr. Lambert!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: RCA WHP141B 900MHZ Wireless Stereo Headphones; Brand: RCAW9; Review: Now I can watch my movies at night without disturbing my wife! Works great! Great sound and great signal! No distortion and holds a charge for several days before needing a recharge. Very very happy with these headphones!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SquareTrade 4-Year Office Protection Plan ($0-49.99); Brand: SquareTrade; Review: Great product for a great price!! Thank you!! :-); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SquareTrade 2-Year Small Appliance Protection Plan ($75-99.99); Brand: SquareTrade; Review: Great product for a great price!! Thank you!! :-); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Raytine for iPhone Adapter Headphone Adaptor 3.5mm Jack Dongle Earphone Connector Convertor 2 in 1 Accessories Charger Cables Charge; Brand: Raytine; Review: Great product for a great price!! Thank you!! :-); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SquareTrade 2-Year Housewares Extended Protection Plan ($250-299.99); Brand: SquareTrade; Review: Great product for a great price!! Thank you!! :-); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Asurion 1-Year Housewares Extended Protection Plan ($250-$300); Brand: ASURION; Review: Great product for a great price!! Thank you!! :-); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mount-It! Full Motion TV Wall Mount Bracket for 19, 20, 21, 24, 27 Inch TVs and Computer; Brand: Mount-It!; Review: Great product for a great price!! Thank you!! :-); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition; Brand: CanaKit; Review: Love it! Great buy!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SquareTrade 3-Year Housewares Extended Protection Plan ($175-199.99); Brand: SquareTrade; Review: Great item for a great price!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: What the Bleep Do We Know!?™: Discovering the Endless Possibilities for Altering Your Everyday Reality; Author: Visit Amazon's William Arntz Page; Review: There will always be skeptics, especially when the topics raised are so controversial. But I would also say to these skeptics that they're missing the point of this entire book and film: possibilitiy. The point is to challenge our minds, to explore the possibilities. Some critics have focused on the segment where it's stated that the brain doesn't recognize the difference between a real object and the thought of that object. Of course most of us know the difference between what is real and what is imagined. That's not the point here. What we should consider after hearing a statement like this how amazing the human brain is and perhaps study it further. I know many hard-core scientists shy away from "New Age" ideas and the types of possibiliites presented here. But what this book intends to show is that science and spirituality can be compatible and that an open mind can lead to growth on many levels. Check out the official "What the Bleep" web site. They recommend books on every topic mentioned in the film. And by the way, only 2 of the scientists in the film/book are associated with Ramtha. And you don't have to believe everything you read or hear in order to find this book (and film) fascinating. So what's the worst that can come of this? People begin to ask questions and start reading more about science and spirituality. Sounds like a healthy education to me.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Witches Tarot; Author: Visit Amazon's Ellen Dugan Page; Review: First, the cards. Each image is full of life and energy - the major arcana is particularly stunning! Some of the traditional cards have been changed (this deck uses Karma, Shadow Side, and Wheel of the Year) but I have other decks where the author has made changes to be consistent with the theme - in this case, I think it's very appropriate. The Tarot of the Old Path makes some changes like this, too (Mastery instead of Chariot, for example). The cards fit well in your hand and are easy to shuffle; back image is gorgeous and, for those of us who don't read reversed cards, you can tell the top from the bottom - but it's subtle. Now, in response to some of the other reviews about the artwork - yes, there may be one or two cards where some of the images are "too perfect." Actually, the only card where I really notice this is the Queen of Wands. The cat and the woman's face look like photos but the rest of the piece looks like a drawing. But this is a very minor detail. I have dozens of decks and there are always a couple cards that I don't love. This deck is, overall, spectacular. The artist's use of models/photos for this deck makes the images more realistic while still preserving a look of fantasy and mysticism. I know other artists who also use models and photos for their work and yet I see some other reviewers object to this; I think the realistic images give this deck personality - you can feel the story that each card portrays. And the book is, as all of Dugan's other work, excellent. I love the inclusion of the black and white images in the text so you don't have to shuffle through the cards to see the one being described and I particularly like the Triple Goddess Spread she introduces. Her experience is evident and her insight is helpful to new tarot readers.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gone Girl; Author: Visit Amazon's Gillian Flynn Page; Review: If you want a book you can't stop reading, this is it! I don't usually reach for these types of stories, but a friend told me what I'm telling you and she was right - once you start, you can't stop! I will definitely look for other titles by this author.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Every Witch Way: Spells and Advice From Two Very Different Witches; Author: Visit Amazon's Ellen Dugan Page; Review: This is a great book, a very enjoyable read! First of all, thanks to Tess for acknowledging the magical diet that encourages the health of our planet (I go back and forth between being a pescatarian or vegetarian). We can't deny the problems with our food system and the inhumane treatment of animals, not to mention the harm being done to the environment. If we're following a nature-centered spiritual path, I believe more attention needs to be paid to this aspect. Even if everyone went meatless once week it would make a difference. Thanks, Tess! I'm intrigued by the debate here (with so many negative reviews) regarding the Christian Witch issue. Some of the comments seem unfair to Ellen. Ellen has stated her opinion and given her reasons for it. People who are offended by her opinion should consider this: The people Ellen refers to are, I think, people who can't choose which path to follow - people who claim to be Christian Wiccans, which would be like her analogy of someone trying to be a Baptist Jew. They are two separate religions. This is what I think Ellen was trying to say. Someone in another review pointed out that Wicca is a religion but Witchcraft is not. This is, I believe, one of the core issues in play here. How you define the Craft will determine how you interpret the word "Christian Witch." It depends on if you think being a Witch is a spiritual path or not. Ellen does. That's the reason for her point of view. The term "Christian Witch" should probably be "Christian Mystic" instead. That would make more sense - especially if one does not view modern witchcraft as a religion or spiritual practice. Some people practice the Craft as "the craft of the wise" in non-spiritual ways by using natural remedies, for example, and not as a religion. Speaking as a Witch who was raised Catholic, I know there can be much "magic" in the faith, as Tess mentioned in her portion of the book. Spiritual paths can indeed be blended, and I don't think Ellen meant to deny that. But I also know that Wicca and Christianity are definitely two separate religions and I, personally, can't reconcile that (which is why I no longer practice that religion). People who can blend these paths can call themselves Christian Witches, I suppose, but then they would need to explain their definition of "Witch." Again, do they simply mean someone who uses herbs and rituals or do they also practice magick? If so, define magick. Ceremonial? Natural? Do these people see magick as spiritual (residing with gods and goddesses), part of nature, or within the self? Or all of these? There are even more problems here caused by different definitions of "magick." Ellen explains her side clearly. In her view, people can do harm by "dabbling" in the Craft. She's referring to people who disrespect magick by not treating it seriously. I don't think she disrespects the Christian religion by stating this. Being a Christian Wiccan, by her; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vampires Are Us: Understanding Our Love Affair with the Immortal Dark Side; Author: Visit Amazon's Margot Adler Page; Review: So sad to learn of Margot Adler's recent passing. She will be missed. In this book, Margot Adler gives delightful insight into her personal journey and investigation of vampires, then provides a detailed list of books to explore. It's a quick read, but worth every cent. And worth re-reading!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: iPhone SE / 5S / 5; Author: ; Review: Works great!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Miguel Cervantes' Wife Reveals Daughter, 3, 'Died in My Arms' After Entering Hospice Care; Abstract: Miguel Cervantes' Wife Reveals Daughter 'Died in My Arms' After Hospice Care; Category: tv
Title: Chrissy Teigen Predicts The Office's Jim and Pam Are Divorced Now, Sends Twitter into a Tailspin; Abstract: Chrissy Teigen Predicts The Office's Jim and Pam Are Divorced; Category: tv
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: Subtle Signs You May Have Clogged Arteries; Abstract: These surprising clues can point to clogged arteries and underlying heart disease.; Category: health
Title: Cartel gunmen terrorize Mexican city, free El Chapo's son; Abstract: Mexican security forces captured one of notorious drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's sons on Thursday, media reports said, after rumors of the detention led to fierce gunbattles in the city of Culiacan, a stronghold of the Sinaloa cartel.; Category: news
Title: Gabbard hits back at 'queen of warmongers' Clinton; Abstract: Presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) did not hold back Friday when responding to 2016 nominee Hilary Clinton's suggestion that she is the "favorite of the Russians" for 2020, excoriating the former secretary of State as "the queen of warmongers" and "personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party."; Category: news
Title: After Mormon Family's Terror in Mexico, a Message Emerges: No One Is Safe; Abstract: After Mormon Family's Terror in Mexico, a Message Emerges: No One Is Safe By Azam Ahmed LA MORA, Mexico Andre Miller saw the column of black smoke rising from at least a mile away.; Category: news
Title: No. 1 milk company declares bankruptcy amid drop in demand; Abstract: Dean Foods blamed a decadeslong drop in milk consumption that has seen people turn to alternatives like soda, juice and almond milk.; Category: finance | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Plantronics Voyager Pro HD Wireless Bluetooth Headset - Compatible with iPhone, Android, and Other Leading Smart Devices - Black; Brand: Plantronics; Review: mot as easy as I thought it would be to setup; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: iXCC 6-Feet 3.5mm Male to Male Universal Aux Audio Stereo Cable for Smartphones, Tablets and MP3 Player; Brand: iXCC; Review: Fumctions well; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Samsung Galaxy S3 Stand and Spare Battery Charger (2100mAh Battery Included) (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Samsung; Review: works well; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cable Matters HDMI to VGA Adapter (HDMI to VGA Converter) in White; Brand: Cable Matters; Review: Works fine; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hyperion Samsung Galaxy SIII 4200mAh Extended Battery + Pebble Blue Back Cover (Compatible with Samsung Galaxy S III; Brand: Live2Pedal; Review: Does not hold a charge for as long as I expected; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mr Shield For LG G PAD 7.0 V400 Anti-glare Screen Protector [3-PACK] with Lifetime Replacement Warranty; Brand: Mr Shield; Review: The squeegee supplied leaves scratches when using it to remove the airbubbles from the screen protector. I do not recommend this product..; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Travelodge by Wyndham Suites St Augustine; City: St Augustine Florida; Review: Not real close to the historic district, but a happy medium between the HD and access to I-95. Quiet area. Great room. We stopped in St. Augustine on our way back from the Masters and was treated to a real nice 2nd floor room that had a micro kitchen. Clean and well kept. We'll be back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Quality Inn Aiken; City: Aiken South Carolina; Review: Booked this room four months ahead to attend the Masters Golf Tournament. Saturday nights stay was $225.....a huge ripoff. These are $50 rooms in the middle of nowhere. Not even a decent restuarant nearby. Another thing....why is it that people that come in after midnight need to make enough noise to wake up the entire STATE of GA? At 4AM there were people still hanging around outside partying.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Jasmine House; City: Key West Florida Keys Florida; Review: Stayed June 2012 in the Wicker Bedroom. Although small, they make every usable space work. Only a block from the "center" of Duval, walking everywhere is convenient. The house is very quiet. Parking in the area is a premium, but this location comes with a great area to park.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bayfront Inn 5th Ave; City: Naples Florida; Review: We had a three night stay beginning on July 23. Check-in and check-out is easy and quick. Rooms are very well maintained. Each day we returned to our room and found it immaculate. The staff is friendly. The hotel has an outside bar overlooking the 'bay' with HD TV's. I will return.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Disney s All Star Music Resort; City: Orlando Florida; Review: This is a value resort so don't expect any fancy amenities. It is a value resort and that's it. If you stay here and like quiet, avoid Buildings 1,2,9, & 10. The pools are good and the food court is one of the best in the "value" category. Now for the "not so good". The rooms are dated. A bit old for WDW. Our room had a dresser where the draws would not close. The fan in the bathroom was on the same switch as the light and was REAL noisy. This hotel is not close to any parks other than Animal Kingdom so if you use WDW busses, it take a while to travel. I use my own car so it didn't matter. If you want to be closer to the parks, try Pop Century.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fairfield Inn Suites Palm Beach; City: Palm Beach Florida; Review: This hotel is between the Intercoastal and the Atlantic. The beach is right across the street. A ten minute drive North and you will be in downtown Palm Beach. The Fairfield has a nice pool, decent sized rooms, and a hot breakfast in the AM. The staff is wonderful.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rosen Inn; City: Orlando Florida; Review: We travel to Orlando several times each year and usually stay in a house or motel in the Rt 192 West area. This was our first trip to I-Drive in 15 years and wanted to stay near Universal. There are several Rosen properties on I-Drive. This one is the closest to Universal. The area is congested compared to 192-West, however the Rosen Inn was terrific for location, price, and amenities. The room had double beds, microwave and fridge. Breakfast buffet was perfect for a quick bite and exit to the parks. The AC is a bit noisy, but get the room real cold, then shut it off at bedtime.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Clarion Inn Conference Center; City: Winchester Virginia; Review: We stayed here on our way to New England. Easy access. Right off I-81. Rooms are big and clean. Location is close to restaurants and shopping. Staff was very helpful explaining directions to varoius sites. There is a Perkins on site making breakfast very easy before travelling again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jacksonville Plaza Hotel Suites; City: Jacksonville Florida; Review: We stayed here on our way to New England. It is right off the highway and in a nice safe area. This is a good alternative to the high priced hotels in the area. The location is close to the River City Marketplace which has many decent restaurants, such as Chili's, Boston's, Olive Garden, Cracker Barrel, etc. An excellent stay.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Disney s All Star Music Resort; City: Orlando Florida; Review: We are WDW Annual Passholders and visit WDW 4-5 times a year. Because we travel by car we have the option of staying on or off WDW property. This recent visit we stayed at the Music Resort at a discounted price. We used WDW online check-in and requested Building 7 or 8 and a TOP FLOOR room. When we arrived at 5:30PM, the cast member had us in a bottom floor room. Not a good start. We were using Magic Bands and they worked fine in getting into the room. The rooms are small; no coffee maker, fridge, or microwave. Rooms are very basic, although the TV's are HD quality. The hotel location is far away from all parks except Animal Kingdom. Each night returning to our hotel the security guard would stop us and request to see ID and Magic Bands, even though we had a WDW PARKING PASS in clear sight. If you are seeking quiet at night, avoid this hotel as it usually houses the group tours of teens from around the world.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Destiny Palms Hotel Maingate West; City: Kissimmee Florida; Review: This is located in a decent location with plenty of dining options nearby. Unless you know the back roads to WDW, it can be quite a ride to reach the parks. The hotel has some wear in comparison to the last time we stayed here. The rooms are small and the bathrooms are smaller. We reserved a STANDARD KING which was supposed to have a King Bed. The room had a queen and a sofa. The bed is comfortable and the location is quiet. The breakfast room is small with basic bakery items.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Red Roof Plus and Suites Naples; City: Naples Florida; Review: Don't forget....you are in Naples where affordability is not in the vocabulary. This Red Roof has been updated and is fine for the budget minded traveller. Nothing more. It is walking distance to Tin City, Olive Garden, Bonefish, and IHOP. We booked the room online at a decent rate. All was well except the room is noisy from the AC, bathroom fan, and Fridge. If you need more than a basic room, you will need to find another spot.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Park Inn by Radisson Resort Conference Center Orlando; City: Kissimmee Florida; Review: I am a FL resident and make my way to WDW 5-6 times a year. I stay on WDW property when they have FL resident deals, otherwise I stay on Rt192 West, the next best alternative. You can check my other reviews to get a good indication of what hotels are worth staying at if you are looking for a room at a reasonable rate. This hotel is NOT Radisson quality, however it is priced very reasonable for the room you get. The recent complaints are valid, as I was there during Pop Warner Football and there were unsupervised kids running around all day and night. So the smart thing is to avoid WDW during the Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer & Dance Championships which run the first two weeks of December. If you absolutely want to be at WDW and avoid the kids, stay at an upscale resort since the kids are usually on a budget and stay at the less expensive hotels. Will I come back....sure, but not during Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer & Dance Championships.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Disney s All Star Music Resort; City: Orlando Florida; Review: This is my second review of this "resort" and the place appears to be dated and worn. The ice maker on our floor was out of order the entire trip. We used "early check-in" on-line and requested a top floor in the Broadway section of the resort. This is usually an easy request since most people like the bottom floors. Upon arrival, we were given a 2nd floor room nowhere near the Broadway section. It took another 30 minutes to find us a top floor somewhere in the complex. The room was on the top floor and was designated handicap accessible. Why did WDW put handicap accessible rooms on the top floor? What happens in an emergency when elevators aren't working and people need to evacuate? Weekday rates are good, but a weekend stay is pricey in comparison to hotels close by. My weekend rate was 40% higher than the weekday rate I paid. The best reasons to stay here are: [1] Extra Magic Hour access to the Parks; [2] Free parking at the parks, [3] Fast Pass attractions can be loaded 60 days in advance. Other than those three reasons, I would only stay here at a discounted rate. If you have a car, you can do better off site.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Suites Fernandina Beach at Amelia Island; City: Fernandina Beach Amelia Island Florida; Review: Our trip to the Masters was begun here at the Comfort Inn. Room is ocean view and in a nice location. Short drive to the downtown area. Tried to check in at 2:30, but was turned away. The clerk said to come back at 4PM. When we returned she was no longer there. We got the feeling she was lazy and just wanted to have us come back later when she was gone.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Park Inn by Radisson Resort Conference Center Orlando; City: Kissimmee Florida; Review: We booked this hotel thru a third party web site. After receiving confirmation, I was informed of a resort fee. Be sure to check all additional charges if you are not booking direct with the hotel. This hotel is in a great location, close to the Animal Kingdom and just far enough away from Rt 192 West to avoid the road noise. We visit WDW quite often and check out this hotel first before booking. Rooms are clean. Plenty of amenities on site: Car Rentals, Shuttles, Restaurants, etc.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jasmine House; City: Key West Florida Keys Florida; Review: We have stayed here in the past and have always been satisfied with the Jasmine House. The location is in the middle of the island and 1 block from Duval. Parking in KW is a premium and Jasmine House has a private lot on premises. You can walk to most anywhere on the island from the house. The bedrooms are small, but there are bigger rooms for those who need space. Dave is a great host and is on premises most of the time.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Red Roof Plus and Suites Naples; City: Naples Florida; Review: We booked this place on their web site and got a nice room on the top floor overlooking the pool. HD - TV, Fridge, & Microwave were provided. The rooms have been renovated. The pool area is clean and well kept. You can walk to Tin City, Bonefish Grill, and Olive Garden. A short drive to 5th Avenue and 3rd Street. We will stay here again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Quality Inn Florida City; City: Florida City Florida; Review: We stop at this motel on our trips to the FL Keys. Rooms are nice, and the staff is helpful. A short drive to the east entrance of Everglades National Park. Breakfast is adequate for a good start to the day. We will return on our next trip to the Keys.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn Suites Vero Beach Downtown; City: Vero Beach Florida; Review: Great location, close to everything in Vero Beach. Rooms have large HD TV's; not fake HD's other hotels have. Quiet convenient location. Breakfast is in the lobby and is adequate. Eggs & Sausage, Make your own waffles, etc. Nice hotel !!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Travelodge by Wyndham Suites St Augustine; City: St Augustine Florida; Review: We like to visit St. Augustine every other year and stay here all the time. It is far enough away from the crowds, but close enough to the attractions. Rooms have a fridge & microwave. Pool is spotless. Don't expect much for breakfast, but there are plenty of spots nearby. We'll be back.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Hotel Suites; City: Swansea Massachusetts; Review: I cannot understand the negative complaints about this hotel. It is the nicest in the area. I grew up locally and had to return in February for the 1st time in years. This is the best hotel in the area....close to I-195. The rooms are fine. The breakfast room is well stocked and Skylar, the breakfast attendant is very accommodating. She is a great addition to the staff at H/Inn. If I need to return, this is the place to stay.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jasmine House; City: Key West Florida Keys Florida; Review: I try to stay here each time I visit KW. Dave is a great host. You can park and leave your car for the whole stay as the location is in the middle of the island, just off Duval. Rooms have small fridges and microwaves.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Southern Oaks Inn; City: St Augustine Florida; Review: This hotel is perfect....close enough to the City, but far enough away. Staff was great. They are always doing upgrades and working around the complex. I didn't have my laptop, but the lobby has a desk top that was available. Sit down breakfast is a plus, also.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Junge s Motel; City: North Conway Conway New Hampshire; Review: Been going to N. Conway for 30+ years and this is our 1st stay here. Clean and affordable. Met two little ladies that I assume ran the place. The place is right out of the movie "Blast from the Past" with 60's & 70's decor. Close to town & restaurants. It can get noisy with the train and traffic passing by.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Flagship Inn; City: Boothbay Harbor Maine; Review: Flagship is only a short drive from town. Price is reasonable. Breakfast is adequate. The gentleman hosting breakfast is personable and very helpful. Rooms are fine. We will return next year....lots to do there.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: CounterArt Flexible Cutting Mat with Food Icons, Set of 4; Brand: Counterart; Review: these work perfected for me; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Baker's Secret 5-Piece Measuring Spoon Set, Multi-Color; Brand: Baker's Secret; Review: very nice like them; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Avenue Six SAH3917-S37 AVE SIX Sahara Tufted Storage Bench in Fabric, Shultz Basil; Brand: Avenue Six; Review: using this as chair and storage; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kinetic Go Green Glassworks Elements Series 6-Piece Square Food Storage Container Set includes 3 Containers and 3 Vented Lids 55094; Brand: Kinetic; Review: liked them very much; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nova 5715 9 Feet 2 Inches X 12 Feet 6 Inches Black Modern Area Rugs; Brand: Persian-Rugs; Review: still using this its ok it covers ok; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Magic Bullet Deluxe 25 pc Set Blender Mixer [21 pc set with a 4 pc bonus]; Brand: Magic Bullet; Review: work very well but motor ran to soon; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pinzon Blended Egyptian Cotton 6-Piece Towel Set, White; Brand: Pinzon by Amazon; Review: still have this last very long; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign Thistle Shower Curtain, Standard - Green; Brand: InterDesign; Review: this curtain works well have to get another; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Umbra Skinny Trash Can – Sleek & Stylish Bathroom Trash; Brand: Umbra; Review: work well still using this; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chezmoi Collection 7-Piece Embroidered Floral Bed in a Bag Comforter Set Queen, Gray Blue; Brand: Chezmoi Collection; Review: need a new one now; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 3 Piece Bath Rug Set Pattern Bathroom Rug (20"x32")/large Contour Mat (20"x20") with Lid Cover (Brown); Brand: WPM; Review: work good; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign Thistle Shower Curtain, Long - Gray and Blue; Brand: InterDesign; Review: this curtain works well have to get another; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ninja Master Prep Pro 16oz Replacement Pitcher Bowl; Brand: Nutri Ninja Kitchen Systems; Review: love ninja had this one for about 3 years makes good smoothy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Norpro 6" tortilla maker; Brand: Norpro; Review: I makes my own wheat tacos thank you; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GreenPan Lima 12" Ceramic Non-Stick Covered Frypan; Brand: GreenPan; Review: used this tonight works very good; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tvilum Scottsdale 6 Drawer Double Dresser in Black Woodgrain; Brand: Tvilum; Review: a little large than I expected; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Office Star Metro Vinyl 2-Piece Storage Ottoman Nesting Cube Set with Dark Espresso Finished Feet, Purple; Brand: OSP Designs; Review: still using this ottoman works good; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hamilton Beach 70725A 12-Cup Stack & Snap Food Processor and Vegetable Chopper, Black; Brand: Hamilton Beach; Review: makes good butter; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: South Shore Step One Platform Bed with Storage, Full 54-Inch, Pure White; Brand: South Shore; Review: I returned this; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: South Shore Step One Platform Bed with Storage, Full 54-Inch, Chocolate; Brand: South Shore; Review: I returned this; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: JW HOL-ee Roller Original Treat Dispensing Dog Ball - Hard Natural Rubber - Assorted Colors; Brand: JW Pet; Review: Lasted half a day. My boxer had no trouble ripping it apart.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: JW HOL-ee Roller Original Treat Dispensing Dog Ball - Hard Natural Rubber - Assorted Colors; Brand: JW Pet; Review: Lasted half a day. My boxer had no trouble ripping it apart.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: JW HOL-ee Roller Original Treat Dispensing Dog Ball - Hard Natural Rubber - Assorted Colors; Brand: JW Pet; Review: Lasted half a day. My boxer had no trouble ripping it apart.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: JW HOL-ee Roller Original Treat Dispensing Dog Ball - Hard Natural Rubber - Assorted Colors; Brand: JW Pet; Review: Lasted half a day. My boxer had no trouble ripping it apart.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: DuraPaws 100% Waterproof Dog Boots - Snow Boots - Paw Protector for Snow, Rain & Salt; Brand: DuraPaws; Review: Perfect fit for our 120lb Great Dane. We bought these to use as a protective sleeve to go over our dog's bandaging, and it still fit well. It's easy to put on and take off, thanks to the two sturdy Velcro straps and the tightened at the top. Even our vet remarked that these looked like great booties. I also like the non-skid sole. Not s; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Pet_Supplies |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Lawn Green Artificial Silk Single Sleepsack Sleeping Bag Liner 210x90cm; Brand: Marycrafts; Review: Lightweight, feels good and easily packs back in the carry case it comes in. Much better alternative then cleaning the entire sleeping bag.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GRIP MASTER Gripmaster Pro Edition; Brand: GRIP MASTER; Review: This really gives you a work out! perfect strength building!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bell Protective Gear with Elbow Pads/Knee Pads and Gloves; Brand: Bell; Review: My 5 year old loved these and uses them all the time!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shakespeare Ugly Stik GX2 Ice Fishing Reel & Rod Combo; Brand: Shakespeare; Review: Told the wife I'm getting this for our 5 year old since it's small but will definitely use it for ice fishing! Our daughter does use it when we go camping and has caught numerous trout 10-14 inches long and the pole holds up just fine.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sawyer Products Mini Water Filtration System; Brand: Sawyer Products; Review: Been usimg one of these for 3 years and love it! Works great if you follow direction when storing it. I got several more for me hiking friends; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MOON LENCE Outdoor Ultralight Portable Folding Chairs with Carry Bag Heavy Duty 242lbs Capacity Camping Folding Chairs Beach Chairs …; Brand: MOON LENCE; Review: Perfect for backpacking if you are spoiled and don't like sitting on rocks or damp fallen trees! Don't even know how people go hiking without one of these! I'm 6 foot and 170lbs and this supports me easily!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Therm-a-Rest Compressible Travel Pillow for Camping, Backpacking, Airplanes and Road Trips; Brand: Therm-a-Rest; Review: Used this on a 4 day hiking trip, super comfy at nights and it's light! I had it rolled up and hanging on the side of my pack during the day and didn't notice it at all. Definitely a good product!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The WAY THINGS OUGHT TO BE; Author: Visit Amazon's Rush Limbaugh Page; Review: I don't know about Rush. On one side he's proud of the fact that only bacteria can survive humanity's onslaught against the environment, and on the other he believes in almost zero governmental intervention between individuals, which means only using government intervention to stop people from using guns against each other to compete in a free market (which is also an old insane way of doing things called Hobbsism). Both systems kill a lot of birds and people. Spotted owls and working class poor, beware, this guy doesn't give a crap about you. He's got his money after being fired "SEVEN" times, you go get yours... Oh, and did I mention that he wants people to believe luck has nothing to do with it... pitiful. I say, "If it doesn't put bread on the table, throw it away." This guy really is a Pinhead :(; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Slaughterhouse Five; Author: Visit Amazon's Kurt Vonnegut Page; Review: Dead eye Dick gives us that unique perspective that everything in life isn't exactly as it seems... even when you pull the trigger of a gun and arbitrarily kill a pregnant woman. Both sad and funny, and so honest, the way only Vonnegut can be honest.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Dharma Bums; Author: Visit Amazon's Jack Kerouac Page; Review: This is Jack jumping into the Budda scene. Good if you feel like you need a Zen fix, and his observations on how to aspire to happiness are actually quite good too.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Wampeters, Foma & Granfalloons: (Opinions); Author: Visit Amazon's Kurt Vonnegut Page; Review: You love Vonnegut, you love this book. Only he is capable of the gallows humor you see hear and it's nice that his humor is able to bring out the actuality of life in a way that is seldom realized for its irony.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Poverty in America: A Handbook; Author: Visit Amazon's John Iceland Page; Review: Read this book before you tell yourself life is fair and everyone has the capacity to become whatever they want. It will show you why even Bill Gates believes the luck of the draw has much to do with privilage when it comes to succeeding against poverty. BEST of all it maintains the fact that the poor need to struggle to survive.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: CDL - Commercial Driver's License Exam (CDL Test Preparation); Author: Editors of REA; Review: I just needed a study aid to brush up on my driving knowledge because my CDL is expiring and I am retaking it after 4 years to satisfy my licensing requirements. As it turns out, so much has changed that I actually only scored a 66% on the pre-test in this book, and I know this book is accurate because I immediately went to the DMV to get a study guide for the CDL and confirmed the information I missed. Of the two, this book is far easier to understand, has excellent pre-test material, and also a corresponding "Explaination to the Test Answers" key to help you better understand why a particular question is answered the way it is. As of now, in only a week's time, I have literally passed dozens of tests online with 100% scores and I am not nervous at all about going into the DMV next week. I can honestly say it is good to see such professional guide made available to people like me. I would direct anyone, a student, even a non-CDL driver to this book to learn about big trucks on the road. It's organized, easy to read and created the way a study aid should be... and up to date: this review is posted June, 9, 2012. (Oh, and for those who think a 66% is low, remember that many of the questions on the DMV's CDL test are worded with more than one correct answer. For instance: pushing in the clutch to correct a drive wheel skid is the same as letting off the accelerator because both reduce power to the drives, but the answer is to let off the accelerator on dry surfaces, or to let off the accelerator and push in the clutch on icy surfaces, depending on how the questions are worded. This book helps you to distinguish the very fine definitions many test questions are looking for, which is what caused my low score.); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grow a Pair: How to Stop Being a Victim and Take Back Your Life, Your Business, and Your Sanity; Author: Visit Amazon's Larry Winget Page; Review: Let's see what Larry Winget has to say about the work place: 1. Completely remove yourself and your skills from the work place so that you can be a complete automaton. 2. Let the bullies over you run you. 3. You can learn better by being insulted. 4. Work smarter and faster by only applying what your boss has to say, and if that doesn't work then you are the one who doesn't care, who is wrong, and who should be fired (and how many times have you been in this position in your life?). 5. You're stupid because you can't live on minimum wage, and should be grateful that you get it... and in his latest book, "Grow a Pair," you are now being asked to go out and spread the insults. The fact is, this book teaches you nothing about autonomy, which is to become self managed. It teaches you to be bullied down on and it glorifies bullies in the work place. No wonder America's Corporations are such a fan of this guy. When the big slum economy finally becomes the American way of life, the way it has in China, Islam, Africa and India, he'll be up there in his "corporate funded mansion" spitting down on the common people just like the rest of the elitist in the world. Fact is: if you want a life and a retirement, get out of your corporate job and create your own dynamic for wealth. Learn a skill set and become autonomous by applying your trade. Treat people like they are gold and you will attract golden people. Treat people the way Larry Winget does and you will end up with a slum economy and a whole civilization of people who think they are dirt and treat each other like dirt in order to maintain dirt so that people like him can pretend they have a place in the world. (And finally, Hey Larry! Did you know that the term "COMMON SENSE" is a cop out for lousy training? Grow up, and grow a pair! Society is in the condition it is because of social neglect and suppression by bullies in the work place, because of the shirking of "CORPORATE" responsibility, which should be taking care of people by building them up as their corporations grow, and not by condemning them with a lower standard of living year after year, because of the outsourcing of jobs to foreign countries by the millions in the name of Globalism, because of banking paradigms created to escalate poverty, because of religious disorder and confusion, and the plain old lack of common courtesy. Bullies like you in the work place need to be shut down and shut up because your message is simply to insult, degrade and oppress your fellow workers. I am tired of "know it all's" like you who are incapable of creating a good work environment based on stability, reliability and "SUSTAINABLITY," instead of bullying threats and resource reduction (this latter means keeping people at work through constant training instead of firing; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Shrieks and Shivers: from the Horror Zine; Author: The Horror Zine; Review: This is one of those short fiction books that goes far above the usual entertainment bar. It isn't just a collection of finely written, well edited, painstakingly sculpted literary pieces so perfectly scribed it takes your breath away. But also has material directly related to the craft (my favorite being John Russo's, A word about Zombies). In my Kindle version I was also able to tap the writer's names and go directly to their own websites, or find their publishers and websites internet addresses to read even more. Considering you have such greats as Bentley Little, Ray Garton, William F. Nolan, and Tom Piccirilli floating around with the assorted bodies, boogers and boogy men, that's a pretty big deal. Both scary and imminently readable, this is going to remain one of the best short fiction novels of 2015.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Otherworlders; Author: Visit Amazon's Angela Cavanaugh Page; Review: The concept supporting this novel really is unique. At first glance it appears to be an overly caring government attempting to save the remnants of the human race, but then it becomes something altogether memorable as those very people begin to disclose the good and the bad fabric that make up the human condition. Altogether intriguing, romantic, and terrifying. Mrs. Cavanaugh takes us on a journey into to a new way of living, and reveals a lot of deep lessons about ourselves along the way. Definitely a good read, with a plot you won't easily guess or forget.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fragment; Author: WARREN FAHY; Review: I've seen a lot of readers compare "Fragment" to Jurassic Park and I would like to say that it's nothing like Jurassic Park. The Author Warren Fahy does have much in common with Jurassic Park's author Michael Cricton, though. His premise stems from evolution, is well researched, and illustrates many of today's scientific discoveries regarding animal species. But that's where any similarity ends because Fragment leaves the present and takes you into the future of what could only be described as super-evolution. Animals cut straight from the cloth of perceivable reality jump out at you, and they are terrifying. On Warren Fahy's, Henders Island, the animals need not fear humanity for theirs is a charter that only became stronger over the millennia; strong enough to survive, and should they ever break free, strong enough to conquer. Well worth the read and it will leave you thinking for a long time, about the possibility of hidden species that could be hidden anywhere on our planet.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pandemonium; Author: Visit Amazon's Warren Fahy Page; Review: An excellent book for the person interested in the diverse ways evolution constantly works through mutation to change the fate of all life on earth. In Pandemonium, Fragment's terrifying strains return. This time though, the beasts and insects of Henders Island are found and harvested as weapons of mass destruction for use by a paranoid Russian with misgivings for the Motherland. Scientists Nell and Geoffrey, also from Fragment, join him, and are taken into an underground city where they are forced once again to combat the Twentieth century's most terrifying creatures. This time, though, Fragment's wildlife is joined by even stranger denizens living below ground: ones more ghastly, and some more ghostly than you can imagine. An additional must read is the fate of the Hendoes: Henders Island's intelligent life forms. Seeing how society welcomes them, and fears them in equal parts, is a revealing and enlightening piece of the novel written with heart and a lot of compassion. Warren Fahy's Fragment series deserves a place at the forefront of the Twentieth Century's most imaginative horror. Filled with creatures and situations grown out of an almost intimate understanding of modern genetics: it is well worth the read, and the nightmares you'll have soon after. Scary in a big way - you'll never take nature for granted again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mulligan: a tale of time travel and second chances; Author: Visit Amazon's Hank Garner Page; Review: I loved this book. As the name implies, Mulligan is about real life and the things one might do with second chances. Hank has a real talent for touching deep into the heart and soul of human character. He knows how to take you down into the worst fate can offer, and how to take you back up again, to that revered, and best part of life, where you take risks and succeed against terrible odds. Readable and definitely enjoyable, Mulligan doesn't just make you think about life, it makes you want to live it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Feast of Frights from The Horror Zine; Author: Visit Amazon's Jeani Rector Page; Review: An incredible deal for .99 cents. We're talking well written, perfectly edited stories (one by Joe R. Lansdale himself). And if that isn't reason enough to invest in a little "scary time," then just remember Stephen King himself has said that horror stories can be a catharsis for purging that which ails you: this meaning Jeani obviously wants her readers to reach age 150 or more without medical intervention. So drop the apple a day, and pick up the book being as the surrealistic horror in "A feast of frights," could be the best thing to ever happen to you :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Arachnophile eBook; Author: Visit Amazon's Betty Rocksteady Page; Review: Have you ever wondered what it would be like to integrate giant spiders into modern society? Well you can stop wondering because Betty has done it. This story is an indie and it is as raw and emotionally charged as anything you'll ever read. Like Kafka's Metamorphosis, there are lessons and lessons in this one. From the "perfectly politically correct wife" to the "arachnophobe husband" who can't control his urges, this story will take you places you never dreamed possible. A definite must read, and especially so if you're trying to figure out the perfect gift for the new neighbor... the one spinning the webs and waiting to meet you through a door that's been left slightly open so you can find your way in.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Santa Monica Pier Shooting Wounds Man In Leg; Abstract: A shooter is at large Thursday after wounding a man in a leg in the parking lot of the Santa Monica Pier.; Category: news
Title: California finds widespread water contamination of 'forever chemicals'; Abstract: Nearly 300 drinking water wells and other water sources in California have traces of toxic chemicals linked to cancer, new state testing has found. Testing conducted this year of more than 600 wells across the state revealed pockets of contamination, where chemicals widely used for decades in manufacturing and household goods have seeped into the public's water supply. An analysis by the Los Angeles Times found that within this class of...; Category: news
Title: Mad About You Star Helen Hunt Taken to Hospital After Car Is T-Boned and Rolls Over in Accident; Abstract: Helen Hunt Rushed to Hospital After Car Gets T-Boned in Accident; Category: tv
Title: California gets ready for more wildfires and power outages as the weather refuses to cooperate; Abstract: Just as firefighters got a grip on a blaze that tore through the swanky Pacific Palisades, other Californians are at risk of unpredictable wildfires this week.; Category: news
Title: Ronaldo asks US court to dismiss rape case or OK mediation; Abstract: Cristiano Ronaldo's lawyers are asking a U.S. judge to dismiss a Nevada woman's lawsuit alleging the soccer star raped her in Las Vegas in 2009 or to order closed-door settlement talks.; Category: sports
Title: Former President Jimmy Carter suffers pelvic fracture after falling in Georgia home; Abstract: Former President Jimmy Carter was taken to the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center for "observation and treatment," according to the Carter Center; Category: news
Title: How much Social Security you could get from a $75,000 salary; Abstract: The first monthly Social Security check was cashed in 1940 for a grand total of about $23. Fast forward to 2019, and the average retired worker gets almost $1,500 a month. How much you receive is based on your income, the year you were born and the age you decide to start taking benefits. So what if you earn a $75,000 salary? Here's how your monthly benefit is calculated, and how much you can expect when you retire.; Category: finance
Title: Explosive new wildfire drives thousands from homes near Los Angeles; Abstract: The Maria fire ignited in Ventura County early Thursday night and raced westward, consuming 4,000 acres in just three hours.; Category: weather
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: She Fought for Muslim Women. Then She Was Found Dead.; Abstract: Ola Salem was, by all accounts, fearless. As a teenager, she stood up to the managers of an amusement park after she was not allowed on rides because she was wearing a head scarf.; Category: news
Title: Cause determined in Jessi Combs' fatal speed record crash; Abstract: Occurred at speeds near 550 mph; Category: autos
Title: 691,145 Californians left last year: What state did they go to?; Abstract: Look at the comings and goings as a ratio of ins to outs. Tiny Idaho wins this race with 497 arrivals from the Golden State for every 100 former Gem State residents who moved to California.; Category: finance
Title: The Latest: Kansas City to remove King's name from street; Abstract: The Latest on Kansas City's vote to remove the name of Martin Luther King Jr. from a major boulevard (all times local): 9:45 p.m. Kansas City voters have overwhelmingly approved removing the name of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from a city boulevard in favor of the street's original name,; Category: news
Title: A man dies in Hawaii after falling into a lava tube in his yard; Abstract: An elderly man died after falling into a lava tube on his property in Hilo, Hawaii, police announced on Wednesday.; Category: news
Title: Far-reaching snowstorm may take shape over US; Abstract: A winterlike pattern will continue to unfold across much of the eastern two-thirds of the nation into next week as a brutal one-two punch of bitterly cold air plunging into the United States will set the stage for another major storm.; Category: weather
Title: Could this court case be the key to finding Dubai's missing princesses?; Abstract: Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai and his wife are locked in a child custody battle in the UK, and the case could shed light on the fate of Dubai's missing princesses.; Category: news | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Superb Cube 1.4 Inch Cube Silicone Ice Cube Tray with EZ-Release & No-Spill Steel Reinforced Rim; Brand: Pratico Kitchen; Review: Purchased the 9 cube tray a few weeks ago, loved it so much bought the larger tray, Ice last twice as long as the store bought ice. Highly recommend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Under Armour Lunch Box, Academy Stripe; Brand: Thermos; Review: great lunch bag .easy to keep clean ,hard inside liner; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Burl & Blade Handmade Zebrawood Large (16-Inch-by-24-Inch) Cutting and Chopping Board; Brand: Burl & Blade; Review: had chip / holeon cutting suface which would have trapped food,expected better quality control for a product made in America,returned item; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Lodge SCRAPERGPK Durable Grill Pan Scrapers, Red and Black, 2-Pack; Brand: Lodge; Review: cleans grill; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Collections Etc Lighted Nativity Scene Christmas Wreath; Brand: Collections Etc; Review: nice,will buy again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Now Designs Basketweave Kitchen Towel, Set of 3, Red; Brand: Now Designs; Review: great towel. very absorbante; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Red Nomad - Full Size 4 Inch Thick, Ultra Premium Visco Elastic Memory Foam Mattress Pad Bed Topper; Brand: Red Nomad; Review: No smell . It took a week to break it in. . I purchased the 3" . Wish I had tried the 1". Would highly recommend Red Nomad to revive an old mattress.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Lee Men's Dungarees Belted Compound Zipper Cargo Short; Brand: ; Review: Husband likes them, Wears them a lot.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: New Balance Men's MT410V4 Trail-Running Shoe; Brand: ; Review: I ordered these to get the width but should have gone down a 1/2 size as they are rather longer than I expected. I've got ample width as well. I can wear them and will, But next time I will make sure I get the smaller size.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: New Balance Men's MT410V4 Trail-Running Shoe; Brand: ; Review: I ordered these to get the width but should have gone down a 1/2 size as they are rather longer than I expected. I've got ample width as well. I can wear them and will, But next time I will make sure I get the smaller size.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: New Balance Men's MT410V4 Trail-Running Shoe; Brand: ; Review: I ordered these to get the width but should have gone down a 1/2 size as they are rather longer than I expected. I've got ample width as well. I can wear them and will, But next time I will make sure I get the smaller size.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: New Balance Men's MT410V4 Trail-Running Shoe; Brand: ; Review: I ordered these to get the width but should have gone down a 1/2 size as they are rather longer than I expected. I've got ample width as well. I can wear them and will, But next time I will make sure I get the smaller size.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: New Balance Men's MT410V4 Trail-Running Shoe; Brand: ; Review: I ordered these to get the width but should have gone down a 1/2 size as they are rather longer than I expected. I've got ample width as well. I can wear them and will, But next time I will make sure I get the smaller size.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: MOXY Socks Chicken Legs Knee-High Fitness Novelty Socks; Brand: MOXY Socks; Review: Little bit on the expensive side. I was expecting better quality, given the price. But no. these are just way over priced novelty socks.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: The Westin New York Grand Central; City: New York City New York; Review: The room was clean, location eas fair. I just had two problems and both were solved quickly, first one was the deposit that they take from the credit card, they freezed 450 dolars more from my card, then i asked for a king bed, they saod that the only available was a two double bed room. We were moved to a bigger room with king bed next day, higher floor and a better view of nyc skyline. I may come back; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Altocerro Villas Hotel Camping; City: Constanza La Vega Province Dominican Republic; Review: We had a very special weekend there, we were received with fruits in our room, good service. Staff was friendly and we had a good time at hotel,s backyard. Decoration is rustic, do not expect stylish forniture, but it was just perfect. Food at restaurant was delicious.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grand Hyatt New York; City: New York City New York; Review: Tremendous location, room was clean it just have some small details to be fixed like painting the shower tub. Room size was average, service was good, food from room service was very good. Very busy hotel, there were police barricades outside, maybe there was a president or something, maybe because it is near to UN. Is a good choice and i will repeat. The hallways were noisy and you can hear anyone who is walking or talking around.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sublime Samana Hotel Residences; City: Las Terrenas Samana Province Dominican Republic; Review: beach is really good, only some waves, i recommend that you swim like 10 meters away and it will be pleasent. Staff is friendly and full of details for the visitors. i Highly recommend. Bottles of water are given for free at the front desk. You can ask about late checkout and there wont be any problem at all.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Le 123 Elysees Astotel; City: Paris Ile de France; Review: Never a doubt that is the best place to stay in Paris, rooms size are correct, service is very good, nice breakfast and bar. Is near Champs Elysees about two 5 minutes walk, it has a starbucks right in front, a boulangerie in next building and some arabian places for having a snack nearby. Es very close to train station and has a metro a few meters away. i highly recommend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Villa Celeste Estate; City: Jarabacoa La Vega Province Dominican Republic; Review: It is attended by owners, they will give you a family treat. Beds are ok and the property has many spaces for having relaxing moments. It is surrounded by nature. Breakfast was ok, fruits, delicious croissants and orange juice.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Duesseldorf City North; City: Dusseldorf North Rhine Westphalia; Review: I stayed for Interpack, and the hotel rate was like 7.5 times what it normally costs. Service is very good i have no complains, rooms are small. If i payed its real value i would give the five stars is clean, good design. Location was good, 5 minutes walk to metro.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Bowling for Columbine (2002); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Winged Migration (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: About Schmidt (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Waking Life (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Brazil (1985); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: S.W.A.T. (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Open Range (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Equilibrium (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Better Off Dead (1985); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Man Who Cried (2000); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Seabiscuit (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Walk to Remember (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Benny and Joon (1993); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Road to Perdition (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Boy and His Dog (1975); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Innerspace (1987); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Limbo (1999); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Road Warrior (1981); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Johnny English (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Nick of Time (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Graffiti: Collector's Edition (1973); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: American Splendor (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Thirteen (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shakespeare in Love (1998); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Time Bandits (1981); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Catch 22 (1970); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Matrix: Revolutions (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Missing (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Love Actually (2003); Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Platoon (1986); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Last Samurai (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Paycheck (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sweet Home Alabama (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Along Came Polly (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alien vs. Predator (2004); Rating: 1.0/5.0 | netflix |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Where'd You Go, Bernadette; Author: Visit Amazon's Maria Semple Page; Review: I found this book to be very well-written, intelligent, and extremely entertaining. It was also very different from many of the books I've read. I would certainly recommend it!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Better Off Without Him; Author: Visit Amazon's Dee Ernst Page; Review: This book was extremely witty, and everything I love in a quick, easy read. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for something light, sarcastic, and entertaining.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight; Author: Visit Amazon's Gretchen Rubin Page; Review: This book is different from any book I've ever read. It was extremely thought provoking and insightful, and a book that you can read over and over again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: This Is Where I Leave You: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Jonathan Tropper Page; Review: I would highly recommend this book for a light read. It was very funny and sarcastic, and it was well written.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Truly Madly Guilty: From the bestselling author of Big Little Lies, now an award winning TV series; Author: MORIARTY LIANE; Review: Loved it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Canada; Author: Visit Amazon's Richard Ford Page; Review: Certainly well written and at times thoughtful, Ford's narrator reflects back on how his childhood was affected by the activities of his parents. I like the Harry Bascomb books better.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: This is How You Lose Her; Author: Junot Diaz; Review: What seems like this book of short stories is actually glimpses of the life of Diaz' alter ego, Yunior. Each chapter is usually dedicated to a girl in his life that he made love to and cheated on. A character flaw that not only runs in his family but one that he hints is part of being a Dominican male. The stories are not in sequential order but as a whole give you an articulate look, in Diaz' curse filled vernacular, of Yunior's life, moving to Jersey next to a landfill, growing up with a brother who died of cancer, hardly knowing a father who lived in the states for five years before bringing his family. Diaz states that his stories are not autobiographical but deeply personal. This book is also about the writing, which is a joy to read. A quote from the New Yorker magazine's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman, calls his voice "unlike any I've come across, with its combination of the lyrical and the vernacular, of English and Spanish, of speech rhythms and internal reflection. It has a kind of unstoppable energy, an inexorable drive forward -- even when his stories move in difficult or tragic directions, the language jumps off the page in ways that can be simultaneously comic and heartbreaking. " Only one story is not narrated by Yunior and in that one we come to realize it is the voice of the mistress his dad has in America while Yunior and his mom remain hopeful of being called up to the states. Perhaps her voice will create a new novel idea. One can only hope. I think his Oscar Wao novel is essential reading for all. This collection continues to confirm his gift. Some great lines listed below for a flavor of the writing: But that was before shed gotten that chest, before that slash of black hair had gone from something to pull on the bus to something to stroke in the dark. In another universe I probably came out OK, ended up with mad novias and jobs and a sea of love in which to swim, but in this world I had a brother who was dying of cancer and a long dark patch of life like a mile of black ice waiting for me up ahead. YOU, YUNIOR, HAVE A GIRLFRIEND named Alma, who has a long tender horse neck and a big Dominican ass that seems to exist in a fourth dimension beyond jeans. An ass that could drag the moon out of orbit. An ass she never liked until she met you. Aint a day that passes that you don't want to press your face against that ass or bite the delicate sliding tendons of her neck. You love how she shivers when you bite, how she fights you with those arms that are so skinny they belong on an after- school special. The half life of love is forever.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Redeployment; Author: Visit Amazon's Phil Klay Page; Review: 2014's National Book Award winner certainly deserved the recognition. Klay's book of short stories explored, with various narrators and scenarios, some the horrors, atrocities, irony and confusion that our soldiers faced serving in the Iraqi war. I loved Tim O'Brian's book The Things They Carried and this set of stories is the next generation of that classic. A quote from the NYTimes states: Klay succeeds brilliantly, capturing on an intimate scale the ways in which the war in Iraq evoked a unique array of emotion, predicament and heartbreak. In Klays hands, Iraq comes across not merely as a theater of war but as a laboratory for the human condition in extremis. Redeployment is hilarious, biting, whipsawing and sad. Its the best thing written so far on what the war did to peoples souls. I look forward to more of this new author's work. I would also recommend Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk and Yellow Birds; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Buddha in the Attic; Author: Visit Amazon's Julie Otsuka Page; Review: June 14 Julie Otsuka creates an interesting piece of historical fiction as she depicts a time in the early 1900's, as a group of young women from Japan are brought to San Francisco as mail- order brides. In eight chapters, narrated in the first person plural, The Buddha in the Attic traces their new lives. Not only were their lives not quite what was expected but neither was the narrative style of the author. This was a different sort of novel to read, written in 1st person plural. Each chapter depicts a time in the lives of the mail -order brides, first the boat ride, then the first night with their new husband and eventually being seen as traitors and sent to relocation camps. I would have to say that it was a good thing that the book was so brief because once you get the style, it loses something of a narrative by not having any characters to follow. I can assume from the acknowledgement that there was a good amount of research put into the book, so each sentence is like a separate image or a line of poetry and as a whole you get to experience what they endured. The Japanese people depicted in this account come off as incredibly noble and trusting that things will work out. Some sample lines are listed below: We forgot about Buddha. We forgot about God. We developed a coldness inside us that still has not thawed. I fear my soul has died. We stopped writing home to our mothers. We lost weight and grew thin. We stopped bleeding. We stopped dreaming. We stopped wanting. We simply worked, that was all. The Nishimotos of San Carlos left out bowls of fresh orchids from their nursery on their kitchen table for whoever was moving in next. Haruko left a tiny laughing brass Buddha up high, in a corner of the attic, where he is still laughing to this day.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Under the Wide and Starry Sky: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Nancy Horan Page; Review: I finished reading Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan. It tells the story of Robert Louis Stevenson and the older women named Fanny that he falls in love with, not dissuaded from the notion that she is already married with children. Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne has left her husband to his affairs as she set out to Antwerp to study art . Soon she finds herself in Paris and after the death of her youngest son, seeks rest and consolation. Robert helps her to mend and they fall in love. The novel details their life together , through his budding writing career, his struggle with tuberculosis and his eventual fame that provides them the money for their greatest south seas adventure. I enjoyed seeing how Horan depicted the creative mind at work. It seemed that Stevenson valued his dreams, the "brownies" he called them , for inspiration. He seemed to have the ability to go back to sleep and pick up where his internal narrative left off. It's hard not to quickly Google the facts of their relationship as you read, but I would recommend against it. It's better to let the author weave them into her engaging narrative. I would be interested in reading Horan's book Loving Frank as well. There is always a new book to add to my list.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sharp Objects; Author: gillian-flynn; Review: Having read and enjoyed Gone Girl, I decided to pick up an earlier novel by Gillian Flynn. This was an easy and involving read, mostly because of the choice of narrator. Camille is a thirty something reporter for Chicago paper who is sent home to cover a story about the dissapearence and possibly the second murder of a teenage girl. Since this is the small Missouri twon that she fled, her editor felt it would be a good angle for her to get invovlved. But Camille left Wind Gap for a reason, it was a twon that left scars. Her less that happy childhood, raised by her considerably less than maternal mother sent Camille to years of therapy and much self abuse. During the course of this return visit, Camille has to re evaluate the death of her own sister and try to understand the behavior of her younger sister Amma. This saga takes the idea of a dysfunctional family to a new level. Flynn delevers a good amount of action and readers that liked the most sinister parts of Gone Girl will not be disappointed.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Paying Guests; Author: Visit Amazon's Sarah Waters Page; Review: After WW1, when Frances Wray and her mother decide to take on boarders to help cover the cost of expenses, the "Paying Guests" (newly married Leonard and Lillian Barber) become much more than just an inconvenient adjustment for the new landlords. The lives of these four people will become intertwined in unimaginable ways. This novel set in the 1920's after WW1, paints an interesting history of illicit love and spontaneous actions that have disastrous effects. This passage from the book , a dream Frances has, sums up her situation and the reader's experience: " she closed her eyes, leaned back into her pillowand suddenly she found herself in an unfamiliar house with crumbling walls. How had she got there? She had no idea. She knew only that she had to keep the place from collapsing. But the task was like torture. The moment she got one wall upright, the next would start to tilt; soon she was rushing from room to room, propping up sagging ceilings, hauling back the slithering treads of tumbling staircases. On and on she went, through all the hours of the night; on and on, without pause, staving off one impossible catastrophe after another." Part love story, part murder mystery, part courtroom drama, there is something for every reader. The reader is also challenged to draw their own conclusions as to whether these characters are sympathetic or morally corrupt. I can certainly say that the story held my interest as some 500 plus pages flew by in a week's time, which for me is pretty quick reading. I think the setting, life in England after the war, many of the men lost, the class system beginning to fade, made the novel more engaging, providing a sense of time for the reader rather than just a well told tale.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Our Souls at Night (Vintage Contemporaries); Author: Visit Amazon's Kent Haruf Page; Review: It's been some years since I have read Ken Haruf's Plainsong and Eventide, but I remember loving the depiction of quiet dignity that he gave to his characters and the rendering of life in Holt, Colorado, -farming, ranch life- hard work done uncomplainingly by people not looking for help. So needless to say I was very pleased to have happened upon this simply told story about people needing to connect in order to feel alive. In a wonderful opening for the story, Addie Moore walks over to her neighbor's house, Louis. Though they are in their 70's and mostly just casual acquaintances, Addie proposes that Louis consider coming over some nights and sharing a bed with her. She misses not having a body next to her and would welcome someone to talk to in bed, at night, when she suspects they are both most lonely. She is right. As this arrangement unfolds and the town raises an eyebrow, we get to share in the history of these two, their tragedies, their affairs, their dreams. Life starts to interfere in their new found closeness as Addie's grandson comes to live with her while her son works on his marriage. The inclusion of the young boy only makes the reader more aware of how good hearted these two are. And though their are few who approve of their shared happiness, it will be hard to separate these two from staying connected - Our Souls at Night. As this novel was written as the author himself was dying, we can only thank him for deciding to put forth the effort to create this last sweet tale. Treat yourself to this novel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Slade House: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's David Mitchell Page; Review: I have to say I had no idea what I was getting into as I started this novel. Having read Cloud Atlas and knowing Mitchell to be one of the bigger names in current literature, I was surprised by the soul sucking, vampire -like plot lines. But like Cloud Atlas, I enjoyed the mystery of time and the connections between the nine years' apart character studies. NYT- " Slade House is told in five chapters, spaced nine years apart. The first takes place in 1979, the last in 2015. In each chapter, a victim enters the compound. Muggles will not do. The twins need engifted humans with potent psychovoltage" It's always interesting to find yourself rooting for the bad guys but with this I did. After all, it's not everyday we get to read about the pros and cons of trying to live forever. I read that this novel was initiated on twitter, which makes it seem like it must have been a bit of a lark for the author. But overall I enjoyed the quick diversion of this novel. Some good lines: "Mums eyes have tiny red veins like rivers photographed from very high up." "Im not in the Scouts anymore, I remind her. Mr. Moody our scoutmaster told me to get lost, so I did, and it took the Snowdonia mountain rescue service two days to find my shelter. Id been on the local news and everything. Everyone was angry, but I was only following orders." "Five years, one wedding, one dismal honeymoon in Venice, four Christmases with Julies god-awful pinko tree-hugging relatives, fifteen hundred bowls of Shredded Wheat, two hundred and fifty bottles of wine, thirty haircuts, three toasters, three cats, two promotions, one Vauxhall Astra, a few boxes of Durex, two emergency visits to the dentist, dozens of arguments of assorted sizes and one beefed-up assault charge later, Julies still living in our cottage with a view of woods and horses, and Im in a flat behind the multistory car park. "Grief is an amputation, but hope is incurable hemophilia: you bleed and bleed and bleed. Like Schrdingers cat inside a box you can never ever open."; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fates and Furies; Author: Visit Amazon's Lauren Groff Page; Review: According to her acknowledgement that follows this clever, well written novel, Lauren Groff thanks her husband Clay for providing that instant, "I'd marry him" moment that is the genesis for this novel. Hopefully that is the only autobiographical connection. Groff's novel gives us a portrait of a marriage, divided into two parts. Fates is the story of Lancelot Satterwhite whose privileged childhood is interrupted when his father suffers a fatal stroke. When his mother then moves to the other side of town he starts to get in trouble with the local misfits. His mother will have no part of it and sends him off to a New England boarding school. He meets some wealthy friends, finds a niche in acting and seems to have a bevy of women who love making love to him. Then he sees Mathilde and is so taken by her virginal beauty, he proposed to her. The author uses parenthesis to interject "[Suspend them there, in the minds eye: skinny, young, coming through dark toward warmth, flying over the cold sand and stone. We will return to them. For now, hes the one we cant look away from. He is the shining one.] They do in fact fall in love and marry early at 22, so early that his mother takes his trust money away. And so we see the twenty year marriage of these two, his acting turning into the more successful playwriting. Her working to keep them afloat and supporting his genius. We see them through their parties and the eyes of their friends. Then the second half of the book ,The Furies, retells this whole saga, only now the narrator tells the same scenes giving us Mathilde's insights. Everything we think we saw happen now becomes explained and intertwined through the troubled history of a girl once named Aurelie whose troubled life may or may not explain her motivation. Suffice it to say there is deceit, blackmail, and cruelty. Reading the second half makes you go back and rethink the first and also rethink the nature of what determines a person's goodness. The writing is clever with insightful images and the story line had me at hello.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Did You Ever Have a Family; Author: Visit Amazon's Bill Clegg Page; Review: I loved this book which reminded me a bit of Olive Kitterage, without the humor. Clegg tells a story of tragedy through many voices and perspectives, though June Reid and Lydia Morey take up most of our emotion. June is a wealthy divorcee who has taken up with a local landscaper who is 20 years younger. She lives in her beachfront home in Massachusetts where her daughter is about to get married. The chapters are told in alternating voices, mostly characters that surround a tragic house explosion that wiped out June's daughter, Lolly, her fianc Will, her ex-husband, Adam and her current boyfriend, Luke. So it is understandable that we see June driving away, to get away, at the start of the novel. On her trip she discovers a letter from Lolly about this motel in Washington where Will proposed to her and June winds up staying there. The other voices include Lydia who is Luke's mother , a son she conceived with another man and whose blackness would seal the break up of her bad marriage with Earl. Here is a quote from a local gossip about Lydia, "The woman hes heard described as the mother of the crackhead whose negligence blew up a house and killed three people and himself; the sex-mad slut who cheated on Earl Morey with a migrant worker, a drug dealer, a hitchhiker, a Zulu tribesman; the mother of the hustler who conned June Reid into being his sugar mama until she threw him out and he came back on a suicide mission; the monster who gave birth to a bad seed who finally got what was coming to him." So as you can see, Luke gets a raw deal throughout this narrative. In addition, on the West coast there are characters who are trying to decipher what is going on with the unknown woman in room 6 who checked in without ID and only pays cash. These women include Rebecca and Kelly, two gay women who have recently bought the motel and Cissy, a part Indian cleaning woman who seems to take care of providing sustenance for June. And there are more characters, Silas, that teenage boy whose bong hits become integral to the plot, and Dale, Will's father who has the perfect family with his wife Mimi, and three children. At one point just before the wedding, Prudence, his daughter is asked by an overwhelmed June, Did You Ever Have a Family? Prudence is happy to be utterly thankful for hers, including her brother Will. "Will was the son-in-law Adam always dreamed of: the kind of guy to read up on infectious diseases in foreign countries before traveling there, who paid all of his bills on time, filled the coffeemaker with water and ground beans and set the timer the night before." He is then the opposite of June and her daughter Lolly, who never took the time to fix what needed to be fixed. There is also something about itinerant living situations here, or about motels. Many of the narrators - Cissy, Lydia,; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Harder They Come: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's T.C. Boyle Page; Review: This was the first novel that I have read from T C Boyle and I am looking forward to exploring other works of his. In this novel Sten Stenson's, a former High School principal and ex marine who resides in Northern California, is thrust into a hero's role when he spontaneously kills a Costa Rican thug who attacks a harmless group of retirees on a day trip from a cruise line. So this man of action, now 70, is especially anguished by his inability to control or relate to his own son Adam. Adam has always had trouble with his stability, clashing often with people and imagining the Chinese to be aliens. Now at 25 Adam has become a mountain man, like his hero John Colter, and he lives in the woods tending his opiate crops for money the way Colter bartered with his beaver pelts. Enter Sara, a forty something self proclaimed Sovereign citizen who does not agree that the government, aka police , have any authority over her. Sara becomes Adam's somewhat girlfriend, always lover as they bond together over the freeing of her dog from a local kennel. Their somewhat calm co-existence ends when Adam's cabin, formerly his grandmother's, is sold, leaving him angry and willing to take to the woods. Adam's instability is described as "the little wheel inside his brain spinning at top speed. When the wheel starts , he goes off; his wheel of disturbance starts racing and violence ensues. As the NY Times noted Boyle "takes on the paranoia of the far-right sovereign citizen movement and off-the-grid/mountain-man survivalism, as well as more mainstream American notions of independence. " It was interesting how well the author intertwined information about these themes along with a bit of history about John Colter and Hugh Glass, especially at a time when the movie Revenant has gained some notoriety. This was a very plot oriented novel, but was well written and introduced the reader to some interesting issues of contemporary America. I was particularly sympathetic to the struggles of the parents to attempt to live among in a town that whispers about their son's behaviors. Highly recommend.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Everything I Never Told You; Author: Visit Amazon's Celeste Ng Page; Review: "Lydia is dead. But they don't know this yet. ," Celeste Ng's enticing first line takes the reader on a journey of exploration into all the possibilities of this tragedy. Lydia's older brother , Nath, seems to be the only one who knows that the imagined star of the family is not really a popular girl in school and not really getting A's, and, more importantly, she has been hanging out lately with a boy named Jack (last name Wolff in case you needed more of a connotation). The novel unfolds in various flashbacks and perspectives that paint a well defined picture of living as a Chinese American family in the Ohio suburbs in the 1970's. Whether Lydia was murdered, or committed suicide or drowned by accident are all plot possibilities, but the effects of this family's structure and their varying hopes for their three children are as interesting as the final resolution of this teenager's death. The writing is observant and the characters well drawn. Perhaps for me the most interesting was Hanna, the youngest - "They set up her nursery in the bedroom in the attic, where things that were not wanted were kept, " - She is always hiding in the shadows, hardly talked to, but her perceptiveness and simple touches are integral to the novel. Some good quotes listed below: "When they made love, her hair came alive. It darkened from golden-wheat to amber. It kinked and curled like a fiddlehead fern. It amazed him that he could have such an effect on anyone. As she dozed in his arms, her hair slowly relaxed, and when she woke, it had stretched back to its usual waves." "Out of the corner of her eye, she studied Jacks profile, the faint stubbledarker than his sandy hairthat ran all the way up to his sideburns and all the way down to the soft part of his throat, like a smudge of charcoal waiting to be wiped away." "She feels like an overtuned violin, strung too tight, so that even the slightest vibration sets her humming."; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Secret Chord: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Geraldine Brooks Page; Review: I have enjoyed the gifts of Geraldine Brooks -novels that bring historical events to life, usually through the eyes of interesting characters. The Pulitzer Prize winner, March was an excellent novel, depicting the absent father in Alcott's Little Women as he leaves behind his family to aid the Union cause in the Civil War. This novel also takes a small reference of the biblical prophet Natan and turns him into the narrator of the life of King David. In this way I found the novel similar to Miller's The Song of Achilles. In both novels, the stories of famous legends are told by the companion of the main hero. That being said, this was a good read, a bit of history that is made more fascinating through the abilities of the author. Natan became attached to David quite uniquely. David slays his father for not giving him some provisions for his men. Just as Natan attempts to seek his revenge, he has a vision, a prophecy that David will become the King of all of Israel , a united Israel. From this point on he becomes David's trusted advisor and his conscience. We read of the story of Goliath being defeated by the rock, of David's lust for women and for Jonathan and of his prowess in battle. There is, in other words, plenty of action. What is more interesting though is the intrigue of the politics, the varying plots to succeed the throne and how the sins of the father are repaid times four. I also enjoyed how the genesis for this novel may have stemmed from the Cohen song, "Hallelujah" . I too have always been intrigued by that opening line -" They say there was a secret chord that David played and it please the Lord. " I am not sure why, but I always love hearing that song. I suspect that I will continue to enjoy the works of Ms. Brooks as well.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Woman Upstairs; Author: Visit Amazon's Claire Messud Page; Review: Messud presents the first person account of an angry Nora Eldridge, third grade teacher and wanna be artist. She recounts the narrative of a family she met about four years ago when a new student arrived at her school. When Resa Shahid is bullied by another student in the school, Nora becomes intricately involved in his family's life. With Sirena, Resa's mother, she shares a studio so that they can work on their art together. She babysits Resa and even enjoys the long walks she takes with his father Skandar . Because of Sirena , Nora reinvigorates her art interest, creating miniature dioramas of famous people in their rooms, Emily Dickinson, Virginnia Wolff, etc. Sirena works on an installation called the Wonderland which is set to be displayed in Paris. They become great friends and share in the celebration of each other's closeness. The installation art is based on Alice in Wonderland and her trip down the rabbit hole. The metaphor is important for the novel. As the story unfolds we have to remember that Nora is telling the story as an angry narrator wanting to start a real life. The history that she shares is one that sees her falling in love with each of the Shahid family members, too much in love. By being close to them, she became closer to the kind of person she wanted to be. Years later when the family had moved away, Nora still held on to the connection she felt with them. However her imagined closeness it shattered when she discovers something years later in a Paris museum. Important quote: At that moment, Nora felt that she was alone in a tiny pool of light in a great dark room, as if I were myself the figure in someone elses diorama, manipulated in my own stage set by a giant I could not see. The author interviewed: She didn't want to convey a message, she insists; more than anything else, she wanted to "create a person" in her entirety, and to explore an interior life. "The moment that I had in mind in a way was in Chekhov's "The Lady with the Dog". He's having this affair with the lady, and he's walking his child to school, and he thinks, 'How can it be that the thing that's most important to me in my whole life, nobody knows about but me?' It's not shared with anybody. And then he thinks, 'That's true for everyone else, too.' It's a moment of apprehension of the state of the world; all of us are going around with an entire story of our lives, completely different from the story of our lives that anybody else would tell. So much of our lives never breaks the surface."; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: God Help the Child: A novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Toni Morrison Page; Review: Toni Morrison is one of my favorite authors. Her writing is as insightful as it is beautiful to read. As tragic as her stories are, they still present a nobility of character, wonderful characters that stay with you. This is a slight, beautifully written book with alternating narrators, presenting various views of Lula Ann, a very beautiful, very black girl whose mother hardly touched her because she was so dark. "I always knew she didn't like touching me. I could tell. Distaste was all over her face when I was little and she had to bathe me. Rinse me, actually, after a halfhearted rub with a soapy washcloth. I used to pray she would slap my face or spank me just to feel her touch. " Lula Ann changed her name to Bride as she gained confidence and become part of a growing make up business called Go Girl. The novel weaves in and out of time, giving us various narrators. But the defining moment for Lula Ann is when she testified against one of her teachers, sent her away for child molesting. This made her mother proud and she walked with her hand and hand after the ordeal. Her boyfriend , Booker, walks out on her when he hears that she wants to help the child molester as she is released from prison, 15 years later. Her attempt at some kind gesture does not go well. Three of the novel's characters have some life changing experience with molestation. The Times' critic notes, " Child abuse cuts a jagged scar through Toni Morrisons God Help the Child, a brisk modern-day fairy tale with shades of the Brothers Grimm: imaginative cruelties visited on children; a journey into the woods; a handsome, vanished lover; witchy older women and a blunt moral What you do to children matters. And they might never forget. Their stories haunt them, preventing them from moving on. Only in the end after another tragedy, is there some hope that new life can make them whole.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Name Is Lucy Barton: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Strout Page; Review: This is an episodic novel that weaves the events in Lucy Barton's life into a diary-like first person account. These events included glimpses of how poor Lucy grew up, five in the family, living in a garage until a relative's death lands them better shelter. "Lonely was the first flavor I had tasted in my life, and it was always there, hidden inside the crevices of my mouth, reminding me." At the center of this recollection is a visit that Lucy's mother makes to the hospital when Lucy has complications from an appendix surgery. For five days her mother sits at the foot of her bed and they tell each other stories about people they know from their hometown of Amgash, Illinois, mostly these are stories about failed marriages. (A daughter and her mom gossiping about people they knew is the premise of Strout's Burgess Boys as well.) On the fringes of all these episodic stories is a terrible past that is not talked about, her father suffered from war trauma is the brief excuse given but certainly Lucy is scarred. Her mother is unable to tell her she loves her , but does seem to admire that Lucy moved on and did something with her life. She got away , unlike her two siblings. These brief scenes also reveal glimpses of her marriage and her experiences as a mother with two daughters of her own, and of her career as a successful writer. Lucy records these thoughts; she writes about her life as an observation, little emotion is detailed. It's a thoughtful portrait. As Lucy grows as a novelist, taking a class in Arizona, her teacher/mentor summarizes "This is a story about a mother who loves her daughter. Imperfectly. Because we all love imperfectly. But if you find yourself protecting anyone as you write this piece, remember this: Youre not doing it right. She did it right.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Spool of Blue Thread; Author: Visit Amazon's Anne Tyler Page; Review: A Spool of Blue Thread starts out nicely as we get to know the Whitshanks , Abby and Red, four kids in Baltimore. What else , it's Anne Tyler. This is the third person account of the Whitshank family, Abby , the social worker mother, Red the construction working dad and four children. it is Denny that the narrative highlights, from the time he calls to say he may be gay to at least 15 years later, he has been the unsettled mystery of the family, never knowing if he works, only being able to hear from him when he initiates it. "In birth order, he came third. Amanda was nine when he was born, and Jeannie was five. Was it hard on a boy to have older sisters? Intimidating? Demeaning? Those two could be awfully sure of themselvesespecially Amanda, who had a bossy streak. But he shrugged Amanda off, more or less, and with tomboyish little Jeannie he was mildly affectionate. So, no warning bells there. Stem, though! Stem had come along when Denny was four. Now, that could have been a factor. Stem was just naturally good. You see such children, sometimes." I have read many of Anne Tyler's books and several are all time favorites. Maybe because I am getting older, I seemed to really connect with this one, most drawn to the wayward child and how much attention he takes, the jealousy of the others because of it. Denny at one point tells his sister in law Nora, "Id never just disappear; they need me around for the drama. She agrees with him. I appreciate the accuracy of how we are only as happy as the saddest child. I read that Tyler didn't want to finish writing about this family and so she started with 2012 and then went backwards, telling the story of Red and Abby and then back again to Red's father, Junior and the illicit love affair with a singularly determined Linnie May. I was at first disappointed to leave the initial Whitshank family, having been so invested in the dynamics of that life, but at least Mrs Tyler brought them back at the end as they deal with yet another stage of their family's saga. There is some plot involved here -the Stem revelation or the development of Abby's "lost moments", but it's secondary to the inter workings of family dynamics, the perfect details that absorb you, that let you know how great a writer Tyler is.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: All Things Cease to Appear: A novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Brundage Page; Review: Though this was not my typical read, I admit that I grew intrigued in this self described murder mystery with haunting overtones. Interestingly it begins with a brutal axe murder, where Catherine, the novel's most sympathetic character, has been killed. The author then flashes back to provide the background on a number of characters that will become integral to the story. George, her husband, reminds me a lot of Lotto from Groff's Fates and Furies, but has a much darker, psychopathic side. Other characters include the family who lived in the old farm house before the Clare family. The brothers, Eddy, Wade and Cole become close to Catherine, helping her fix up what was their house before their parents held hands in bed while the carbon monoxide ended their lives. Brundage's construction of the novel allowed her to develop some interesting characters and some, like Willis, a troubled waitress who gets sucked into George's spell, become important to the novel at the end. On the author's webpage she writes about a farmhouse that she explored with her children and eventually bought. Like this novel this house too had a troubled history and spirits that seemed to linger. "Building a book is something like building a house. You begin with the land, the type of soil and its history, the landscape. You pour your foundation and construct the frame that will support the floors overhead. In this novel, the foundation is made of the bones of a dead woman, a woman I had read about in a newspaper once, whose murder has never been solved. That dark history cannot be contained in the muddy cellar. It rises up through the old wood boards, seeping out through the cracks, filling the empty rooms. It shouts its terrible story in the faintest whisper."; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: H Is For Hawk (Vintage Books); Author: Visit Amazon's Helen Macdonald Page; Review: H Is for Hawk was a thoughtful read, like reading someone's journal. I enjoyed the personal story of Helen, who in the wake of her father's death, begins to train a Goshawk. The process is both a tie back to her memory of her dad and a challenge that she seems to need to be distracted from grief. The other half of the book was a sort of dissertation on the art of training a sport bird and of the life of T. H. White. White's own book called the Goshawk is intricately woven into this one and though I was interested in his story, it took away from the one I enjoyed more. Helen early on let us know that she was deeply affected by her father's death. "The kind of madness I had was different. It was quiet, and very, very dangerous. It was a madness designed to keep me sane. My mind struggled to build across the gap, make a new and inhabitable world." The training became an obsession. She confesses, "I was in ruins. Some deep part of me was trying to rebuild itself, and its model was right there on my fist. The hawk was everything I wanted to be: solitary, self-possessed, free from grief, and numb to the hurts of human life." Besides sharing this personal memoir, McDonald also shares some wonderful writing. Her descriptions of Mabel (her hawk) and of the English countryside were beautifully described. A couple of passages are listed below: The goshawk is staring at me in mortal terror, and I can feel the silences between both our heartbeats coincide. Her eyes are luminous, silver in the gloom. Her beak is open. She breathes hot hawk breath in my face. It smells of pepper and musk and burned stone. Her feathers are half-raised and her wings half-open, and her scaled yellow toes and curved black talons grip the glove tightly. It feels like Im holding a flaming torch. The feathers down her front are the colour of sunned newsprint, of tea-stained paper, and each is marked darkly towards its tip with a leaf-bladed spearhead, so from her throat to her feet she is patterned with a shower of falling raindrops. Her wings are the colour of stained oak, their covert feathers edged in palest teak, barred flight-feathers folded quietly beneath. And theres a strange grey tint to her that is felt, rather than seen, a kind of silvery light like a rainy sky reflected from the surface of a river. There are fallen oaks, clumps of vicious brambles, screens of hazel, and ivy clambering and covering stumps and extending a hand up to the trees above to scramble into the light, so the whole place is umbrous and decorated with shiny scales of ivy leaves. The air tastes of humus and decay. Each footfall breaks twigs and has that slightly uncertain, oddly hollow quality of walking on thick woodland soil.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Sympathizer: A Novel (Pulitzer Prize for Fiction); Author: Visit Amazon's Viet Thanh Nguyen Page; Review: The Sympathizer begins as a confession, being written in solitary confinement, as the Captain attempts to tell his story of being the bastard son of a mother who was seduced by a French priest, as a communist agent in the US , as a Sympathizer who sees both sides of every story. His story details his escape from the fall of Saigon, his readjusting to life in the US and his eventual return to Vietnam, a journey of self discovery with philosophical revelations. There are few names in the novel. The Captain's best friends are Man and Bon and others are called by their rank: General, crapulent Major, Commandant, etc. I was totally enthralled by the writing and the observations of Nguyen. Passages that were descriptive, sarcastic, thoughtful. Some examples below: America, land of supermarkets and superhighways, of supersonic jets and Superman, of supercarriers and the Super Bowl! America, a country not content simply to give itself a name on its bloody birth, but one that insisted for the first time in history on a mysterious acronym, USA, I am merely noting that the creation of native prostitutes to service foreign privates is an inevitable outcome of a war of occupation, one of those nasty little side effects of defending freedom that all the wives, sisters, girlfriends, mothers, pastors, and politicians in Smallville, USA, pretend to ignore behind waxed and buffed walls of teeth as they welcome their soldiers home, ready to treat any unmentionable afflictions with the penicillin of American goodness. This novel tells a very different Vietnam story than others have shown and points a critical eye at the United States, the French and the Vietnamese Generals. This first person account will contribute a new perspective to an American's view of the war. There are some insightful articles following the novel that add to the author's purpose. In one he states that "I want this book to provoke people to rethink their assumptions about this history, and also about the literature theyve encountered beforeto make them uncomfortable in a good way." He accomplishes this.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: LaRose: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Louise Erdrich Page; Review: I woke up at 3 am and finished this novel because I knew the Overdrive application that lets me borrow ebooks was taking it back within hours. That's how good this novel was. Erdrich , for many years has given us a wonderful niche of literature that depicts the often sad, but proud lives of the displaced American Natives. Erdrich's writing often spans generations and voices, combining myths with historical facts, and it is always rewarding to chart the connections. In this one the title refers to a name given to a child who is special, has healing powers. It is a name that has been passed down for five generations. The tragic set up for the story - a man accidentally killing his best friend's son and in return giving him his own as a sort of justice- allows the author to set up the explanation for the name. " That name would protect him from the unknown, from what had been let loose with the accident. Sometimes energy of this nature, chaos, ill luck, goes out in the world and begets and begets. Bad luck rarely stops with one occurrence. All Indians know that. To stop it quickly takes great effort, which is why LaRose was sent. " LaRose learns to accept his new role and seems to understand that he is the medicine that tries to heal the two families. Various characters are intertwined with the narrative telling many different stories. It is through these subplots that a broader picture is presented. There is Romeo, who steals bits of information from his work at the hospital so that he can hopefully exact a revenge against Landreaux, who was his best friend. "Romeo had a caved, tubercular-looking chest, scrawny arms, a vulturine head, and perpetually stoked-up eyes. His hair had started falling out and his ponytail was a limp string. He flipped the string behind him with the flat of his hand, as though it were a lush rope. The day was bright. He had hoped to start the morning with beer to dim the sunshine, but of course he couldn't do that in front of his sponsor. " His sponsor is Father Tracy, who appeared in Round House, the Vin Diesel-like, ex Marine priest, who runs AA meetings while trying to stay sober and dealing with his love for another man's wife. He is the counselor for all problems since " THE ONE PSYCHOLOGIST for a hundred miles around was so besieged that she lived on Xanax and knocked herself out every night with vodka shots." Probably my favorite character was Maggie, who goes from the cold hearted, mean spirited teenager whose brother was killed, to being protective of her suicidal mother and gets a new start when LaRose's sisters welcome her into their new school and teach her the arts of volleyball, and contraception. And then there is LaRose, the magical child who can go to the spot where his friend was killed and commune with the elder spirits who can speak to him. He is one of; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cold Spring Harbor: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Richard Yates Page; Review: Finished Cold Spring Harbor this morning. This slight, multi-voiced novel is the second of Yates' that I have read. It reminds me of Revolutionary Road with similar themes of unhappy suburban life, of men especially unfulfilled, feeling like it is their right to drink excessively, cheat on their wives, and blame the circumstances of timing on the lost opportunities of their careers. In this novel the circumstances include missing out on the action of both World Wars, Charles Shepard, and then Evan , his son. Evan is introduced earlier as the 17 year old son who finally found his love of cars that distract him away form being a bully and a lout. His father didn't know what to do with him but in a line that seems to be the chorus here "maybe all you could ever do, beyond suffering, was wait and see what might be going to happen next." Evan is a handsome young man and his confidence when driving a car makes him appealing to first Mary and then after that ill fated early marriage breaks up, Rachel, who he meets when his car breaks down in Greenwich Village. "There might still be times in Evan Shepards life when he was afraid he wouldnt amount to much, but he always knew what he looked like, and he knew it gave him a decided advantage with girls." Evan's second marriage to Rachel allows the author to explore the intertwining of two families, both who are living with mothers whose mental health make it difficult for the men in the house. Mostly these portraits are unflattering but precise in their depiction and Yates does a nice job of chronicling this period of the failed American Dream.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Heat and Light: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Jennifer Haigh Page; Review: Jennifer Haigh does a nice job here of bringing the western Pennsylvania fracking industry to a laymen's understanding, presenting various points of view through the lives and loves of different characters. The man family is the Devins. Richard is a prison guard employee, who decides to sign the lease to give the Darco company the rights to drill on his land for natural gas. This money could bring him the cash needed to finally farm the family homestead. His father, who now runs the local bar in town was one of the many people who lost work as the coal mines closed down. Haight's earlier work, Baker Towers, would be a nice but not necessary prerequisite to the lives of this community. Richard's wife, Shelby, fears that her daughter is unwell and this is exacerbated when their water supply starts to smell. Rich's brother, Darren , visits Bakerton and weighs in on this as well. It is a rate visit since his commitment to drug rehab counseling, a job he needs in order to keep his own addiction at bay. Other points of view include the local organic dairy farmers whose business may suffer, the nearby college professor, whose mission in life is to rally the locals against the destruction of the land, and even the CEO of the drilling company who suffers from the increasing costs and the unwanted lawsuits. Haigh does a nice job of not preaching a solution, but presenting a problem as it relates to the many characters whose subplots make for interesting reading.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Barkskins: Longlisted for the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction 2017; Author: Visit Amazon's Annie. Proulx Page; Review: Barkskins by Annie Proulx begins with the story of two broke Frenchmen , Rene Sel and Charles Duquet who come to Canada in the late 1600's as indentured servants, working for three years to earn their piece of land. Proulx then proceeds to track these two families for hundreds of years, while at the same time providing the reader with a rich background on the logging industry and the fall of the native Mi'kmaw tribe. This is an ambitious project and takes some dedication for the reader to track out the expanse of characters. Family trees for each of the characters help to some degree, but I would almost recommend to others to not worry so much about connecting them all, just let the story flow. Certain characters will stand out as the tale unfolds. In structure, this reminded me of a Michener novel where the characters are used to provide context for the historical events and to provide insight into the evolution of an area. Highly recommend to a dedicated reader. I admire the author's writing and learned quite a bit reading this wonderful novel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Claire of the Sea Light; Author: Visit Amazon's Edwidge Danticat Page; Review: Edwidge Danticat's novel relates the interconnected stories of a small coastal town, Ville Rose, outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The narrative begins and ends on the same day, the day a local fisherman went missing after his small boat is smashed by a rouge wave. Nozias Faustin was on the beach that morning and saw his friend Caleb out fishing. He watched a "wall of water rise from the depths of the ocean, a giant blue-green tongue, trying, it seemed, to lick a pink sky." This is the same day that Gaelle Lavaud finally decides to accept Nozias Faustin's proposal that she raise his daughter so that he can go find a better life. His daughter Claire whose mother died giving birth to her is now seven and runs away upon hearing of the arrangement. --Don't worry, folks, no spoilers, that's just the first few pages. Through proceeding flashbacks we get the back story of this scene, as well as a portrait of the present day Haitian culture, its heartache, its loss of natural resources, and its violence. This is the third book of I have read of Edwidge Danticat's work. I love her easily read, colorful prose; her descriptions of this town and its people are part magical realism,( one character bleeds from her mouth during her menstrual cycle ) and part non-fiction. Historical elements like the collapse of a school and the custom of having your children become a restavk give the novel weight. There are a few other of Danticat's works out there that I have not read, but I will be sure to get to them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Turner House; Author: Visit Amazon's Angela Flournoy Page; Review: "The eldest six of Francis and Viola Turners thirteen children claimed that the big room of the house on Yarrow Street was haunted for at least one night. A ghosta haint, if you willtried to pull Cha-Cha out of the big rooms second-story window." So begins The Turner House. Angela Flournoy's novel gives us a glimpse into one family's experience during the Great Migration, 6 million African Americans who left the rural south to try and find work in the cities of the north. When Francis Turner leaves Arkansas to find work in Detroit, he leaves behind a young wife and newborn baby. This begins a journey that the reader gets to share from 1945 to 2008. His family, thirteen children in all, finally settle in their house on Yarrow street where the oldest child,nicknamed Cha Cha, first viewed his haint, or ghost, as a boy. His father quickly dismisses his experience, telling him "there ain't no ghosts in Detroit." Years later at 62 and with a bad hip, Cha Cha finds himself the paternal head of the family, and is unsure of what to do with the now abandoned house whose neighborhood is overrun with drugs and crime. Flournoy provides various storylines. Lelah, the youngest Turner child, now at 41, struggles with a gambling addiction as she tries to maintain a relationship with her daughter. The family matriarch, Viola is at the end of her life, but we are given the flashbacks to '45 when she was left behind with a new baby, trying to deal with the 18 month absence of her new husband. Mostly though, we sympathize with Cha Cha who is seeing a therapist to help flesh out whether his ghost visions are real or in his head. What is in his head though is his attraction to the therapist. Throughout all the troubles, the novel celebrates the family and builds to a big reunion at the end. The characters are well drawn and the writing both clever and observant. Flournoy received a National Book Award nomination for this work.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Not all Bastards are from Vienna: A Novel; Author: Andrea Molesini; Review: This Italian award winning novel begins in 1917 as the Austrian army takes over the Villa Spada in Refrontolo, Italy, home to an aristocratic familytwo grandparents; aunt Maria; 17-year-old orphaned grandson Paoloand their servants. The story is told through the eyes of Paolo, whose journey to manhood, including his involvement in the resistance movement and his initiation into love , carry the narrative. The atrocities of war are juxtaposed with the humor of the characters, especially that of the grandpa Gugliemo, who shares his insights and sleeping quarters with our narrator. As the enemy troops search for valuables, it is grandpa who explains, War and loot are the only faithful married couple. " Andrea Molsini creates a handful of memorable characters here that influence Paolo and help to provide insights about this time period just before the end of World War I, including Renaldo, who though a servant for the family, works for the Italian secret forces, and Aunt Maria, the strong caretaker of the family estate. "Aunt Maria Donna Maria to outsiders was fine-looking, the victim of a haughty manner which both fascinated men and kept them at a distance. She was courted with circumspection by even the boldest and most passionate spirits: not a light cross to bear." As mentioned in back notes, Molesini used the actual diaries of Maria Spada as a resource for novel. The Villa Spada acted as a microcosm of the the war, giving insights to the lives of those occupied countries. Some memorable passages are quoted below to provide a sense of the writing: "Giulia was chaos personified, an irresistible force. Grandpa had described her as the crupper of a horse, the shudder it gives, the lash of its tail on a horsefly. But she was far, far more than that: she was beautiful, she was ablaze. She regarded me with the hauteur of one who, knowing herself desired, strives not to reproach the unrequited lover." "The soldiers took no notice of us, and still less did the officers, who whiled away their time smoking, playing cards and drinking an insipid brandy that according to Grandpa tasted of dry dung, iron and rotting leather, the same taste as war." "Inside the house, the odour of poverty was notable for its absence. And that was an odour that I knew all too well. In Venice, Id smelt it in homes Id entered, on occasion, with a servant visiting her family. It had something to do with the odour of ashes, chickpea soup, and inadequately dried clothing."; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, The tie-in; Author: Visit Amazon's Oscar Hijuelos Page; Review: Oscar Hijuelos won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love. It is a is a wonderful period piece of the early 1950's, where night clubs had dance contests, men wore zoot suits, and women hoped that all the lace and garter belts and perfume would help them find the man to take care of them. "Everything was different back when; 125th Street was jumping with clubs, there was less violence, there were fewer beggars; more mutual respect between people, In 1949 Cesar and his younger brother leave Cuba and hit New York City to play their music and try to make it big like Tino Fuentes and their role model Desi Arnez. When in fact Desi happens to hear them play one night , he invites them to his house and to appear on his show. This helps propel the Mambo Kings to some degree of fame and the rerun of the appearance, when Cesar is 62, is the start of the narrative. "Between the delicate-looking index and middle fingers of his right hand, a Chesterfield cigarette burning down to the filter, that hand still holding a half glass of rye whiskey, which he used to drink like crazy because in recent years he had been suffering from bad dreams, saw apparitions, felt cursed, and, despite all the women he took to bed, found his life of bachelorhood solitary and wearisome." Hijuelos' portraits of the brothers are wonderfully drawn. Cesar Castillo, the guitar strumming womanizer whose voice and gregarious personality help the band become a big hit, and Nester, the trumpet playing, tortured artist who writes 22 versions of the song Maria of my Soul. He is haunted by a lost love, even though he meets and marries Delores. "Beautiful Mara of My Soul. A song about love so far away it hurts; a song about lost pleasures, a song about youth, a song about love so elusive a man can never know where he stands; a song about wanting a woman so much death does not frighten you, a song about wanting that woman even when she has abandoned you." Their story is told in reflection as the older, overweight Cesar sits in his hotel room reminiscing about the good old days and the many women he has loved. I recommend going to YouTube and listening to the haunting Beautiful Maria of my Soul, letting that melody be the background as you embrace the adventures of these two very different brothers. Though I would caution that the lovemaking tales of Cesar are not for the easily offended, the writing does remind me of that of Junot Diaz who I am sure would acknowledge Hijuelos as a muse. After all Diaz did name his favorite character Oscar.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Benediction (Vintage Contemporaries); Author: Visit Amazon's Kent Haruf Page; Review: November 18. Currently I am sitting in the parking lot of the physical therapist that Nancy is going to in Enfield it's Friday and that's always a good thing honey crisp 55 Currently I am reading the book benediction by Kent Harris it is listed as being the third of the plane song trilogy which takes place in Holt Colorado I continue to relish to simple pros to picking noble characters who sometimes have claws in the story dad Louis is dying of cancer and dying soon he 77 years old and is looking to leave his hardware store to his daughter Currently life Kenzie is doing American education week and probably relieve that it's Friday messaging tremendously well with her hip replacement which is now three weeks ago we plan on going out to dinner tomorrow night with Barb and Mike and A Doug is staying with cat where he'll probably spend the weekend November 20. Saturday morning beautiful 60 reading a benediction by Kent Hartford and stories will told little town in Holt Colorado and reading about the various neighbors that surround dad Lewis who is dying of cancer. Last night we went out to dinner at Giannino's with Barb and Mike where I had too much lasagna and probably the right amount of wine meaning I didn't overdo it. With my knee surgery coming up soon I feel the need to get a lot of chores done before Christmas including things like buying Nancy's Christmas present . last night we came home to McKenzie sorting through all the old report cards that she got at the child which made us worry a little bit because one of her troubling signs when she starts to tear through a bunch of old papers November 22 Finished Benediction last night. together to make his final days as comfortable as possible. Their daughter, Lorraine, hastens back from Denver to the high plains town of Holt, Colorado, to help look after him; her devotion softens the absence of their son, Frank, whose estrangement cannot be willed away and remains a bitter fact the three of them must face. Next door, a young girl named Alice moves in with her grandmother and contends with the painful memories of her own mothers death stirred up by Dads condition. Meanwhile, the towns newly arrived preacher attempts to mend his strained relationships with his wife and teenage son, a task that proves all the more challenging when he faces the disdain of his congregation after offering more than they are accustomed to getting on a Sunday morning. And throughout, an elderly widow and her middle-aged daughter do everything they can to ease the pain of their friends and neighbors. With only a handful of noble characters, Kent Haruf writes a beautiful story about a local hardware store owner at the end of his life, being comforted by his wife, his recently returned daughter, and the relief that hospice can provide. In the few weeks that the narrative takes place, we get a warm portrait of Holt, Colorado and; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Underground Railroad; Author: Visit Amazon's Charles L. Blockson Page; Review: In Colson Whitehead's award winning new novel, we are introduced to Cora, a teenage slave girl, living on the same Georgian plantation that her grandmother lived on and her mother escaped from. Her mother's escape forces her to live in Hob "with those who had been crippled by the overseers punishments, off to Hob with those who had been broken by the labor in ways you could see and in ways you could not see, off to Hob with those who had lost their wits. Off to Hob with strays." Her mother's escape also creates even more ire for the famously evil slave catcher, Ridgeway. After all her mother was the only one who ever got away. When her friend Caesar asks her to try and escape with him she is reluctant, but after being sexually initiated and then becoming the newest attraction of the plantation's owner, she decides to try her chances on the Underground Railroad. And then Whitehead breaks away from a normal narrative as an actual underground train pulls into a station that appears under a trap door of a distant farmhouse. Cora's journey takes the readers through various states an in each is another view of the slave experience in America. This is an imaginative and engaging novel which unfortunately is all too relevant today. A line from The NYTimes provides a nice summary, "The result is a potent, almost hallucinatory novel that leaves the reader with a devastating understanding of the terrible human costs of slavery. " the reviewer goes onto compare Colson's novel to that of "Toni Morrisons Beloved, Victor Hugos Les Misrables and Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man, and with brush strokes borrowed from Jorge Luis Borges, Franz Kafka and Jonathan Swift." ....Man that is some nice company. ( ); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Swamplandia!; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Russell Page; Review: Swamplandia! was a well received 2011 novel whose author was hailed by the New Yorker and the NYT. Swamplandia!, with the exclamation mark, is the name given to the Everglades amusement park where the Bigtree family specializes in alligator wrestling. The star of the show, Hilola, the statuesque mother of our three main characters, dies of cancer early in the novel; with her loss, the park no longer attracts the crowd that used to barely sustain this dysfunctional family. Ava, the 13 year old narrator notes, "I started to miss the same tourists Id always claimed to despise: the translucent seniors from Michigan. The ice-blond foreign couples yoked into thick black camera straps like teams of oxen. The fathers, sweating everywhere, with their trembling dew mustaches. The young mothers humping up and down the elevated walkway to the Swamp Caf, holding their babies aloft like blaring radios." When their father goes off to the mainland to try and drum up business, and Kiwi, the 16 year old also leaves to work in a competing amusement park, Ava and her older, seance-loving sister, Osceola, are left to take care of themselves. Not long after, Ava finds herself having to go out searching for her delusional sister who has run off to marry a spirit named Louis Thanksgiving. Her poor choice of a guide, a unscrupulous character called Birdman, provides all the portent needed for a journey to the underworld. I enjoyed the quirkiness of the characters and the wonderful description of this most unusual setting. It's impressive how this novel evolved from a short story written when the author was only 24 years old. I'm sure that Ms. Russell will continue make her mark. Some writing samples: As a kid I heard the word malignancy as Malig-Nancy, like an evil womans name, no matter how many times Kiwi and the Chief and Dr. Gautman himself corrected me. Our mother had mistaken her first symptoms for a pregnancy, and so I still pictured the Malig-Nancy as a baby, a tiny, eyeless fist of a sister, killing her. "In the old days, good smells filled the kitchen (misleading smells, since our moms cooking strategy was to throw a couple of raw things into a greased pan and wait to see what happened, like watching strangers on a date)."; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Cat's Table; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Ondaatje Page; Review: This morning, the last morning of 2016, I finished a beautifully told story about an 11 year old boy who takes a three week voyage from Sri Lanka to England to be reunited with his mother. This was, in essence, an unsupervised adventure for Michael who quickly meets two other boys and a cast of characters that are forced to sit at the least favored table and the one farthest from the ship's captain -hence the title. The three boys adjust their sleep patterns because there are too many adventures at night that would be missed. As Michael states, "I could go anywhere, do anything. And Ramadhin, Cassius, and I had already established one rule. Each day we had to do at least one thing that was forbidden. The day had barely begun, and we still had hours ahead of us to perform this task." The author actually took this same voyage at 11, and though he quickly disavows any autobiographical claims, what does stand out is ( as Ron Charles points out ) "a tale about the magic of adolescence and the passing strangers who help tip us into adulthood in ways we don't become aware of until much later." The novel does also jump forward so that the adult author can reflect back on these experiences and actually piece together one of the more dramatic events that took place on the ocean liner. I loved the characterizations of the guests and Ondaaje's ability to capture the wonder and frankness of adolescence, seasoned later on by intelligence and reflection. Looking forward to reading more from this Booker Prize Winner. Here's a quick sketch of one of the passengers that book lovers will enjoy- "Mr. Fonseka seemed to draw forth an assurance or a calming quality from the books he read. Hed gaze into an unimaginable distance (one could almost see the dates flying off the calendar) and quote lines written in stone or papyrus. I suppose he remembered these things to clarify his own opinion, like a man buttoning up his own sweater to give warmth just to himself. Mr. Fonseka would not be a wealthy man. And it would be a spare life he would be certain to lead as a schoolteacher in some urban location. But he had a serenity that came with the choice of the life he wanted to live. And this serenity and certainty I have seen only among those who have the armour of books close by." That's my goal, to be more like Mr. Fonseka.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Nightingale: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Kristin Hannah Page; Review: One of the things I enjoy during reading is to highlight well written sentences or passages of interesting observations or descriptions. Though I did find Kristin Hanna's plotting to be nicely engineered, I can't say that I highlighted much. Like Anthony Doerr's All the Light I Cannot See, The Nightingale provides the reader with a glimpse into the lives of the French during World War II. But unlike Doerr's beautifully written prose, Hanna's characters are there to help move the plot along. The two sisters, the bold, independent, Isabelle, and the rule following Vianne, provide the reader with some nice insight into the resistance movement in occupied France and respectively, the everyday hardships of those who lived under the Vichy governed Loire Valley. The stories were good ones, filled with small heroics acts, and reconnected loves. Also the use of a reunion motif was a satisfying way to bind together the well constructed ending. But for me, it is always about the writing.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Girls: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Emma Cline Page; Review: Emma Cline's debut novel explores the coming of age of a 14 year old girl, growing up in the late 60's and being attracted to a Manson like commune. Cline shows the main character, Evie, as an adult but then flashes back to reflect on her infatuation with the girls that were a part of the leader's magnetism. In the opening pages, the young Evie sees a group of three girls in a park and is immediately fascinated by them. "the familiarity of the day was disturbed by the path the girls cut across the regular world. Sleek and thoughtless as sharks breaching the water." She is especially drawn to Suzanne, the prettiest one, "I couldn't explain it to myself, the wrench I got from looking at her. She seemed as strange and raw as those flowers that bloom in lurid explosion once every five years, the gaudy, prickling tease that was almost the same thing as beauty." Cline is not so much trying to fictionalize a Manson retelling, as she is trying to hone in on the factors of insecurity,and the dependence on male attention that opens the door to this kind of blind adoration. The novel is very well written, equally depicting the California landscape of the late 60's, and the mindset of an impressionable young girl. Pretty impressive for this 27 year old whose talent was recognized by the National Book Critics and Random House, where her advance was rumored to be 2 million.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moonglow CD: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Chabon Page; Review: Finished Moonglow by Michael Chabon this morning. It was a wonderful read. He explains in this memoir-like novel that 90 percent of everything he ever knew about his grandfather, he learned while staying with him during the last ten days of his life, while he was dying from cancer and numbing the pain with Dilaudid. The drug loosened the tongue of this noble, impulsive, intelligent man who one reviewer notes, might be symbolic of America itself, much like Bellow's Angie March. Chabon is a gifted writer as evidenced by the number of passages I felt compelled to highlight for posterity. The narrative is not told sequentially but rather delivered the same way the memories might have been told to him by a dying man on his bedside. He didn't even take his grandfather's advice, "Anyway, its a pretty good story, I said. You have to admit. Yeah? He crumpled up the Kleenex, having dispatched the solitary tear. You can have it. Im giving it to you. After Im gone, write it down. Explain everything. Make it mean something. Use a lot of those fancy metaphors of yours. Put the whole thing in proper chronological order, not like this mishmash Im making you." The NYT puts it nicely "Mr. Chabon weaves these knotted-together tales into a tapestry thats as complicated, beautiful and flawed as an antique carpet." The scenes range from his grandfather's time in the waning years of WWII, trying to capture German scientists who could be useful in America, to his time in jail for assaulting his boss, to his skill working with NASA creating space stations, and even to his retired years in Florida, snake hunting to prove his gallantry to a new Love. His grandfather's story also reveals the hardship of his love for his wife, who suffered atrocities during the war that haunt her forever. "From the first that was a part of his attraction to her: not her brokenness but her potential for being mended and, even more, the challenge that mending her would pose." What's not a challenge is reading these scenes of a finally examined life. It was a pleasure. Some good lines: "Like many of the spouses of the lucky ones, my grandfather had observed that what got labeled luck was really stubbornness married to a knack for observation, a fluid sense of the truth, a sharp ear for lies, and a deeply suspicious nature." "Gorman stood for a moment just inside the doorway. He nodded to my grandfather. His close-cropped skull was indented on one side as by the corner of a two-by-four. In the crevice formed by his brow and cheekbones, his eyes glinted like dimes lost between sofa cushions." "His belly sloshed in the wineskin of a ribbed undershirt. His bare shoulders were ivory-yellow and densely freckled. The freckles, like his hair and eyelashes, were the color of a Nilla wafer."; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena; Author: Visit Amazon's Anthony Marra Page; Review: I have to thank Barack Obama for providing this recommendation on his recently published list of favorite fiction books. A title like this, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, doesn't immediately attract attention, but this was one of the best novels I have read in a few years and I look forward to recommending it to others. Mr. Marra's narrative beautifully depicts the atrocities of the Chechen Wars through an intertwined narrative that begins when a little girl hides in the woods while her father is taken away by the Russian army. " On the morning after the Feds burned down her house and took her father, Havaa woke from dreams of sea anemones." Akhmed, her next door neighbor, decides to take her to the bombed out hospital where he hopes he can offer his services to the only doctor there, Sonja. "As the last of a staff of five hundred, she was engulfed by the burden of care. She lived on amphetamines and sweetened condensed milk, had regular hallucinations, had difficulty empathizing with her patients, and had seen enough cases of secondary traumatic stress disorder to recognize herself among them." Though Akhmed is an incompetent doctor, he Seeks to barter his time for the guardianship of this very special orphan . Their lives are then retold in flashbacks and connections over the next five days. We will read about Sonja's beautiful sister, Natasha, former heroine addict and sex slave; about Khassin, who writes the history of Chechnya and whose son is the informer, giving up the names of his friends and neighbors, dooming them to be taken to "the landfill " where few return. The novel's structure spans the ten year period between 1994 and 2004 in a small Chechen village. In the afterwords Marra describes how he became fascinated by the story of these wars while he was a college student studying in St. Petersburg. He then went on to research the history that led to this narrative. He states, " But to answer the question of why set a novel in Chechnya, my answer would be that it is a setting that magnifies and dramatizes the moral conflicts of characters in extraordinary ways. This cast of characters wants what we all wantto live peacefully and provide for our loved onesbut their circumstances require them to make decisions the reader will hopefully never have to make, but nonetheless will understand." ...So glad he happened upon this topic. Some good lines: "Natashas eyes were brown spattered with glimmers of emerald and uncut diamond. Hazel, technically. Her mother stared in quiet awe of this more artful rearrangement of her genetic code, and slipped into a contentedness that usually appeared only after the red wine had fallen below the bottle label." "Deshi and Maali, her superiors, were nurses and twins. Deshi, on the eleventh of her twelve loves, reminded her of Sonja, and she preferred Maali, the younger by eighteen minutes, who treated illness and injury as the practical jokes of a God wheezing with laughter, and suggested amputation for every cough, chest cold,; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Partial History of Lost Causes: A Novel; Author: Jennifer duBois; Review: When 12 year old Irina suddenly beats her father in chess, it marks the beginning of his downward slope into the terrible disability that is Huntington Disease. Her father followed the great Russian chess masters and once corresponded with the world champion Alexandr Bezetov. A letter found by Irina after her father's passing becomes the motivation for her journey to Russia, in search of the former chess player now turned political dissident. Irina, who at 30 knows that the genetic markings of her father will begin soon with her, is looking for an answer. It is the same question her father asked of the famous Russian: how do you continue to go on playing when you know the game will end in defeat. Meanwhile in alternating chapters, (much like a chess match), we see Bezetov, starting back in 1980, when being a 20 year old prodigy could help propel a young mind out of poverty. Alexandr is taken to Leningrad's prestigious chess academy where he will eventually be groomed to be Russia's symbol of superiority. Alexandr' s journey from disgruntled star to heading a dissident party of Alternative Russia is the most fascinating part of the novel, a glimpse of Putin's Russia where any complaining voice may soon be silenced. As the 2008 Russian election grows closer, he too knows that he has no chance of winning. This is the set up for A Partial History of Lost Causes, a very well written, character driven story, remarkably rendered by a 35 year old in her first novel. Jennifer duBois was recognized as a National book award 5 under 35 winner and the Bookpage Best Book of 2012. It's amazing how talented a new novelist can be and how successful the Iowa Writers Workshop has been. Here are some lines to remember: "He hugged me. He smelled of ash, with wilder undertones of coffee and sky and liquor before noon." Bezetov about his true love Elizabeta: "to pine for a year for a woman whose moment in his life had been incidental, glancing, as implausible as a meteor shower or a brain aneurysm. She had bobbed to the surface of his life, then disappeared again. Shed hovered for half an hour above his personal lake of loneliness, a sea monster in a smudged photograph, probably not even real. Shed been above water for minutes. Shed barely even waved." Irina's reaction to her first meeting with Nikolai: "He leaned in closer to me. He stank of undercooked meat, of cheap alcohol, of the threat of violence. I thought I might faint from sheer character weakness." And my favorite line: "I think the only way to properly face doom is to be on time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Super Sad True Love Story: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Gary Shteyngart Page; Review: In A Super Sad True Love Story, we are introduced to a barely futuristic world where Lenny Abramov writes in his diary that he plans to live forever. "The technology is almost here. As the Life Lovers Outreach Coordinator (Grade G) of the Post-Human Services division of the Staatling-Wapachung Corporation, I will be the first to partake of it." Lenny is a salesman, looking for High Net Worth Individuals, to sign up for his company's services. After all his boss tells him, "Eternal life is the only life that matters. All else is just a moth circling the light. He falls in love with Eunice while on a business trip in Rome and they eventually move in together. Their relationship and the current state of the world is told through alternating chapters of either diary entries or emails. In this funny, satiric tale, the America we know is defaulting on its debt to China, at war with Venezuela, and possibly being taken over by Norway. Everyone carries an "apparat" which constantly streams data about everyone around you. Your credit rating, health stats and sexiness rating is presenting on screen at all times to everyone. For Lenny, an almost 40 year old, balding son of Russian immigrants, holding on to Eunice becomes his mission. It will not be an easy task. Shteyngart presents some interesting concepts and certainly engages the reader. The writing is funny, sometimes vulgar and will probably all come true. I would be interested to read some of his other work, notably, Absurdistan. Some good lines: the flip board displayed the names of Post-Human Services employees, along with the results of our latest physicals, our methylation and homocysteine levels, our testosterone and estrogen, our fasting insulin and triglycerides, and, most important, our mood + stress indicators, which were always supposed to read positive/ playful/ ready to contribute but which, with enough input from competitive co-workers, could be changed to one moody betch today or not a team playa this month. "She was wearing those panties that snap right off when you press a button on the crotch. Total Surrender, I think they're called."; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: HILLBILLY ELEGY- PB; Author: Visit Amazon's J. D. Vance Page; Review: J D Vance grew up in the Rust Belt poverty of Kentucky and Ohio. His memoir describes his struggle growing up in this Hillbilly culture, a mom struggling with addition, multiple boyfriends who become temporary dads, and a community of people who feel the country has failed them, leaving them hopeless to even try to pursue a better life. "We cant trust the evening news. We cant trust our politicians. Our universities, the gateway to a better life, are rigged against us. We cant get jobs. You cant believe these things and participate meaningfully in society. He concludes, There is a lack of agency herea feeling that you have little control over your life and a willingness to blame everyone but yourself. This is distinct from the larger economic landscape of modern America. Early on he summarizes "this book is about something else: what goes on in the lives of real people when the industrial economy goes south. Its about reacting to bad circumstances in the worst way possible. Its about a culture that increasingly encourages social decay instead of counteracting it." Luckily J D had a grandmother who gave him the shelter and confidence to attempt a better life. Certainly his story of serving as a marine and graduating Yale Law school is noteworthy, but the best parts of this book give us some insights into how a culture of people think- "This was my world: a world of truly irrational behavior. We spend our way into the poorhouse. We buy giant TVs and iPads. Our children wear nice clothes thanks to high-interest credit cards and payday loans. We purchase homes we don't need, refinance them for more spending money, and declare bankruptcy, often leaving them full of garbage in our wake. Thrift is inimical to our being. We spend to pretend that were upper-class. And when the dust clearswhen bankruptcy hits or a family member bails us out of our stupiditytheres nothing left over. Nothing for the kids college tuition, no investment to grow our wealth, no rainy-day fund if someone loses her job. We know we shouldnt spend like this. Sometimes we beat ourselves up over it, but we do it anyway."; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Britt-marie Was Here (Thorndike Core); Author: Visit Amazon's Fredrik Backman Page; Review: If you're a fan of Fredrik Bachman's A Man Called Ove, you will certainly enjoy this similar tale. Britt-Marie might as well be Ove's sister, an incessant cleaner, a drawer organizer, a blunt, opinionated woman. When she leaves her husband, whose shirt smells from a perfume she does not wear, she hounds a girl from the unemployment office for a job. She needs this because she is afraid her death would go unnoticed, I want a job because I actually don't think its very edifying to disturb the neighbors with bad smells. I want someone to know Im here. Finally she gets a temporary job in Borg, a caretaker for a recreation center. There is not much to this small dying town, "It takes time to close down an entire community, obviously, and the recreation center has had to wait its turn. Apart from that, the only two noticeable things in Borg are soccer and the pizzeria, because these tend to be the last things to abandon humanity." There Britt-Maria begins her transformation from a woman who made all her decisions for another to someone who can exert a tremendous force in the lives of a community. It's a good story, hell, it's a Disney movie, but once in awhile it's nice to read something sunny. "She always said that in the middle of all the crap, in the thick of it all, you always had a sunny story turning up. Which makes it all worthwhile. Some Britt-Marie insights: "Its difficult to know when love blooms; suddenly one day you wake up and its in full flower. It works the same way when it wiltsone day it is just too late. Love has a great deal in common with balcony plants in that way. Sometimes not even baking soda makes a difference." "All marriages have their bad sides, because all people have weaknesses. If you live with another human being you learn to handle these weaknesses in a variety of ways. For instance, you might take the view that weaknesses are a bit like heavy pieces of furniture, and based on this you must learn to clean around them. To maintain the illusion." "He lets go of her hand as soon as the food comes, and she immediately misses it. Feels like you do when you come out of the hairdresser after having more hair taken off than you wanted."; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Commonwealth; Author: Visit Amazon's Ann Patchett Page; Review: When Bert Cousins chooses to escape the Saturday morning routine of dealing with his kids, he decides to crash a Christening party of a family he hardly knows. Having no present, he grabs a big bottle of gin. Beverly Keating, whose daughter is the one year old star of the day, loves the idea of a drink, and so the two of them work side by side squeezing oranges and making their own version of screwdrivers. "In this city where beauty had been invented she was possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever spoken to, certainly the most beautiful woman he had ever stood next to in a kitchen." By the end of the party he steals a kiss and has decided to start a new life. Ann Patchett's newest novel Commonweath is her exploration of family, complicated, blended families, much like what the author experienced herself. The six kids grow up together, irregardless of whether they are step or blood. Kids, whose parents were not attentive like now , where a mother would just want some peace, where the six would be allowed to run free and find adventures that bonded them together, until the tragedy. Patchett goes on to explore essential moments of this group for the next 50 years. Chapters are often dedicated to one of the children and yet the main story of the tragedy is told several times in various versions. These children,- Franny, named for her father Francis, Albie, named for his dad, Bert - were wonderfully drawn and describe well what the author cares most about - a "group of people who are pulled out of one family or situation and dropped into another one in which they are not familiar, and then I see how communities are formed." This is even true of her great novel Bel Canto which won the PEN/Faulkner Award In 2001. I have read most of Patchett's novels and though Bel Canto remains my favorite, Commonwealth is a very accessible, enjoyable exploration" that makes you think not of great adventures or faraway places but your own modest choices, and crooked shots at forming a life that suits you." (NPR). Would recommend highly.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Commonwealth CD; Author: Visit Amazon's Ann Patchett Page; Review: When Bert Cousins chooses to escape the Saturday morning routine of dealing with his kids, he decides to crash a Christening party of a family he hardly knows. Having no present, he grabs a big bottle of gin. Beverly Keating, whose daughter is the one year old star of the day, loves the idea of a drink, and so the two of them work side by side squeezing oranges and making their own version of screwdrivers. "In this city where beauty had been invented she was possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever spoken to, certainly the most beautiful woman he had ever stood next to in a kitchen." By the end of the party he steals a kiss and has decided to start a new life. Ann Patchett's newest novel Commonweath is her exploration of family, complicated, blended families, much like what the author experienced herself. The six kids grow up together, irregardless of whether they are step or blood. Kids, whose parents were not attentive like now , where a mother would just want some peace, where the six would be allowed to run free and find adventures that bonded them together, until the tragedy. Patchett goes on to explore essential moments of this group for the next 50 years. Chapters are often dedicated to one of the children and yet the main story of the tragedy is told several times in various versions. These children,- Franny, named for her father Francis, Albie, named for his dad, Bert - were wonderfully drawn and describe well what the author cares most about - a "group of people who are pulled out of one family or situation and dropped into another one in which they are not familiar, and then I see how communities are formed." This is even true of her great novel Bel Canto which won the PEN/Faulkner Award In 2001. I have read most of Patchett's novels and though Bel Canto remains my favorite, Commonwealth is a very accessible, enjoyable exploration" that makes you think not of great adventures or faraway places but your own modest choices, and crooked shots at forming a life that suits you." (NPR). Would recommend highly.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ordinary Grace (Thorndike Press Large Print Mystery); Author: Visit Amazon's William Kent Krueger Page; Review: April 10th Finished Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger today, a recommendation from a friend who at dinner Saturday night said it reminded him of To Kill a Mockingbird. It was a good observation. The nicely told tale is narrated by 13 year old Frank Drum who is recalling events from his youth, in 1961, a tragic year of several deaths. In a small town in Minnesota Frank grew up going to multiple church services each Sunday. His father, Nathan is the minister for the area, his mother the choral director, his sister the star organist and singer. During this transformational summer, he experiences the loss of a loved one, an understanding of justice, and valuable insights into the minds of both his father and brother. There were several well drawn characters built into the narrative that besides exploring the deaths, also touched on the effect of war on a returning soldier, the Dakota uprising of 1862, and the class system entrenched in a small town. I'll have to thank my friend for the recommendation.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wangs vs. the World; Author: Visit Amazon's Jade Chang Page; Review: The Wangs vs. the World is a debut novel from Jade Chang. It details the downfall of Charles Wang who had created a cosmetics empire after immigrating from Taipei. "Yes, America had loved him once. Shed given him the balls to turn his fathers grim little factory, a three-smokestack affair on the outskirts of Taipei that supplied urea to fertilizer manufacturers, into a cosmetics empire. Urea. His father dealt in piss! Not even real honest pissartificial piss. Faux pee. A nitrogen-carrying ammonia substitute that could be made out of inert materials and given a public relations scrubbing and named carbamide, but that was really nothing more than the thing that made piss less terribly pissy." In 2008, the recession and some poor expansion choices bankrupted his company; he has to let his very indulged children know their life is about to change. The youngest, Grace will have to leave boarding school, Andrew will have to leave Arizona State. The plan is to drive cross country to go live with the oldest daughter Saina, who recently bought a farmhouse in New York. The chapters alternate viewpoints of not only these three, but also the new wife, Barbara, and even the aging car. The road trip takes them through New Orleans where Andrew gets temporarily lured away from the family, thinking that he has fallen in love. Eventually they will make it to Saina, whose successful art career has also taken a bad turn. The final plan is for Charles to go back to China and reclaim the land that was taken from the family by the communist regime. That too is fraught with complications.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Sport of Kings: Shortlisted for the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction 2017; Author: Visit Amazon's C. E. Morgan Page; Review: The Sport of Kings, finalist for this year's Pulitzer Prize, is an ambitious novel that weaves the stories of three people set to a background of Kentucky racehorse breeding and the making of greatness. First we meet John Henry Forge who grows up under the whip of his crop farming father only to anxiously await the day he dies so that his dream of raising race horses can begin. As some years pass his daughter Henrietta becomes the focus. She shares his passion for the sport of kings, for genealogy and eventually for the body of a of black horse groomer whom she hires, called Allmon Shaughnessy. Allmon's story, poor childhood, sick mother, eventual jail time makes up the final narrative. The intertwining of these three, in every sense, propel the conflict of this a long novel, epic in its themes, and worth the effort. NYT- Ms. Morgan bears down incisively on topics the lust for speed and power and domination, the prison experience of black men, male camaraderie, the bonds between fathers and sons, the brute intricacies of the dirty Southern soul that men have tended to claim. Horses, Faulkner said in Sports Illustrated, tap something in us. That something, in Ms. Morgans telling, is only rarely pretty. The subject of reparations for slavery hangs in this novels humid air." Some quotes: Lavinia had probably never been disliked before. That sort of thing could unsettle a white woman and make her needy, the way cats only want to be petted by the hand that won't touch them. What she was coming to realize, but what no woman was allowed to utter aloud, was that there was no guarantee your child would be adequate compensation for the life you gave up to have it. More and more, life looked an awful lot like a hoax perpetrated on women and designed to further mens lives at the expense of their own. An individual is not necessarily a genius, but every genius is an individual. If you remember nothing else I ever tell you, remember this: you must be completely yourself in order to achieve greatness, but you may have to lose yourself entirely in the process. Thats the paradox Im willing to endure not just for my ideals, but for you. For Henry so loved the horse that he gave his only begotten daughter, so that whosoever believeth in perfection shall have everlasting life, which is fame among men. I got disappointments like some individuals got dollar bills. The one thing they all have in common is they were purchased out of the auction bin, headed for slaughter. About a hundred thousand horses are slaughtered in this country every year. They breed Thoroughbreds to the tune of thirty thousand a year, so for every stakes winner there might be two hundred draggers who get shipped off to the meat house when they cant earn their keep on the track. What happens is they slam a four-inch nail into their foreheads to knock them out, then they hoist them up by a rear leg; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wonder; Author: Visit Amazon's Emma Donoghue Page; Review: Third person account about a hired nurse from England, formerly trained by Florence Nightengale, who now has been hired by a local committee to keep watch on a young Irish girl named Anna to either witness "The Wonder" or expose the fraud. She is told that Anna does not require food and for several months now has appeared healthy without anything but an occasional sip of water. Lib, think Julia Roberts, is determined to prove this is a hoax. She is also co observing with a nun who will spell her every eight hours and between the two will report back to the town council their findings. Is the girl a blessed miracle. Or a scam. A writer appears, think Owen Wilson, and convinces Lib that he should be able to see the girl as well to write about it for the paper and to observe for himself. The author reveals in the afterword that the novel is based on some actual events throughout history of girls who starve themselves, of so-called Fasting Girls between the 16th and 20th centuries, but the case that most closely resembles the one in her novel is that of Sarah Jacob. The novel was pleasant enough to read, a period piece of Ireland in the late 1860's. I will be interested to see the upcoming movie starring the aforementioned actors.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Widow; Author: Visit Amazon's Fiona Barton Page; Review: This was a fast paced read which explored a child abduction case in England. Alternating view points, from the accused wife, the reporter, the detective and the mother made for some interesting elements. The author, Fiona Barton, was a journalist for the Daily Mail and other papers and used her experiences and insights to flesh out the various aspects of a case like this, notably the quest for a reporter to get the prized interview and the life engulfing investigation that practically ruins a detective's career. The journalist and the investigator appear to be ready for a second book by this author as well. This is not my general choice for reading, but it did past the time pleasurably.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Scandal (English and Japanese Edition); Author: Visit Amazon's Shusaku Endo Page; Review: Ever since A Man Called Ove, I have found my way back to enjoying the simple but effective writing of Fredrik Backman. His latest novel, Beartown, begins as a sports novel, the Friday Night Lights of hockey, played out in a small Swedish town that is putting all its hopes on winning a junior league championship game. If they do, it's possible that the council may decide to build a new rink here, start an academy, basically help the economy of this dying town where many have a tattoo of a bear displayed for loyalty. The novel then becomes more than the story of a hockey crazed town, it extends to a story of misguided loyalties, rash decisions and the consequences of confidence. Backman wisely shows this development through short multi narrated chapters. Third person narration, but centering on various characters: Peter the GM, his wife Kira, daughter Maya. The hockey players, Benji, Amat, Bobo. Though Kevin is the star and the center of the controversy, his insights are rarely given. His parents, the wealthy sponsors of the club are given more details. Then there is the old guard, an aging coach named Sune and a local barkeep named Ramona who act as the conscience of the town, the truth seekers and the only ones who see the big picture. As one review notes, "Always with this writer the story is fully packed with wise insights into the human experience causing characters and readers to ponder lifes great question of who we are, what we hope to be and how we should lead our lives." I enjoyed spending some time living in this cold, hockey town and getting to know characters he created. I'm sure this too will be a movie.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Sea Lord Hotel Suites; City: Lauderdale by the Sea Broward County Florida; Review: Fantastic hotel right in the center of Lauderdale By The Sea No need to rent a car everything on walking distance On the beach well kept clean The only negatives breakfast is sparse and the hotel desk personnel is non existent I needed towels for goodness sakes and I couldn't reach them no one picked up I also complained about a leaky refrigerator I had to use my cell and call as an outside call !!! Totally unprofessional; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Springs Motel; City: Saratoga Springs New York; Review: A family vacation turned into an unexpected treat when all 13 of us stayed at this hotel The accommodations were fantastic The hotel is walking distance to every restaurant and bar The hotel is immaculate the pool is great the staff is fantastic; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Iberostar Costa Dorada; City: Puerto Plata Puerto Plata Province Dominican Republic; Review: Christmas week is tricky to go away mainly due to the crowds not in this case pleasantly surprised. Not a zoo like I expected. New Years will be. The hotel is clean the staff friendly but not overly. The food is good not great. The meats are not as tasty the Italian good not as good as authentic. There is an over abundance of food so that's not a problem the best restaurant is the Japanese. Make a late reservation and enjoy the chef. Tipping is optional but appreciated no more than 5 dollars per dinner. The pool is great and yes there is a swim up bar here. The beach is nice but this time of year the ocean and pool are chilly not the oppressive bath water like in the spring and summer. It's a family atmosphere all ages can have a good time. The night life is sparse a disco and entertainment area. Most people hung out in the lobby and chilled good bonding time with your older kids. There is food 24/7 as well as drinks. The rooms are clean and the beds are comfy. It's an all inclusive which makes this vacation even better. The reason it's a 3 and not higher is mainly the food is just ok. There is plenty of it but nothing that grabs you. The swim up bar is a plus. The amenities are very good.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sea Lord Hotel Suites; City: Lauderdale by the Sea Broward County Florida; Review: We stayed here the first time in 2015 and was a fantastic stay. It wasn't 5 star because of some internal issues. That seems to have been rectified. We travel with our 3 huge sons and we needed a cot they couldn't have been more accommodating. This was only the first day !!! There will be more trip advisor updates !!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Homewood Suites by Hilton Buffalo Amherst; City: Amherst New York; Review: I brought up my two college boys and wife to U at Buffalo move in day. This hotel was the closest to the campus and it's fantastic the amenities are great it's clean close to everything and the staff is on point. I will be booking this hotel for family weekend in October and any other time we'll be visiting the college; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lauderdale By The Sea Resort; City: Fort Lauderdale Broward County Florida; Review: This is 2016 why can't wi fi be a non issue? My hotel as good as it is has horrendous wifi that hotel is sea lord hotel it's a great place but the wifi will drive you insane. I have reviewed this hotel before but forgot about the wifi The accommodations are great the place is immaculate.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buccaneer Motel; City: Beach Haven Long Beach Island New Jersey; Review: We came for chowder fest and came with trepidation, after reading the reviews. I have to say I am here and am dispelling those nasty rumors. The room is clean yes there is a musty smell, but that's any ocean based room. The staff is pleasant and attentive. I recommend this hotel.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Herodion Hotel; City: Athens Attica; Review: First time In Athens and wasn't disappointed. The hotel is 10 min from the airport. Rooms weren't ready so the staff was very accommodating. Gave us food until the rooms were ready. Will be reporting all week for 2 weeks; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Boutique Hotel Glaros; City: Naxos Town Naxos Cyclades South Aegean; Review: Last leg of our journey in naxos. The Glaros is tastefully done. The staff is fantastic. You are 1/2 block from a public beach which is crowded. There is no pool on the property. We used a neighboring one. Breakfast is 8-1030 and is delicious. I highly recommend this hotel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Belvedere Santorini; City: Firostefani Santorini Cyclades South Aegean; Review: After taking an amazing ferry ride from Milos to Santorini we disembark onto an unreal chaotic scene at Santorini's port. Hundreds of tourists disembarking and embarking to and from their ferries. Tiara chaos. Once situated at the Belvedere hotel we realize our ac is on the fritz. After hrs of back n forth with the mgr we get it fixed unreal. Hotel is nice rooms are small. It's built on a volcanic mountain beautiful view but crazy access to the pool. Great snack bar. This is a beautiful but OVERLY CROWDED island. You don't rent cars, it's all taxis. $100 round trip to the restaurants st the bottom of the mountain. Be prepared to spend money !!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Homewood Suites by Hilton Wilmington Brandywine Valley; City: Wilmington Delaware; Review: Came for a family getaway great place to stay. Rooms are clean and spacious. Outdoor pool is clean and refreshing. Breakfasts are normal hotel food but basic. Near malls with tons of shopping 40 min from philly.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sea Lord Hotel Suites; City: Lauderdale by the Sea Broward County Florida; Review: Second time staying here after hurricane Irma devastated south Florida. The owner Emile does anything and everything to please his guests. Hotel was short staffed and doesn't have a the chef that makes amazing lunches until Nov. what does Emile do offer a deal at an Italian restaurant to make amends. Dana the clerk is fantastic you can tell she loves her job goes above and beyond; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dreams Sands Cancun Resort Spa; City: Cancun Yucatan Peninsula; Review: We are vacationing with our family teen boys and 23 y/o son and gf. It's fantastic for young people. It's great for all ages too. The food is amazing. The Italian, the Japanese, restaurants are great. Men must wear pants. The service is 5 ⭐️. The reason it's not a great hotel is because of a few flaws. The first flaw is that it's a high rise building. The top floor the fifth is the only renovated floor. The lower floors 1-4 are not so book the top floor. The second flaw is that if you are a sun 🌞 lover, the pool is not for you. The pool is surrounded in the shadow of the hotel and palm trees. The beach is where you go for the sun. There are drinks being served by extremely accommodating servers yes tip them!! There are activities daily if that's your thing. Dreams is a great all inclusive.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sea Lord Hotel Suites; City: Lauderdale by the Sea Broward County Florida; Review: Can't stop raving about this hotel. After the devastating hurricane on Oct, he hotel bounced back. Clean efficient and awesome quality. Lots of room renovations. I will be back again. The staff goes above and beyond the food is great the pool is immaculate..; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gran Hotel Reymar Spa; City: Tossa de Mar Costa Brava Province of Girona Catalonia; Review: Well all I can say is this hotel is a slice of heaven. We arrived around 11 at the Reymar and were told by very accommodating personnel that the room will be ready by 2. We took our bathing suits and spent 5 hrs at the beach. The water pristine, the sand course BRING WATER SHOES!!!!!! Once in the water you can swim, snorkel and relax. You can rent chairs @ 8 euro each. There are . plenty of places to eat the best bring right on the beach. We were given great towels. The only major problem is WiFi it's non existent. You can walk to town to restaurants. We rented a car and drove 1.5 hrs from Barcelona, reason being to explore more beaches in Costa Brava. I'm telling you this hotel is 5 Star.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spray Beach Hotel; City: Beach Haven Long Beach Island New Jersey; Review: Went to the annual Chowder Fest and stayed 2 nights. The place was clean the amenities were fine the pool heated and clean and we were right on the beach. The food was good. I'd comeback next year. The hotel restaurant was good. The lobster was very good as was the service.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jewel Runaway Bay Beach Golf Resort; City: Runaway Bay Saint Ann Parish Jamaica; Review: Jamaica is the type of country where there motto is no problem . That being said why is it almost impossible to get WiFi ? Jewel is a fantastic place to go with kids of all ages. The pros: it's all inclusive that's a huge perk. Anything you want is available. The foods fantastic. The buffet is great, the breakfasts are too. I will report back on the restaurants. The cons: in desperate need of renovations. The rooms, although clean the need upgrades. The outdoor grill areas need new furniture. The towel situation really wasn't an issue. Pool beach chairs are plentiful, so no need to get up at 5am to put a towel on a chair. The beach fantastic clean roomy and great snorkeling.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Prionezhskiy Club Hotel; City: Petrozavodsk Republic of Karelia Northwestern District; Review: Stayed for a week for business. Clean and modern with a friendly english speaking staff. Rooms are very spacious compared to European standards. Be advised though if you need wifi access (which is free in the hotel), the new wing (the one story addition to the hotel) doesn't have it. The two story area and the lobby of the hotel are in range of the wifi node. I had to hang out in the lobby or in the courtyard to be in wifi range since my room was too far away to connect. If you want to stay more in the heart of the city, this hotel may not be for you; although the city center isn't too far away. Other than these two things, a great place to stay within a stone's throw of the beautiful shores of Lake Onega and the Lakeside Promenade. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone travelling to Petrozavodsk. Spasiba bolshoye to Anna and Grigory of Petrozavodsk for finding this place for me. Aloha and Mahalo from Hawaii.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: NH Amsterdam Centre; City: Amsterdam North Holland Province; Review: Great location. We walked to the Van Gogh Museum, Leidseplein, Vondel Park, Heineken Experience, Red Light District/Asian Neighborhood all in one afternoon/night. Rooms are modern, well-sized, and clean. Only thing is that free wifi is only available in the lobby.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: In and Out Bed and Breakfast; City: Rome Lazio; Review: We stayed at was B&B Inandout Rome Centre Navona (Vicolo Del Fico 15). This B&B is located about two blocks from Piazza Navona and is centrally located so that Campo Dei Fiori, Pantheon, Trastevere, and a whole bunch of other sites are within reasonable walking distance. My girlfriend and I are in decent physical shape and we walked EVERYWHERE! I mean we walked to the Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo, Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, Bocca de la Verita, Vatican, just for fun and to look for good gelato (tip - San Crispino near the Trevi Fountain and I Caruso north of the Forum are the best, with San Crispino having better sorbetto and I Caruso having better gelato (in our opinion)). Like everyone else says, eat a Da Francesco's - particularly their roast lamb with roasted potatoes. If you want to beat the crowds, either dine there for lunch, eat dinner between 7 - 8 pm, or make a reservation. With regard to finding the place and checking in, it's best that you print out a map and show it to the taxi driver so that you don't have to worry. That's what we did (from Termini Train Station) and we had no problems. Bring a phone and give Philomena a ring before you get there so that someone will be there to meet you at the door to check you in (no one is there during the day except for breakfast and to straighten up your room). If you are an independent traveler who doesn't need a lot of help navigating Rome, this is the place for you! I would DEFINITELY stay there again the next time I'm in Rome.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Centauro Hotel; City: Venice Veneto; Review: Second time I stayed there and still a great place to be in Venice. Very close (but not in) the crazy part of the tourist packed center of San Marco. Located about 200 yards from the Rialto Bridge on a little alley off Campo Manin, the hotel has great staff, wonderful breakfast area, and good rooms. Be advised though that there aren't any elevators. I would definitely stay there again when traveling to Venice.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wheeler Mansion; City: Chicago Illinois; Review: Quaint and historic Bed and Breakfast two blocks away from the McCormick Convention Center. Safe neighborhood within walking distance to not only the convention center, but Soldier Field as well (we walked there at about 9 pm at night just for fun). Rooms are spacious and clean and nicely appointed in period decor. Bus stop to most of the Chicago sites is about three blocks away. About eight blocks away are a couple of great eateries (City Tavern and Waffles). City Tavern's dry-aged, strip loin burger is about the best burger in the city, and Waffles' take on hispanic-inspired savory breakfast dishes are awesome. Service at the Wheeler is very good. But be apprised that they are only there during certain hours of the day. My only complaint is that the toilet seat in our bathroom was cracked and needed to be replaced. However, if I needed to stay in Chicago in the South Michigan Avenue area, I would definitely considere returning to the Wheeler Mansion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Kimberly Hotel; City: New York City New York; Review: This is a very nice little hotel in the midtown east area of Manhattan. It's actually a pretty good value if you can get a good price through an internet provider (Priceline, Hotwire, etc.). Small lobby area with enough room for about 8 people to sit. The bell service personnel are first rate. Extremely friendly and professional. The rooms are spacious and clean. However, if you want a room with a view, I suggest asking for a room above the 8th floor. We were on the sixth floor in the side tower which fronted 50th street. It got a little noisy by around 7 am and there wasn't a view. As for the location, if you want to be in midtown east, there aren't too many better locations than this. The Kimberly is situated about one block east of the Waldorf Astoria and within 4-6 blocks to MOMA, the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Station, Fifth Avenue Shopping (Tiffany's, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks), and close to Central Park. FYI, the facade is being renovated right now so if construction bothers you, don't stay there for the next 2-3 months. I would definitely stay there again if I wanted to be in midtown east.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: SpringHill Suites Nashville MetroCenter; City: Nashville Davidson County Tennessee; Review: First off, for some reason, hotel rates in Nashville can be very expensive, especially if you want to stay in the downtown/Gulch area. This hotel is a few miles north of downtown in a safe area and offers free parking. The staff is very friendly and helpful with directions and suggestions. The free breakfast is a great amenity (Belgian waffles, eggs, sausage/bacon, etc.). Rooms are large and well kept, although the bathroom ventilation is a little poor. The fitness room is small but usable and the pool is indoor/outdoor. Bottom line, if you have a car and don't mind driving to the downtown area to hang out at the clubs on Broadway, then this hotel may suit you.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Plantation Hale Suites; City: Kapaa Kauai Hawaii; Review: Stayed here in late August with my girlfriend so that she could run the Kauai Marathon (FYI, if you want to stay closer to the start/finish of the marathon, I suggest you stay in the Poipu area). We purposefully stayed in Kapaa so that we would be centrally located between the north side (Hanalei/Princeville) and the south side (Poipu/Waimea) of the island. While the facility isn't situated right on the beach, you only have to cross an open lot the size of a city block to get there. The beach itself isn't the prettiest on the island (by Hawaii standards), but it will do for sunbathing or swimming (face it, we're spoiled when it comes to nice beaches in Hawaii). You can check in earlier than the stated time (3 pm), but it will cost you an extra $25, although the reception desk did allow us to check in at 1 pm with no charge (that was very nice of her). In any event, the room is in fact a sizeable one bedroom suite with a pullout sofa that converts to a queen sized bed in the living room. The king sized bed was very comfortable. The room was clean and looked like a converted apartment (which is fine with me). A full kitchen with cooking utensils, silverware, pots, pans, and dishes allow you to eat in (there's a gas barbeque available behind the main office as well). Parking for one car is free as well. The air conditioning in the room utilizes an ingenious ducting system to split the airflow from one wall unit into the two separate rooms. Although ingenious, it doesn't allow for adjustment if one room is too cold or hot. All in all, I would say that the stay was very good for the price paid and if I had to stay in Kapaa again, I would seriously consider staying here.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Goulding s Lodge Campground; City: Monument Valley Utah; Review: We stayed at the Gouldings' Campground facility in September (tent campsite only). While the place is pretty congested (campsites aren't very big), they are perfectly serviceable if you don't need too much room (we only had a two person tent and a car). The campsite area has no ground cover - it's all dirt/sand - so if it rains, it might get muddy. We were fortunate and had no such problems. The campground has one central bathroom facility that's attached to the general store/registration desk/launderette/shower facility. If you want to beat the crowds into Monument Valley so you can view the scenery in great light and in relative solitude, all while not spending too much on camping accommodations, then this might be the place for you.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Westin Las Vegas Hotel Spa; City: Las Vegas Nevada; Review: The Westin is a good alternative to staying on the Strip. Located one block off the strip (note: blocks in Vegas are very big), You can access the Bellagio Fountains by cutting through Bally's Sports Book and walking through their air conditioned facility. Bally's is also connected to Paris-Las Vegas as well so you can get to a number of strip casinos very easily from the Westin. The rooms are relatively clean (I noticed some mildew in the shower but nothing too bad). The room walls are fairly thin so if you are a light sleeper, ask for a room away from other guests. From my the limited experience (I didn't need much) customer service is excellent.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Omni Richmond Hotel; City: Richmond Virginia; Review: I recently had need of a downtown Richmond hotel for conference in the State Capitol. The Omni Richmond fit the bill perfectly. Only three blocks from the State Capitol and about five blocks from the Main Street Train Station. Lots of local eateries are within walking distance (Sine Irish Pub, Capital Ale House, Southern Railway, and the Tobacco Company Restaurant are all good choices). Brown's Isle and Tredegar Museum are within walking distance for you Civil War history buffs. Service is excellent and the rooms are quite nice (we had room 1805). If in the area, I would definitely consider staying here again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hilton Garden Inn New York Central Park South Midtown West; City: New York City New York; Review: This hotel is fairly new and is pretty easy to miss since it's footprint is so small and squeezed in between two larger buildings. It looks like it was just renovated, with all the furnishings still looking brand new. We were placed in a room that was located between the elevators. At first I was concerned that there would an issue of hearing the elevators whooshing on by all night or people talking as they got out of the elevator. Thankfully, the room was pretty quiet. The size of the room is fairly small, but then again, it's not like you go to New York to stay in your room for the majority of your time. The layout was very functional and the bed was comfortable and supportive. One of the things I didn't like was the bathroom door, which is basically a repurposed sliding closet door that leaves a one inch gap between the wall and the door. I know, no big deal if you're alone or with a significant other, but if you're sharing a room with a colleague, be aware that the door doesn't provide much privacy. All in all, the location is pretty ideal if you want to take in the midtown sights or head on over to Central Park for a stroll or run. So if you're willing to forego room size and a good bathroom door for a central midtown location, this place is right for you.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hearton Hotel Shinsaibashi; City: Osaka Osaka Prefecture Kinki; Review: If you want to be close to pretty much everything in the Shinsaibashi shopping area, America Village, and other places, you can't go wrong if you stay at the Hearton (pronounced "Haruton" by the Japanese). Talk about close to the Osaka subway station, basically, if you're on the Midosuji Line, you get off at the Shinsaibashi station, take the number 7 exit, walk less than a half block towards Namba (like 30 yards), make a left on the street right before the Puma Store, walk another 40 yards, and you're at the hotel. Rooms are clean. Bathrooms are quite small. If you're over 6 feet tall, I think you'll feel claustrophobic in the bathroom. Anyway, while the room size may not allow you to open a suitcase all the way, the bed is comfortable, the room spotless, and really to me, that's enough if you're only there to sleep and take a shower. After all, what's the point in visiting a new place if you stay in your room all the time? Just to let you know, the semi-double rooms seem to all be situated on the interior sides of the hotel so your window will have a view of the other side of the hotel (no view). Again, if you're only there to sleep, it's not a big deal. If I had to do it over again, I'd still stay at this hotel. It's literally right across the street from Daimaru and it's fantastic food hall and right on the border of America Village.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Shijo; City: Nakagyo Kyoto Kyoto Prefecture Kinki; Review: Great little hotel in the middle of Kyoto. Very close to bus stops where you can catch buses to Kinkakuji, Nijojo Castle, Gion, Fushimi Inari Shrine, and all the sites Kyoto has to offer. The hotel has its own public bath (separate baths for men and women) so you can relax after a long day of sightseeing. FYI, Most Japanese tend to take their baths in the morning before they go out in the morning so that's when the public bath seems to be the most crowded. The rooms are small (compared to US standards) and the bathrooms are pretty miniscule (you can easily touch all four walls by stretching your arms out when standing in the middle of the bathroom), but well laid out for efficiency. The entire hotel was very clean and peaceful and the staff courteous and professional. While the immediate area surrounding the hotel doesn't have much to see (although there is a historic lane right around the corner that you should see if you want to see how old Japanese neighborhoods looked like), it's not that far of a walk to the major shopping area in Kyoto.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sheraton Grand Seattle; City: Seattle Washington; Review: The Sheraton Seattle is ideally situated next to the Seattle Convention Center (if that's where you need to be). The staff is friendly and helpful, my room was spacious and clean, and the wifi (free if you are a Starwood Preferred Guest member) is strong. I stayed in the shorter tower, and if you do as well, please note that certain rooms (it was either ending in 72 or 76) have smaller windows than the rest of the rooms on the floor. It didn't really matter much to me, but if you want a room with a bigger viewing vista, then this might be a consideration. All in all, I would definitely stay at the Sheraton if I ever needed to be back at the Convention Center or in the general vicinity.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Inn Place; City: Edinburgh Scotland; Review: Great little hotel almost dead center between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood House. Within walking distance from Waverley Station in Old Town. Mind you, the walk to the hotel from the train station is a bit steep so be prepared if you have luggage for a steep incline. The actual distance from the train station to the hotel is fairly short, about a kilometer/half mile, but Cockburn Street pitches up right past the bridge. As for the hotel itself, it's located on the right hand side, midway up the street (if you're walking uphill) in a building called The Scotsman. The sign for the Inn Place is a rather small (about three feet by two feet square) in orange letters placed at about eye level. The lobby is situated on the second floor of the building as part of the hotel's bar. The staff is young and very nice. The rooms seem to be connected by a number of hallways that meander through different buildings. Everything is pretty much brand new and the room we had was very spacious. Our room had a view of the rooftops between buildings - not good if you want a view, but not bad if you want a peaceful sleeping environment. The location is pretty much ideal if you want to be within walking distance to both Old Town and New Town. We walked pretty much everywhere from the hotel (Edinburgh Palace, Holyrood House, Arthur's Seat, Scottish Parliament, Calton Hill, Greyfriars Bobby, etc., etc. We even walked to see a movie in New Town after dinner one night in New Town. If ever visiting Edinburgh again (and I believe I will), I would most definitely stay at the Inn Place again. It's close enough to the Royal Mile (just about 100 yards away) without feeling too close to the tourist area.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grange Lancaster Hotel; City: London England; Review: The Grange Lancaster Hotel is situated among other Grange-owned hotels on Bedford Place. It's located pretty much in the middle of the block along a row of similar looking buildings, so just keep your eyes peeled for the correct Grange hotel sign. As for the lobby, it's a small area that doubles as the hotel's bar/lounge. The property is clean, cozy, and seems to be well-maintained. The room we had was pretty roomy. We had to get through about four doorways before we got to it though (apparently the hotel is made up of at least a couple of buildings that have had their dividing walls broken through to consolidate the hotel). Just to let you know, the rooms do not have air conditioning. While this wasn't a problem for us since we were there in October, guests traveling in the summer months may not like this fact. The staff are friendly, but not very well-informed on things to do/places to eat in the area. The hotel is pretty much smack dab in between the Russell Square and Holburn Tube Stations, so depending on which line you're on, you can easily get to the hotel after about a 5 minute walk from either station. The immediate area itself isn't that good for dining options, but as I said before, the hotel's proximity to tube stations gives you ample opportunity to venture out on the town. If you fancy a fairly quiet neighborhood that has easy access to the tourist sites of London, you could do far worse than the Grange Lancaster.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn New York JFK Airport Area; City: Jamaica Queens New York; Review: Generally speaking, we enjoyed staying at the Holiday Inn on Brookville Boulevard. IT's pretty new, located within walking distance to a couple of strip malls in case you need to buy some last minute things, and a few restaurants (IHOP, etc). The front desk personnel were really friendly and helpful. The complimentary airport shuttle picks you up from the Federal Circle Airtrain station but drops you off at your airline's terminal. The only complaint I have is that, we stayed at the hotel after an all night flight and were just there until about 8pm at night to catch our connecting flight. We tried to sleep during the late morning, but unfortunately, our room was situated right where all the housekeeping staff congregate to gossip. They were quite noisy talking and laughing right outside our door for at least a few hours. Other than that, the rooms were clean, spacious, and new. I would probably stay there again if I ever need to book a room between flights at JFK, I just wouldn't stay in the room near the housekeeping staff's informal meeting area.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: St Giles London; City: London England; Review: I first stayed at the St.Giles about 15 years ago. Back then, it was a budget hotel ideally located for first time tourists who wanted to be close to West End sights. Today, it's still ideally located for that purpose. Unfortunately, not much has been done to maintain the property. I remember from 15 years ago that the rooms on the upper floors took a while for hot water to get through the pipes (I mean like about 3 minutes of running the shower before you could get in). Nothing has changed in the ensuing 15 years to correct that issue (yes, I did mention it to the hotel management back then). Upon arrival, the staff apologized in advance that there was a major water pipe break above the lobby and the water damage had affected the elevators, as such only two of the four elevators were functioning. This situation resulted in us waiting for elevators for minutes. In certain areas of the hotel's upper floor elevator waiting areas, the foul smell of moldy sheets was pervasive throughout our stay. The rooms themselves were satisfactory, albeit small. We knew this going in so that wasn't a problem. As for the surrounding area, the hotel is still in the middle of the West End, great for sightseeing and going to Theatreland. Unfortunately, the City of London is going through a major renovation of the Tottenham Road Tube Station and there are no less than two, huge construction developments coming up on either side of the hotel. What does this mean? The whole area around the hotel looks like a war zone. If you have a car, I strongly recommend you not stay at this hotel until after all the construction is completed (probably late 2016). Unless the St. Giles receives a major renovation, I highly doubt I'll ever visit them again, even though their rates are fairly low for the area and for a three star hotel.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Grange Clarendon Hotel; City: London England; Review: Now I've stayed in a few hotels in London in various areas (mostly near the West End and Mayfair) and this hotel seems to be pretty well situated for sightseeing without feeling like you're in the middle of the manic parts of London (for those of you who have been to London, you know what I mean). Let's face it, London is a big, bustling city not unlike Manhattan. It can be hard to find a place if you'd rather stay at a more quiet place in the middle of the city. But sometimes, you can find a hotel that lets you feel like you're not in the middle of all the craziness, yet close enough to it so that you don't have to travel too far to get to the sights you want to see. The hotel is equidistantly located between the Holburn and Russell Square Tube Stations so you can access different subway lines fairly easily. It's half a block away from both Russell Square and Bloomsbury Square Garden if you need a green park in which to relax. The rooms are big enough, fairly spacious by European standards. A bit old fashioned décor, but very clean. The hallways are narrow and access to certain rooms require you to traverse through numerous doorways (it seems that the hotel is made up of a number of adjacent row houses that had part of their walls knocked down to provide access between buildings). If you are traveling during the summer, please be advised that there is no air conditioning, just a window. Since we were traveling in November, the lack of air conditioning wasn't an issue. We didn't find too many really good places to eat in the neighborhood (an Indian restaurant that was about a block away and whose name escapes me wasn't the best). The hotel staff was friendly enough, but they lacked any useful knowledge about the surrounding area. All in all, a pretty decent hotel for the price we paid. I understand that we could have had complimentary access to an offsite gym, but we were too busy to check it out.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hyatt Regency McCormick Place; City: Chicago Illinois; Review: Stayed here for a convention at the McCormick Place. The hotel has an enclosed walkway connected to the convention center so you don't have to brave the elements to go to your meetings. The hotel has two towers, North and South, with the South Tower being the main, taller tower that is closer to the covered walkway and to the bar, restaurant, and convenience store in the lobby. Just to let you know, if you want a room with a view, there are a number of rooms in both towers that face each other (so basically, you get a view of the windows and walls of the opposing hotel tower). Ask for a room above the 15th floor in the South Tower (if the room is facing north), or a north facing room on a high floor if you are in the North Tower if you want a view. Also, be advised that DePaul University is currently constructing a new basketball arena within a half block of the hotel, so there may be traffic disruptions during the day in the area (I was there in August 2016, and it looks like it will take at least until the end of the year to complete the arena construction project). All in all, the hotel is very good. Rooms are clean, newly renovated, and spacious, the housekeeping and front desk staff are courteous and friendly, and generally, the property is what you would want near a convention center. The neighborhood around the convention center is pretty boring, although Willie Dixon's Blues Garden is about two blocks away and features free blues concerts on Thursday nights during the summer between 6-7pm.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crowne Plaza Hotel Astor New Orleans; City: New Orleans Louisiana; Review: If you want to stay on or very close to Bourbon Street, the Astor Crowne Plaza is a pretty good choice. It's situated on the corner of Bourbon and Canal Streets and you can just walk out their side door and be ready to stroll down crazy Bourbon Street. The property is an older building but the rooms are modern, clean, and very spacious. Some rooms have absolutely no view (I stayed in the room 440 and our window looked out over the industrial air conditioner and the garage). If you want a room with some sort of view, I estimate that you will need to stay on a floor above the seventh. Service was excellent and the restaurant, Dickie Brennan's Bourbon House, has a fantastic selection of bourbons. In fact, if you are interested in sampling one of the most coveted bourbons in the world, Pappy Van Winkle, this establishment gets the largest allocation in all of New Orleans (about 4 cases). Unfortunately, it's only delivered once a year in mid-November and runs out within about two weeks. So, if you're not there during that time, you'll have to drown your disappointment with some other ultra premium bourbon. That's what I did.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Westin Copley Place Boston; City: Boston Massachusetts; Review: Went there for a conference (Conference was not at the hotel but at the Seaport Convention Center). Room was clean, spacious, and modern. In room amenities included two complimentary bottles of water each day,, coffee maker, refrigerator, iron/board, and bathrobe. Gym facility was very nice with a small pool. The location on Huntington Avenue is an ideal location to many of Boston's top attractions in the Back Bay. The hotel is also about a block away from a couple of T (subway) stations. Since I booked as part of a conference block of rooms, about two weeks prior to my stay I was contacted by a hotel representative (Katerina), who provided a lot of helpful information regarding the hotel, transportation, and Boston's surrounding environs. I must say that this service was very much appreciated. Thank you very much to Katrina and the staff of the Westin Copley Square for a great stay.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Phoenix Project; Author: Visit Amazon's D.M. Cain Page; Review: I enjoyed the book, but I didn't expect the name of the name of the penal system to become the metaphor of the protagonists personal journey. It was nice to be surprised by that. Overall, I enjoyed the story and character development, and even the surprising elimination of some key characters. The ending was just mushy enough to be touching without being sappy. I did find myself predicting much of the storyline, however the author did a marvelous job in foreshadowing, and leading the reader to the expected events (even the ones I didn't want to happen) I would recommend The Phoenix Project to all ages.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Freak of Nature: IFICS #1; Author: Visit Amazon's Julia Crane Page; Review: I really enjoyed the concept of the story. It's an excellent example of exploring what it means to be human. I caught a few grammatical and punctuation errors, but they didn't detract from the story. I thought the PG-13 details of the sex scenes were unnecessary, but that's just my personal opinion. Looking forward to continuing the series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wanderer's Escape; Author: Visit Amazon's Simon Goodson Page; Review: After reading eight chapters, I couldn't read another word. The style of the writing was difficult to follow, words seemed in the wrong order so often I found myself re-reading sections more than once just to understand what the author was trying to say. Another reviewer said the characters were one dimensional (I think that was being generous). The events of the story were disjointed, like watching a movie while skipping forward minutes at a time. The only part of the story I liked was the merging of the boy and the ship. I would have liked to see more character development, especially in the opening chapter. I've read the author goes more into the protagonists history before their escape, but I won't be losing any sleep not knowing.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Game (The Game is Life Book One) (Volume 1); Author: Mr. Terry Schott; Review: The inner monologue narrative style was an interesting change of pace, but several times during he book I was hoping for more "show" and less "tell". I'm not sure if the cliff-hanger at the end is enough to compel me to read book two, but I'll read the excerpt before I make my decision. I thought the "perfect life" of the main characters felt one-dimensional, but I suppose when you're living in a computer generated fantasy world the protagonists can have idyllic lives and still remain likable. However, for me, it made them rather boring by the end.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Warchild: Pawn (The Warchild Series) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Ernie Lindsey Page; Review: The numerous mentions of heavy rainfall reminded me of my own growing years outside Portland, OR. (It almost turned me off of the book, but I kept going to give it an honest chance to win me over. And in the end, it did. I grew to like the characters surrounding the protagonist more then the main character herself. I admit I was disappointed that the sniper was dispatched before the end of the book. I look forward to continuing the series and seeing what happens.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: After The Ending (The Ending Series) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Lindsey Fairleigh Page; Review: I got the book because I was interested in the premise of how people survive after the end of modern civilization, but I just couldn't personally relate to the characters. Also, the story jumped between messages between the main main characters was distracting.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Legacy Code (Legacy Code Saga) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Autumn Kalquist Page; Review: I enjoyed delving into the world the author created. The details made it feel like a potential future of humanity. What I didn't enjoy was how short the story felt, and one dimensional every character other than the protagonist, Era. She was the only character that seemed to have any depth, so I really didn't like how this volume ended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Slip (The Slip Trilogy) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's David Estes Page; Review: I downloaded this book when I came across the synopsis and became intrigued. I had no idea how the story would suck me in on such a personal level. David Estes takes the reader into a well-developed world that has lost sight of the value of human life. Taking you through the eyes of a child that grows into a young adult through the masterfully written pages, you will also feel what it might be like to be a non-person. I look forward to reading the next installment, Grip. Well done David!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zero Is The Key; Author: Robert J Guerrera; Review: Robert Guerrera spins a delightful tale that will capture the imaginations of young readers. With fascinating lessons in the sciences, arts and languages any middle-schooler will gain marvelous tidbits about the history of important people and places. The maturity of the main characters will captivate the imaginations of children, leading them to believe that adventures are for those willing to dream, and set out to makes those dreams happen. I will be handing Zero is the Key to my eight year old daughters and hope they get pulled into the story, as I believe all young readers will.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tent City; Author: Visit Amazon's Kelly Van Hull Page; Review: So, I have mixed feelings about this novel... What I liked: the writing is clean and expressive without being long-winded or extraneous. I found it easy to like the characters, and enjoyed getting to know new characters throughout the book. What I didn't like: The story took a long time to get to the "mystery", and overall I found the plot to be predictable and lacking in the level of conflict one would expect in a group of teenagers living in the wild. In the end, even though the writing is excellent, I didn't feel connected enough to the characters to see where the stories go. My best wishes to Kelly Van Hull in her future writing endeavors!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Insanity; Author: Visit Amazon's Cameron Jace Page; Review: Cameron Jace took me on a journey into my own preconceptions of what it means to be sane. Insanity takes the reader along with Alice, a poor mad girl in an asylum, on her journey to discover that being mad isn't all that bad. Jace cleverly adapts Lewis Carrol's Wonderland characters to a world of mystery, intrigue, adventure and murder. I'm looking forward to continuing the journey with Alice and the other Mushroomers.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The City Center (The New Agenda Series) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Simone Pond Page; Review: Simone Pond brings the reader into a world of corruption, entitlement and power-hungry elitists. The city center seems to be a perfect utopia, protecting its inhabitants from the danger beyond the walls. But the ruling class, as they have always done, have kept a secret to themselves while controlling the populace with chemical and technological distractions. If a secret group ever planned the demise of the the world for their benefit, I can't imagine how "The New Agenda" series isn't anything but prophetic. What I liked: engaging story, fascinating futuristic technology, and compelling characters. What I didn't like: the ending seemed anticlimactic, after the big reveal and the hero triumphs, the wrap-up was much more "tell" than "show". Perhaps it would have worked better as a prologue... But that's just my opinion. I would have given 4.5 stars, but the rating system only works in whole numbers... Sorry! However, if it means anything, I will be continuing the series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Writers of the Future Volume 31 (L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future); Author: Visit Amazon's L. Ron Hubbard Page; Review: The annual writers of the future does not disappoint. Each year new unpublished, and yet unsung, authors and illustrators gain the well-deserved attention to their work. Fresh ideas, new points of view, and even seasoned motifs combine in a delightful array of tales to satisfy all literary palettes. For those hungry for a fresh read... Bon Appetite!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Code Breakers: Alpha (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Colin F. Barnes Page; Review: I was very excited when I started this series. The concept seemed to be original and highly inventive. The first few chapters were gripping and kept me reading longer than expected. However, the plot took a turn that was more than unexpected. The middle of the book seemed to not make much sense (to me anyway) as the plot jumped from one runaway train to another. But I kept on reading because I did want to see where the book would end. I admit I was a little disappointed in the frequent times I experienced more telling than showing and how often new characters were introduced without names, and then seemingly out of nowhere their names where used. I think Colin Barnes has a fantastically creative mind, spinning webs of storyline using terms I can only assume are intrinsic to computer programming. I wish him all the best with the rest of the Code Breakers series, however I did not feel invested enough in the characters to continue the ride.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: AlterWorld (Play to Live) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's D. Rus Page; Review: This book caught me by surprise. At first it seemed like a play-by-play version of watching someone else play a video game. Sure, there were times when the main character implied intimate relations with fellow gamers, but I was pleased it was never more than an innuendo. However, overall the concept took me on a fun ride of imagination that appeal d to my nerd/geek nature. The only thing that would have made the story better for me would have been a futuristic/space themed game as opposed to a medieval/magical realm. What i liked: the story kept me from net rested in what would happen next, and there were very few instances of word or sentence structure issues that led me to wonder what f they were simple editing oversights. The details of items, quests, and other in-game details makes it all feel more realistic. Well-developed main characters and some good. Omens of humor in just the right places. What I didn't like: although the story is creative, most of it does read like announcing a video game for a blind person... Since the characters have become bound to the game, I would have preferred the play-by-play to take a second seat and let the events describe he selves. Also, this book is more tell than show. Whether that's just a part of a first person narrative or not, it did become distracting at points. Final verdict: I will continue the saga. I've become emotionally attached to the main characters.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: At Hidden Lake; Author: Visit Amazon's P.S. Winn Page; Review: I finished my first novel written by PS Winn, "At Hidden Lake" last night. The book follows a trio of long time friends as their simple camping trip brings them into a conspiracy stemming from the myths and legends of Hidden Lake. What I liked: It's an easy read with a fast-paced story. What I didn't like: Written in the omniscient 3rd person, the POV frequently shifts between characters, requiring me to re-read several passages to keep track of who's thinking, feeling, remembering, etc. The story also does more telling than showing, allowing for the faster paced story. The characters, especially the antagonists, are very 2D. I felt no connection to the characters, and never felt like they were in any real danger (even when under arrest by the co-conspirators). All in all I don't regret the time I spent reading "At Hidden Lake", and I may pick up another novel by PS Winn in the future.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Architects of Destiny (Cadicle); Author: Amy DuBoff; Review: Amy DuBoff pulls the reader into a world filled with surprises and intrigue. Ride along with Cris as he ventures beyond the pampered life as a Dynastic heir to forge his own destiny. All the while, forces unknown are plotting to put his life back in line with the destiny they had in mind at his birth. What I liked: The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. What I didn't like: The danger to the main character seems to a nebulous idea, but not an imminent threat (yet). A solid read! I look forward to continuing the journey.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Park Service: Book One of The Park Service Trilogy (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Ryan Winfield Page; Review: A good read for teens! Even if I'm well past that stage in my life, I look forward to continuing the adventure.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success; Author: Visit Amazon's K. M. Weiland Page; Review: This is a book I'd wished I'd known about before I wrote my own debut novel. I learned that there are actually useful tools to create great stories beyond "typing until your fingers bleed and you can't see straight." The material K.M. Shares has inspired me to alter my currently haphazard process and actually sit down and plan out my next story... Just to see what happens!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Writers of the Future Vol 32 (L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future); Author: Visit Amazon's L. Ron Hubbard Page; Review: As with issues of past years; some stories left me in awe due to their imagination; some left me in wonder due to their ability to draw me into another world. While others just put left me wondering what was it about the story that impressed the judges.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Writers of the Future 32 Science Fiction & Fantasy Anthology (L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future) eBook; Author: Visit Amazon's L. Ron Hubbard Page; Review: As with issues of past years; some stories left me in awe due to their imagination; some left me in wonder due to their ability to draw me into another world. While others just put left me wondering what was it about the story that impressed the judges.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Change: Episode one; Author: Visit Amazon's Angela White Page; Review: The Hunger Games meets Twilight (at least the wolf-shape-shifter parts). I came across this book written by Angela White and the description intrigued me. However, once the savagery of the woman, and the simpering cowardice of the men, is revealed I had to fully suspend my own personal sense of masculine and feminine to get through this very interesting take on Gender Role Reversals. There are several places throughout the book that needs another pass for editing (mostly formatting). The frequency in which Ms. White switches between POV is highly distracting, especially in a few scenes in which the POV changes and the lead character is revealing thoughts in the last POV's head. I don't read erotica, however I assume the descriptive sex scenes are fairly standard (though I didn't think they moved the story forward except to show the "smoldering longing" between these "star-crossed lovers." Ms. White brings the reader into a well-thought out, post-apocalyptic world. However, I never really felt any danger for the protagonist (i.e. Would she survive the bachelor battles? Will she rescue Daniel from the clutches of the evil Network? Will they live long enough to consummate their fiery passion? In the end, I was left with... Meh...; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Perfect Mortals (Buan) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Reece Bridger Page; Review: The Perfect Mortals (Buan Book #1) by Reece Bridger failed to keep me anxiously engaged in the story. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. The plot encompasses four orphaned siblings, raised by a friend of the family, who live in a world of sorcery and monsters. There is chaos throughout the land, and rumors of war threaten to get closer each day. Luxa, their Goddess, bestows powers (Bua) on the siblings; matching their inherent personalities. Once they've mastered their new skills, it falls upon them to confront the villain. What I liked: The story has some original aspects, and the world-building that takes place throughout the book felt like it was a place the author visited in his dreams many times. I dread getting poor reviews, so writing them is also difficult. But, here goes: What I didn't like: The story moved slowly, and I rarely felt like the siblings were in any serious peril or struggle. In all honesty, I put this novel aside a few times to read through other books. However, since I'd received a free copy for review, I felt obligated to finish. The book had too many grammatical and typographical errors to overlook and is in need of a thorough proofreading and editing session. The saying "Show me, Don't Tell me" came to mind through most of the book. Much of the prose tells the reader what's happening, rather than letting them use their imagination with "showing." I gave The Perfect Mortals (Buan Book #1) 3 stars because I think this is an excellent debut novel from a young author. I encourage Reece to keep practicing, keep improving, and never stop pursuing his passion for writing.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Paladine (Paladine Political Thriller Series) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Kenneth Eade Page; Review: Paladine pulls you into the world of an elite ex-military assassin by your heels and doesn't set you free until you've got what's coming to you. Robert Garcia is a ghost. Fallen off the radar after a career in the military and as a mercenary, he stumbles onto a new purpose in life after killing a would-be jihadist hell-bent on ruining everyone's day at McDonald's. The wealthy dying father of a terrorist attack victim establishes a foundation seeking to rid the world of terrorism and recruits Robert to be the tip of his sword. Fully funded, and given unauthorized access to a government watchlist, Robert begins to take out his targets with ferocious impunity while keeping himself invisible to the world around him. That is until he finds a stray dog outside his apartment and meets the lovely clerk at the DMV. As the world attributes his attacks to a vigilante they name "Paladine," Robert must infiltrate deep into the heart of ISIS on American Soil and stop their plans to cause a level of destruction that would make 9/11 look like a fender-bender. What I liked: The story is a fun adventure of espionage, military tactics, and a cat-and-mouse hunt for the infamous vigilante. Robert takes out increasingly difficult targets until his big mission near the end. The story also satisfied my private dark fantasies surrounding retribution against radical terrorism. What I didn't like: The characters were pretty flat, but I wouldn't call them one-dimensional. Each behaved as one would expect. I would have liked to be inside the characters' heads more, learning about what drove them. I give Paladine a solid four stars and look forward to following Robert Garcia's adventures.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Havelock; Author: Visit Amazon's Jane D. Everly Page; Review: Very rarely do I come across a book that I literally can't put down. Havelock, by Jane D. Everly, hooked me from page one and I spent the better part of a day reading from chapter two through to the end. Eliana Havelock is not just a strong female protagonist and spy; she's James Bond and Jason Bourne rolled into the body of Angelina Jolie (at least that's how I imagined her). Eliana stalks into MI-6 with an agenda that she won't reveal until the final pages. She brings vital information regarding an enemy with global implications. Using MI-6 resources, and making new enemies along the way, she leads the search for the man behind mysterious and unexplainable killings across the globe. Gadgets, double-agents, tuxedoes and sexy evening gowns fill this exciting novel with danger, intrigue, and even a few romps.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Writers of the Future Vol 33 (L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future); Author: Visit Amazon's L. Ron Hubbard Page; Review: The Annual Writers of the Future Anthology never ceases to deliver amazing stories from new talent. Having received an Honorable Mention myself for a submission this last year, I don't envy the judges their task of sifting through thousands of entries each quarter to select the top twelve. The Cover gives away the over all flavor of the collection and It's pretty fantastic! Book Review: Writers of the Future Volume 33 5/26/2017 Seventeen Stories to Fascinate, Terrify, and Delight! Picture The Annual Writers of the Future Anthology never ceases to deliver amazing stories from new talent. Having received an Honorable Mention myself for a submission this last year, I don't envy the judges their task of sifting through thousands of entries each quarter to select the top twelve. The Cover gives away the overall flavor of the collection and It's pretty fantastic! Picture I can't honestly say which story was my favorite within the collection, but I can say I enjoyed some more than others. With a mixture of SciFi, Fantasy, and Horror, there's a story for everyone. Here's a rundown of each story, which you'll also find in the first few pages.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mindgames Anthology: LDS Beta Readers 2017 Anthology; Author: LDS Beta Readers; Review: Mind Games: The 2017 LDS Beta Readers Anthology has something for everyone. Paranormal, action, humor, mystery and romance. These 26 short stories will entertain, delight (and quite possibly confuse) readers of all ages. It's a Good Read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gerald and the Amulet of Zonrach; Author: Hackman Carl; Review: Gerald is a short fellow with an unshakable confidence that one day he'll be the greatest wizard in all Wyverndawn. That is if he can overcome his penchant for biting off more than he can chew and the unforeseen consequences of taking shortcuts. Gerald, like the young readers to whom I would recommend this book, has high hopes in life, big plans, but sometimes things just don't work out as he hopes. With the unrelenting support of his friend and fellow apprentice Wizard Collin, Gerald embarks on an adventure to gain power and prestige while dealing with the dark wizard Vabalaz hot on his trail. What I liked: Gerald and the Amulet of Zonrach is a fun, engaging story for middle-grade readers. My 10-year-old daughters looked for to the nights when I would continue the story. The writing is witty and descriptive, bringing you into Gerald's world. What I didn't like: While Gerald is an excellent read for younger audiences, adults without a sense of wonder and whimsy may not engage with the characters so well. I gave Gerald and the Amulet of Zonrach five stars for younger readers, and four stars for those who are not fans of middle-grade fantasy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Think Smart Not Hard: 52 Key Principles to Success and Happiness; Author: Visit Amazon's Roy Huff Page; Review: Roy Huff's humble beginnings give him a unique perspective on overcoming trials, setting and achieving goals. In his book, Think Smart Not Hard: 52 Principles to Success and Happiness, he uses personal experiences and empirical data to support the methods he outlines to develop integrity, character, personal responsibility, and excellence (among others qualities). His straightforward, no frills, and encouraging writing style will help readers see the opportunities they have to make positive changes to their lives and map out a path to set and achieve their goals and desires. What I liked: Roy's examples are personal, and therefore relatable. He speaks from the heart as "one who knows" and understands what it takes to overcome personal and professional obstacles. What I didn't like: My only criticism would be that I felt some of the principles could be condensed into smaller sections, but this is just my opinion. Overall: I would recommend Think Smart Not Hard by Roy Huff to those who want to make positive changes by incorporating some or all of his principles in their lives.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dreamlander; Author: Visit Amazon's K. M. Weiland Page; Review: Dreamlander is not your kid sister's fantasy novel! Sword fights. Gun Play. Strong leading men. Strong leading women. Dreamlander follows the lives of Chris Redston and Allara Katadin, two people from different worlds whose lives are intertwined. Both fight against the destiny that brings them together, but only together can they save both their worlds. You'll be rooting for the reluctant hero to take the reins, and encouraging the warrior princess to let down her guard. What I liked: K.M. Weiland's writing style is fluid and descriptive. The world she created in Dreamlander is imaginative and thrilling. Many elements find their counterpart in 'our world' which makes them both fascinating and familiar. The story seemed to change directions, which kept my attention, but always came back to a conclusion that made sense. What I didn't like: Nothing! I give Dreamlander by K.M. Weiland a solid five stars. I look forward to the sequel she is currently plotting (according to her newsletter that I read with great interest).; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Secret Bunker: Part One: Darkness Falls (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Paul Teague Page; Review: Darkness Falls seems to be the tale of a teenage boy who gets trapped in a Cold War-era bunker with his family. Seven chapters in (33% of total length) and I'd read enough. What I liked: The writing style gave each character a slightly different voice, so figuring out who was "talking" at the beginning of each scene became easier as the pages passed. What I didn't like: There were only a few narrating characters who had a name. There was very little dialogue in the portions I read, so the story was mostly "told" from inside the memories and musings of the character du jour. I never felt like I could relate or struggle with the characters, mainly because I had such a little sense of who they were (Dan and Kate seemed to be the only narrators with names). The asynchronous timeline also inhibited my ability to feel like I was a part of the story. Each scene moved to another POV and moment in time, making it difficult to keep track of who and when I was within the greater story structure. If you like solving mysteries based on vague clues, you might enjoy Darkness Falls. I for one did not enjoy it, and my frustration overrode my desire to learn the secrets yet to be discovered. I gave Darkness Falls a generous two stars. I wish Mr. Teague the best of luck in the future.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Storming: A Dieselpunk Adventure Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's K.M. Weiland Page; Review: K.M. Weiland has once again produced a masterfully-crafted work of storytelling. This story resonated with me on multiple levels because I truly related to the Main Character in so many ways. All I can say is Brilliant! In 1920's Nebraska, gadabout Captain Hitch Hitchcock returns to his home town. His primary goal; to win a coveted spot with a famous air circus. His secondary goal; to avoid the people in town who still bear him ill-will for leaving under questionable circumstances. When a woman with a strange accent and an even stranger upbringing falls from the sky in front of his plane, his plans for buzzing quickly and quietly through the sleepy town of Scottsbluff take a nose-dive. Who is this mysterious woman? Will he ever reconcile with his estranged family? Will he be around long enough to learn something about his past kept from him for nine years? What I liked: As with Dreamlander, I enjoyed the surprising twists and turns that I didn't see coming (most of the time.) The narrative is personal and filled with the emotional struggles of the POV characters. Reluctant heroes who need a push to do the right thing. Leading ladies who keep people at arms' length to protect an inner softness under a tough exterior. Well-developed bad guy(s). A wonderfully complex tapestry of plots and twists that gets neatly wrapped up into the perfect bow at the end. What I didn't like: (Sort of Spoiler Alert) I didn't like that the corrupt town sheriff got away with so much. You'd think with all the people he's coerced, swindled or bribed the townsfolk would have been a little more trusting when Hitch confessed to his misdeeds. I gave Storming a solid five stars. I'll be stocking my shelf with more works by K.M. Weiland!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ghost Writer: A Supernatural Suspense Novella; Author: Visit Amazon's Netta Newbound Page; Review: Natalie wanted to tell a scary story, but Ryan had a scary story to tell. Ghost Writer is a thrilling tale of murder, mystery, and betrayal. Would you tell anyone if your blank notepad was filled out in your own handwriting while you slept? What I liked: Solid relatable main characters. I felt driven to keep reading to know what else would appear on Natalie's pages. I love the concept, being taken over by a muse instead of simply inspired. The writing is smooth and clear, pulling me into the pages. I had an inkling toward the twist at the end and didn't feel let down when it came to fruition. What I Didn't Like: The secondary characters were more or less cliche, but they didn't need to be more developed to allow the plot to move along. So it's a minor dislike in the greater scheme. I gave Ghost Writer a solid five stars for a thrilling, albeit short-ish, story and wish her all the best in her continuing writing career. I look forward to reading more of her works.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Child of Humanity; Author: Visit Amazon's Alyse N. Steves Page; Review: Part Surrogates, part Avatar and a whole lot of introspection on the meaning of Humanity. Allyson Owens is Saira Ta'u. Having spent multiple lifetimes observing Earth, she is the unwitting seed of the apocalypse. Her only hope is to save as many of her precious family and friends as possible until the Cleansing is over. She'll stop at nothing, not even death, to protect the planet she loves from the conflict growing amid her own people. What I liked: The plot and main characters are well-developed. At several points during the book, I was unsure of certain characters real intentions. The nerd in me enjoyed the descriptions of various alien species and technology. What I didn't like: I thought the book was longer than it needed to be. The multiple times the MC pondered her life and mission seemed repetitive and lengthy. The final chapter and epilogue both had large time jumps, and it wasn't until several chapters in did I figure out how much time had passed. My level of empathy for the MC changed over the course of the novel. I attribute part of this to being a man reading from the perspective of a young woman. Bottom line: I enjoyed the book more at the beginning than at the end. I give Child of Humanity three stars, but hope other readers enjoy it more than I did. All the best to Alyse N. Steves in all her future writing endeavors.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Destroying Angel; Author: Visit Amazon's Rick Bennett Page; Review: If you're innocent, you'll be fine. If you're guilty, well... Rick Bennett delivers a tale immersed in historical references and cutting-edge techno-jargon. He takes the reader on an epic adventure from the ancient Jerusalem to modern San Fransisco of a man called to turn the world on its ear, ass and several other body parts. BJ, known only to few as Barabbas ben Jonas, has a mission from God Himself: to be the hand of vengeance upon the wicked. On the side, he's mentored conquerors and kings, musician's and maiden's over the course of his extensive life. His current charge, Jonathan (son of John the Revelator) uses his unique "way with women" to help them find peace in an insane world until Father Love (an equally enigmatic leader) catches wind of BJ and his singular way of getting into and out of deadly trouble. With the experience that only comes from witnessing every technological invention since the birth of Christ, BJ's technical prowess comes into play when an AI becomes self-aware and seems determined to protect its creator at all costs. Ride along with BJ in his cherished 1979 Eldorado and throw down with gangs, cults and the twin harems of good and evil.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Perelandra (Cosmic Trilogy); Author: Visit Amazon's C. S. Lewis Page; Review: Perelandra takes Ransom deeper into the worlds between Gods and Men. Summoned to Perelandra (Venus), Dr. Ransom meets a lone woman with green skin and, after becoming acquainted with the new landscape, an old enemy, Weston. His purpose among the floating islands is unclear until Weston begins exhibiting strange and cruel behavior. Can Ransom accomplish what he's been sent to Perelandra to do, or will his natural compassion enable a greater evil to flourish? What I liked: The story continues to follow the existential questions of Deity, Morality, Honor, and Courage. I enjoy how C.S. Lewis makes the characters from other worlds speak in a way that sounds like translated English in such a way as to make it seem natural to their way of thinking. What I didn't like: Too often (this is just my personal opinion) C.S. Lewis spends an inordinate amount of time describing the landscapes and his characters' thoughts. One section had Ransom pondering on his purpose in Perelandra for several pages, repeating the same conclusion multiple times with different words. I ended up skimming through section after section until new actions or dialogue began. Overall, I enjoyed the progress the story made on Ransom's journey and will finish the trilogy.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Paper Magician; Author: Visit Amazon's Charlie N. Holmberg Page; Review: The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg will carry you on folded wings into the enchanted sheets of Ceony's story of courage, danger, and personal triumph. Ceony Twill has just learned she will be assigned as an apprentice to one of the few paper magicians left in the world, but she has no idea the power and potential behind the most innocuous material made and manipulated by mankind. As a recent graduate of the Tagis Praf School for the Magically Inclined, she has yet to scratch the surface of the beauties and dangers the magical world has to offer. And her enigmatic master, Emery Thane, only adds to the mystery as he teaches her the art and skill required to be a master folder. What I liked: I read this story to my 10-year old girls. They loved it! The Paper Magician engaged their sense of wonder and kept them wanting another chapter well past bedtime. I enjoyed how the author took simple materials and created a world that revolved around their manipulation. I want to take up origami now. The descriptions and metaphors brought the story to life and felt natural to the time and place the tale is set. This book is well suited for teenaged to new adult girls. What I didn't like: I thought the secondary characters were less developed than Ceony and Emery. They felt fairly cartoonish and flat, but not so much that it distracted from the plot. I gave The Paper Magician four stars and look forward to reading the rest of the saga to my daughters.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Glamorous: A Grace Bishop Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Denise Bossarte Page; Review: How different would your life be after a near-death experience? Grace Bishop has been a PI ever since a tragic accident. A friend who works with street kids seeks out her help when several of his "girls" go missing. With the help of her unusual brother, Danny, an old friend from the force, and new allies with more than parlor tricks up their sleeves, Gracie must track down and stop the monster responsible for the terror that goes unnoticed on the city streets. What I liked: The characters are easy to like, if not relate to. Each has positive and negative qualities that make them well rounded. You think one character is the main antagonist, but then get hit with a plot twist. I would have liked more exploration of Gracie's paranormal abilities. What I didn't like: The climax/conflict in Act III was underwhelming. I hoped for more struggle to victory on the protagonists part, greater stakes should she win or lose. And one character's sacrifice near the end seemed unnecessary to her victory or the plot in general. I'd like to thank the author, Denise Bossarte, for giving me a free copy of her novel in exchange for an honest review. I wish her the best of luck in her writing endeavors.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: An Engineered Injustice (Philadelphia Legal); Author: Visit Amazon's William L. Myers Jr. Page; Review: In my defense, I thought I would get away with it! When Vaughn Coburn agrees to defend his cousin, Eddy, he's not just trying to prove that the railroad engineer is innocent of intentionally derailing an Amtrak passenger train. He's also taking on the press, the NTSB, a mobster, and the two most powerful Personal Injury (P.I.) attorney's on the eastern seaboard who all want Eddy to pay dearly for the crime. What I liked: The story moves fast! Not often do I find a book that has me saying "just one more chapter before bed." The characters are well-developed, especially the bad guys. I love a good conspiracy and legal thriller, and "An Engineered Injustice" did not disappoint. What I didn't like: SPOILER: I had to suspend my disbelief that a powerful attorney would have incriminating evidence in his unlocked office desk. His hubris became his downfall, and you'd think the first rule of a conspiracy would be: Don't keep any evidence. I thoroughly enjoyed reading "An Engineered Injustice" and have already added Mr. Myers' other book (A Criminal Defense: Philadelphia Legal #1) to my "Want To Read" list. I highly recommend this page-turner to anyone who enjoys a good legal thriller along the lines of John Grisham. I wish the author all the well-deserved success this book will undoubtedly produce.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Breaking of Liam Glass; Author: Visit Amazon's Charles Harris Page; Review: I'll be the first to admit, the Satire went over my head. After a teenager gets stabbed (allegedly by immigrants), the seemingly intrepid journalist, Jason Worthington, makes it his mission in life to get the kid's story on the front page and start a movement to ban knives from the United Kingdom. I only made it 30% through the novel. Admittedly, that's further than the point I usually choose on deciding to fish or cut bait. Perhaps I should take myself less seriously. Perhaps I just don't see how the stabbing of a teenager falls into the realm of appropriate satire. Perhaps if he'd been attacked with a crate of bananas, I would have seen the silliness of the reporter's quest to ban the "weapon of choice" from society. Now, I can't help but picture the cast of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" and John Cleese reveling in the chance to teach his men how to defend themselves from a banana-wielding attacker. What I liked: The writing was good. Vivid descriptions and I found the window into the news publishing world to be fascinating. What I didn't like: I couldn't get past the stabbing aspect to see the satire in anyone's behavior. Perhaps I've hung out with demented and unstable people too long that I found none of their behaviors to be surprising or humorous. Don't base your decision on whether or not to read "The Breaking of Liam Glass" on my review. Check it out yourself. Read the description, read the sample on Amazon and other reviews. This was just not my cup of tea. I wish Mr. Harris all the best in his future writing endeavors.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Halfskin; Author: Visit Amazon's Tony Bertauski Page; Review: When is a Human no longer human? Nixon "Nix" Richards (I loved that name) received life-saving biomites as a child. Once he crossed the threshold established by government bureaucrats, he became a threat to society. His sister Cali won't give up until he's free and sacrifices her all to set him free. Marcus, a pious and unrelenting believer in human purity, will stop at nothing to ensure that no one less than 49.9% human sees another day. Human augmentation is a personal favorite in the realm of science fiction. I enjoy exploring the ideas surrounding how we define humanity. If a toaster could be imbued with a man's soul, would it be given natural human rights? And if a person voluntarily becomes more machine than man, can his natural rights be taken away? What I liked: I liked Cali's persistence and sacrifice toward saving her brother. And I enjoyed hating Marcus and his crusade (as self-righteous as it is). The plot and drama kept me engaged, eager to see "what'll they do next?" What I didn't like: Though I love the concept of replacing tissue with nano-technology, the idea isn't particularly new. I also thought Cali and Nix's new abilities seemed too quick to arise and use. They had close calls in each evasion from the authorities, but I thought more try/fail cycles would have heightened the tension and elevated the success. In the end, Halfskin kept me reading and that's what I look for in a book; a tale that captivates my imagination and transports me to another world for a time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The BOOK THIEF; Author: Visit Amazon's Markus Zusak Page; Review: Markus Zusak is a great author. "The Book Thief" is the fourth of his books that I have read, and each one of them was compelling reading in its own way. "The Book Thief" is his most ambitious undertaking of the four, and it is a fascinating read. His books may be targeted at young adult readers, but I am in my 60s, and it has been great for me.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I Am the Messenger; Author: Visit Amazon's Markus Zusak Page; Review: Markus Zusak is a great author, who is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorites. My other favorite authors are Herman Hesse, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Charles Dickens - each one portrays the human condition eloquently with words that reach deep inside. Zusak delivers messages about the innate goodness of humans in very unlikely settings - the same message my Dad gave me years and years ago. "I Am the Messenger" was the first of his books that I read, and I have now added three others of his to the list.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: CivilWarLand in Bad Decline: Stories and a Novella; Author: Visit Amazon's George Saunders Page; Review: It takes a little while to get used to Mr. Saunders' writing style. Once you enter his stylistic realm, the stories do make you think about the human condition and our interactions.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Book of the Dun Cow; Author: Walter Wangerin; Review: Enjoyed this book very much. It apparently won some prestigious award as a children's book, but I'm moving on in years and it resonated with me. I have recommended it highly to one of my daughter's for her book club.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Summoner: (The Dominic Grey Novels); Author: Visit Amazon's Layton Green Page; Review: Book had an interesting premise, but, just as you start to get in the flow, here comes another "word of the day" that sometimes fit and sometimes didn't.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Luthecker; Author: Visit Amazon's Keith Domingue Page; Review: Enjoyed this book from start to finish. Characters are vivid and interesting. Good vs. evil in a quite different setting. Read it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Unthinkable (Detective Jane Candiotti); Author: Visit Amazon's Clyde Phillips Page; Review: Decent story line, pretty good writing. Somewhere between 3 or 4 stars, but not quite good enough for a 4 - a little bit too cliche.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Unthinkable (The Detective Jane Candiotti Series Book 4) eBook; Author: Visit Amazon's Clyde Phillips Page; Review: Decent story line, pretty good writing. Somewhere between 3 or 4 stars, but not quite good enough for a 4 - a little bit too cliche.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mind's Eye; Author: Visit Amazon's Douglas E. Richards Page; Review: The premise of this book was futuristic and interesting, and it managed to keep me involved up to the end.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gertrude; Author: Visit Amazon's Hermann Hesse Page; Review: Hesse is my favorite author. Each of his works has touched me in some way. My only regret is that I didn't start reading his books earlier in life. However, maybe I would not have appreciated them as much without a boat load of life experiences.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ratlines; Author: Visit Amazon's Stuart Neville Page; Review: Interesting book about how evil men screw up through hubris. One thing about always thinking you're the smartest person in the room is that you are not always right. This miscalculation almost always causes a loss greater than the egotist can handle.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Abducted; Author: Visit Amazon's T R Ragan Page; Review: good versus evil, very evil, doesn't always work in a novel, but in this book it did. the characters were well-developed and interesting. the speed bumps throughout added to the excitement. all-in-all, an enjoyable read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Ghost; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert Harris Page; Review: this book has twists from beginning to end. I found it to be a fascinating read, and am recommending it to my friends. from beginnings come the ends of many.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tatiana (Arkady Renko); Author: Visit Amazon's Martin Cruz Smith Page; Review: MCS does a very good job of painting the portraits of the main characters in this book, and he gives you a great sense of the environment in both Moscow and Kalinigrad. On top of this he weaves a very interesting plot, which keeps the reader's interest hight throughout the book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Russian Roulette; Author: Visit Amazon's Mike Faricy Page; Review: Decent read, but no Carl Hiassen as indicated by others.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Trinity Six: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Charles Cumming Page; Review: A good reminder of the potential of old school spy craft in a modern world. Technology may change, but human cunning and cleverness evolve more slowly.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Black Orchestra: A WW2 Spy Story (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's JJ Toner Page; Review: Books about Nazi Germany most frequently focus on the atrocities viewed from outside. This book, on the other hand, provides a better picture of how this kind of mentality corrupts the inner working and relationships within through a realistic story following one man's journey. Very interesting perspective.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics; Author: Visit Amazon's Daniel James Brown Page; Review: Author is great at painting picture of individuals, environment, and political background of the time. An interesting read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spectrum (The Karen Vail Novels); Author: Visit Amazon's Alan Jacobson Page; Review: Good read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Paris Architect; Author: Visit Amazon's Charles Belfoure Page; Review: Interesting - worth reading - but certainly not great.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Woman; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert Pobi Page; Review: Good read - interesting premise - strong characters.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Nostradamus Secret (Danforth Saga) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Joseph Badal Page; Review: Very interesting read. Would have given it 5 stars except: 1) author significantly understated the enmity between Shi'ites and Sunnis (which is intense) for purposes of moving the story forward and 2) he overstated the beneficial impact (in terms of gaining actionable intelligence) of inhuman torture/interrogation.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Hangman's Daughter (Hangman's Daughter Tales) (A Hangman's Daughter Tale); Author: Visit Amazon's Oliver Ptzsch Page; Review: Fascinating trip back 400+ years ago to a small town in Bavaria. The plot was very interesting, and the writing was excellent.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The One That Got Away; Author: Visit Amazon's Simon Wood Page; Review: Good read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hardest Part of Love; Author: Visit Amazon's Catherine Ryan Hyde Page; Review: Fantastic book! Certain parts were difficult for me to read, but very cathartic at the same time. I also had a younger brother who died, and more than 30 years later I may be finally learning to forgive myself. This book has helped me on this journey to self-forgiveness.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: December 6: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Martin Cruz Smith Page; Review: Interesting, but not his best work.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: When Crickets Cry; Author: Visit Amazon's Charles Martin Page; Review: Very heartwarming book. Not my usual genre, but I really enjoyed and learned from the book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Ludwig Conspiracy; Author: Oliver P\Xf6tzsch; Review: I enjoyed two other books he wrote, but this one was very disappointing.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Beach Lawyer; Author: Visit Amazon's Avery Duff Page; Review: interesting set of well-developed characters.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with Wikipedia articles as follows:
Title: Picea chihuahuana; Description: species of plant
Title: Coode; Description: family name
Title: Picea obovata; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea orientalis; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea glehnii; Description: species of plant
Title: Abies delavayi; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea jezoensis; Description: species of plant
Title: Abies forrestii; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea pungens; Description: species of plant
Title: Abies yuanbaoshanensis; Description: species of plant
Title: Abies ziyuanensis; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea alcoquiana; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea omorika; Description: species of plant
Title: Abies × borisii-regis; Description: species of plant
Title: Abies magnifica var. shastensis; Description: variety of plants
Title: Abies sachalinensis var. nemorensis; Description: variety of plants
Title: Abies homolepis var. umbellata; Description: variety of plants
Title: Picea albertiana; Description: species of plant
Title: Abies veitchii; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea fennica; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea engelmannii; Description: species of plant
Title: Ming Hsiang Wu; Description: Chinese botanist
Title: Mark James Elgar Coode; Description: English botanist
Title: Abies cilicica subsp. isaurica; Description: subspecies of plant
Title: James Cullen; Description: botanist (1936-2013)
Title: Picea mariana; Description: species of plant
Title: Korean Spruce; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea maximowiczii; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea likiangensis; Description: species of plant
Title: Abies equi-trojani; Description: species of plant
Title: Abies delavayi var. motuoensis; Description: variety of plants
Title: Abies fargesii var. faxoniana; Description: variety of plants
Title: Picea meyeri; Description: species of plant
Title: Merritt Lyndon Fernald; Description: American botanist
Title: Picea neoveitchii; Description: species of plant
Title: Élie-Abel Carrière; Description: French Botanist
Title: Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis; Description: variety of plant
Title: Abies delavayi var. nukiangensis; Description: variety of plant
Title: Abies forrestii var. ferreana; Description: variety of plant
Title: Abies guatemalensis var. jaliscana; Description: variety of plant
Title: Abies vejarii var. macrocarpa; Description: variety of plant
Title: Abies chensiensis subsp. salouenensis; Description: subspecies of plant
Title: Abies chensiensis subsp. yulongxueshanensis; Description: subspecies of plant
Title: Abies delavayi subsp. fansipanensis; Description: subspecies of plant
Title: Abies fabri subsp. minensis; Description: subspecies of plant
Title: Abies nordmanniana subsp. equi-trojani; Description: subspecies of plant
Title: Abies sibirica subsp. semenovii; Description: subspecies of plant
Title: Abies durangensis var. coahuilensis; Description: variety of plant
Title: Abies fargesii var. sutchuensis; Description: variety of plant
Title: Abies forrestii var. smithii; Description: variety of plant
Title: Abies veitchii var. sikokiana; Description: variety of plant
Title: Henri Gaussen; Description: French botanist
Title: James Forbes; Description: British gardener and botanist
Title: Picea purpurea; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea asperata; Description: species of plant
Title: Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica; Description: variety of plant
Title: Picea retroflexa; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea koyamae; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea brachytyla; Description: species of plant
Title: Picea crassifolia; Description: species of plant
Title: Abies sachalinensis var. gracilis; Description: variety of plants
Title: Abies pindrow var. brevifolia; Description: variety of plant
Title: Picea aurantiaca; Description: species of plant
Title: Takenoshin Nakai; Description: Japanese botanist
Title: Picea morrisonicola; Description: species of plant
Title: Chlorocardium rodiei; Description: species of plant
Title: Johannes Mattfeld; Description: German botanist
Title: Conus mediterraneus; Description: species of mollusc
Title: aardwolf; Description: species of mammal | wikirec |
Given the interaction history of a user with Wikipedia articles as follows:
Title: Jean-Joconde Stévenin; Description: Italian journalist, politician, catholic priest, canon and prior
Title: Francesco Comina; Description: Italian journalist and politician
Title: Telecom Italia; Description: Italian multinational telecommunication company
Title: Anselme Réan; Description: Italian physician, journalist and politician
Title: Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles; Description: fifth rank of the Monegasque Order of St. Charles
Title: President of Emilia-Romagna; Description: president of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy
Title: Remo Ferretti; Description: Italian politician and teacher
Title: Commander of the Military Order of Maria Theresa; Description: 2nd rank of the Military Order of Maria Theresa
Title: Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II; Description: appointment in the Order of Leopold II in the Kingdom of Belgium
Title: Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic; Description: first class grade of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
Title: Lucrezia Panciatichi; Description: wife of Bartolomeo Panciatichi
Title: Rinaldini; Description: Wikipedia disambiguation page
Title: Salvatore Segrè Sartorio; Description: Italian politician
Title: Livia; Description: female given name
Title: Siegfried; Description: male given name
Title: Pier Luigi Bersani; Description: Italian politician
Title: Andreina Ardizzone Emeri; Description: Italian politician
Title: Giuliano; Description: male given name | wikirec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Dead Of Winter; Author: Visit Amazon's Jack Night Page; Review: I enjoyed the book a lot, but like everyone else I'm kind of confused on how and why the town was haunted.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Deep Into the Game: S.W. Tanpepper's GAMELAND (Episode 1) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Saul Tanpepper Page; Review: When I first got this book I thought it was about something completely different, but when I found out it was actually about zombies I really wanted to read more. The book was good from beginning to end because it kept me interested the whole time I was reading it. I already have episode 2 and kept wait to start reading that one to see what happened next.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Hunger Games (Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Suzanne Collins Page; Review: I enjoy this book from beginning to end and I can't wait to read the second book. I really liked how it was long because I hate reading books that ends before you even get a chance to get into it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mockingjay: The Hunger Games; Author: Collins; Review: I enjoy this book from beginning to end and I can't wait to read the second book. I really liked how it was long because I hate reading books that ends before you even get a chance to get into it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Supreme Justice (Reeder and Rogers Thriller); Author: Visit Amazon's Max Allan Collins Page; Review: I think this was a decent read. I like the fact that they didn't drag it on and they got start to the point. it was well written and I really can't think of nothing bad about it at all.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Country Girls; Author: Visit Amazon's Blake Karrington Page; Review: I think it was a good book and enjoyed it from beginning to the end. I just wanted it to be a little longer because soon as it started to get to the good part it ended. I would recommend this book to friends and family, and I can't wait to read the 2nd book to this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The One That Got Away; Author: Visit Amazon's Simon Wood Page; Review: I thought it was a very good book and different from the types of books a read, which is why I enjoyed it. I'm really only read urban books, but after a while you get tried of reading the same thing over and over again. I saw this book was free in the Kindle First section of the books and I believe it was a great decision on my end.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe; Author: Visit Amazon's Cullen Bunn Page; Review: Great comic first on my Kindle wanted to check it out and loved it Deadpool is definitely my guy lol; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Miguel Cervantes' Wife Reveals Daughter, 3, 'Died in My Arms' After Entering Hospice Care; Abstract: Miguel Cervantes' Wife Reveals Daughter 'Died in My Arms' After Hospice Care; Category: tv
Title: The 100 Most Epic Celebrity Halloween Costume Ideas; Abstract: A look back at some of the best celeb costumes over the years.; Category: entertainment
Title: UFC champ Khabib Nurmagomedov seen training in a freezing river, because of course; Abstract: Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn't mess around.; Category: sports
Title: Rock Hall of Fame: Notorious B.I.G., Whitney Houston, Soundgarden Lead Nominees; Abstract: The nominations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2020 are in and the list includes the Notorious B.I.G., Whitney Houston, Pat Benatar, Dave Matthews Band, Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, Judas Priest, Kraftwerk, MC5, Motörhead, Nine Inch Nails, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Todd Rundgren, Soundgarden, T. Rex and Thin Lizzy. The top vote-getters will be announced in January and inducted May 2nd, 2020 at a ceremony at Cleveland's...; Category: music
Title: A 'one in a million' yellow cardinal, dubbed 'Sunny,' seen in Florida; Abstract: Only three yellow cardinal sightings are reported a year, making the bird's appearance a rare "one in a million" finding, an Auburn professor said.; Category: news
Title: NFL world reacts to officials handing Packers win over Lions; Abstract: It's a regular occurrence for NFL officiating to cause controversy, with the Packers seeming to benefit from a questionable call against Lions defensive end Trey Flowers.; Category: sports
Title: Soldier wounded searching for Bergdahl dies; Abstract: Allen's unit was ambushed when they were looking for Bergdahl after he deserted his base in 2009; Category: news
Title: 'Wheel Of Fortune' Guest Delivers Hilarious, Off The Rails Introduction; Abstract: We'd like to solve the puzzle, Pat: Blair Davis' loveless marriage? On Monday, "Wheel of Fortune" welcomed as a new contestant trucking business owner Blair Davis, who offered a biting introduction for himself. When host Pat Sajak asked the man from Cardiff, California, about his family, Davis plunged into one of the darkest personal summaries the show has likely ever heard. "I've been trapped in a loveless marriage for the last 12 years to an...; Category: tv
Title: Woman, suspect dead at 'Tarzan' actor Ron Ely's California residence; Abstract: Ron Ely, who portrayed Tarzan in the TV series in the 60s, was not harmed and is alive and well, a sheriff's office spokesman said.; Category: tv
Title: Woman, suspect dead at 'Tarzan' actor Ron Ely's California residence; Abstract: Ron Ely, who portrayed Tarzan in the TV series in the 60s, was not harmed and is alive and well, a sheriff's office spokesman said.; Category: tv
Title: 20 Funny Things People in the 1970s Were Totally Guilty of Doing; Abstract: Here are 25 things that we all thought were perfectly acceptable back in the 70s that most of us wouldn't even dream of doing today.; Category: lifestyle
Title: Fort Worth shooting: Officers weren't asked to do welfare check. Here's how it changed things; Abstract: When Atatiana Jefferson's neighbor called police, he says he expected them to go check and see if she was OK.; Category: news
Title: Lou Palmer, ESPN's first 'SportsCenter' anchor, dies at 83; Abstract: Two of Palmer's original colleagues at the network Chris Berman and Bob Ley remembered his contributions as "a true ESPN original."; Category: sports
Title: John Clarke Dies: 'Days Of Our Lives' Actor & Lifetime Achievement Emmy Recipient Was 88; Abstract: John "Jack" Shelton Clarke, who won over fans with his portrayal of "Mickey Horton" on Days of Our Lives, has died. He was 88.; Category: tv
Title: Willie Brown, Hall of Famer and Raiders legend, dies at 78; Abstract: "My job was not catching passes," Brown would once say. "My job was to stop the receiver from catching it."; Category: sports
Title: Willie Brown, Hall of Famer and Raiders legend, dies at 78; Abstract: "My job was not catching passes," Brown would once say. "My job was to stop the receiver from catching it."; Category: sports
Title: 'E.T.' star arrested for DUI in Oregon; Abstract: Henry Thomas, who starred as Elliott, was arrested on Oct. 21.; Category: movies
Title: Local News Anchor Discovers She Has Rare Form of Cancer Caused by Pregnancy: 'It's Very Complicated'; Abstract: A Las Vegas TV news anchor is candidly revealing to the world how she went from being an expectant mother to a cancer patient.; Category: health
Title: Frustrated Antonio Brown has active morning on Twitter; Abstract: Receiver Antonio Brown continues to wait for his next opportunity, and he continues to be justifiably frustrated by the fact that the NFL's slow-moving investigation is essentially keeping Brown suspended without pay.; Category: sports
Title: A 2,000-pound great white shark is swimming off the coast of Florida; Abstract: A great white shark that weighs over 2,000 pounds and measures 15 feet, 5 inches long has been swimming along the US East Coast.; Category: news
Title: Tom Brady: When it comes to the future, my focus is on this season; Abstract: "I'm not thinking about many things beyond this week."; Category: sports
Title: Wild fall freeze: Utah falls close to minus-35 as West shivers, while bitter cold oozes east; Abstract: Denver could start Halloween morning near 0 degrees.; Category: weather
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: How To Open a Can Without a Can Opener; Abstract: All it takes is a metal spoon and some elbow grease.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Peter Luger's says its steaks are still 'the best you can eat' after zero-star review from the New York Times; Abstract: Pete Wells wrote that his fries were "mealy and bland" and that the Caesar salad's croutons were "straight out of the bag."; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Celebrity Halloween costume fails; Abstract: Check out the stars' biggest Halloween costume fails.; Category: entertainment
Title: 5 charged in alcohol poisoning death of UC Irvine fraternity brother; Abstract: Five young men have been charged in connection with the death of their fraternity brother, who succumbed to alcohol poisoning after a booze-soaked party this year.; Category: news
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: Woman wanted for climbing into Bronx Zoo lion exhibit: 'I am the lion now'; Abstract: Myah Autry said her decision to climb a fence and head into the lion's den was a "spiritual" experience.; Category: news
Title: Patriots wanted a test. Now, they need some answers; Abstract: The first quarter was the worst the Patriots had played all season.; Category: sports
Title: Reports: LSU LB Michael Divinity removed from team days before Alabama game; Abstract: ; Category: sports
Title: Trump is reportedly pardoning a Navy SEAL convicted of taking a photo with a dead ISIS fighter; Abstract: Eddie Gallagher was acquitted of murdering the teenage ISIS fighter, and of shooting at civilians in Afghanistan.; Category: news
Title: Maryland man, 46, gets probation after he killed a father and his four daughters when his SUV crossed a median and slammed into their minivan; Abstract: Alvin Hubbard III, 46, of Cambridge, Maryland, was sentenced to one year of probation after he killed a father and his four daughters when his SUV slammed into a family's minivan in 2018; Category: news
Title: Eminem Says He Sides With Chris Brown Over Rihanna Assault on Alleged Leaked Song; Abstract: Leaked audio of Eminem allegedly rapping that he'd side with Chris Brown over Rihanna assault is making rounds on social media and fans are not happy.; Category: music
Title: Maryland man, 46, gets probation after he killed a father and his four daughters when his SUV crossed a median and slammed into their minivan; Abstract: Alvin Hubbard III, 46, of Cambridge, Maryland, was sentenced to one year of probation after he killed a father and his four daughters when his SUV slammed into a family's minivan in 2018; Category: news
Title: 25 bathrooms? Former Clinton labor secretary says Bezos' mansion helps make case for soaking the rich; Abstract: Robert Reich served as labor secretary in the Clinton administration, where he was named by Time Magazine as one of the 10 most effective cabinet secretaries of the 20th century. He's a Rhodes scholar, a best-selling author, a documentarian and a professor of public policy at UC Berkeley. What he's not, apparently, is a fan of billionaires clinging to their riches.; Category: finance
Title: Why ex-NFL star Kellen Winslow II finally pleaded guilty to sex crimes; Abstract: Ex-NFL tight end Kellen Winslow II struggled between two difficult choices before finally pleading guilty to rape and sexual battery.; Category: sports
Title: One of FBI's Most Wanted fugitives offers surrender; Abstract: One of the FBI's Most Wanted fugitives says he wants to surrender but claims his offers are being ignored by the United States government.; Category: news
Title: Load up on vintage trucks and SUVs crossing the block in Iowa; Abstract: Classic trucks set to star at Mecum Auctions Davenport sale; Category: autos
Title: Iowan convicted of murder claims his life-sentence was served once he died, was revived in medical emergency. The court disagrees.; Abstract: An Iowa convicted of murder was rushed from prison to the hospital where his heart was restarted five times. Now he claims he should be freed; Category: news
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: 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: 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 books as follows:
Title: Tuscany Style (Icons) (French Edition); Author: Visit Amazon's Christiane Reiter Page; Review: This is a picture book. It depicts Tuscany in everyday life. Excellent pictures.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: One Minute Millionaire; Author: Hansen & Allen; Review: Great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know; Author: Visit Amazon's Meg Meeker Page; Review: Super; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Secret Garden 2015 Wall Calendar; Author: Visit Amazon's Workman Publishing Page; Review: Super; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: "Hell, I was there!"; Author: Visit Amazon's Elmer Keith Page; Review: Excellent; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How To Flip A House: 7 Fundamentals Of A Highly Successful Flip; Author: Visit Amazon's Brant Phillips Page; Review: Super; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Strong Fathers Strong Daughters; Author: Visit Amazon's Meg Meeker Page; Review: Super; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Studio 6 Phoenix Tempe; City: Tempe Arizona; Review: While the hotel was not old the walls and floors to this place were filthy. How the place had hairballs on the bathroom floor makes me suspect the place is never cleaned well and the walls, oh my. My reservation was for a non smoking room and all they had left was a terrible smelling filthy room. I had to plug a hole in the wall above the kitchen cabnets with toothpaste because it looked like a mini camera could have been in it before. There are lots of nicer hotels close to this location so I would stay away. I make lots of trips to Phoenix/Tempe and will NEVER stay at this place again.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Red Roof PLUS Tempe Phoenix Airport; City: Tempe Arizona; Review: I stayed here several years ago and the place was pretty ugly and dirty. Since my regular hotel was sold out I decided the price was right and I would give it another shot. While the staff was very pleasant and the place has had a light remodel done I still found a smelly room with dirty carpet and what appeared to be painted over mold between the door and the bathtub. I've taken the time to find the right regulatory organization and reported the situation to the authorities. I don't understand why anyone would be so cheap as to paint over rotten moldy drywall and door frame. The hotel also charges a per night safe fee that you have to tell them you didn't use the safe and request it be removed from your bill. I've given this place two shots but this remodel is nothing more than a paint job in order to stop bad reviews. You can do a lot better at a Motel 6.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Great Wolf Lodge Kansas City; City: Kansas City Kansas; Review: I've been to this waterpark about 6 times over the past 10 years and the indoor water park is really needing some long delayed maintenance. The paint is peeling off the pool. The pool, lazy river, and pathways to the slides all are so rough that your feet will hurt or bleed. It was this way last year so we took water shoes for grandkids this year. Don't do the food option as its way to expensive for bad food. I've had some bad biscuits and gravy in my life this this was flour soup. The eggs have no taste whatsoever! There are at least 20 restaurants within 3 miles so you can do much better. McDonalds is an improvement and half as expensive. If your going to pay $400 a night for a Holiday Inn quality hotel and water park you would expect much better. I know the mgmt is going to reply that its a slip issue but this is not slip resistant its where's the band-aids or ER poor maintenance. I suggest you find other options as this is not a destination you want to experience.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Motel 6 Hazelwood MO; City: Hazelwood Missouri; Review: The only nice place in this hotel was the reception/front desk area. The carpet in the hall was completely stained and filty, my luggage could hardly get out of the elevator area since the carpet had waves that were 2 inches tall. The room was 60 years old with concrete ceilings that were stained and the popcorn was peeling off. The bathroom had no floor mat, no wash cloth, no tissues, and 2 bath towels. The TV was new but the signal was so bad the picture was completely washed out. I found a bar to watch my college football game at since I couldn't watch it in my discusting room. The only reason they get two stars is because the front desk staff was so nice.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Le Dauphin Montreal Centre Ville; City: Montreal Quebec; Review: Daughter and I spent Spring Break 2017 playing tourist in Montreal. Excellent location within walking distance to Old Town, Downtown, and 2 subway stops. While French is the main language everyone, staff and general public, spoke English well and this was an wonderful experience. Don't miss the wonderful Notre-Dame Basilica! Room had Apple big screen desktop computer and Apple TV available.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Escaping The Dead: WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT VOL 1 and 2 (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's W J Lundy Page; Review: Good concept and story. Liked the characters. I enjoyed it and am currently reading the second book in the series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Untitled Personal Essays (Thorndike Press Large Print Popular and Narrative Nonfiction); Author: Hillary Clinton; Review: I have ordered the book and will write a review after reading it, but feel compelled to address the people who must criticize someone they don't like or agree with because she's voiced her opinion - not the merits of HRC's book, which hasn't yet been released, but because it's just so much easier to go out of their way to be nasty to someone who has accomplished so much, despite the smears, lies and hatred of those who refused to do independent, objective research. I was initially against the Clintons (to my shame, honestly, because I am smarter than to accept something without researching it) and learned just how wrong I was. I won't address those who voted for someone else, or why, but perhaps those who feel the need to behave like you have might want to take an honest look at exactly what you've accomplished and, literally, crack a book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hard Choices (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction); Author: Visit Amazon's Hillary Rodham Clinton Page; Review: The more time goes on and the further our country sinks into the pit that is the Trump administration, the sadder I am for what could - and should - have been. Ive loved all of HRCs books, but this one was difficult, but it reminded me yet again why I believed (and still do) so much in Hillary and how much I appreciate everything she is to our country.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Green Fields: Incubation (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Adrienne Lecter Page; Review: Ive read through book 8 in this series, but I wanted to review this first entry and other early books without letting my feelings on the later entries sway me. I enjoyed this - and the other early Green Fields entries. The characters were interesting and well-formed, to a great extent, and the attention to detail on the scientific aspects of the story was really interesting, as was the mystery behind it all. While Brianna Lewis wasn't my favorite character of all time, I thought her reactions to events was believable. As the series progressed, I really came to care for several characters - Nate, Andrej, Burns, Martinez, Pia, Jason, Richards, Hill, Tanner and Gita (some way down the road), in particular. A strong start that continues for quite some time and enjoyable reading.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Demon Fallout: The Return: A Michael Talbot Adventure (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Mark Tufo Page; Review: I loved the Zombie Fallout series - best characters ever in an apocalyptic series so far, for me; I liked the lycan series, although it wasn't quite the same; but this really disappointed me, to the point Im not sure Id take a chance on a new Tufo book - because a main character was completely ruined, thereby basically stabbing any reader invested in this series and its characters, in my opinion. I understand the need for plot twists, and Tufos previous books have had them, but this was just...wrong.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Generation Z (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Peter Meredith Page; Review: I was surprised when this developed into part of the Undead World universe. I loved that series initially, and Jillybean led a cast of characters who were among my favorites in apocalyptic fiction. However, I lost some of that affection as time went on and she so completely became Eve; the loss of the best of the rest of the people in that world sealed that for me. However, it was redeemed for me with this book. I really liked the new characters and hope to continue on as new books are released.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Seabound (Seabound Chronicles) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Jordan Rivet Page; Review: Really enjoyable first chapter. Seabound is a different and interesting look at a possible apocalyptic event, filled with good characterization and a plausible storyline. Looking forward to the rest of the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Last Days; Author: Gary Chesla; Review: I hate to bash anyones work but cant in good conscience not give a warning about this. While the premise is fine, the writing is awful - I don't think anyone has proofed it, for a start. There are so many typos it was difficult to keep going. But, I couldn't continue due to the horribly stilted dialogue and choppy style. I think this could be good with some help and I hope the author reaches out for and accepts assistance.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Last Days eBook; Author: Gary Chesla; Review: I hate to bash anyones work but cant in good conscience not give a warning about this. While the premise is fine, the writing is awful - I don't think anyone has proofed it, for a start. There are so many typos it was difficult to keep going. But, I couldn't continue due to the horribly stilted dialogue and choppy style. I think this could be good with some help and I hope the author reaches out for and accepts assistance.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: LEMON: 50 Natural Recipes for Home, Health and Beauty! - Kindle edition; Author: Visit Amazon's Lorraine Nightingale Page; Review: I really didn't discover anything new with this book, but thats okay - it was the writing that was truly awful. The use of the word the was strangest. Instead of something like, Treating acne, it would be treating the acne, etc. An editor could possibly help.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Dead Years - THRESHOLD - Book 1 (A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Jeff Olah Page; Review: I really like the story and characters in this book and look forward to moving forward with the rest of the series. My only criticisms would be the need for proofing (although not nearly as bad on typos as some other stories Ive read); more important, its the dialogue that holds this back - in fact, I almost rated it 3 stars because of the stilted dialogue and, at times, story narrative in general. I believe a good technical and substantive editor could elevate this to an excellent rating.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crumbling World: Book 1 (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Doug Hayes Page; Review: This is very interesting, with good characterization and action. My only issue was with proofing/editing. Those make this a relatively good story only okay. That being said, I would recommend.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Black Pu Leather Skull Bracelet Adjustable Size 7 to 9 Inches.; Brand: Authentic stud earrings; Review: Nice looks just like the pic!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pro Jewelry Stainless Steel Starter Charm Bracelet " Screw End " European Style +; Brand: Pro Jewelry; Review: Very disappointed since I received my bracelet with a broken hatch.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: SilverCloseOut Stainless Steel Snake Chain Necklace 2.4mm (16" - 30" Available); Brand: SilverCloseOut; Review: Sad that I can't fit any of my charms I purchased to it. So im going to have to wear it charmless.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: MBOX Custom Living Floating Charm Memory Locket Necklace With Snake Chain; Brand: MBOX; Review: Im in love with my necklace and even better its an owl pendant which I'm fascinated about!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DC Comics Batman Boys LCD Pop Musical Watch (Model: BAT4405SR); Brand: DC Comics; Review: Very nice watch for my son!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Waffles on Maple; City: Metairie, LA; Review: I love this place the waffles are delicious and the tilapia and coffee can't be beat! I always appreciate the friendly and helpful staff and there is NOTHING better than a gluten free waffle that actually tastes fantastic! I am eternally grateful for Waffles on Maple! Whenever I'm in New Orleans I go there and I recommend it to everyone I know that's passing through! Do yourself a favor and stop in at Waffles on Maple! You WILL NOT regret it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Atchafalaya Restaurant; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Because the Criola Breakfast is insane! I went to this place with my mom for brunch and it was my first time ever .. well let me tell you- it WILL NOT be my last time! I'm hooked on the wonderfully amazingly DELICIOUS food and the fantastic service! Joshua was knowledgeable, patient, kind, and just all around grrrreat! I literally can't wait to go back to visit this amazing restaurant to eat. I plan to work my way through the entire menu!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sweet Soulfood; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: If you think vegan food is nasty go to Sweet Soulfood. The selections offered will change your mind completely! The staff is so friendly- they don't just promote their food as absolutely mouth-watering goodness but also as an avenue to better health and consciousness. I am grateful for this gem of New Orleans. They have already seen me twice and will see me more. I love going for lunch and leaving with dinner. Can't get enough of this place!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: La Providencia Mexican Restaurant; City: Gretna, LA; Review: Ok so I came here for lunch because it was of course Taco Tuesday , and this place does NOT disappoint! The young man who greeted me at the door was also my server and he was so polite! He was also very prompt. I ordered two tacos de barbacoa (seasoned and grilled meat) and two tacos de pastor (pork). Talk about a flavor adventure! The salsa that was brought out to me was WARM! Yes I said it! WARM SALSA! And it was phenomenal! Not too spicy and the temperature was a nice change from the normal cold salsa and chips you get at other places. I also had the Tamarindo juice which was fresh, cold and delicious! Oh yeah and my food came to the table lickety-split! I gotta say the only thing that made me cranky about this experience was that I ate too fast and I was staring down my last bite of food too soon. But I was only deterred by such grief for a moment because I ordered three more to top of the afternoon! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone on the Westbank who is looking for an authentic taco experience! The decor is cute, the place is easy to get to and the service only further compliments the food. Two thumbs up from this girl!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: El Taco Loco; City: New Orleans, LA; Review: Ok so this is truly a hole in the wall. It seems overshadowed by its possible competition Panchita, which is like four doors down, but El Taco Loco is NOT to be overlooked. I came in and noticed the menu has so many things to choose from which at first made me nervous. After all, sometimes too much can be just that - too much. But I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered five tacos- three tinga tacos (spicy chicken) and two tacos de carnitas (roasted pork). Oh my gosh! They were so delicious! I had them topped with Mexican Crema, guacamillio sauce and some other vegetables. Y'all- my mouth was having a party! I threw in a Mandarin orange flavored soda and sat at a table outside to peep the street views. A very well spent afternoon. I spent $14.78 for the whole thing and I totally concede that the price far outweighs the goodness of the food. If you're ever in New Orleans and find yourself driving down Carrollton - please go to El Taco Loco! You need this in your life!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: X3001 Final Odyssey; Author: ARTHUR C CLARKE; Review: I and a lot of other science fiction readers have gotten used to the idea that Clarke was a true prophet. In the 1940s and 50s he made a number of predictions, such as satellite communications using synchronous orbits, which have come true. He had a rash of other ideas which I will not explore. 3001 showcases some of them, but it also reveals another side of Clarke--his blindness. 3001 is full of libels against religion in general and Christianity in particular. One wild idea is that a future pope (Pius XX) will renounce his faith due to the "space monoliths," release the records of the Inquisition and thereby cause the collapse of Christianity. This idea is possibly a sign of a mental hardening of the arteries. No way, Mr. Clarke. The Inquisition is old hat. No one today gives a damn about it except a few historians. And a lot of people think it was a hoot--thanks to Monty Python. More disturbing yet is the peculiar Professor Theodore Khan of Ganymede whose field of interest is the "psychopathology known as religion." His--and obviously Clarke's--ravings against religion and reveal a profound ignorance of religious feeling. He describes some of the cruelties perpetrated in the name of relgion, failing to mention many of the worst. But, he completely ignores the murders of atheism. Let's see--Lenin and Stalin, 40-50 million, Adolph Hitler, 20 million, Mao Zedong, 100-120 million, Pol Pot, a trivial 3 million. Just counting these we a have a total of 173-193 miilion people. That is far more than fell to all the Inquisitions, Crusades, and Jihads combined. Millions slaughtered to produce a world free of God. I would rather not live in Clarke's 3001. A world without God is a world without hope, full of cruelty and human depravity. I suggest that Clarke read Paul's Letter to the Romans, Chapter 1, Verses 18-23 and Orwell's "Animal Farm" before writing diatribes against relgion. There are worse things than religion. If you attach any value to religious belief do not read 3001.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Hybrids (Neanderthal Parallax); Author: Visit Amazon's Robert J. Sawyer Page; Review: This three book series begins well and ends miserably. Good science fiction asks, "What if?" and provides a plausible, "scientific" answer. The first book, Hominids, is great, aboslutely fascinating, well written, and plausible. The second book, Humans, is fair, and introduces very implausible ideas-- some of which are untrue or questionable from an anthropological viewpoint. A minor example is Sawyer's treatment of the Zagros find. Many think it offers evidence of Neanderthal belief in an afterlife. (Why else cover a corpse with medicinal herbs?) Sawyer's diatribe against religion in hybrids is hate-filled and absurd. Religion as the cause of evil in the world? Atheism is good? Leading 20th century atheists --Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Adolph Hitler, Mao Zedong and Ho Chi Minh--killed over 100 million people. Sawyer descends into hate-filled and nonsensical diatribes against religion, captialism and white men. Hybrids is truly a feminist novel. I had to forc myself to finish it. It's a shame Sawyer didn't have a good editor. .; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Stonewall Goes West: A Novel of The Civil War and What Might Have Been; Author: Visit Amazon's R. E. Thomas Page; Review: This is a carefully plotted and well written alternative history. In this version Stonewall Jackson is seriously wounded, not killed at Chancellorsville. He recovers and returns to duty after the disaster at Gettysburg. Leads the attack at the 2nd Battle of Kettle Run. Jefferson Davis then appoints him to command of the Confederate forces in the West--Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. The action that follows will appeal to those who can imagine a different course of the Civil War. I look forward to part two of the projected trilogy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: First Contact; Author: Visit Amazon's Bob Connolly Page; Review: The back cover blurb reads "The story of the extraordinary 1930 encounter between a team of gold prospectors and a pre-technological civilization ignorant of the outside world, as remembered and photographed by those whose lives it changed. 100 black-and-white photographs." One of the very few accurate blurbs for any book that I have read. Definitely worth reading.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Necromancer (Childe Cycle); Author: Visit Amazon's Gordon R. Dickson Page; Review: Well-written. I just hate having to give a written opinion. I am far too busy for this kind of coercion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Oath of Fealty; Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Moon Page; Review: This is a different approach to writing fantasy than the Deed of Paksemarrion series. Kieri Phelan, Arcolin and Dorrin become viewpoint characters and provide a richer tone than just having one viewpoint character--Paksemarrion (who moves to the background). Great reading.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Peshawar Lancers; Author: Visit Amazon's S. M. Stirling Page; Review: I really, really liked The Peshawar Lancers as well as Conquistadors, Island in the Sea of Time and Dies the Fire. That said I think that there is some misunderstanding of the genre of the novel. It is not an alternative history because it has too many errors of fact and some weak conjectures. It is a fantasy. Here are the major factual errors (and my conjecture as to subsequent events. Np I do not want to do a post-comet novel): Number 1: The comet's trajectory is impossible. It would have had to take a right turn over the Atlantic to wreak the kind of devastation he describes in America. A better, but not good trajectory would begin near Kursk continuing southwesterly for the last fragment fall in Europe at Amiens, France. It would continue its course across the Atlantic making landfall near Boston, with strikes on the NY-PA border south of Syracuse, in Lake Erie south of Detroit, West Bend., Indiana, Chicago, Omaha, Nebraska and ending about 75 miles east of Fort Collins, Colorado. Most powerful surface impact 300 MT. An unspecified number of air bursts with energy releases of 5 to 30 MT notably over or near German industrial centers, the West Country in England, New York City, Cleveland, Ohio and and Des Moines, Iowas. Number 2: The most powerful oceanic strike, a fragment with a diameter 600 feet, would released 200 megatons at the surface of the Atlantic. (See Robert Marcus, H. Jay Melosh and Gareth Collins, "Earth Impact Effects Program") The resulting tsunamis would have very likely have devastated Iceland, Ireland as well as Atlantic coastal France, Spain and Morocco. The Low Countries, Germany, Scandinavia, the Mediterranean lands and Balkans would have suffered little tsunami damage. The Bahamas, the Coastal Plain in America, Puerto Rico and the Antilles would have experienced catastrophic damage. Number 3: Crop failures north of Southern Italy due to climate disturbances caused by the Fall of the Comet would have caused great hardship and radical population losses as Stirling describes. Great Britain was not self-sufficient in food, especially in grains in 1878. It was importing more grain than it produced, largely from Canada, the U. S. and Russia, but also from Argentina and Australia. The fleets evacuating the British could have returned with grain from the southern producers, probably not enough to prevent famine, but enough to keep industry working. The rest of Europe would have competed with Britain for the food supplies, driving up prices and greatly enriching the Southerners. Massive starvation in Continental Europe as Stirling writes. Number 4: The British maritime fleet amounted to over 6,500,000 tons in 1880, not the 600,000 cited by Stirling. Assuming 25% of the fleet lost to tsunamis, the remaining ships should have allowed evacuation of about 16 million Britons, three times as many as Stirling cites. Germany, the Low Countries, and Scandinavia would also have been able to evacuate much of their populations. Netherlands with a surviving fleet of 250,000 tons should have been able to evacuate 750,000, probably 500,000 to the Boer republics in; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Cruel Sea; Author: Visit Amazon's Nicholas Monsarrat Page; Review: The quality of this novel is comparable to All Quiet on the Western Font, Red Badge of Courage, Ausgust 1914 and other great war novels.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: If The South Had Won The Civil War; Author: Visit Amazon's MacKinlay Kantor Page; Review: I have always thought MacKinlay Kantor one of the best authors of Civil War fiction and history. From this work it is clear that his understanding does not extend past 1865. First it is highly unlikely that Lincoln would have fled to Richmond. Morer likely he would have boarded the presidential gunboat and fled to Philadelphia as the nearest safe port. I don vot think either or French would have intervened in the War of Southern Secession. No reason to do so. The South had already defeated the invading Northern forces. All that remained to be done was negotiate the terms of secession. The British may have possibly offered their good offices as mediators. As for the French, they wee deeply involved in Mexico by 1862. I agree that Maryland and Kentucky would have joined the South and that Missouri would not. As for the Indian Territory I believe the North and South would have set a co-dominion over it with substantial autonomy for the Indian nations living there. Lee electerd second presidnt? Unlikely. He knew his health was failing and that the stress of holding the office of president would be too much for him. Texas seceding from the Confederacy? Dunno. How about New England seceding from the Union? Much more likely. That might have been followed by California and Ore3gon seceding? In short, the Union might have fallen apart due to varying interests of its several sections. A Confederate battleship exploding in Havana harbor? Unlikely and pure copying of the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine. Cuba a confederate state? Again I think not. Wilson a president of the Confederacy? A total bigot, he would have done major damage to race relations in the South. Teddy Roosevelt U.S. president in WW I? Maybe, maybe not. I think Kantor is projecting too much of our present into his alternative history. A reunification? Who knows? If Europe could unify, so could the separate nations of America. All in all a very unsatisfying read.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Road to Hell (Multiverse Series); Author: David Weber; Review: It was a horribly long wait for this, the third book in he multiverse series. I sincerely hope t5he 2wait for the next one will be considerably shorter. It took me some time to adjust to the new "co-author's" style. The book itself is good, tied up ends from second book nicely. One of the critics complained thaqt the villains are uniformly bad and that this isn't true to life. That critic needs more life experience. Does he really think real villains have good characters. Sure. Hitler was a vegetarian and loved dogs. Mao wrote poetry. Hirohito was a marine biologist, And on and on. . . It's good to see the good people in Arcana getting into the game and the bad people in Sharonia finally doing really bad stuff. Civil wars in the offing? I believe there could be as many as seven or eight books in this series, if it is ever finished. Aside from that, no complaints.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Supervolcano: Eruption (A Supervolcano Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Harry Turtledove Page; Review: I expect authors of "scientific" apocalypses to get their science right. Turtledove disappoints. Storm tracks and their winds passing through Yellowstone move off to the the southeast of eastsoutheast. Not relevant. A supervolcano generates a mushroom cloud and the debris fall forms an oval pattern Missoula probably would have gotten more ash than Denver. Not so bad. A USGS computer analysis done in 2008 estimates that Denver might have gotten somewhere between 4 and 10 cm, Not good, but not likely to kill most of the population. T corn belt would have had about the same. Modern farm equipment is fully capable of turning that ash under, making the land half-way productive rather quickly. Bigger problem would have been the supervolcano winter. How long would it last? Studies of the Mount Toba event (similar volume to Turetledove's Yellowstone eruption) suggest somewhere between 5 to 10 years with a long cool spell afterwards, perhaps as long as 1000 years. Not wonderful, but not likely to destroy civilization. This is different post-catastrophe series. It is seen through the eyes of Colin Ferguson, family and friends. Fascinating. A few quibbles about the science don't really matter. Turtledove has captured the essence of the catastrophe's aftermath. Worth reading it and the sequels; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Promises To Keep (The Disruption Trilogy) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's R E McDermott Page; Review: A good closing for the series. Wrapped everything up very nicely.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Climate Files: The Battle for the Truth About Global Warming; Author: Visit Amazon's Fred Pearce Page; Review: Not worth reading or anyone interested in the science of climatology.. Way too much focus on personalities.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Levi's Men's 513 Slim-Straight Jean; Brand: ; Review: Nice product. My waist is 28". I always struggle to get the right pair or color due to my waist size. This one fits nicely. additionally prime day saving made this nice product look cheap.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LEE Men's Regular Fit Straight Leg Jean; Brand: ; Review: Nice product. My waist is 28". I always struggle to get the right pair or color due to my waist size. This fits nicely, a little bit tight But no complaints., additionally prime day saving made this nice product look cheap.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LEE Men's Regular Fit Straight Leg Jeans; Brand: ; Review: Nice product. My waist is 28". I always struggle to get the right pair or color due to my waist size. This fits nicely, a little bit tight But no complaints., additionally prime day saving made this nice product look cheap.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Under Armour Men’s Resistor No-Show Socks (6 Pack); Brand: Under Armour; Review: Nice product, additionally prime day saving made this nice product look cheap.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Calvin Klein Men's Cotton Classics Multipack Briefs; Brand: ; Review: Nice product. It's a little bit large otherwise no complaints.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hanes Sport Men's Mesh Pocket Short; Brand: ; Review: Comfortable for jogging.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BOSS HUGO BOSS Men's Cotton 3 Pack Mini Brief; Brand: ; Review: Fits nicely.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Levi's s174; Men's 513 Slim Straight Jeans; Brand: ; Review: My waist is 28, so I have to try a few before buying. But this perfectly fits me.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Levi's Men's Standard Barstow Denim Western Snap-Up Shirt; Brand: ; Review: I was initially worried about size but it fits perfectly. I am fully satisfied with my purchase.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: 3CERA Portable Windproof Waterproof Survival Lighter Matches Storm Emergency Camping; Brand: OldPhatVet Brand; Review: They might light with a blowtorch. when you get them lit don't breath on them, because a strong wind is out of the question. The mere thought of wind and these will extinguish.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Huntingdoor Adhesive Archery Rest Sharpshooter Arrow Rest For Recurve Bow Right Hand 2pack; Brand: Huntingdoor; Review: just like the one my grandson tore off.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: MalloMe LED Camping Lantern Flashlights 4 Pack & 2 Pack- Super Bright Lumen Portable Outdoor Emergency Lamp Lights; Brand: MalloMe; Review: I ASSUMED THESE WERE SOLAR, WHICH THEY ARE NOT, BUT THAT IS MY MISTAKE AND I'LL LIVE WITH THAT. THESE LAMPS ARE NOT AS BRIGHT AS THE SELF CHARGING SOLARS AND REQUIRE AA BATERIES. THEY WORK FINE AND I CAN FIND NO FLAWS.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Courage SAS 60" Hunting Takedown Recurve Archery Bow; Brand: Courage; Review: like the bow, however limbs flex around while stringing bow, making it difficult.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Huntingdoor 12PK Black 3 Blades Archery Broadheads 100 Grain Screw-in Arrow Heads Arrow Tips; Brand: Huntingdoor; Review: haven't used them yet, so hard to gage usefulness. look nice and no problems; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ultra Bright Solar USB Rechargeable Camping Lantern,180 Lumen - Collapses - Suitable for: Hiking, Camping, Emergencies, Hurricanes, Outages; Brand: iMarky; Review: charges wonderfully from solar. light is very bright. it's small and compact, would be very handy item for preppers; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: NEET Suede Leather Glove; Brand: Neet; Review: fits, but a little stiff; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Huntingdoor 12Pack 3 Fixed Blade Archery Broadheads 125 Grain Arrow Head Hunting Arrow Tips for Compound Bow and Crossbow; Brand: Huntingdoor; Review: Look pretty good, bur haven't shot a thing yet; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TANSOREN Portable LED Camping Lantern Solar USB Rechargeable or 3 AA Power Supply, Built-in Power Bank Compati Android; Brand: TANSOREN; Review: an almost perpetual source of light. Charges in the sunlight and is pretty bright in the evening. My son even asked where he could get some.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Solar Powered, Crank Dynamo, Battery Operated Lantern- 4 Ways to Power- 180 Lumen 36-LED with Adjustable Settings for; Brand: Whetstone; Review: like the smaller versions; I think these will come in handy one day soon.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 1210503 Out 28-pc Uni Gun Wd Clean Box; Brand: Outers; Review: very nice; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pinty Red & Green Reflex Holographic Rifle Scope Dot Sight 4 Different Reticles; Brand: Pinty; Review: works pretty good, now if I can get picaniny rail for it; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lansky LS09735-BRK Folding/Tapered Diamond Rod; Brand: Lansky; Review: works very well, fits in a pocket, so I guess I could even sharpen my Chainsaw.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Master Carbon Fiber Drop Point Spring Assisted Opening Tactical Pocket Knife NEW; Brand: MASTER USA; Review: hope they hold up; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: ALAIX Mens Outdoor Military Style Tactical Belt Utility Nylon Adjustable Plastic Buckle; Brand: ALAIX; Review: tough, easy on, easy off; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MakerShot Custom Magazine Speedloader (Select Your Magazine); Brand: MakerShot; Review: IT'S OK; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ozark Armament Flip Up Backup Battle Sights Picatinny Mount AR Pattern Flat-top Upper Co-Witness Iron Sights BUIS; Brand: Ozark Armament; Review: I find the sights work fairly well for my at-15; however answered questions state that you need a adjusting tool for the front sight. This is true however some of the tools are too small to engage the posts. Which tool do we need?; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Albert's Baby Kids Solid Color Elastic Adjustable Wedding Suspenders (26" - Black); Brand: BBC; Review: I purchased these small suspenders as a part of a Victorian "steampunk" costume that I was developing for my 7-year-old son, and they were a perfect match for the distinguished "look" that I was trying to achieve with the outfit. They are very handsome, well-made, and will provide a touch of elegance to any small suit.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Carhartt Men's Big & Tall Workwear Pocket Short-Sleeve T-Shirt Original Fit K87; Brand: ; Review: Rugged, Low-maintenance, Heavy-duty Shirts from Carhartt I'm very careful about the way I spend money these days, and I'm picky about the quality of my clothes. The only T-shirts I buy any more are from Carhartt, as I can depend on the heavy cloth and stable colors to survive many washings and still look good. I recommend Carhartt over any other apparel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Columbia Men's Big & Tall New Utilizer Polo; Brand: ; Review: I love the Men's Polo shirts made by Columbia. They are rugged, colorfast, do not require ironing, and will survive many many washings while maintaining their like-new appearance. These shirts are a long-term asset to any wardrobe.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Carhartt Women's Performance Knit Crewneck; Brand: ; Review: This shirt was purchased as a gift for my wife, as she needs some good-looking casual wear. She instantly loved it, and I plan to purchase more Carhartt shirts for her wardrobe. Great gift item.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Leveret Girls Boys & Toddler Solid Turtleneck 100% Cotton Kids Shirt (2 Toddler-14 Years) Variety of Colors; Brand: ; Review: My daughter loves her new turtleneck shirt, which we purchased as an undershirt for an Alice in Wonderland costume. It fits well, looks good, and arrived in good time.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Simply Calphalon Nonstick 10 Piece Cookware Set (SA10H); Brand: Calphalon; Review: When I bought this set 3 years ago, it cost me about $300. I thought I was making a long term "investment". I was super careful with them, as was my husband. We never stacked the pots, we cleaned then with cloth, we used wooden spoons and plastic utensils in them. The small sauce pot is still doing ok, and the stock pot is still working out great (I must admit, we use these two pots infrequently). But the other pots and pans are all just about shot. The non-stick coating on the large skillet just started popping off in tiny shreds one day, all in the food. And once that breach was made, it was all over for that pot. Large chunks started chipping. My guess is that it got "too hot" when cooking... i hear a rumor that you are not supposed to cook on Hi with these pans, though I didn't read that anywhere when i bought them. The large sauce pot's non-stick coating didn't pop off like that, it just started to kind of dissolve away. Who knows how much of it we ended up eating. And now I read on the net that even the fumes of this non-stick stuff are toxic. Anyhow, we are tossing them after 3 years and switching to cast iron. Pretty short lived, if you ask me, but at least the price has gone down.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Fit & Fresh Kids' Lunch Sandwich POD with Removable Ice Pack, Reusable Leftover Container, 2.75-Cup Capacity Food Storage Box,; Brand: Fit & Fresh; Review: Got my Lunch Pod container a year ago, and had been very pleased, and excited that I didn't have to put messy cooling packs in my child's lunchbox... but I should have known that because the top is often in the freezer it would become brittle and eventually the edges broke off. Technically you could take the ice pack out of the top so the top isn't freezing, but its not so easy to do. Seems after a year of popping it out and putting it back it would break for that reason as well. Plus, there is always the frustrating problem of the top getting lost in the freezer after a grocery run, or the bottom being misplaced after washing (which warps in hot water by the way), since top and bottom are rarely together until they are in the lunchbox. So this year I am rethinking these choices. PlanetBox has some wonderful stainless steel lunch trays with attached tops, and then an insulated bag. It seems a system like this would reduce morning lunch-packing frustration a great deal. The price for one of these systems is about $40. I then priced how much it cost to buy sandwich bags, tupperware (or lunch pod) replacements, and foil, and found that these "disposables" cost about $80/year per person. Even an economy-sized box of 1000 waxed paper sandwich bags costs $40. Unless I can find an easier alternative, I think I will be going with PlanetBox this year. And because they are stainless steel, one may last my child all through elementary school!; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Jerusalem Blend Frankincense and Myrrh "Pure Resin Over Stick" Incense - Nature Nature - 10 Sticks; Brand: Nature; Review: Burning these once every 3 days seems to reduce my son's anxiety and nightmares a great deal. Excellent results.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Window Film 3D Static Decoration Self Adhesive For UV Blocking Heat Control Privacy Glass Stickers Thickness; Brand: CottonColors; Review: This thing is fantastic. I put it on the windows in my kids' room for privacy from the outside. When the sun directly hits the windows in the morning, a huge rainbow kaleidoscope of color shines on the white rug. Its seriously fantastic. At night, when the lamp in the room is on, the shine on the window is rainbow blast. Its great. Thinking of taking the blinds down so that the sun always shines through in the morning. In the afternoon when the sun is not shining into the window, the pattern blurs out the ugly house next door very nicely.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: PlanetBox ROVER Eco-Friendly Stainless Steel Bento Lunch Box with 5 Compartments for Adults and Kids; Brand: PlanetBox; Review: I bought my son his first Rover planetbox for kindergarten. Its been 5 years, and the thing is still in perfect condition, having been used every day of school since that first day. I wash the stainless box itself in the sink or the dishwasher, doens't make a difference. The case I wash by hand as needed. And i haven't had to buy a single ziplock or tupperware in 5 years. I got the smaller lunchbox (Rover) for normal lunches, ... it fits a sandwich and 3 items. I got the larger planetbox (Launch) for days that I am sending him pizza. Contrary to what the company says, they both fit the rover carry bag, which I love since there are so many colors. Either size works great for adults. The larger one is good for adults or pizza slices. :) I just bought my daughter her first one for kindergarten now. So how much money would you save if you could quit buying ziplocks, sandwich bags and pre-packaged lunchbox foods? A TON. I figure this lunchbox over 5 years (so far) has cost $13/year. And this box will probably last 30 years or more. Unless I somehow run it over in the car. Some reviewers have said its heavy. Which is weird. Its not WEIGHTLESS, but it only weighs like 3 lbs total, if that , when packed. So, if that's "heavy" then, ok its heavy. My son can carry 3 lbs, though. One reviewer also says it leaks terribly. This is just silly. It will leak if you put drippy foods in it, sure. So will a normal lunchbox if you throw drippy foods in it. This is why there are containers in the Rover specifically for your drippy foods like yogurt or pineapple, or spaghetti. Put the food in the container, which fits right into the Rover itself, and you have no problems. This box will save you so much money over time, that if you decide against it because you are stubborn about not packing wet foods in the proper containers, then you don't really want to go stainless at all. When i pack a salad, I put the salad dressing in one of the small containers. Its not rocket science. You can't pack soupy stuff or gravy type stuff in the box without the little metal container they include. But you can in the container. Another great feature: If you are packing for more than one kid, these things stack in the fridge without taking hardly any space. They are thin and sleek, and stack up solidly. That has been a great feature. The big ones stack find with the smaller ones, too. One thing I did get that is very helpful is a bulk box of wax paper bags. I bought it 3 years ago and am still going through the same box. I use the wax paper bags for the days I need to pack a "sack lunch" for field trips etc... this way I still never have to buy ziplocks or tupperware. They keep; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp; City: Maasai Mara National Reserve Rift Valley Province; Review: The staff, food and accommodations were exceptional. My family and I spent three nights here and we were reluctant to leave. After every game drive we were met at the entrance with wet napkins to rinse ourselves of after the dusty drive. This is just one example of the excellent service we received. Special mentions definitely go out to Anne Mary the hotel manager. She was always smiling and ready to chat to us. Her presence was ever constant, ready to help you personally with everything. Definitely a home away from home.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cedar Inn; City: Darjeeling Darjeeling District West Bengal; Review: My family and I had a wonderful stay at Cedar Inn. The food was exceptional, the staff were so courteous, patient and kind, and the manager was very helpful. The hotel is in a prime location, far enough from the city that it's nice and quiet, but close enough to the city that going to restaurants, shopping and tours is easy. I can't stress enough what an awesome time we had. The manager made himself available to us throughout our stay. He would answer our questions personally and gave us fantastic suggestions for things to do in Darjeeling and the following cities we would be travelling to. Thank you so much Cedar Inn!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Le Blanc Spa Resort Cancun; City: Cancun Yucatan Peninsula; Review: Where do I even begin?! We're still riding the high from our vacation! We did not hear ‘no’ once. Our every whim and desire was indulged by the excellent staff. There are four dining options and we loved them all equally. The variety offered at each restaurant is staggering (but if you want something that’s not on the menu, or is in another restaurant, no problem! the staff will get it for you). We were repeatedly impressed by the presentation, quality, freshness and timeliness of the service. The cleanliness and attention to safety and proper food preparation was impressive. They are very mindful of any dietary restrictions, one member of our party has diabetes, and just a brief mention of it to our butler ensured that every meal was carefully and specially prepared for him. The spa was outstanding. I recommend the scalp treatment and oxygen facial. The beach was heaven, no seaweed, no noise. The water was clear, the sun was shining and everybody was smiling. I think the real quality is because of the staff, who really do go above and beyond to make each and every guest feel special. Their attention to detail is apparent as is their focus on guest experience. Shout out to the eighth floor butler, Jonatan Carbajal. The expediency and great attitude with which you perform your duties are extremely commendable. You truly are amazing and serve as an excellent ambassador for LeBlanc. Thank you for everything!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chobe Bakwena Lodge; City: Kasane Chobe National Park North West District; Review: We absolutely loved Bakwena lodge! The place is managed by four young women who work in sync to ensure the smooth running of the place. The staff is excellent, very kind and helpful. We also loved the quaintness of it all, it allowed us to interact with the other guests. There was no wifi which allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the rustic atmosphere. The only reservation we had was the lodge was outside of the park, so the commute became a little tedious, but the amazing big game we saw at every twist and turn of the road was well worth it. Our guide/driver Kabelo (KB) was amazing! He was very polite, friendly and courteous. He drove 6-7 hours at a time just to make sure we saw everything.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Town Lodge Gabarone; City: Gaborone South East District; Review: We loved the location of the hotel. It was very close to the airport. There was a big mall with a lot of food and shopping options right next door. The hotel was equipped with wifi, it was clean and the staff were friendly and efficient. Recommendation: The only meal we ate at the hotel was breakfast. They made us fresh croissants for the table, and they were divine!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Sea Princess; City: Mumbai Maharashtra; Review: The hotel and food are good. Our room was no smoking but stank heavily of smoke. The staff performed their services with expectations of a sizable tip, especially at the concierge. This is a good enough hotel, nothing particularly great or poor about it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Red Roof Inn Washington DC Laurel; City: Laurel Maryland; Review: We were not very satisfied with our stay here. We had booked two rooms for one night through trip advisor for $80. We didn’t get a good night’s sleep at all. The beds were uncomfortable, it was very loud and the smell of smoke was everywhere. We stayed here out of necessity and will not be re-visiting this establishment.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel; City: Diani Beach Ukunda Coast Province; Review: This is one of the best hotels we've stayed at in Mombasa. The staff, food and service was excellent. The beach was clean and free of vendors. We enjoyed the 24 hour access to fresh food and spent all day in the pool. We will definitely be back!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Plaza Central Canning; City: Ezeiza Province of Buenos Aires Central Argentina; Review: We stayed here for a night because it was close to the airport. The staff was well meaning, but their service was adequate at best. The location is excellent. There are plenty of shopping and dinning options in the surrounding area.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Tara Angkor Hotel; City: Siem Reap Siem Reap Province; Review: This was a good hotel. We had a massage at the spa which was very well done and of great value. The breakfast was good. The staff were very nice and friendly. We enjoyed our stay here very much. The beds were very comfortable!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sunway Hotel Phnom Penh; City: Phnom Penh; Review: We had a massage, and it was good. We had dinner at the hotel restaurant which we enjoyed very much. The staff was excellent, the manager at the restaurant was very hospitable. The tender coconut ice cream and macaroons are a must!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium; City: Singapore; Review: We were only here for one night; it is conveniently located.The staff were very helpful and friendly. We especially enjoyed the croissants at breakfast. The beds were very comfortable. The hotel itself is very beautiful.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gateway Motel; City: Gananoque Ontario; Review: We enjoyed our stay here. The manager/owner was very nice, allowing us to make our own mixed tea in the morning. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The breakfast was standard with only a few options.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Orchid Mumbai Vile Parle; City: Mumbai Maharashtra; Review: I spent my layover (10 hours) at this hotel. I didn't even get the opportunity to sleep as I was there during the day. Nevertheless, the staff were accommodating, the rooms were clean and - most importantly - the distance to the domestic airport was a mere 10 minutes!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Econo Lodge Hershey; City: Hershey Pennsylvania; Review: The daytime manager, Prakash, was very helpful and friendly. He was accommodating with all of our needs and we enjoyed speaking with him. The hotel itself was very clean and quiet and is situated in a lovely area.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The London NYC; City: New York City New York; Review: My daughters stayed here for one night to celebrate my younger one's bachelorette party. They were pleased with the service, amenities and the centralized location. They stayed in Tier 2 and had fantastic views. Thank you to the staff for ensuring they had a memorable stay!; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Maelgwyn House Bed Breakfast; City: Harlech Snowdonia National Park North Wales Wales; Review: Very cosy B&B just a few minutes walk from the village and castle of Harlech. The hosts are super friendly and helpful and the breakfast is very good (if just a bit early for us!). The rooms are of varying sizes - so if you want more space (and a bigger bed!) then go for one of the larger (more expensive ) rooms. Overall we had a great stay at Maelgwyn House and really loved the area - with so much to see and do. We wish we could have stayed a couple of days longer and do hope to go back sometime soon!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Juliani; City: Saint Julian s Island of Malta; Review: I don't think there are many (or any) other hotels of this kind in Malta. Most of them seem to be large chain hotels, which I can't imagine have the same charm as the Juliani. When we arrived we were told that we had been upgraded to a suite, for the first night only. We would then be moved (the staff took care of everything) for the rest of our stay to the standard room that we had originally booked. It was interesting to see that the difference between the rooms was not that huge. The suite was just a larger room (with a sea-view) and a jacuzzi bath instead of a regular one. Both rooms were very well decorated and the huge bed was super comfortable! The location of the hotel is perfect, with many bars and restaurants within walking distance as well as a bus stop just across the road. The restaurant, Zest (closed Sundays) is very good and worth checking out.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Alpina; City: Parpan Canton of Graubunden Swiss Alps; Review: We stayed at this little hotel on the road to Lenzerheide, as it was one of the last rooms available in the region for the weekend we wanted to go. The entrance to the hotel is very 'alpine chic', as is the restaurant just off the reception. The room however is far from it. Perfectly fine and clean, but very old-fashioned - as if it hasn't been touched since the 70's! There are 'superior' rooms - which I imagine have been recently renovated - but of course you pay more for them, and the 'standard' rooms are pricey enough. We had a half-board menu in the restaurant one of the nights - and the food was lovely - and at a very reasonable price. If you want half-board then make sure you make it clear when you book. We didn't specify and ended up in the a la carte restaurant - having to negotiate the half-board meal. There is a jacuzzi in the wellness room in the basement of the hotel - but you have to pay extra for it. A bit of a cheek when the room rate is so high! (It's normally included in other hotels) Skilifts are not far away - one of them is easily within walking/skiing distance. The other is a bit more of a trek - but still do-able.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Loriston Guest Accommodation; City: Eastbourne East Sussex England; Review: Great B&B on a nice, relatively quiet street, about a 10 minute walk from the centre of town and just a stone's throw from the beach. There is free parking outside the front door (and anywhere along the street) - if you're lucky enough to get a space! Lovely room with beautiful decor and nice touches (tea,coffee and biscuits in room, shower gel in bathroom). Good breakfast (full English if you want it), although a bit early for us (08.30) - but at least it got us up,out and about at a decent hour. With the beds as comfy as they were we could easily have stayed in bed a couple of hours longer! All in all a very nice place to stay in central Eastbourne.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Disentiserhof Bergerlebnis; City: Disentis Canton of Graubunden Swiss Alps; Review: We stayed at this apart-hotel with our 4 month old baby, using a voucher deal that we had bought online (therefore making our stay very good value for money). The apartment itself is quite dated, with furniture and furnishings from the 70's, however it was very spacious and well-equipped. One thing it didn't have (but available from reception for a 20 CHF deposit) was a hair-dryer in the bathroom. The kitchen contained everything that we needed, including washing-up liquid and tea-towels, as well as a few other useful bits and bobs such as scissors and string. I noticed that there was even a fondue set. There was a sign saying that use of the kitchen would incur an extra cleaning charge, but we didn't see one on our bill. Perhaps they just say this to encourage people to leave it reasonably clean. Another extra charge which was on our bill when we checked out, but at least knew about in advance, was the baby cot, which we had requested in our booking. This was 50 CHF, which is more than most hotels charge (normally nothing), but we thought fair. However, when sending us a confirmation email they slipped in an additional 20 CHF per night for the baby, which we questioned and they then retracted. Not sure why they would charge 20 CHF per night for a baby when they don't really use any of the services or even additional water/electricity! The hotel is located at one end of the town - the opposite end from the ski lifts. However, there is a free bus (best to check the timetable as they're only half-hourly I think), and getting on at this end of town (the second stop) meant that you always got a seat. The main part of the town with its restaurants, supermarkets and tourist information is only a 5-10 minute walk away. We ate at the restaurant in the hotel on both nights and found the food, atmosphere and service very nice and good value for money. There were lots of families with kids.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Parco San Marco Lifestyle Beach Resort; City: Cima Province of Como Lombardy; Review: Having heard so much positive feedback from friends about the Parco San Marco, we decided to give it a try over a weekend at the beginning of October. We had a great stay, and would love to go back in the summer to be able to get full use of all the facilities (beach and outside pools). The location is beautiful, the apartment was of a high standard and the staff were all very friendly. We enjoyed the small indoor pool, and our 3 year old had fun at the kids club, in the playground and visiting the donkeys. There are a couple of downsides about the place; 1) With a buggy it's hard to reach the reception due to all the stairs. There is a way through the restaurant, but that''s not always appropriate. 2) extra costs such as parking, which at 10 EUR a day is a bit steep given that there are no viable alternatives nearby, and 19 EUR a night to have the sofa bed set up in the apartment. Saying that, we did know about those costs in advance, and they won't put us off going back.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Madrisa Lodge; City: Klosters Canton of Graubunden Swiss Alps; Review: We stayed for two nights at the Madrisa Lodge and found it perfect for our family. The staff were friendly and helpful, the breakfast was good, and the location was great, just a 5 minute walk to the cable car station taking you up to the pistes. The area is pretty quiet, in the sense that there is a ski rental shop and a couple of restaurants, but not much else. It was enough for us though and we had two good meals in the vicinity. All in all a good place to stay for a ski weekend.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Alexander Beach Hotel; City: Corfu Ionian Islands; Review: The hotel is great but Alex can be quite rude. Alex restaurant pizzeria was excellent and the Kostas boat trip well worth the money. Flight delayed with Germania both ways and no free snacks on board.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Rialto; City: Venice Veneto; Review: There's good and bad about the hotel. Mainly good. The bad points first: As with lots of Venice hotels, the room was very small. If you're not planning on spending much time in the room this isn't a problem. Our room was on the top floor and the lift was very slow. Air con wasn't too clever either. The good stuff: The hotel is very clean and the staff on the desk are very helpful and attentive. The food there (we had breakfast each day) was very good. A good mix and good quality. The best thing about the hotel is the location - directly at the foot of the Rialto Bridge so you step out of the hotel and are straight into the wonderful bustle of the city. It's not noisy in the hotel though so that's not an issue. Venice is full of winding alleys and it's easy to get lost (or it was for me!). Even though you're never far away, staying at a hotel at one of the major attractions was very useful for finding our way around. My advice would be to push for a canal view. All in all, a great hotel and highly recommended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Le Ville Hotel; City: Manchester Greater Manchester England; Review: Nice little hotel right in the middle of a busy area. It is quite noisy but as I say it's in a busy area. Rooms are small and clean. The reception staff were really polite and really friendly. Great place to stay and would do so again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Wittmore Hotel; City: Barcelona Catalonia; Review: This is a wonderful hotel buried deep in the Gothic Quarter. It's very atmospheric, with darkly lit, elegant corridors and rooms - (sometimes the corridors are a bit too dark!). The rooms are a mix of art deco and film noir. With retro pieces that the radio and the phone mixed with very stylish touches. Woke up each morning by Frank Sinatra playing in the bar (a recording not the person) which, if you are a fan, is fantastic. The rooftop bar is very spacious and modern with great views over the city. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Posada del Dragon; City: Madrid; Review: Room was small but really comfortable - especially the bed. Very modern room. Great to have a balcony - overlooking the street outside. At night the bar is very popular so it can be quite lively - which I liked but some people might find a bit noisy. The location was great. Close to bars and restaurants and the St Miguel Mercado - which is a must see. Madrid is quite a small city and the location of the hotel is not very far away from all the landmarks. Staff were friendly and efficient. I would definitely stay there again and would highly recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Bayou My Love; Author: Visit Amazon's Lauren Faulkenberry Page; Review: I enjoyed this story. I liked that the main character, Enza, is strong and capable and a pretty good handy-woman. Jack is endearing and smart and has an interesting back-story. Their dynamics make for an entertaining light read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hold Fast; Author: Visit Amazon's Olivia Rigal Page; Review: This was intense and powerful. I really enjoyed these characters, their histories, their strength, and their determination. My only criticism for this book is that it was too short...not in a bad way. It wasn't lacking but, if the story held more, it wouldn't have felt like too much. I would have kept reading.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Viper (Vampires of Hollywood) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Madisyn Ashmore Page; Review: Intense and steamy! I finished this book quickly and enjoyed most of it. The last quarter was strange and, though I liked the main character for the first half of the book, she became rather insecure, jealous, and waffled a lot towards the end which I wasn't fond of. The story ended rather abruptly so if you like cliff hangers then this is great.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Right in Front of You: A Friends to Lovers Contemporary Romance; Author: Visit Amazon's Lacey Silks Page; Review: This is a really nice spin off of Yours and Mine. I didn't even realize the connection until the very end of the book though so it does work as a standalone. Molly is a fantastic strong lady and, as with Yours and Mine, I liked the dynamics between Carter and Mac. There were a few spots where I was confused with timing but overall this didn't affect the read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aroused; Author: Visit Amazon's Jade Kerrion Page; Review: This was a lovely story with an intelligent leading lady and a swoon worthy book boyfriend.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Forest of Ruin (Age of Legends Trilogy); Author: Visit Amazon's Kelley Armstrong Page; Review: A great finale to an engaging trilogy! The Age of Legends is a wonderful tale with magic, friendship, love, loyalty, and perseverance. I enjoyed every page!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Rick Riordan Page; Review: Great start to a new series! It was nice to see some familiar faces and meet some new characters. I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to the next!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eternal Night; Author: Visit Amazon's Jade Kerrion Page; Review: This was a fantastic, fast-paced read with great paranormal elements with a twinge of sci-fi feel. I enjoyed the post-apocalyptic world Kerrion has created and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jack Kemble: A Fifty Shades of BDSM Novella; Author: Visit Amazon's Sky Corgan Page; Review: The lead character, Jen, grew on me over the course of the book. I liked that she would speak her mind. I much preferred Jack in this story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Torn: A Dark Bad Boy Romance; Author: Visit Amazon's Sky Corgan Page; Review: I'm tornno pun intended. I liked the story even though it was a bit long. The characters were well developed. But the story ended pretty abruptly. He makes a confession and then they're in full blown HEA.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Black Mirrored Jewelry Cabinet Amoire W Stand Mirror Rings, Necklaces, Bracelets; Brand: eHomeProducts; Review: Very good product, just wish it was a little bit taller.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Intimate Portal Women Gaia Nursing Tank Top Cotton Maternity Breastfeeding Camisoles; Brand: ; Review: Good only for around the house if you have a large chest; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Leading Lady Women's Empire Waist Nursing Cami with Lace Back; Brand: ; Review: Can't wear a bra with them without the middle support showing. I can often get away with wearing it without a bra though; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dickies Men's Leather Classic Casual Belt; Brand: ; Review: Looks really nice but my husband has been wearing it 3 to 5 times a week for 4 months and it is already coming apart.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Differenttouch 6 Pairs Pack Super Soft Cozy Fuzzy Winter warm Non Skid Slipper Socks; Brand: Different Touch; Review: Very oretty but all fell apart quickly. Some before i even got to wear them! All of them after the first or second wash :-(; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: RIO Gear Military Cot (1-Piece), X-Large, Green; Brand: RIO Gear; Review: Description reads, "The innovative design eliminates the need for end bars, providing more ankle and head comfort." The sleeping surface bows like a sling. I weigh 180, set it up immediately to test, evaluate. The large size seemed like an attractive feature when ordering. The length consists of rails that fold in the middle on each side. After unfolding the top section pieces the leg sections on the ends pivot 180 degrees from the top side to the bottom. On the right side they pivot from inside on the top, up and to the right, let's describe it as going from 9 o'clock to 6 o'clock. This requires a lot of space. Component quality and materials are not an issue. Seems well made. In addition to the top bowing the top is too high to sit on comfortably. Not only are cots used to sleep on, they're used to sit on. With this cot I had to sit close to the edge for my feet to touch the ground. Even then, the ergonomics missed the mark. I'm 5'8. If you're really tall and don't mind sleeping in a sling, this might work for you. As for me, it's on the next ups truck back to amazon.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Armitron Sport Men's 408188GMG Digital Watch; Brand: ; Review: Looks like a bazillion. What did I pay $17? Mwhahahahahahaaa... easy to understand instruction sheet. Easy learning curve for chronograph, alarm, etc.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bell 20-Inch Universal Inner Tube, Width Fit Range 1.75-Inch to 2.125-Inch, Black; Brand: Bell; Review: Cheap. Gets the job done. I keep a spare handy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AUCH New/Durable/Adjustable/Light Weight Plastic Road/Mountain Bike/Bicycle/Cycling Tire Front and Rear Mudguard Mud Guards Fender Set/Splash Guard Chainstay Protector; Brand: Auch; Review: Quick easy install. Looks great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buck Knives 0818 Apex Folding Knife, Carabiner Bottle Opener; Brand: Buck Knives; Review: I got mine with Rewarding Excellence points, I sell FCA products. The first one I lost, or thought I did. Ordered another one. Found the first one. Double delight. I love everything about this knife, especially that it fits unobtrusively in the bottom of my pocket for dealing with modern conundrums like plastic packaging. It's just very handy. I also have a Swiss Army Knife. The Buck is the one I love to carry.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Tag City Novelty SP80063 Warning Protected By 2nd Amendment Security Metal Sign, (8 X 12 Inches); Brand: HangTime; Review: It makes solicitors think twice before they ring my door bell. Awesome; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Roundup Weed and Grass Killer III Ready-to-Use Trigger Spray, 1/2 Gallon; Brand: Roundup; Review: Great price for a fantastic product.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ortho 0196710 Home Defense MAX Insect Killer Spray for Indoor and Home Perimeter, 1-Gallon (Ant, Roach, Spider, Stinkbug, Centipede; Brand: Ortho; Review: The only bug spray I use. It works great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Worx WG546 Turbine 20V PowerShare 2-Speed Cordless Battery-Powered Leaf Blower; Brand: Worx; Review: This is the greatest. Lightweight and easy to use. Does a good job with the 2 speeds. Already bought a second one for my son. Got tired of him borrowing it all the time.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Corona Razor Tooth Pruning Saw, 13 Inch Curved Blade, RS 7120; Brand: Corona; Review: Works great for pruning my Agave plants.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Patio_Lawn_and_Garden |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: LG 840G Prepaid Phone With Triple Minutes (Tracfone); Brand: LG; Review: This phone is very hard to program and the down loaded user manual sucks, the phone after many hours of programing seem to work good for text, WIFI. the reception is not that great. I want to upgrade to a Android operating system, this will have to do for now.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 2x LG Optimus Dynamic Logic L38G L38C Straight Talk/Net10 Premium Clear LCD Screen Protector Kit, Exact fit, no cutting.; Brand: GUARMOR; Review: no instructions on how to install this so I wasted on just learning how to put it on; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: XShields© (5-Pack) Screen Protectors for LG Optimus Dynamic L38C/L38G (Ultra Clear); Brand: XShields; Review: This is great for my cell; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Multi-Device Charging Station Desktop Valet Organizer for Cell Phones Tablets Accessories – USB Charger Power Strip Not Included 14"x 7.5"x; Brand: Stock Your Home; Review: I liked the material and sewing, the openings are too small for average cells with the exception of the large opening, I assume that is meant for tablets.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: HR Wireless Rubberized Cover Case for LG Realm Exceed 2 Ultimate 2 L70 LS620 VS450 L41C - Retail Packaging; Brand: HRWireless; Review: very nice and easy to install; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: [6-Pack] Dmax Armor for LG Ultimate 2 L41C Screen Protector Anti-Bubble High Definition Clear Shield - Lifetime Replacements; Brand: Dmax Armor; Review: these work easy and are great so far; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Cell_Phones_and_Accessories |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Eden: The Knowledge of Good and Evil 666; Author: Joye Jeffries Pugh; Review: The author presents some very interesting views. However, she does build many of her notions upon very flimsy stretches and does not provide proof for many assumptions. I saw this same lack of scholarly accountability in Tex Marre's book, which she quotes from several times. I'm not saying the author is wrong but she could do a much better job of demonstrating why she thinks that she is correct in her theories.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Blood on the Altar: The Secret History of the World's Most Dangerous Secret Society; Author: Visit Amazon's Craig Heimbichner Page; Review: The book is a good read but the author does not back up many of his assertions with solidly researched evidence. Neither does he point the reader to a conclusion or recommended course of action. He also is obviously pro Roman Catholic in his treatment at times defending the man-made traditions of liturgy created by that tainted form of Christianity. He did hit the nail on the head when pointing out a subject that many protestant Christians want to avoid, namely the large number of Freemasons that are members of the mainstream churches in America.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: It Could Happen Tommorrow; Author: Gary Frazier; Review: Lots of good biblically based information here but two things wrong with this book. 1)So many typos! How did that happen? missing words all over the place.... who edited this manuscript? Very Poor job. 2) The writer makes a whole lot of assumptions about the EU and who/what governmental entity will be the last days kingdom represented by the ten horns etc. He also makes a lot of assumptions about the last days status of the U.S.A. Although some of the things he writes here are a bit of a stretch, I believe the timing and how things will generally pan out are right. I would not recommend this book based on the typos alone. Ciao; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Prayer Matrix: Plugging into the Unseen Reality (LifeChange Books); Author: Visit Amazon's David Jeremiah Page; Review: Another one of those fluffy little books that makes you feel warm inside with some clever sayings, but no real substance. You don't "PLUG" into God! God is our Father...IF you are born again through Jesus Christ...you don't push a certain button and make Him respond! I thought that maybe Jeremiah was the real thing until I saw his TV broadcast and there, right behind him, was the all seeing eye in a stained-glass window, or the "eye of horus", that age old symbol for the evil of this world. He is most likely a freemason trying to mix darkness with light! Won't work! Don't feed His machine by buying his books! Read the Bible instead!; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Praying Circles around Your Children; Author: Visit Amazon's Mark Batterson Page; Review: This is witchcraft pure and simple. There is nothing biblical at all in this book or this series. And it is the Pentecostal types who fall for this as they will accept anything that makes them feel a certain way, never once checking God's Word. Do a search for witchcraft circle making and you will see where this false teacher got his evil ideas!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: A Time for Truth: Reigniting the Promise of America; Author: Visit Amazon's Ted Cruz Page; Review: An awesome book written by an awesome man.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Turn Your Computer Into a Money Machine: How to make money from home and grow your income; Author: Visit Amazon's Avery Breyer Page; Review: Good book to get started with; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Book of Mysteries; Author: Visit Amazon's Jonathan Cahn Page; Review: This scumbag is a false teacher! He lied in presenting his false books "The Harbinger" and again in the "Shemitah" and continues to try to apply obscure things that God clearly only intended for Israel to Christians. Further, Jesus Himself said Call no man "Rabbi"(Matthew 23:8) and yet dumb, biblically illiterate folks continue to cling to his every word instead of what Jesus says! He and others proclaimed his books as prophetic yet they did not come true! Therefore Cahn is a CON and a false teacher! Jesus Christ was the LAST true Rabbi! Every man who calls himself "Rabbi" after that is a fraud!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Conscience of a Conservative: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and a Return to Principle; Author: Visit Amazon's Jeff Flake Page; Review: This man and his book is a prime example of the establishment RINOs entrenched in DC who do absolutely nothing to stem the tide of socialistic liberalism, and the other multifaceted evils that are threatening and slowly ruining this country. Show me what you have DONE, Mr. Flake! Nothing. This book is filled with empty rhetoric that does nothing and means nothing without the courage to put it into action and that means stepping on toes. Arizona should rid themselves of these kinds of politicians (McCain included) as they and we deserve better. Take note of his obvious kowtowing to the Muslims and how he writes about it with pride. Men like him are the very reason Donald Trump was elected, and he still doesn't get it. Not worth the paper it's written on.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Pilgrim's Progress from This World, To That Which Is toCome (Penguin Classics); Author: Visit Amazon's John Bunyan Page; Review: Every Christian should read this early in their Christian walk.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Gospel According to Jesus: What Is Authentic Faith?; Author: Visit Amazon's John F. MacArthur Page; Review: Fantastic book. Every single Christian and those who call themselves Pastors and preachers should read this book and check everything said by the scriptures. MacArthur will tell you that he is fallible, not perfect, and that he makes mistakes but everything in this book is backed by God's perfect and Holy Word. Give this book to those attending the fluffy modern churches who are afraid of offending everyone except God. Those churches who pander to the worldly people who want to be part of a fluffy community but do not want to obey Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives are lost and they need to wake up before it's too late.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress: A Classic Story Wonderfully Told (Listeners Collection of Classic Christian Literature); Author: Visit Amazon's John Bunyan Page; Review: Every Christian should read this early in their Christian walk.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Chevron Crossbody Faux Leather Gun Concealment Bag; Brand: Fashion Helpers; Review: I was hoping for a built in holster in the pocket, but it is just a regular pocket with a side zipper which is great for concealing your hand slipping in there. My S&W bodyguard .38spc fits perfectly for little movement. Great for the price! I highly recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rongxing Jewelry® Fashion Black Gold Rings Sets Cubic Zirconia Double Women's Size 5-10 Engagement; Brand: Rongxing Jewelry; Review: Loved it! I get so many compliments. The black does come off after a couple of months. I asked my jeweler to replicate in black gold and black diamonds.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Deluxe Leonardo Costume, Small; Brand: Rubie's; Review: Size was unclear when ordered. I searched for adult male large and was sent boys large. Otherwise seemed to be a nice costume for the price. Sword in the photo is not included.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Wonder Woman Foil Logo Juniors Tee; Brand: ; Review: Quality seems fine but the sizing is extremely small. Even for a junior's tshirt I would say the xxl fits more like a medium or large. Shipped quickly as expected.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: 2pcs Toddler Kids Baby Girls Summer Clothes T-shirt Tops+Shorts Pants Outfit Set; Brand: maifeng; Review: Very cute, smells awful, my card was charged for it twice, and the sequins scratched up my daughter's legs.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Royal Service at Paradisus La Perla; City: Playa del Carmen Yucatan Peninsula; Review: This is a lovely property which we've enjoyed for two visits, which were two years apart. We vacationed with our adult kids and toddler-tween grandkids (total party of 13)! My husband and I stayed both times on the adult only side (LaPerla) with Royal Service (Butler Service) included. Our family stayed on the family side with butler service included as well. First, I must give a shoutout to Ms. Alma DeVilla, Family Concierge Manager, who went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that our entire family had an amazing time and that the minor issues were addressed and handled with great care and consideration! She is a great representative who demonstrates amazing care, compassion, professionalism and passion for all things that go into making sure that families have a very memorable and amazing time at the resort! She is simply the best ever! You can believe all the good reviews about the resort, food, and overall resort experience that has already been said because it is a very good resort and your expectations will certainly be met if not exceeded! The restaurants are very good although can be quite slow from time you start to dine till you finish being served. They do take their time but hey we are not on the clock so no worries. The food presentation is good and the food tastes good. We were disappointed that Ollie's no longer offer ribeye steaks at lunch time which was a great treat the first time we came to the resort! My favorite is the group dinner that we had in a private room at Bona Restaurant with all asian type entrees served family style. The egg rolls were amazing, the bang bang type shrimp was amazing, chicken wings were amazing, and my family enjoyed the sushi dishes, all of this was appetizers, then, the main course was great, too!...It was all amazing both times we came to the resort and the service was great as well! We also really enjoyed the Habachi style restaurant which I think was also a part of Bona restaurant or in the same area. The performance from the chef was not very good because he was not very engaging and did not do but maybe one food trick or so. I had to ask him to cook the chicken a bit more because he tried to serve it to us right after he put it on the grill which was only about 2-3 minutes. That was not good! Other than that, the steak,shrimp and everything was great! Before I get ahead of myself, let me mention that we were not pleased this time with our checkin process at all! We arrived about an hr. before checkin and they were not too busy but had a couple other guests in the area. It took way too long to check us in and most disappointing was that after all the paperwork was done, we waited about 1/2 hr past official check in time to receive our room. When I inquired with (Samantha (guest; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: AC Hotel Cincinnati at Liberty Center; City: Liberty Township Butler County Ohio; Review: The staff was very friendly, professional and welcoming! Great first impression! The hotel lobby, rooms and amenity areas are very nice, chic and clean! The location is great and convenient! The breakfast was good and a good variety of hot and cold options. I had a chance to speak with the general manager who was extremely pleasant and represented AC Hotels and the Marriott Brand very well! The only downside was that the jacuzzi was not working properly but we were assured that it was being taken care of. We look forward to being able to enjoy the jacuzzi next time we stay here! Overall, everything was great and we highly recommend this hotel!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport Hotel; City: Narita Chiba Prefecture Kanto; Review: Very nice hotel which is very convenient especially if you need to be near the Narita airport! Everything that you've read that is good, you can believe it! The front desk and hotel staff were very pleasant, the restaurant staff were pleasant and our overall stay was very pleasant. We ate in the restaurant which was pretty good and breakfast had a good variety. The hotel and rooms are very clean and rooms are nice. The free shuttle to/from the airport was very helpful and reliable and timely. Overall, our one night stay was very good and the price was very reasonable as well!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tokyo Marriott Hotel; City: Shinagawa Tokyo Tokyo Prefecture Kanto; Review: Simply amazing! Believe everything that is said that is good about this hotel, the service and the overall experience at this Marriott in Tokyo! Wow! We loved it! The free shuttle bus from the train station was very convenient and seemed to run about every 1/2 hr. It is right outside the train station around the corner just a little walk near the street. Be sure to take note of the name on the front of the bus' lighted display which is actually the name of the business tower/building that the hotel is located inside of. I think it said City??.... Don't get on the wrong bus. Get the exact name of the bus from the hotel before you arrive to be sure you get on the right bus because they all look alike except for the display. It seemed that more business people were getting on the hotel bus who worked there or even lived in the adjoining building. The shuttle/bus ride was free and only about 5-10 minutes away. Once inside the hotel, it is huge and very nice! The lobby bathroom has very modern heated seats, as well! Everyone from the concierge desk to the front desk to the staff walking through the hallways were extremely pleasant with a smile and ready to help! We were very impressed! The hotel is extremely bright, modern, clean, and stylish! The executive lounge is nice and very well stocked! The food in the lounge was very nice and we were treated very well as Gold members. The staff in the lounge were very very helpful and friendly as was everyone else. The room is very very nice and very clean! I loved the purple accents and I especially loved the very modern, heated toilet! Simply amazing! The food in the restaurant was great, the price was not too high, and the service was great! The concierge desk was very helpful as well and very patient with giving us good info. and directions and suggestions. I loved loved the sheets which were the most crisp that I've ever had at a hotel and they were very very white! I can't say it enough, everything was amazing and I can't wait to return!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Courtyard Portland North; City: Portland Oregon; Review: Great ambiance and great stay! Stayed one night and we were very pleased, overall! Arrived via the Max light rail train ($2.50) and walked less than 1/2 mile from the train station to the hotel. I had called and received good directions to get there via train and walking (Yellow Line and get off at the Expo station, which is the last stop); walk towards the street which is not easy to see so you might have to ask before you walk the wrong direction. I could hear the traffic though which was less than a minute walk away; turn right on the street and walk to the traffic light then cross the street to the left and walk along the sidewalk/pathway for about 8-10 min. There are several Marriott hotels in the same area which you can see from the distance. The pathway is a little deserted so if alone, you might want to arrange a ride. We didn't have any trouble but I wouldn't walk it during the night cause it didn't feel all that safe. The hotel doesn't look like your typical Marriott brand hotel and it looked older from the outside; it wasn't newer looking and the area was not the best looking. No worries though cause once inside, we were greeted by the most amazing young lady ever! Savannah, who checked us in was very pleasant, warm, authentic and represented the Marriott brand very well! She was very professional yet caring and we could immediately tell that she enjoys ensuring that guests have a great stay! She set the bar high and we were very excited about our stay after meeting her! She acknowledged our Gold status and offered us comp bottled water, and a Star Bucks coupon for a free cup of choice of coffee (SB located in lobby area)... Savannah made us feel special and valued as patrons! To top it off, she must have given us the best room in the house, cause the view was simply breath-taking (top floor room 443!)! The room felt a little dark due to the dark carpet but it was very clean, fresh and the sofa was very nice and newer! The best part was the balcony which was big enough for the two of us with two chairs and a little table. It overlooked the river, boats, and the lovely mountain! What a great view! There were quite a few spider webs on the balcony railing, chairs and the glass on the balcony was quite dirty, but, that was all overshadowed by the amazing view! So worth it and it probably is difficult to keep it clean due to being a corner unit with many tall trees surrounding the area. The window from our room was also amazing cause it overlooked the same area. I didn't like the air conditioning/heater unit in the room because it was the old style on the floor under the cabinet. It was loud and a little sightly but I was happy that the controls were easily accessed from the wall thermostat.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Residence Inn Portland Hillsboro Brookwood; City: Hillsboro Oregon; Review: We flew into PDX and stayed two nights at our favorite hotel brand, Marriott Hotels. One night we stayed at this Residence Inn which was a bit of a train ride on the (Max Light Rail) from the airport (approx. 1.5 hrs) and the other night close to the airport at the Courtyard Portland North. I really wanted to stay at this new RI so I was willing to make the long trip just to stay for one night only! It did not disappoint! Such a lovely newer hotel in a great newer surrounding town...Orenca Station area which is about 10 min away and near the train station. Upon arrival, it felt and looked more like a small "resort" community! Oh, our transportation to the Orenca Station was via the Max Light Rail train ($2.50) and it was a very pleasant ride with some good sightseeing along the way. When we were a couple stops away, I called the hotel and was advised by Theresa that she would be there to meet us in their purple shuttle. She had previously gave me great instructions on how to get their via public transportation. She arrived 10 min. after our arrival in front of the train station driveway where several restaurants are also located (very convenient and newer looking community so it felt very safe in the area). The shuttle is free however beware because on our request for a return trip at the end of our stay, we were very disappointed to find out from Michele, the front desk associate, that their shuttle was not available until possibly much later that evening due to no shuttle driver. She advised that their shuttle is not guaranteed and runs only when available. I just wish that I had been given the simple courtesy of being advised of that during checkin. That said, be prepared to make other transportation arrangements to get around town. There is nothing in the direct area and I believe the shuttle will take you approx. 3 mile radius of the hotel, only if available. We were checked in by Jeff (asst GM) and Theresa both of whom where very pleasant, warm and very professional! Michele was also very nice at checkout even though I was not happy about the shuttle situation. She tried to be helpful with other options. Everyone who we encountered were pleasant including housekeeping, custodian, breakfast staff, etc. Breakfast was good for free and the area was kept very clean and fresh. There was a good variety of hot and cold options. Only issue with breakfast was the sausage which needed to be cooked more. It seemed a bit water-logged but I was advised that it came pre-cooked and just warmed up. The food is not your high end breakfast but it served the purpose very well! Good deal and the tea was name brand which I really appreciated! The room was very nice, clean, modern, and the tv was huge, however, the tv came back on in the middle of the night by itself although the screen; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Ritz Carlton Residences Waikiki Beach; City: Honolulu Oahu Hawaii; Review: Excellent in every way and exceeded my expectations! From the moment we entered the property until we left, we were given the royal treatment! Smiling, helpful, very professional staff added great value to our experience! As soon as we arrived, the attendants approached us with a smile and offered to take our bags and to escort us up in the elevator to the lobby. I don't think we could have gotten up to the lobby without assistance, though, cause I believe they had to use their keycard in the elevator. We were then greeted by a lovely lady, Moko, who was very welcoming and put lovely lei's on our necks! What a pleasant surprise and very nice touch as she also handed us cool, wet towels and a welcome drink! What a way to greet guests! They nailed it from the beginning to end! Then, Ally, the front desk agent, who checked us in was very kind and had a great demeanor! We were very thankful for the upgrade and early check in! We also were given great assistance at the front desk by Josh and other staff including the operator, during our stay! We did have to change rooms a couple times due to the refrig not working in our first room; the second room didn't have a true king bed, so we were kindly moved to a third room which had a true king bed (instead of two twins pushed together); each room was excellent although I did notice a couple slight differences...one room didn't have a dishwasher... and the sheets in the higher floor room were even nicer, if that is possible! Since the rooms are actually residences with their own respective owners, maybe the owners of each room set the rooms up with varying options. I must mention that the toliets in the rooms were simply amazing! High tech at it's best (heated/nightlight...!). It's nice that the room refrig is stocked with as much water as you like, just advise the concierge or housekeeping. The rooms are fully equipped and is more like a lovely condo! Our room was in the brand new (2 week old) Diamond Head Tower and it was amazing! We were escorted from the main lobby to the pool area to await our room. The infinity pool is simply amazing and everything anyone could wish for in a pool with a great view of the city! Service was great and I do believe the young lady who helped us most was named Ocean. Everyone who assisted us were very kind and thoughtful. One of the corner cabanas which we utilized for the day was a very nice treat which added to the amazing ambiance! The cabana had a mounted tv, stocked mini frig, and very comfy lounge chairs. The cabana structure was cherry wood, I think, and it was very upscale looking! Apples, towels and infused water was available as a courtesy in the pool areas, which was a nice treat, too! The gym is very nice (new equipment) and I especially liked the; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Great Gatsby; Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I first read the Great Gatsby in high school for a literature class and have adored it ever since. I have been through multiple copies - for some reason I have a penchant for losing them - and have read it just as many times. Truly a classic with a rich subtext; a satirical reflection on society of the time.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: High Fidelity; Author: Nick Hornby; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** High Fidelity tells the story of Rob, a middle-aged, music-obsessed record store owner (surprise?!), who is going through a period of crisis after a messy separation with his longtime partner. The book details Rob's prolonged period of self reflection (and self pity) as he tries to gather up the pieces of his self esteem, prompting him to revisit every major girlfriend he has had in the past. The protagonist takes an interesting approach when confronted with a problem - by making lists of songs. For example, when faced with the fear of his own mortality, Rob and his co-workers make a list of the songs they would like to be played at their funeral. Despite this endearing quality, Rob's character is hopelessly flawed and is continuously being rescued by the women in his life. He appears to exhibit little, to almost no emotional maturity or depth of character and represents mediocrity on all levels. Perhaps other people have found his 'averageness' charming as the book is generally well-received, although it is clear I cannot agree. The story is strongly rooted in British pop culture of the 90s, and being a young adult in Australia, left me feeling like I had my nose pressed up against the glass, watching the story unfold but never really being able to relate or participate. As cliched as it may sound, I think the best books are able to overcome socio-cultural differences and transport you to another place. Or at least be entertaining. I found the storyline a little wanting for attention and the protagonist unlikeable. There are some more universal themes that permeate the novel, such as loneliness and, well, fidelity. But it is not something I would read again.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Tender is the Night; Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: In theory I shouldn't like this book: (1) it took a LONG time to warm up (2) the narrative was fractured, and (3) the ending was unsatisfying - what happened to Rosemary? But I do. I don't know why but I suppose even though the novel is not the best example of plot construction, character development et cetera, it is a poignant reflection of Fitzgerald's life, particularly his turbulent relationship with his wife. While reading the novel, I can gather just the tiniest bit of insight into his life, or at least, his frame of mind at the time. As a big fan of his work, I really appreciate this window of opportunity. The parasitic relationship of the Divers is not something I think many people can relate to, but was definitely an interesting one to observe.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit; Author: Sloan Wilson; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: As a fan of Mad Men I had to get my hands on this book and it exceeded every expectation I had for it. While the writing is simple, the ideas that bubbled beneath are so complex and fine that if I were asked to explain it to another person, I'd struggle to do it justice. Some books, especially the classics, sort of lose you midway, because they cease to be relevant to modern readers. This book, some might say, has become increasingly relevant since its initial publication and I was surprised at the modern and unconventional ideas and themes, considering it was written in the mid 50s. I have looked up the sequel but have heard it was disappointing and I don't want to soil my impression of this beautiful piece of work.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Catcher in the Rye; Author: J.D. Salinger; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: I absolutely adored this book. I know that on the surface the narrative voice of Holden Caufield can seem pampered and whiney, but if you delve a little deeper, you begin to realise he is actually very insightful. It is so interesting how J.D. Salinger captures this 'hangover' Holden has from society. A society which is governed by social mores, Protestant values and consumption. I love how these themes resonate with the youth of today just as it did during the 50s and while individuals today find escape through the formation of tribes, subcultures and 'deviant' practices, Holden has no choice but to live in the 'phoniness' of his time.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Life of Pi; Author: Yann Martel; Genres: paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I remember reading a passage from this book for my IB practice exam years ago and finally got around to reading the whole thing now. It seemed a bit facile in the beginning but it really redeemed itself with the ending that made me look back on everything I had just read with fresh eyes. Ironically, after hearing the alternate version of events I was more inclined to believe the far-fetched, yet vaguely charming story of Richard Parker, the zebra, hyena and Orange Juice, perhaps I am just a little reluctant to face the realities of humanity. Either way, it was a great way to demonstrate how story telling can act as a means of self preservation when reality, well, bites. I found the island, in particular, a really interesting symbol of human nature and how during the hours of sunlight, the algae on the island is benign, even nourishing. Yet, once darkness falls, it turns toxic; an accurate reflection of humanity. When we are watered, fed and safe, we make wonderful company, we are generous, kind and 'civilised', yet in times of disaster and deprivation, what we are capable of is frightening. As Pi mentions in the novel, he was a mild-mannered, religious vegetarian from India, yet when pushed to the limits he even sampled strips of human flesh from another cannibalistic castaway. Overall, a multi-layered book that was worth the hype.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Of Mice and Men; Author: John Steinbeck; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: Heartbreaking.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium #1); Author: Stieg Larsson; Genres: thriller, crime, mystery, fiction; Review: I ended up buying the Millenium series because of all the media hype surrounding this trilogy. So far, I've only made my way through the first book and while I think it is an enjoyable, easy read, I don't think it is a particularly good piece of literature. Larsson's writing style reminds me of Dan Brown's, basic language, very little character development with a heavy reliance on the plot. In other words, not particularly good writing but a good storytelling that keeps you turning the page because of the way the story is told in pieces, that keeps switching back and forth between the characters, Blomkvist and Salander, at the most opportune times. The characters seem like cliches and being set in 2003, it doesn't seem particularly modern (they still refer to iBooks!) and it is by no means a historical novel. It definitely shows its age. I also often got lost in a few of the Swedish cultural references and I found at times the book perhaps suffered from a poor English translation.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Kafka on the Shore; Author: Haruki Murakami; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I only just finished this book and while it took me just a few days to plough through, I think it will take me a lot longer to grasp its meaning. Apparently Murakami says that the key to understanding the story is to read it multiple times, because there are riddles and solutions interwoven throughout. While I did enjoy Kafka on the Shore, I'm not sure if I'd go through the extra effort of re-reading it - there are too many other books out there and I'm not a diehard Murakami fan!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next, #1); Author: Jasper Fforde; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: A little slow moving at first and confusing because of the parallel universe setting, but once you get your head around it it's really quite a bit of fun. It's by no means a classic piece of literature though. You need to persevere with this book, particularly through the first half which is a bit confusing and overwhelming. A nice, light read but I do recommend reading chunks at a time, if you read small sections each time you often forget what's happened before since the fantasy setting is so surreal. I enjoyed it and have a feeling I'll enjoy the next one more now that I'm more familiar with pet dodos, time travellers, the non-existent Crimean war and the blurred boundaries between fiction and reality.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Rotters' Club; Author: Jonathan Coe; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I really enjoyed this book, I would give it 3.5 stars if I could. While coming of age stories often end up being cliched caricatures of youth, Jonathan Coe does it justice. Just when I thought I had it all worked out and felt that the book was teetering on cliche, there was a delightful twist - very clever and subtle ones at that. The fractured narrative was interesting - the letters, diary entries, articles, constant change of narrative voice etc -, though at times I did find it irksome. The second last chapter in particular, had NO fullstops, which I know was meant to reflect Benjamin's frame of mind, but it made it particularly onerous to read. I thought it was a bit unnecessary to be honest. Embarrassingly enough, I had no idea that this was the first of a series, so when I finished it, I felt a bit deflated as I am desperate to know what happens next, though Coe makes it pretty clear it wasn't a happy ending for Cicely and Benjamin.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: To Kill a Mockingbird; Author: Harper Lee; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: I'm not sure if I can add to any more of the accolades this book has received, all I can say is that I well and truly loved this book and found it to be both endearing and profound in the way in handles the strong themes of prejudice (of class, race and religion - what a trifecta!), the role of women and justice. Truly a classic.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Humble Pie; Author: Gordon Ramsay; Genres: history, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction; Review: I was really surprised by this. I had actually downloaded it as an ebook to test my new reader, quite simply because of the affordable price. I think I may have bought the condensed version because it was quite short but it was really very interesting. I'm not normally a biography sort of person but am very glad I bought this. My only exposure to Gordon Ramsay before reading this book was through his reality TV shows, of which I have only seen one episode. This definitely painted a very different picture of his life - abusive father, hard knock childhood, broken dreams of professional football and finally, the blood, sweat and tears that preceded his successful cooking career. A very interesting insight into the life of someone whom I had previously thought of as a bit of a rude upstart.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray; Author: Oscar Wilde; Genres: history, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** I had been putting off reading this book after hearing a rather poor description of it from a friend, who mentioned everything but the most fundamental element of the book, the portrait and its role as a reflective medium for the soul and sins of Dorian Gray. He most definitely did not do it justice. Although the protagonists are essentially dandies of the late 19th century, the broad themes - atonement, mortality, youth, beauty - form the basis of human nature and have, in my opinion, cemented its position as an enduring classic. Should be on everybody's "to-read" shelves.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lost in a Good Book (Thursday Next, #2); Author: Jasper Fforde; Genres: history, fiction, young-adult, thriller, comics, crime, paranormal, graphic, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I really didn't think I'd enjoy this series, a friend lent the first two books to me and was gushing with praise about them, and out of courtesy I felt it necessary to at least read the first, which was a struggle to get through until the second half. Having said that, I really enjoyed this book, especially after The Eyre Affair got me into the swing of things. Having recently been through a spate of classics, this was a nice reprieve and a good light read where the plot takes precedence over the language - not that it isn't good, but it's not the focus of the book. The plot and the historical, fantastical setting are much more well developed than the first book and the characters are less cliched and predictable. I'm a little upset that I don't have the third in the series and may have to go out and buy them soon!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Color Purple; Author: Alice Walker; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: I don't say this often, but this was a powerful book. I'm not sure if I 'really liked it' as the four stars suggests but it is most definitely worthy of its Pulitzer. It was not the most uplifting read, as it deals with religion, gender, class and race issues in Southern America, but the narrative is so sophisticated you can't help but applaud Walker. A very well-crafted story that was, for me, illuminating.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Beautiful And Damned; Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: As I mentioned to a friend, this book seemed like a shadow of Gatsby, though I agree with her point that it is quite difficult to top Gatsby! It dragged on a little at times and seemed a bit moralistic, like a typical story about fair weather friends and lazy grasshoppers vs industrious ants. It would probably make good film (a la Richard Caramel's Demon Lover) and I liked the little self-deprecating note at the end where Fitzgerald writes something like: "every girl asks me whether or not I've read 'This Side of Paradise', I swear there is no hope for future generations". Perhaps I have Fitzgerald hangover - this is my fourth and second in a row after Tender is the Night - but it was just 'okay'.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Norwegian Wood; Author: Haruki Murakami; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I just finished this book the other day and - as noted on the book jacket - it bears the unmistakable mark of Murakami's hand despite the topic matter deviating from his typical choices. I always have a bittersweet feeling about Murakami's books, which I enjoy overall but the surreal an fantastical elements often leave me a bit disturbed in some sense. I suppose it's a feeling similar to my responses to 'ero guro' influenced work, which, if anything, provokes thought. I guess this is what draws me to his books time and time again despite being a little perturbed by them. Norwegian Wood is no exception, please don't let the boy meets girl love story fool you.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide, #1); Author: Douglas Adams; Genres: paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, fiction; Review: Such a clever book, really enjoyed it and definitely worth all the hype. Am on vacation now but would definitely read the rest in the series and I don't even like sci-fi!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Siege of Krishnapur; Author: J.G. Farrell; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: I'm giving this book four stars because even though I can't say 'I really liked it', I think it would be a travesty to award a novel with such historical accuracy, detail and wit any less. I appreciate how J.G. Farrell has managed to assemble such a finely nuanced, yet historically accurate story from personal correspondence alone. I'm going to be honest and say I did struggle with many of the terms (it is, after all, based in the mid 1800s in India), particularly some of the 'ethnic' phrases, so I think this definitely a book I would have to read twice to be able to fully appreciate.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Motorcycle Diaries; Author: Ernesto Che Guevara; Genres: history, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: This review is somewhat belated but I enjoyed it overall. Slightly lengthy and tiresome towards the end but a must-read for all Che Guevara fans.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The House of Sleep; Author: Jonathan Coe; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: One of the best pieces of modern fiction I've read in a long time. Such a clever story, very well set up and executed. Loved how it came full circle, Robert broke my heart.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Men Without Women; Author: Ernest Hemingway; Genres: fiction; Review: ** spoiler alert ** Typical Hemingway territory, hard-edged language and not a word too many. Not a style I am used to or necessarily enjoy reading for leisure but I can appreciate it's uniqueness. I really enjoyed how the last two stories tied in with the ones presented at the beginning.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Almost French: A New Life in Paris; Author: Sarah Turnbull; Genres: history, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Not a bad book but I think a little dated. Alot of the socio-cultural references are very 90s and while it was interesting, I don't think it was very well constructed. The book did not seem to follow any sort of particular plan - it wasn't chronological, nor was it thematically segregated. I think it had potential but could have been better executed.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Shades of Grey (Shades of Grey, #1); Author: Jasper Fforde; Genres: young-adult, romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Again, another fascinating concept from Jasper Fforde, which I think will probably come into its own in the sequel (similar to the Thursday Next series). Fantastical elements, complex characters and plot make it a fun read but I think you need to be quite committed to the series to appreciate it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sterling's Gold: Wit and Wisdom of an Ad Man; Author: Roger Sterling; Genres: non-fiction, young-adult, fiction; Review: Funny but only worth buying if you are a diehard Mad Men fan.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle; Author: Haruki Murakami; Genres: history, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Completely surreal and infinitely complex, I think this has to be my favourite out of all the Murakami novels I've read thus far. I had read the Elephant Vanishes before, which contained an excerpt from the beginning of this book as a short story. This book goes beyond comprehension, filled with riddles and told using the most complex narrative. Most definitely an original and not something that can be easily broken down and rationalised or analysed, but that's what makes it so amazing.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Man in the High Castle; Author: Philip K. Dick; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I really liked this book, although I think I may have raced through it too quickly to appreciate some of its subtleties -- this always tends to happen to me when I read sci-fi, I get a bit too bogged down in the details of the alternate reality. Multiple stories are interwoven into one and although they cleverly overlap, I felt a little dissatisfied at the end, as if there are some loose ends left undone. Would re-read again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Phantom of the Opera; Author: Gaston Leroux; Genres: history, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: Timeless. Need I say more?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Great Expectations; Author: Charles Dickens; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Too good to be true. I was struggling through a copy of 'A Tale of Two Cities' when I turned to this for reprieve. It took me weeks to struggle through the first third of the former and only two or three days to finish the later in its entirety. Perfect storytelling with beautiful language.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Farewell to Arms; Author: Ernest Hemingway; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I never thought I would get used to Hemingway's cold, incisive writing style - never a word too many - not did I think an author could move me with such a lack of emotion in his writing style. An unlikely poignant piece of writing.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: We Need to Talk About Kevin; Author: Lionel Shriver; Genres: thriller, crime, mystery, fiction; Review: Disturbing but brilliant. Not recommended for expecting mothers.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Swing Time; Author: Zadie Smith; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: A pale imitation of Elena Ferrante and Zadie's former work. Let me start by saying I am a keen fan of Zadie Smith, I've loved everything she's written to date with the exception of this. It held so much promise - coming of age story, female friendship, class struggles, fame and wealth, race relations and identity, philosophies of 'production' and what constitutes meaningful work - but her treatment of these topics was uncharacteristically superficial and almost cliched. I am deeply disappointed.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: 2015-2016 Ford Edge-Weathertech Floor Liners-Full Set (Includes 1st and 2nd Row) Black; Brand: WeatherTech; Review: Very nice fit compared to the ones for my Silverado. These things last for years!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TruXedo Lo Pro Soft Roll-up Truck Bed Tonneau Cover | 571801 | fits 2014 GMC Sierra; Brand: Truxedo; Review: Excellent product at a good price. Arrived a day before estimated delivery too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: WeatherTech 40791 Cargo Liner; Brand: WeatherTech; Review: Excellent quality that I've come to expect from WeatherTech; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: HeatShield The Original Auto Sunshade, Custom-Fit for Ram 1500 Truck (Crew Cab) 2010-2018, Silver Series; Brand: HeatShield; Review: Nice fit. Was hoping for a little more thickness, but works well; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Husky Liners Adjustable Ball Mount - 8IN Drop - 2IN Shank - Universal; Brand: Husky Liners; Review: Heavy duty hitch at an economical price; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Automotive |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Flip Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (White); Brand: Flip Video; Review: I totally love this little camera. It is small, compact and simple. The zoom is a little rough, but better than I expected. The quality of the video is excellent.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mediabridge USB 2.0 - Micro-USB to USB Cable (10 Feet) - High-Speed A Male to Micro B -; Brand: Mediabridge; Review: It is so nice having a long cord for my chsrger! This cord feels very sturdy and the ends fit nice and tight.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MoKo Case for Fire HD 6; Brand: MoKo; Review: We have this same case for our iPad. It is fantastic. Very padded but not heavy. I love having a handle for my son to carry it securely.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SAFEMORE USB Power Strip 8-Outlet and 4 Smart USB Output Charging Station (Black and White); Brand: SAFEMORE; Review: I like this but I do not LOVE it. The USB ports seem to take a long time to charge devices. The on switch for USB channel is at the bottom of the channel. Not a huge deal but it is awkward when you have several things plugged in. I like the placement of the plugs and I like that the on switch for the plugs is at the top.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: ; Brand: QinSH; Review: I love these knives! When I first received them, I was hesitant to like them because they were so light. Once I started using them, I was hooked! They are so comfortable to grip, the blades are super sharp and they make prep work a breeze. Even super ripe tomatoes can be sliced paper thin!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: HDE TM 2 Port USB 3.0 A Female to 20 Pin Cable; Brand: ALPHA TECH; Review: What a steal! These are great little headphones. They stay in really well, block sound nicely and have a well balanced output. I am very pleased!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: iPhone Charger, Camkey 4Pack [3.3FT 6.6FT 6.6FT 10FT; Brand: Wewdigi; Review: What a steal! These are great little headphones. They stay in really well, block sound nicely and have a well balanced output. I am very pleased!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Homeland Hotel Hue; City: Hue Thua Thien Hue Province; Review: The hotel was very clean and spacious. Our room had a king single and double bed, wifi, toiletries, Sat TV and lovely furniture. The shell inlaid furniture is a feature throughout the hotel, as is the detailed plaster work on the ceilings. The staff are effecient and spoke English very well, and warm welcoming/inviting same like a home stay. Tour aranging, included breakfast and free internet is availeble. The hotel is located at the tourist centre area and a quiet place. We love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Casablanca Hotel; City: Hue Thua Thien Hue Province; Review: The Casablanca Hotel close to the tourist center was recommended by my friend and he gave me a really good advice. The most good thing at this place is the always friendly, smiling and helpful staff. The size of my room is even bigger then I know from some more expensive Hotels in Vietnam. The room facilities are good arrangend and sufficient. Rooms are clean as well the bath room what I am very care. Breakfast is included for the private rooms but about doorm I am not sure. There is a wide choice at breakfast. So I am happy here for the time I spend in Hue.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hanoi Airport Hostel; City: Hanoi; Review: Nice, clean and well equipped rooms at a place close to Noi Bai Airport. Not so suitable for sightseeing, as far from the city center. However a good choice for transit stays, as for me on the way from Bac Ninh to Danang. Friendly as well helpful staff and a restaurant on the top. Just a few minutes to airport check in at the morning.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nice Guest House; City: Phnom Penh; Review: Location: In the heart of Phnom Penh and near Olympic Stadium, a place for swimming and Olympic Market where you can buy clothes for favorable prices. Sights such as the Royal Palace, the National Museum, Wat Phnom and others as well the River Front Boulevard are within walking distance of about 30 minutes. Near by is Capitol Tours located where they have buses to ever destination in Cambodia as well to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. The next ATM is at a walking distance of 10 Minutes. Dining: 1 Minute to Capitol Restaurant with good and favorable local and some western food. Just oposit the Dragon Restaurant with good and favorable western and local dishes. Near by a local coffee shop and a vietnamese restaurant. Pizza Company is on 5 minutes walking distance. There are alot of food stalls, small restaurants and mini markets at the streets around. Drinks you also can buy at hotel as well you can order breakfast, lunch or dinner to your room. Nightlife: One of the most famous nightlife areas with night clubs like "Heart of Darkness" and "Pontoon" are to reach within 15 minutes walking. The distance to the bars at River Front Boulevard is about 30 minutes walking. Cleanliness and Security: It is one of the safest and cleanest guest houses in Cambodia I ever stayed. Room will be cleaned every day on request and the staff always busy from morning until evening to clean every thing and place at the guest house. The front dor is closed at night time and will be open by the security just for costumers on ring. This are not changed since my first stay there in 2004. Staff and Hospitality. All the staff included manager are very friendly and helpful all the time. Just need to ask if anything is needed or any problem and the help you quickly and efficiently. Rooms and Equipment: All rooms have available Aircon, WLAN, King Size Beds, Table and Chairs, TV, Fridge, Wardrobe and Clothes Rack. Bathrooms are with hot shower. Downstairs behin the lobby are safty boxes available which are under costumers control by their own padlock. Cost and Conclusion: Rooms are available start from 10 USD per night. I would like to recommend the NICE Guest House for who travel with small budget but care about a good standard. I stay always this place when I am in Phnom Penh even I am not so much care about my budget and this since 2004.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Casablanca Boutique Hotel; City: Hue Thua Thien Hue Province; Review: Usually I would like to stay Casablanca Hotel in Hue where I spent a great time just a couple of months ago. Unfortunately this place was fully booked so that I had toc change to the new opened Boutique Hotel running by the same owner. Obligingly they gave me the same room rate in there. Conveniently they have an elevator and the staff at Casablanca Boutique Hotel is nice and kind same as at Casablanca Hotel. Satisfactory I had again a great time in Hue even the weather was not so nice this periode.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Majestic Pet Poly-Cotton Sherpa Bagel Dog Bed by Products; Brand: Majestic Pet; Review: My dogs LOVE this bed! Will buy again when they need a new bed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bayer K9 Advantix II Flea, Tick and Mosquito Prevention; Brand: Bayer Animal Health; Review: Like this stuff. It dries petty fast in the dogs. Can't stand the stuff that status oily and gets all over your hands when you pet them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bayer K9 Advantix II Flea, Tick and Mosquito Prevention; Brand: Bayer Animal Health; Review: Like this stuff. It dries petty fast in the dogs. Can't stand the stuff that status oily and gets all over your hands when you pet them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: KONG Wet Wubba Dog Toy, Assorted Color; Brand: KONG; Review: Guess I should have read this better. Maybe great for fetch if your dog isn't a chewer. 1 minute in and the top is detatched.... I have bought the ones that look like this with the denim like material that are animals and those are fantastic. I was thinking "Kong", built tough toys. Not so much; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: West Paw Zogoflex Bumi Interactive Tug of War Durable Dog Play Toy, 100% Guaranteed Tough, It Floats!, Made in; Brand: West Paw; Review: Didn't last very long. Material is rubbery and soft. Would be great for just tug-of-war. My dog likes to chew on things, so about 5 minutes in this toys was in pieces.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Furhaven Pet Dog Bed | Mattress Pet Bed for Dogs & Cats - Available in Multiple Colors & Styles; Brand: Furhaven Pet; Review: Awesome dog bed. Biggest one fits two pitbulls on it. It's nice and soft.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MidWest Homes for Pets Dog Crate Replacement Pans; Brand: MidWest Homes for Pets; Review: Fits great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Homedeco Puppy Dog Pets Non-Slip Socks Booties Hot Slippers Knit Socks Bottom; Brand: Homedeco; Review: Pretty sure these are made for a chihuahua or something with a SUPER tiny paw.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Pet_Supplies |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Wilton Cookie Cutters Set, Alphabet, Numbers and Holiday Cookie Cutters; Brand: ; Review: Lots of cookie cutters for the money. They are breakable plastic but worth the small price tag for playdough and making cookies. My kids love them. The only small thing is that there are tons of hearts for Valentines day but no cutters for St. Patricks day. The sports shaped cutters are a little strange looking but there aren't many of those.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign Forma Swivel Paper Towel Holder for Kitchen - Wall Mount/Under Cabinet, Brushed Stainless Steel; Brand: InterDesign; Review: It's not fancy or amazing but it does the job and gives you options on where to hang it based on it's design. I choose to hang it from the bottom of my upper kitchen cabinets and I enjoy it. It seems sturdy and looks fine.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: d-c-fix Self-Adhesive Privacy Glass Window Film, Snow, 17.71" x 78" Roll, 346-0012; Brand: DC Fix; Review: This contact paper is easy to use. the lines on the back make measuring easy. I used it to on glass doors from a former entertainment center turned entryway coat closet and it came out great. I even messed up on one door and the contact paper came off easily and was able to re-stick when I correctly lined it up. Good stuff.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign Duo Foaming Soap Dispenser Pump for Kitchen or Bathroom Countertops, Clear/Slate; Brand: InterDesign; Review: Works well and looks nice. What more can I ask for in a soap dispenser. It makes foam. Well done InterDesign.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ghostbusters No Ghost Logo Mug; Brand: Unknown; Review: Standard mug with Ghostbusters logo. Nothing special. Came in a box. Gave it away as a gift so I don't know how the picture is holding up after washing.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Sunbank House Hotel; City: Perth Perth and Kinross Scotland; Review: Just back from staying at the Sunbank House Hotel with friends. We were met by the owner on arrival he showed us to our rooms. Very nice touch. The rooms were very clean and comfortable. Had a lovely breakfast both mornings cooked to order. Could not fault this hotel . Would certainly stay here again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Premier Inn Ayr A77 Racecourse Hotel; City: Ayr South Ayrshire Ayrshire Scotland; Review: We were in the area for a lawn bowling competition and we had 3 rooms for a 2 night stay.The hotel was close to where we were bowling. The hotel has been fully refurbished. The staff were very helpful and friendly. We ate in the restaurant both nights which was very tastefully decorated and food was excellent . Would certainly stay here again and highly recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro; City: Dunblane Scotland; Review: Just got back from a weekend with friends at the "Hydro" This was our first visit very impressive building and lovely surroundings with great views over Dunblane.The reception is lovely. We were in rooms at the rear of the hotel. Rooms were a decent size with everything that you need. Buffet breakfast was excellent with plenty choice and nice and hot, We walked down into Dunblane on the Saturday and took the train into Glasgow £22 return for the four of us. Arrived back to our rooms and had a housekeeping issue , went down to reception and spoke to the gentleman in charge of Concierge to say how disappointed we were. Within 15 minutes the issue was resolved and he delivered a complimentary bottle of wine to each of our rooms and was most apologetic. A big thank you to him. Would certainly go back again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grand Yazici Bodrum; City: Bodrum City Bodrum Mugla Province Turkish Aegean Coast; Review: It is now a week since we returned from this beautiful hotel. The reception area is stunning. Views from our balcony was lovely we looked right down on to the sea and Bodrum town. Breakfast was good with plenty choice. We were Half Board, Dinner was served upstairs in the Peninsula Restaurant , which some nights because it was open was quite cold. Lots of the choices were never available the two weeks we were there. But what we had was very good. Our waiter Mehmet and his assistant Ekben were excellent very friendly and spoke quite good English. We were very disappointed with the service on the last night of dinner. There were 5 of us at the table , the head waiter Mehmet was off for a couple of days, 2 of us didn't have an appetiser , but we got served our main course at the same time as the rest, and even that they got wrong. When I spoke to the head waiter Ali and said this should not happen in a 5 star hotel, he turned round and said it was not his fault. We all walked out and was disgusted and disappointed with his attitude. The swimming pools are beautiful but the water was far to cold for me to even attempt to go into. The sun beds/Cabannas are fantastic. The spa is huge and staff very friendly. Spent a couple off hours there one morning just relaxing on the beds. Bodrum is a 10 minute taxi ride, which would only take a few minutes to arrive after ordered from reception. A free shuttle bus takes you down to the sister hotel at Torba beach. Very pretty place Torba. The cost of the drinks is ridiculous , £12 for a cocktail, £7 for a small beer, needless to say the bar was never busy. They do have a happy hour which we used on the last night , but we had to query the bill as they had charged full price. You expect to pay extra for a 5 star hotel but this is ridiculous . I had an incident with a bag going missing which had nothing to do with the hotel, but very disappointed with the way it was handled by management. Although the hotel and grounds are beautiful I don't think it warrants a 5 star.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Highland Apartments by Mansley; City: Inverness Scottish Highlands Scotland; Review: Just back from spending the weekend at the Highland Apartments. Great position near all shopping and restaurants. We had a two bedroomed apartment which was really well furnished. Lovely kitchen with plenty of equipment. The balcony needs a bit of a freshen up, re varnished etc. The apartment could benefit with a couple of cooling fans, it was really hot in the bedrooms. But had a great time, and the entry system very secure. Would certainly stay here again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Labranda Mares Marmaris; City: Icmeler Marmaris District Mugla Province Turkish Aegean Coast; Review: Arrived at the hotel 5:30 am. Got our wrist bands and were taken by Buggy to our accommodation (villa) what a joke, we were 2 couples one room had 2 single beds no drawers one small wardrobe .one of the beds touched the patio doors. The smell was horrendous . Our friends had a room with a double bed and a small room with a small settee / bed. The smell in their room was also terrible and when they closed the door the wall was covered in black mould. Didn't unpack , my husband went up to reception to complain and was told to come back at 9:30. We all went back up to reception and met our tour rep told her the situation , she said if we wanted a change in to the main hotel we would have to pay, after telling her we were here for our friends Golden Wedding she said she would try and do something. We had to go back again at 11am and were shown to 2 separate Bungalows , well they were like something out of a holiday camp 30 years ago. Eventually we were told we would get rooms in the Annexe the following day. So after a stressful day and a smelly night we got moved. The rooms we got were nice and big very old fashioned but they were clean , we just wanted to get our holiday started. To say this is 5 star is a joke. Don't know when the tour company last checked out the star rating. The positive sides to the hotel is the views they are stunning. The private jetty is great. And we never had any problem getting sun beds round the pool. The Animation team were always very friendly and were happy to talk to you. There was a boy in a wheelchair and 2 of the men from the Animation team carried him into the swimming pool everyday they were so good to him . His face lit up every time they spoke to him it was a delight to see this. The staff in the dining room were all very nice, and the food was fine with plenty to choose from. Bar staff always pleasant. Local drinks okay, there is a coffee bar in the lounge with afternoon tea. The main reception area badly needs renovating and tables properly cleaned. There are a couple of shops in the reception area. The public toilets are a disgrace, paper towels and soap dispensers nearly always empty. The housekeeping team needs to get some training of how to clean. Lovely walks along the beach to Icemeler at one side and Marmaris the other end. They need to spend a lot of money updating this hotel and it would be stunning and deserve a 5 star rating.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Grand Hotel Blackpool; City: Blackpool Lancashire England; Review: Stayed at the Hilton in Blackpool for 4 nights, Monday to Friday. We were a party of 8 senior ladies.Had 4 twin rooms facing the sea with wonderful views. Our rooms were all on the same floor next door to each other. The check in at the hotel was quick. I had sent an e mail requesting rooms on the same floor which we got. We asked if they had a map of Blackpool and they quickly photocopied them for us. Any time we went to reception they were extremely nice and was always willing to help. Breakfast every morning was great with plenty to choose from, after the first morning they always had a table reserved for the 8 of us. Only complaint in the room the window didn't open which left it very hot as there is no air conditioning. Front desk ordered taxis for us and they were there in 10 minutes. It's a pleasant walk into the the centre . We were lucky with the weather and was able to walk a lot. Would stay here again as we found all staff very courteous . Didn't dine in the evening ,and bar prices quite expensive. .; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pier Sixty Six Hotel Marina; City: Fort Lauderdale Broward County Florida; Review: Stayed at this hotel for 2 nights before our cruise. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Grounds stunning and very well maintained. Didn't eat here but had a drink which was very expensive. We went to the garage across from the hotel for coffee fruit and bagels in the morning and took them back to our rooms. We were in the buildings outside, our rooms looked out over the pool. Rooms were large with 2 large beds everything lovely and clean but rooms a bit dated. Walked across the bridge to the shops a nice walk. Got a taxi to the Outback for a meal the first night, very good. Booked a trip from the hotel to the Everglades for an airboat tour, was picked up from the hotel most enjoyable. Paid $7 for a shuttle to the pier which was booked from the hotel and only 10 minutes away. Went for a walk round the Marina the morning we left, the yachts are amazing well worth the walk. Would stay here again and thoroughly recommend it for a short break.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel NuVe Heritage; City: Singapore; Review: We stayed here for 3 nights before going on a cruise. Purvis Street where it is situated is so central with lovely Restaurants and bars , Raffles is on the next street, 2 seven 11s round the corner and the Metro 5 minutes away. The staff at the hotel were so friendly and helpful. Vouchers were given for Breakfast next door which was adequate, again the staff were lovely. The room which was kept spotless was really small, coffee machine and a fridge with free juices and snacks which was topped off every day. Loved Singapore . Would recommend this hotel if only visiting for a few nights.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LTI Neptun Beach Hotel; City: Sunny Beach Burgas Province; Review: Just got back from a weeks stay with another 5 ladies. Hotel in an ideal situation with lots of shops at the front door. Our rooms were on floor 6 with beautiful views over the sea and looking over towards old Nessabar. The rooms are big and plenty storage space. Bathroom has a decent shower. Everything was spotless. Towels changed everyday. The whole hotel was kept prestene. We found the majority of the staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was always cold unless you managed to be there when they put out fresh. A bit repetitive. Always plenty salad, the waitresses were very quick taking away your plates, you had to watch them. 99 % German tourists which is fine, but entertainment was poor and all built round the Germans. This is the first time we've been all inclusive and have had to pay for cocktails. All drinks had to be paid for in the lobby bar. Not surprised It was always empty. But at least you could sit down on the sofas with your drinks from the free bars away from the noise. From the poolside you could walk down to the sea. There was a good supermarket next to the hotel. The first day we arrived it was almost impossible to get a sun lounger. Our balcony looked down on to the pool area and people were putting towels down at 6:30 , so if you cannot beat them join them. Went to old Nessabar on the trolley/train which was great fun. You have to change trains at Nessabar to get to the old town, but once there it's beautiful, really worth a visit. We went back a second time and took the water taxi. Took an organised bus trip to the Blue Mountains a long day but it was worth while as there were stops along the way. . .; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Premier Inn Glasgow City Centre Buchanan Galleries Hotel; City: Glasgow Scotland; Review: We were a party of 10 Senior Ladies and stayed here for 5 days and we were all very impressed with all aspects of this hotel. We travelled by bus to Buchanan Street Bus Station and a 5 minute walk takes you to the Hotel. We were allocated rooms next to each other which was great. We had breakfast every morning in the hotel which had a great choice. The staff were very helpful and pleasant. This hotel is so Central, with shopping,restaurants close at hand. Highly recommend this Premier Inn.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Royal Plaza Hotel; City: Hong Kong; Review: First time in Hong Kong and stayed in the Royal Plaza for 2 nights . We were in a club room and was delighted with the service, Check in was great didn’t have to queue. Free wine, beer and soft drinks for 2 hrs in the evening . Breakfast buffet which was excellent. Cannot praise the staff highly enough. The room was of a good size and spotlessly clean. Free shuttle bus took us into centre of Hong Kong. We took the Airport train to Kowloon station there was a free bus which dropped us off at the hotel. On the way back we were able to check in our suitcases as Cathay Pacific had a desk at Kowloon station.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Novotel Citygate Hong Kong; City: Hong Kong; Review: We stayed here for 1 night on our way back from Bangkok with a flight home to Uk next day. We used the free shuttle bus from Terminal 2 didn’t have long to wait and it’s a short journey to the hotel. The check in was quick and very efficient. We had a lovely room on the 8th floor with plenty space, especially the bathroom and lots of complimentary toiletries. There is a Mall adjoining the hotel which if we had more time would have been great. After a good nights sleep got the shuttle bus back to the Airport. Would certainly recommend a stay here.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Playtex Women's Plus Size Comfort Lace Wire-Free Bra; Brand: ; Review: I like the wide straps and does not dig to the skin. The bra has comfortable materials. The lace is not scratchy to the skin. I would recommend this product for sizes with C cups and above.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Playtex Women's 18 Hour Active Lifestyle Full Coverage Bra #4159; Brand: ; Review: I bought this for my daughter for her PE class. She loves the comfortable strap and it offers great support. I will buy this product again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jansport Big Student Backpack (Electric Purple); Brand: JanSport; Review: I purchased the purple backpack and love the color. There are plenty of compartments for books and other school supplies. I would purchase this again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Easy Spirit Women's Reallife; Brand: ; Review: I have wide width feet and suffer from moderate bunions and heel pain. I wear a 8 1/2 or 9. Size 8 for this shoes fit perfect. You must purchase 1/2 size smaller. I am out in the field a lot for my job and I use this black shoes with dress pants and it does not look too casual as wearing lighter colors. I totally recommend this shoes if you are in your feet a lot. The mesh fabric is not recommendable if it is wet or raining, or if you work in a kitchen - it does not protect your toes from falling kitchen utensils.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ray-Ban Men's RX5206 Rectangular Eyeglasses,Top Black & Texture Red,52 mm; Brand: ; Review: I tried this frame at an eye clinic and fell in love. I love RayBan sunglasses and this is my first prescription frame purchase from RayBan. And, this is also the first time that I purchased frames online. I usually buy them from the clinic and I still have to pay extra due to their markups. This time the frame purchase will be reimbursed and do not have to shell out extra $. I have a round face with nice cheekbones, it is so flattering on my face. I am waiting for the lenses to finish and cannot wait to get a hold of them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TOMS Women's Canvas Slip-On; Brand: TOMS; Review: I bought this shoes for my teenage daughter. Her regular size is 9. She tried this shoes first at the mall to get the perfect fitting. We were told that the canvas fabric will stretch. So we bought half size smaller - 8 1/2 and it fits perfect. This is not recommended for folks with heel pain and for prolonged walking. It is best to buy a no-show stockings/socks. The color is ash but the color is somewhat brown in color, nice color tone.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TOMS Seasonal Classics Women's Slip on Shoes; Brand: TOMS; Review: I bought this shoes for my teenage daughter. Her regular size is 9. She tried this shoes first at the mall to get the perfect fitting. We were told that the canvas fabric will stretch. So we bought half size smaller - 8 1/2 and it fits perfect. This is not recommended for folks with heel pain and for prolonged walking. It is best to buy a no-show stockings/socks. The color is ash but the color is somewhat brown in color, nice color tone.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TOMS Men's Classic Canvas Slip-On; Brand: TOMS; Review: I bought this shoes for my teenage daughter. Her regular size is 9. She tried this shoes first at the mall to get the perfect fitting. We were told that the canvas fabric will stretch. So we bought half size smaller - 8 1/2 and it fits perfect. This is not recommended for folks with heel pain and for prolonged walking. It is best to buy a no-show stockings/socks. The color is ash but the color is somewhat brown in color, nice color tone.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Maitose Trade; Women's UV Sun Protection Beach Wide Brim Fishing Hat; Brand: Maitose; Review: It's Spring and getting ready for Summer 2017. I love love my hat. Large enough to cover my neck. The brim can be custom fold to your preferred style. I will buy this in other color. The price is just right too!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: BELIZE SURVIVOR: Darker Side of Paradise; Author: Visit Amazon's Nancy R. Koerner Page; Review: WOW... I just completed reading the book. Emotion wise, I was screaming inside "No, No, No", because it was like I was watching from behind a glass wall and couldn't help, and had to put the book down a few times to take a break, so needless to say it was a very powerful book! Second, the author is so gifted in the way she can paint pictures in words. I could almost see, feel and smell what she was describing. Then, after all the (I won't reveal more about the book here!)happened to her, she then seemed to have us hold our breath longer than it would taken to swim the English Channel to find out the ending. WOW! When is the sequel?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kill Shot (The Mitch Rapp Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Vince Flynn Page; Review: First of all, I have read all of Vince Flynn's books and am a big fan! I was surprised when this book didn't come out in the October '11, pre Christmas book rush and wondered what was up then. When I found out Flynn had prostate cancer and also having to go through that, I wondered if the author may have had more important things on his mind than creative writing!!! The book seemed like a Jason Bourne story line with an injured hero looking for a way out. There was not much misdirection like in all the other books to keep you guessing and Kennedy wasn't her dynamic self, only having a part in name only. Well, like any superstar athlete, they have a bad game and I am glad to hear that Vince Flynn is doing fine after his scare with cancer. I don't agree with the previous person that says Mitch Rapp's character is played out. I look forward to see what happens to Rapp and Kennedy in the upcoming books and wish the best in health to the author!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sasha Returns (A Sasha Del Mira Thriller Book 2) - Kindle edition; Author: Visit Amazon's David Lender Page; Review: Lee Child has Jack Reacher, Vince Flynn has Mitch Rapp as strong main characters in action dramas. Sasha could become one of those characters. In the Middle East setting, a woman with the ability to take down strong evil characters when you think there is no way out keep the interest high and wanting more when you get to the end of the book. David Lender has become an author on my "must read" author list!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Moscow Club; Author: Visit Amazon's Joseph Finder Page; Review: Joseph Finder is one of my top authors and have read all of his books that are on Kindle. His first book was only in paper edition until now. I pre-ordered it and was amazed how his book described the fall of Russia very closely to how it eventually happened! At the end of the book, I also found out the author must have a very large and close family because of the many kudos that went out to them for the making of this book! A future book could be called "Finderville". I'm sure your neices & nephews were very proud to take your book to school on "book report" day! Look forward to many more books and the the exploits of his characters.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jack Reacher's Rules; Author: Visit Amazon's Lee Child Page; Review: Since reading all of the books, it is refreshing to have the list placed before us to remind us of what we should already know after all of us absorbing Jack Reacher!!! I grew up with James Bond "shaken, not stirred", "NCIS-Gibbs Rules #...", Dirty Harry, "Make _ y d_ _!" Now I have the "Reacher Rules" written down, like a reference guide. Thank you Lee Child. If we ever meet, please don't hand me a test on the rules, I can't look at the book. I only carry a toothbrush!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Promise You Won't Tell? (Dani Ripper) (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's John Locke Page; Review: I enjoy finding out more and more about Dani Ripper. You even slip a tie in to Donovan Creed to keep our interests wanting with him! Her energy, quick thinking on her feet and handle on the situation gives me a sense I know where you are going with the story, then you come up with a twist that I never expected. I am always looking for the next Dani Ripper & Donovan Creed from you.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kill Jill: (a Love Story); Author: Visit Amazon's John Locke Page; Review: I needed my "puzzle brain" on when at first, because so many pieces of the puzzle were thrown out at first!. I was picking up pieces to try to solve the case while reading the book while you were using the other pieces to craft together another masterful plot. I've read them all and am looking forward to the next book. Will it be a character that we have come to know & love or someone new?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Reagan Diaries; Author: Brinkley Douglas; Review: I learned why President Reagan did what he did as president that wasn't reported in the news that effected world events. Also, I found out about his principles and determination. You are able to discover his kind heart about people and his love of his wife, Nancy Reagan. The political and economical issues of his day can be seen as still relevant today. I would recommend this book to my next generation of relatives as a must read so they can learn about history and what it can teach them about today's problems.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 24 Declassified: Storm Force; Author: David Jacobs; Review: We got the story line from the bad guys side all through the book. Usually, three story lines are going one at the same time to keep your interest. Jack would confront the bad guy and kill him and not get the information he needed, so he moved on. In this book, Jack was "not to be found until the end". The other 24 books tracked more with the actual TV show, so I don't see this book as something interesting with the show!!!; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Serta 12-Inch Gel-Memory Foam Mattress With 20-Year Warranty, Full; Brand: Serta; Review: We looked at foam beds in several stores and we liked the ones in the Serta store best, but hesitated over the cost. We decided to roll the dice on this one because it was so much cheaper and we have no regrets so far. This feels the same as the lower end foam mattress in the Serta store and all the documentation states that it's a Serta. We added a 3 inch gel foam topper that we had recently purchased for our old innerspring bed and we both sleep better than we had even when that bed was new. I didn't notice any odor from it at all and I'm very sensitive to smells, and it was pretty cool to watch it "inflate". The only draw back we've noticed is that when you sit on the side of the bed, you sink in, but other than that it's great. We used our old box springs as the instructions indicated that it needed to "breathe" and couldn't be happier with the purchase. We also added a mattress protector because we have dogs and they will always cause a "laundry emergency" when you'd like to sleep in. It's only been 3 weeks since it was delivered so, I'll update in the future if my opinion changes, but so far we're very happy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fat Daddio's Anodized Aluminum Square Cake Pan, 10 Inch x 10 Inch x 2 Inch (PSQ-10102); Brand: Fat Daddios; Review: I love Fat Daddio pans! Although I wish I could put them in the dishwasher, they clean up easily enough if you do it right away. It browns evenly and releases cleanly if you prepared it properly. There is a light finish on it, so the edges don't overcook while the middle is still baking. Overall, I think it's a great pan and the price isn't outrageous either!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fresh Keeper Dual Food Tote; Brand: Fresh Keeper; Review: I have been looking for a pie carrier that is big enough for a deep dish plate, but won't let the plate slide around too much, for years. I've tried many different types of carriers and this is by far the best I've ever used! There is plenty of room on the sides to reach on and lift a pie plate out without any trouble and I really like the fact that they include handles to carry both at once, or separately with individual handles. The in container shelves are very handy for transporting cupcakes or muffins. Overall, this is very handy for carrying many things and the price makes it a great purchase.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AcuRite 13022 Atomic Dual Alarm Clock with USB Charging and Temperature; Brand: AcuRite; Review: I like the alarm clock with its simple on/off light switch style on the side so it minimizes fumbling around to shut it off. I also like the outdoor temperature reading living somewhere polar vortexes occur with increasing regularity. The display is very bright and I purchased film to dim the brightness and am glad I did since I really like a dark room when I sleep. Overall, a great alarm clock.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MiracleFold Laundry Folder Clothes T-Shirts Pants Towels Organizer Fast Easy and Fun Time Saver (Blue); Brand: Miracle Fold; Review: I'm not a great folder, I always end up with the arms wrinkled and uneven shirts, but this handy thing makes all that go away! I had been thinking about buying one since before I saw it on Big Bang Theory and I'm glad I finally did it! I hand been hanging things that I could have folded, resulting in serious overcrowding in my closet, but now I can fold all my sweaters and t shirts without than looking like a 3 year old did it. I love it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: KOHLER K-2604-F69 Tresham 24-Inch Vanity, Woodland; Brand: Kohler; Review: We redid our bathroom, which was rather narrow, and had limited options due to the dimentions of the room. This fit the bill nicely.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spyderco Endura4 Red FRN Trainer; Brand: Spyderco; Review: Well made, colored red to differentiate between the trainer and your real blade, it feels and acts just like the real blade. It allows for the most realistic training available...scuffling on the ground with a training partner while trying to deploy your blade, or defensive blade against multiple partners. Wooden trainers splinter, aluminum is better , but a bit cheesy feeling. This one duplicates the endura so well, you can't really tell the difference. It is a bit expensive, but compared to a training injury...it's cheap.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ZFE 88pcs Felt Polishing Pad & Polishing Wheel,Point & Mandrel Kit For Dremel Rotary tools; Brand: ZFE; Review: I was tired of paying out the nose for the small expensive packages at the hardware store. Now I probably have enough for life! They work well for me, even for the difficult job of polishing jade.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GE Soft White 10429 150-Watt, 2680-Lumen A21 Light Bulb with Medium Base, 1-Pack; Brand: GE Lighting; Review: These are getting hard to find in stores. We like the color and intensity of the light. I've tried LEDs, and CFs but nothing throws light like these babies! The older I get the more lumens I need to see well, and some of the other options just don't cut it. The shipping was fast and the packaging was pretty incredible, each bulb was wrapped in bubble-wrap.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: UST BlastMatch Fire Starter with One-Handed Operation and Lightweight Design for Camping, Hiking, Emergency and Outdoor Survival; Brand: Ultimate Survival Technologies; Review: Big fat rod will last many many fires. It's a little bulky, but I can operate it with one hand if needed. It definitely has a place in a well stocked kit. You don't even need to dull your knife to strike a nice spark. Practice with it before you need it...hypothermia or traumatic injury could affect your ability to use it the first time. The cap and release mechanism is a little less than intuitive.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kershaw Shuffle Multifunction Pocket Knife (8700) with 2.4 In. Stainless Steel Blade with Bead-Blasted Finish and Black K-Texture; Brand: Kershaw; Review: Admittedly, I just got this in the mail yesterday so I will learn more about this knife as time goes on. Amazon shipped it prime, and it arrived in the nice box wrapped in Kershaw instructions, all in good shape. The knife is small, but so are my hands, so it seems to work. When I hold it it, the handle doesn't extend to my pinky well enough for that finger to add any grip, but it still feels good and solid in my hand. The blade opens up nicely enough, even if I prefer a hole to a stud, and the clip matches my preference for right pocket tip up carry. The blade snaps solidly into place with no side to side or up and down play...really nice for a $13 knife. The frame lock, is nice enough although I prefer stronger locks. Love the bottle opener! Used it twice already. Really like the shape & texture of the scales. The shape & profile of the blade is a bit interesting, but I'll get used to it in no time. For the price it's a winner!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gerber EAB Pocket Knife [22-41830]; Brand: Gerber; Review: Nicely put together . I wanted a sharp knife around to keep me from dulling my spyderco on boxes and little tasks. It is well designed, holds the blade securely, and has no play when opened. I think I'll make a practice of opening it with two hands, as it is somehow a bit ackward with one hand, and extremely sharp.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pyramex Safety Emerge Safety Glasses with Reader Lenses Option; Brand: Pyramex Safety; Review: I use them for reloading. Being in my late 50s, I need the 2x vision help to see what is going on, and the protection against a possible misshap. These do both and fit well. I have no problem wearing them for a few hours. I think I 'll but a couple more pair, before something changes!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Morakniv Bushcraft Forest Fixed Blade Outdoor Knife with Sandvik Stainless Steel Blade, 4.3-Inch; Brand: Morakniv; Review: Great knife! I own several Moras, and I'm a great fan of the blades,not so much the wooden handles, & cheap sheaths. This one has a very comfortable handle, with a bit of a guard up front to protect my hand from the blade. I threw away the sheath & got a nice leather one from the pathfinder website [url] Great bang for the buck knife!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kershaw Emerson CQC-6K Folding Pocket Knife (6034), Manual 3.25-Inch 8Cr14MoV Stainless Steel Blade, Features Wave Shaped Opening Feature, Thumb; Brand: Kershaw; Review: Nice knife for the dollar! I'm a bit spoiled, as an outdoor guy I have lots and lots of knives. Some pricier, but most are quality cutting tools. This was a gift from an old friend and I accepted it gratefully. My daily EDC immediately went into another pocket and I tried the Kershaw all day. I must admit its a tad heavier than my favorite spyderco endura (Also with the wave), but it is nice. I really like the ergonomics, I have a smallish hand, and it fits nicely and firmly in my fist. I'm a little worried about the small purchase of the frame lock on the blade, but that may well wear in and rest my mind. Great job kershaw/emerson!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pelican Flashlights Progear 1810C LED Keychain Flashlight; Brand: Pelican; Review: Bought one for my love...she liked it so much I got another for myself. Then I bought two more for emergency kits in the vehicles.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: wolfcraft 4525404 Muilt-Angle Drill Guide Attachment with Chuck for 1/4" and 3/8" Drills; Brand: Wolfcraft; Review: "Eh...should just try harder to drill straight holes or go all out & get a drill press.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: PETZL - TIKKA+ 110 Lumens, Blue; Brand: PETZL; Review: Very bright, light weight, uses 3 AAAs. I keep ne in my day pack, just in case.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Coast HP1 190 Lumen Pure Beam Focusing LED Flashlight with Slide Focus and Adjustable Pocket Clip; Brand: Coast; Review: Great little flashlight. I got two to sit in my day pack, just in case I'm out later than I'd planed. Takes one AA battery, and has a cool focusing shroud around the LED that actually works. Nice tail switch, and even a pocket clip.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Woodstock D3292 Drum Sanding Kit, 16-Piece; Brand: Woodstock; Review: I use these on a drill press to shape wooden knife handles. I wish they came in more grit options.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Origin Point 132450 19-Gauge Galvanized Hardware Cloth Fence, 50-Foot x 24-Inch With 1/2-Inch Openings - 100515943; Brand: Origin Point; Review: Good quality ruler with a nice cork backing to keep it from slipping. I use it for kydex sheath making.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Old Timer 44OT Workmate Folding Pocket Knife; Brand: Schrade; Review: Not quite as nice as grandpa's knife, but good bang for the buck; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Svord Peasant Fold Knife Yellow, Poly Handle, Swedish high carbon tool steel blade PKPPY; Brand: Svord; Review: Good solid knife along the lines of a Opinel. Bang for the buck this is an excellent knife. It will be a good companion to a Mora for light/medium duty work. It's certainly not tactical, with the slow opening and friction folding mechanism. It will however cut, carve, slice, peel, make fire, etc etc etc. My plan is to disassemble it, make a nice set of wooden scales and reassemble it into a beauty!; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Tools_and_Home_Improvement |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Seveneves; Author: Neal Stephenson; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I gave this audiobook a shot for a good year and I just can't do it any longer. It's not hooking me like past Neal Stephenson books.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Not My Father's Son; Author: Alan Cumming; Genres: history, thriller, comics, crime, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, mystery; Review: As someone who had a fairly rough childhood, no where near that of Alan and Tom's though, and someone who has struggled with forgiving the adults who I felt should have been more supportive and less blase, I feel a connection to Alan's story. The parallels of working on my own genealogy, as a way to connect with my past and bring it to the present, and Alan's journey on "Who Do You Think You Are?" was quite the surprise as I read through this memoir. I definitely recommend this as a book for everyone to read. It kept me on the edge of my seat, so much so that I finished it in 4 days. Alan Cumming could not lay his life out more than he does in this book. It feels like Alan is talking directly to the reader and not just writing it all down. When I come back to this, I just may grab the audio to hear his inflections within the text.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Author: Irin Carmon; Genres: history, young-adult, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction; Review: I've adored this book because, not only, have you glimpsed into the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but the authors take the time to break down some of her most important litigation and dissents. So recently past Antonin Scalia's sudden passing, it was nice to see bits about his friendship with RBG. I feel this is incredibly important with numerous folks slamming him in death. Not that it isn't undeserved, but the man was a human, too, and RBG of all people saw the human that he was in life. This isn't your typical memoir or biography. The titles of each chapter are from Notorious BIG lyrics and the narrative does bounce around a bit, but it flows and tells the story of one of the most inspirational and hardworking women of our time.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Guardians of the Galaxy: Mother Entropy; Author: Jim Starlin; Genres: graphic, comics, fiction; Review: I adored this short GotG run helmed by my man, Jim Starlin. It's just a quick adventure, but well worth the read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (The Tales of Dunk and Egg, #1-3); Author: George R.R. Martin; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Hey GRRM, when you're done with The Winds of Winter, I need more Tales of Dunk and Egg ASAP!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Century Original Wavemaster Freestanding Heavy Punching Bag; Brand: Century; Review: Holds up great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set; Brand: Zumba Fitness; Review: Fun time with this. Didn't lose much weight but it is a good product. Have to do more than Zumba to lose weight.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cocobla Women's Hat Cat Ear Crochet Braided Knit Caps with Punk 3D Cat Stud Earring; Brand: Cocobla; Review: Very warm but somewhat big so the ears don't exactly look like ears. Still cute tho; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: UTG Heavy Duty Web Belt - Black; Brand: UTG; Review: I like the convenience of this belt. It's strong and fits no matter what size u are. Easily adjustable and it fits my work pants as well as my bdu pants I use at the range.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Under Armour Men's HeatGear Crew Socks (4 Pack); Brand: Under Armour; Review: My 12 yr old son loves these socks. Good quality; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tombow 68721 Mono Hybrid Correction Tape, 10-Pack. Easy to Use Applicator for Instant Corrections; Brand: American Tombow; Review: Got these for work. They're so much better than the cheap ones my job has.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Under Armour Boys' Eliminator Shorts; Brand: Under Armour; Review: My son really liked these pants.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Rick's Cafe Boatyard; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: I have eaten here several times and seem to come away with the same impression every time. "Why on earth would a chef prepare this with so little attention to detail?" Rick's is by far one of my favorite lunch venus. There are, however, several obvious shortfalls in the food prep such as using stale sliced bread in their sandwiches. The Calamari appetizer is to die for but borders on unaffordable. Most of the menu prices are ridiculous. The food is generally better than average, but if you are hungry bring a bankroll.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Red Lobster; City: Avon, IN; Review: Aside from the bartender concocting the worst Cosmo ever, my wife and I have never been disappointed with this restaurant. Love the new coconut shrimp with habanero pineapple sauce.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Los Patios; City: Danville, IN; Review: Los Patios is truly a blessing to Danville and the surrounding area. The staff is very friendly (brush-up on your Spanish) and efficient and the food is fabulous. My wife and I moved here from Arizona and, until this place opened, were sorely disappointed with the Mexican food we found in Central Indiana. The Fajitas are probably the best we have ever found! Decor is a little wild, but who cares. You will love the food.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chick-fil-A; City: Plainfield, IN; Review: The food is consistently good. What impressed us most was the dining room host. His name is Wayne. He asked if everything was satisfactory- then returned offering to get refills on our drinks. A friendly and, we think, a valued employee!! Thanks for making our lunch a pleasant experience!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harry & Izzy's; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: I'm sorry, but my impression of this place is not even slightly positive. I just paid $43.00 for a tough piece of grainy, flavorless gristle they call a Ribeye. My wife suffered through a dry, overcooked piece of Salmon and a very ordinary $12.00 house salad. No thank you. I'll stay home next time. Their "famous" shrimp cocktail in no way justifies the ridiculous $17.95 price tag.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Panda Express; City: Avon, IN; Review: The staff and food preparation at this Panda location is among the best! I love the food. Anyone recommending White Castle over Panda Express should be ignored! Ha!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hendricks Regional Health YMCA; City: Avon, IN; Review: Hendrix Regional is the best medical facility I haver been to. They are extremely efficient, caring and friendly. Recently had an X-ray done on a walk-in basis. I was in and out in less than an hour. Amazing!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Charbonos; City: Avon, IN; Review: After reading these glowing comments I almost regret having to say that things are changing at this, one of our favorite places and not for the better. Service is always impeccable and the staff is friendly, but the menu, portions and presentation coming out of the kitchen are suffering from unwanted change. Don't try to fix things that are not broken.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Charbonos; City: Avon, IN; Review: This is my second review in six months of this venue and the only reason I continue to defend this place is because it could be one of my favorite restaurants. I would hope that management, as well as the public, reads these comments. Briefly, the food is very good and the service has always been excellent. This time my beef is with value. I ordered the Walleye entree which turned out to be presented nicely, but the fish portion could not have been smaller. Perhaps 3-4 oz. It was accompanied by maybe one or two sliced fingerling potatoes and poorly prepared (frozen) broccoli. Needless to say, I left hungry after spending $24. The other three guests in my party ordered off of the early bird menu which should have been called the children's menu. They also left hungry. I always thought early bird was an enticement to come in before the mad rush, not to signify half-portions. Maybe it's just me. I keep trying.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Jenny Pho; City: Brownsburg, IN; Review: The food here is very good. Loved the spring rolls, won ton soup appetizer and #11. The portions are large which offsets what I would say accounts for the higher priced Viet food.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse; City: Avon, IN; Review: Atmosphere is great, but staff is indifferent. Food is very overpriced especially the salads. There are too many good restaurants to pick from for me to come here again.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Charbonos; City: Avon, IN; Review: After reading these glowing comments I almost regret having to say that things are changing at this, one of our favorite places and not for the better. Service is always impeccable and the staff is friendly, but the menu, portions and presentation coming out of the kitchen are suffering from unwanted change. Don't try to fix things that are not broken. 7/19/2018 OK, I am beginning to sound like a broken record, but it happened again. Lunch entree salads: calamari caesar for me with cold soggy fishy-tasting calamari. My wife had grilled salmon salad. Salmon was delicious but portion was extremely small and the salad was soggy with dressing and room temp. Each $14 - not good value. I keep hoping the management does something to correct things. The bacon cheddar burger is excellent, however. I'll stick to the burger. Wait staff is always excellent. Kitchen is the problem.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: QDOBA Mexican Eats; City: Brownsburg, IN; Review: This was my first experience here. Not impressed with the menu choices or the cleanliness of the serving line. Soft taco fillings all tasted the same. Sounds crazy, but I'll stick with Taco Bell for fast Mexican.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Flap Jack's Pancake House; City: Zionsville, IN; Review: One of the worst breakfast experiences my wife and I have had...ever. Food was poorly prepared: Corned beef hash skillet - seriously could not find or taste any corned beef; "poached" eggs were hard boiled over nothing but undercooked hash browns. Hot cakes were cold so I sent them back & got mushy, undercooked ones as a replacement. I forgot to mention that the host and waitress were unfriendly and sour dispositioned. I won't even go on about my wife's veggie omelette. You get the picture. Never going back.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Rick's Cafe Boatyard; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: Rick's is by far one of my favorite lunch venus. There are, however, several obvious shortfalls in the food prep such as using stale sliced bread in their sandwiches. The Calamari appetizer is to die for but unaffordable and a poor value. Most of the menu prices border on ridiculous. The food is generally better than average, but if you are hungry, bring a bankroll of cash. I am upgrading my opinion of Rick's. Not everything is outstanding, but I suppose that is to be expected. The burgers are perfect and the house made chips keep me coming back. The serviice is always great and the view is spectacular. I'm add ing two more stars to my previous comments.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Charbonos; City: Avon, IN; Review: After reading these glowing comments I almost regret having to say that things are changing at this, one of our favorite places and not for the better. Service is always impeccable and the staff is friendly, but the menu, portions and presentation coming out of the kitchen are suffering from unwanted change. Don't try to fix things that are not broken. OK, I am eating my words today. All is well with this place. Probably close to being one of my favorite dining houses. Tried the pizza for the first time last week and was amazed. New York style thin crust brick oven made and was AMAZING!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen; City: Avon, IN; Review: I love Popeyes chicken. But this location is by far the worst fast food restaurant I have ever experienced. We had family coming for dinner Sunday evening so Sunday at noon I called to make sure that they would have a large order ready for pick up at 5:30. When I arrived at 5:20 nothing was prepared. One person, a subordinate, remembered my phone call, but no one passed the order on to the kitchen. No excuses or apologies will rectify this disaster. Dinner for 10 people was destroyed because of their haphazard operation. No excuses will be accepted. Sorry, they'll never see my business again.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen; City: Avon, IN; Review: I love Popeyes chicken and popcorn shrimp and their french fries. But the problem is with this location. It is poorly run, poorly managed and an absolute aggravation to go there. The employees are consistently rude and inattentive. The icing on the cake was last Sunday when I called them the day before to make sure that I could pick up a large order of chicken by 5:30 on Sunday afternoon. They assured me that there was no problem and they would have it ready. (I could hear them yelling my request across the kitchen while I waited on the line) When I arrived at 5:15 they had nothing ready. one of the subordinates on the counter had remembered my call but nothing was passed on to the people that had to cook the chicken. As a result they could not satisfy the order for 25 minutes. They really didn't care so I left infuriated and had to make other arrangements for dinner with my family of 10.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: BRU Burger Bar - Plainfield; City: Plainfield, IN; Review: My wife and I have been going to Bru Burger every since they opened about two years ago. I have got to say their burgers are some of the best I have ever had. But for me the real prize winner is their onion rings. Thinking about them keeps me up at night. They are absolutely spectacular with their housemade catchup and black peppered aïoli. You won't be disappointed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen; City: Plainfield, IN; Review: I love their chicken and seafood but their counter service and personnel leave a lot to be desired.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Panera Bread; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: My wife and I dined in today at Panera bread in Avon. Normally the food at this location is pretty good but today is an exception. We both ordered the choose two with the Thai chicken salad which is always good and a half a sandwich both of which were awful. I got the chipotle bacon melt sandwich, Which was nothing more than a grilled cheese on white bread with two strips of bacon, no chipotle, nothing that even resemble chipotle and nothing that even resembled spice. My wife ordered a teriyaki chicken sandwich that looked delicious in the picture but was completely disappointing. It was made with chopped up chicken pieces, no sauce, very very dry. The kitchen appeared confused and they were very slow in producing our lunches. Hopefully this is the one and only bad experience will have at Panera bread. Oh and I almost forgot to mention showing two dollar signs for the value of this establishment is a gift to them. It should be more like three or four. We spent nearly $30 for lunch and Went away very disappointed.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Charbonos; City: Avon, IN; Review: I would like to commend the Cunningham Restaurant Group AKA Charbonos, Stone Creak, Bolder Creek and others for their support of our veterans. Not only verbally, but at their financial loss by offering dinner at no charge to veterans. I salute them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Charbonos; City: Avon, IN; Review: The best around. I would like to commend the Cunningham Restaurant Group AKA Charbonos, Stone Creak, Bolder Creek and others for their support of our veterans. Not only verbally, but at their financial loss by offering dinner at no charge to veterans. I salute them. BTW the food and service are wonderful at our favorite - Charbonos in Avon.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Panda Express; City: Avon, IN; Review: This may sound crazy to many foodies, but I am going to say it anyway. Panda's Beijing Beef is one of the best things I have ever eaten. I know, I know, it's fast food, but I mean it. I could eat it for breakfast lunch and dinner every day. Sorry. I couldn't help myself. My image is ruined.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rick's Cafe Boatyard; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: I understand that the virus has set som restaurants off their games, but Ricks is showing a very rocky start. Lunch today with my wife & foodie friends was a bad choice. The greeter was abrupt and our waitress was difficult to communicate with. Tenderloins are an Indiana legend, but not at Rick's. Tiny pork cutlet, dry bun and little in the way of veggies. Shameful. My Southwest burger was about the same with a dry cold ordinary bun and little in the way of advertised condiments. Very disappointing. Salmon roulade was pretty, but the salmon was mushy and not as fresh as it used to be. The view of the lake is about all it has going for it. The prices are too high to justify mediocre food. I hope they can bring it up to standards.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Canal Bistro Mediterranean Grille; City: Indianapolis, IN; Review: Apologies in advance for my poor spelling. I see that this venue gets four and a half stars, but and as far as I'm concerned that is a gift. Perhaps we ordered the wrong lunch items but I was not impressed. The falafel was bitter the gyro was not shaved lamb and my sawarma sandwich which was advertised as tenderloin was the toughest meat I have ever attempted to chew. The venue however is clean and quaint with wonderful outdoor seating. The wait staff was friendly and efficient, no complaints there.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Thai District Restaurant; City: Brownsburg, IN; Review: My wife & I had dinner here last night and enjoyed the experience very much. My only complaint is that the menu invites you to want to order one of everything. The Calamari appetizer was amazing as was the PD Thai. The venu is quaint and inviting and the staff is efficient and friendly. Give it a go. You won't be disappointed.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Regal Shiloh Crossing; City: Avon, IN; Review: I purchased tickets on line for a family movie event to see Christmas With the Chosen. We entered a dark theater with not enough light to find our seats. Thank god for cell phone lights. The theater was freezing inside. No heat. The Projectionist had some problems getting the film to start. When he did, the sound didn't work correctly. When we inquired about the heater, we were told there was nothing they could do it at that point. This was truly a disappointing experience and I doubt that I would recommend this theater again. On a positive note, however, the employees were friendly enough and the reclining chairs are wonderful.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Nextop-Sony NP-BG1, NP-FG1 Brand New 1060mAh COMPATIBLE Battery for Sony DSC-N1, DSC-N2, DSC-T100, DSC-T20, DSC-W30, DSC-W35, DSC-W40, DSC-W50, DSC-W55,; Brand: Nextop; Review: Worked perfectly fine with my digital camera DSC-W80. The battery life is just as good as the original and now I have two to keep snapping photos if one goes down.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Third Party - Garmin BKT200 Nuvi 200 Series Replacement Bracket for 200, 200W, 250, 250W, 260, 260W, 270, 205,; Brand: Garmin; Review: This was a great replacement mount for the original mount I lost for the Garmin Nuvi 200. It works as it should and fits well. My only complaint is that it seems like the suction cup mechanism isn't as strong as the original Garmin part. All in all though, pretty happy with using it over the past year or so.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Panasonic RP-HJE160-W ErgoFit In-Ear Earbud (White) (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Panasonic; Review: These are absolutely fantastic. I'm not sure there are even better ones out there at any price. I use these for everything I can including mowing the lawn and going to the dentist office. I bought them about 5 months ago and they're still working well. I actually have them with me today to go to the dentist. I'm a bit of an audiophile as well as appreciate anything designed well with ergonomics in mind. These are the best of both worlds, I can wear them for hours with no problems at all. They do a great job of blocking out ambient sound as well. They come with different size rubber ear pieces to fit your ears best. You can't beat them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Toysdone Wireless Headphones Stereo Earbuds Wireless Sport Earphones for Running with Mic (6 Hours Play Time, IPX4; Brand: Toysdone; Review: Loved these when they worked, but after 26 months of use the multi-function button no longer works and these are useless. This is the second pair Ive had which the on/off button has broken on, and they no longer work. When they did work sound was good enough for music, phone calls, and had good noise isolation. They were comfortable and I used them for wverything from listening to music at work to mowing the lawn at home.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Xbrn Dual Ports Adapter Splitter, 2 in 1 Headphone Jack Aux Audio & Charger Adapter Cable Connector Compactible for; Brand: XBRN; Review: Loved these when they worked, but after 26 months of use the multi-function button no longer works and these are useless. This is the second pair Ive had which the on/off button has broken on, and they no longer work. When they did work sound was good enough for music, phone calls, and had good noise isolation. They were comfortable and I used them for wverything from listening to music at work to mowing the lawn at home.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Skechers Performance Men's Go Walk 3 Slip-On Walking Shoe; Brand: ; Review: I'm going to buy a couple more, exactly the same, so my feet are taken care of for the next couple years. This is actually my 2nd pair and I was happy to find them on Amazon. They slip on and off easy (perfect for driving, which I do a lot of) and when you pull them over your ankle you can pretty much do anything with them (I even wear them to the gym sometimes). Feels like walking on air. Any cons? Not really, but... A couple of the circular support pieces on the bottom fell off, but that was after wearing them pretty much daily for nearly a year. Can't think of anything else to "complain" about.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: NIKE Men's Legend Long Sleeve Tee; Brand: ; Review: Nice shirt. I normally wear an x-lg t-shirt, so I got this in an x-lg as well, but I wish I had opted for a large. This kind of shirt wasn't meant to be this loose. My fault, though, so I'm still giving it 5-stars. I guess I'll get another, but in large, and I'll just wear this one while doing yard-work or something. I'd recommend you guys to consider getting a size smaller than usual.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SSLR Men's Printed Button Short Sleeve Casual Polo Shirts; Brand: SSLR; Review: It fits perfectly. It's light and cool, but it doesn't look cheap or see-thru at all. What a bargain. I'm ordering another.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: NIKE Men's Legend Long Sleeve Tee; Brand: ; Review: Nice shirt. I normally wear an x-lg t-shirt, so I got this in an x-lg as well, but I wish I had opted for a large. This kind of shirt wasn't meant to be this loose. My fault, though, so I'm still giving it 5-stars. I guess I'll get another, but in large, and I'll just wear this one while doing yard-work or something. I'd recommend you guys to consider getting a size smaller than usual.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sterkowski Wool Beanie Docker Cap; Brand: Sterkowski; Review: I hate to give it only 1 star, because it's very good quality material and looks nice sitting on the table, but this thing is WAY too small. It sits on my head like a Yamika. I ordered a 63 (US 7-7/8) and thought that would be more than big enough, but it's just ridiculously tiny. I have absolutely no use for it, but it's too far to send it back so I'll just be tossing it.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Dreams Luxury Suites; City: Imerovigli Santorini Cyclades South Aegean; Review: We chose this hotel becuase of its location on the island and were not disappointed! Even prior to George and Artemis were fantastic. They offered suggestions for our stay and when we first arrived were there to meet us. They offered suggestions of where to go and what to do around the Island and they turned out to be some wonderful suggestions. We hired a quad bike and found this to be the best way to get around the island. We stayed in the Nefeli suite and it was brilliant. The bathroom is gorgeous and the rest of the room is hugh. To sleep the bed is exceptionally comfortable, the pillows as well (I add this point as we stayed in some places that were so great) and the room so quite. The highlight for us though was the view outside our room. You look straight down the cliff to the ocean and the location for viewing sunsets is amazing. You won't be able to see the sun sink into the sea, because of the volcano but you see so much of it anyway that you don't notice. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone and we will certanly be going back. It really made our holidy in Santorini.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Magda Champs Elysees; City: Paris Ile de France; Review: We stayed at this hotel at the beginning of our trip and since we were flying out of Paris again decided to rebook when we returned we loved it so much. The location of the hotel is wonderful just near the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees. That being said the hotel itself is in a quite street that does not have a lot of traffic that could cause noise. The staff were lovely and were always very helpful. We arrived and upgraded both times, so the room we had was on the 5th floor and amazing. There was so much space, very clean and well planned out. We thought the hotel was just wonderful and were very happy to go back!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Castell d Emporda; City: La Bisbal d Emporda Province of Girona Catalonia; Review: This hotel was booked for us by a travel agent and we were so happy with the choice. The hotel is set in a gorgeous location with views out over the Spanish countryside. Just note however there is no lift in the hotel so with a heavy bag it can cause some issues, but the hotel staff are very happy to help if you need it. We were in a tower room and it offered amazing views from where we were. We found the room quite and very well equiped. The hotel staff were wonderful and only too happy to help with anything you requested. They did recommend two wonderful restaurants in near-by medieval towns with the restaurant in the hotel being just wonderful as well. The surrounding towns are well worth the visit but you will need a car. We couldn't have asked for a better hotel in the area and were so surprised by the attention to detail there. A wonderful stay!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Duesseldorf Mitte; City: Dusseldorf North Rhine Westphalia; Review: This hotel was the first stop on your trip however we had mixed feelings. The location of the hotel was great in the city and even though it is on the major road it wasn't all that noisy if the windows are closed. The room was large and clean and the beds comfortable. The only issue we had was that we went down to breakfast (max time gone for was 20 min) and during that time we believe money was taken from our locked room. There was nothing else that went missing but that was the only time our things were left unattended. This was a lesson we quickly learnt, make sure you have your things with you or lock them in the safe.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Samadhi Spa Wellness Retreat; City: Daylesford Victoria; Review: I went to Samadhi Retreat to get away and to try and relax and came away with so much more than I ever could have expected. The Retreat was for 5 days and by the end of it I came away as such a different person. From the moment I set foot in the Retreat, Annah and Wayne were so wonderful, supportive and so helpful. The accommodation had an air of relaxation that you felt the minute you walked in and was absolutely fantastic. From the wood log fire to the heated floors and the garden that had the appearance of coming into each room. The surrounding country side is beautiful and the air is so fresh and clean. At night there is not a noise to be heard. The whole package that had been put together before I arrived was just what I needed. From all of the spa treatments to the meditation and the support, the whole thing is exceptionally well done. I cannot recommend Samadhi Retreat highly enough to anyone, for either just relaxation or more support, Annah and Wanye are exceptionally friendly but most importantly they are there for you from the beginning of your stay and also after you leave!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hotel Napoleon An Ascend Hotel Collection Member; City: Memphis Tennessee; Review: The hotel is very nice. Rooms very clean and very comfortable. Hotel is within walking distance to Beale Street. Enjoyed our stay there very much. We did eat in the restaurant for breakfast. Food was good and the service was too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shenandoah Crossing; City: Gordonsville Virginia; Review: We stayed here for vacation last summer. The setting for the cabins that we rented was wonderful. We were at the edge of the lake. So peaceful and serene. We had rented 3 cabins for our group and everyone seemed to enjoy the place. Bathrooms need to be updated because the tubs didn't look that great--- some of the jets were missing their covers and nozzles. Overall the cabins were very nice. Enjoyed the pool by the main building. Loved the country store and just the overall place. One thing they need is more laundry facilities for the cabins that don't have washer and dryers.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Little America Hotel; City: Salt Lake City Utah; Review: We stayed in a Garden King room and after reading many reviews I wasnt sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. Room was clean and the bed was comfortable. Was weird that the fridge is in the bathroom, but that can be overlooked. The only downside to the room was the sliding glass doors in the room were not working properly or not at all. We had 2 and one would not open and the other took a lot of muscle to open. Even with that issue, the hotel is a nice place to stay when in Salt Lake City. Would not hesitate to stay there again, maybe next time will try the tower rooms.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cambria Hotel Ft Collins; City: Fort Collins Colorado; Review: This property was very nice. We were placed in a double king room and had a beautiful room. Beds were very comfortable and rooms were very clean. Would not hesitate to stay here again. Pool area, bar and patio were all clean and well kept.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ramada by Wyndham North Platte; City: North Platte Nebraska; Review: Checked in after a long drive to get a room that was only half cleaned. Dirty wet towels in the bathroom, bathroom mirror was filthy and there was hair in the sheets like they hadn't been changed. The feont desk did move us. Upon first glance the room was better, but again, mirrors were filthy and found something purple and sticky on one of the pillowcases. Was not impressed with the rooms or cleaning. It stormed while we were there and there were quite a few places that was leaking badly. Hotel needs to have some serious work done on it.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Quality Inn; City: Rock Springs Sweetwater County Wyoming; Review: Hotel eas convenient to I-80 and not over priced. Older hotel, co.comfortable rooms, comfortable beds. It was perfect for our one night stay. Breakfast was standard Quality Inn fare. Front desk was friendl it both at check in and check out.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Inn Suites; City: Deadwood South Dakota; Review: Room was clean ans beds were comfortable. Great location and has a trolley stop out front. Did a little laundry and was going to go play in the casino that is advertised, was a little disappointed that they didn't have one any more. Need to change their advertising. The beds were comfortable.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Inn Suites; City: Mitchell South Dakota; Review: This was our last hotel on our trip. We arrived about 9pm and were ready to relax. This hotel had the most comfortable beds our whole vacation. Breakfast area was large and everything was good. We were on the second floor and didnt hear any noise.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Quality Inn; City: Mitchell South Dakota; Review: Was not impressed with this property. Beds were not very comfortable, and the room smelled musty. The air conditioner worked well. Was ok for the night we were there, but chose a different hotel for our stay on the way home. Property needs updating. Conveniently located near restaurants and not far from tje Corn Palace.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Econo Lodge Mt Rushmore Memorial; City: Keystone South Dakota; Review: Chose this place due to location and price. The old saying, you get what you pay for is true. Was not overly impressed with the hotel. On the choice website it said Premium bedding, not sure what that meant because the beds were very uncomfortable. Towels were very dingy, dirty looking. Stayed for what we had booked only because I didn't want to get charged for cutting my stay short.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Falls Village Resort; City: Branson Missouri; Review: As a Bluegreen owner I had read mixed reviews on this property. We loved it! 2 bedroom had plenty of room for all of us. Indoor and outdoor pool, mini golf, hot tubs. Plenty of activities to keep us busy and kids entertained. Not right on the strip which is great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: 10 Pcs Mini Stylus Set Aqua Blue/Black/Red/Pink/Purple Stylus/styli Touch Screen Cellphone Tablet Pen for iPhone 4G 3G 3GS iPod Touch; Brand: Importer520; Review: They are colorful, work well, and are pretty convenient since you can attach them to your phone via the headphone jack. The picture makes them look a bit bigger then they are, they look to be about 3-4 inches, but they are actually 1 3/4 inches. That's not a bad thing though, they are big enough to work just fine and are a lot easier to type with than my big fingers are. The shipper is fast, they weren't supposed to be here for several days yet but they are already here.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sykik Sound SP0232BT, 5" subwoofer for deep bass. Blue LED light for contemporary look and stunning affect; Brand: Sykik; Review: I am pretty amazed with these speakers. I figured they would be loud enough to be heard in my room when mom has the TV too loud, but that's about it. When I turn the speakers all the way up though, it rocks the entire house, to the point people have to come tell me to turn it down. The bass kicker that comes with it is amazing as well. With this system connected via Bluetooth to my laptop and a 35 inch monitor attached via HDMI cable, it feels like I am at a theater. I have not to date experienced any of the dreaded "lag" a lot of people get with Bluetooth when watching movies, and I watch a few dozen a week at the least. Bottom line is, these aren't 1000 watt speakers, but for any kind of home use they are loud enough and have really great sound.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AH400 USB 3.0 4-Port Compact Hub with a Built-in 1ft USB 3.0 Cable; Brand: Anker; Review: This Hub is powered by the USB port, which a lot of them are not. It is easy to use and doesn't require proprietary drivers. So far it works fine with USB 2 and USB 3 devices.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SF Cable, 12 ft 3.5mm Stereo Male to Two RCA Male Splitter Cable Gold Plated; Brand: SF Cable; Review: Nice quality pc to stereo speaker connector. Long enough to put your speakers a long distance from the source.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TeckNet Classic 2.4G Portable Optical Wireless Mouse with USB Nano Receiver for Notebook,PC,Laptop,Computer,6 Buttons,30 Months Battery Life,4800 DPI,6 Adjustment Levels; Brand: TeckNet; Review: I am guessing the batteries will last practically forever. I always wondered why keyboards outlast mice by so long, then realized that keyboards only use power when the keys are struck, otherwise they are off. This mouse kind of takes to that principal. If you don't use it for a few minutes it turns itself off. When the computer shuts down, it turns itself off also. Most mice stay on till you physically shut them off. The only confusing feature of this mouse is that when it is off, you have to right click it to get it to come back awake. You figure that out pretty fast though.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fosmon 3RCA Component RGB (Male) to VGA (Male) Video Cable for TV Monitor Projector - 6 ft / 1.8m; Brand: Fosmon; Review: Lasted about a year then the wire went bad and had to be replaced; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Samsung 3.5mm Stereo Headset for Galaxy S5, S4, S3, Note - Non-Retail Packaging - White; Brand: Samsung; Review: Good sound; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BLU Z3 - Dual Sim Phone - GSM unlocked -Black/Blue; Brand: BLU; Review: Goog enough; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: BLU Advance 5.0 case,; Brand: New Frontier Wireless Accessory; Review: Very strong; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BLU Advance 4.0 L2 - US GSM Unlocked - Pink; Brand: BLU; Review: Ok; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blu Dash JR D141W Dual Sim Factory Unlocked Android Smartphone; Brand: BLU; Review: The worst phone I ever buy at Amazon I had to return it; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Cell_Phones_and_Accessories |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: The Terrace Motel; City: Franz Josef Westland National Park Te Wahipounamu West Coast Region ; Review: This motel had rooms with separate bedrooms, good for mixed couples. There was not an attached restaurant but there were restaurant in a very short walk,3/5 minutes. It was a very easy walk to town, kiwi sanctuary and glow worm dell. Rooms were neat and tidy. Reasonable rates.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bella Vista Motel Blenheim; City: Blenheim Marlborough Region South Island; Review: A Nice motel, it was maybe about 800mtrs to the center of town. Small rooms but very neat and tidy. There was no hairdryer. Parking was off the street and easily accessible. This time we had 2 separate rooms, one upstairs one down. The overall cost was on par with what we have been paying.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spa Lodge Motel; City: Hanmer Springs Canterbury Region South Island; Review: Centrally located , near the water park. There was a guest laundry, with a clothes line as well as a dryer and a portable clothes airer. There is a pool. Aircon would have been nice, but there was a pedestal fan. Had great water pressure in the shower.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rydges Wellington; City: Wellington Greater Wellington North Island; Review: This hotel is in easy reach of the water front, quay side. Close to town. It has a bar / restaurant. Rooms are neat and clean. Parking at reception is an issue, but they have valet parking. Elevators are nice and quiet. We were on the 6th floor at the front and there was no traffic noise.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hawks Nest Motel; City: Hawks Nest New South Wales; Review: The staff at the hawks nest motel were very friendly and helpful, they were very accommodating and professional. The pool area was very well up kept and the water itself was a lovely temperature for a refreshing dip. The barbecue area was spacious and clean. The rooms were clean and spacious and the amenities were well presented.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Road to Dune; Author: Frank Herbert; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: The Road to Dune covers so much of the Dune universe that it's hard to say where to start, there is the alternate Dune book Spice Planet where we see a very different but familiar characters talking and dealing with new characters, there are also correspondents between Frank Herbert and several authors around the time of the publication of the original novel and the sequel Dune Messiah. There are also deleted scenes from those books too plus there are new short stories that take place during the Legends of Dune trilogy. I highly recommend this book and suggest that you should pick up a copy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz; Author: Kouichi Tokita; Genres: history, young-adult, comics, paranormal, graphic, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: This manga was a very good adaptaion of the ova Endless Waltz, the are and the story flow with ease as the final battle of the Wing universe comes to a close and the end of the After Colony eara. Now one thing should be notied that the flashbacks are not quite in the same order as the film but it was still a good read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (Novel) Volume 3 (Gundam (Tokyopop) (Graphic Novels)); Author: Hajime Yatate; Genres: paranormal, fantasy; Review: I just wish that tokopop had finshed the series instead of ending it with a clifhanger.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Romulan War: Beneath the Raptor's Wing (Star Trek: Enterprise #13); Author: Michael A. Martin; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: For the first of two books in the Romulan War which is really the second of three being as the Kobayashi Maru was the beginning of the events that have lead to an all out war with the Romulans. This book takes place during 2155 and 2156 a half year since the end of the TV series which was starting to set everything up for the events of this trilogy which will lead to the founding of the United Federation of Planets. I really enjoyed all of the detail that went into this book and am looking forward to reading the second or third book in this part of the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Mirror Universe Part II: Obsidian Alliances; Author: Keith R.A. DeCandido; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Since I just finished it I have to say that I did like the approch of all three but only wished that the tales of this unvierse of trek would continue becasue I for one would like to see if the Tarren Rebellion wins in their war agaisnt the Alliance.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shards and Shadows; Author: Margaret Clark; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This Anthology is set in Star Trek's original Mirror Universe and continues some of the stories that were published in Mirror Universe: Glass Empires & Obsidian Alliances. These stories take you through the darker side of the already dark Mirror Universe and let you see that there are truly good people on both sides of the major conflicts. From the early years in the twenty-second century right after the USS Defiant (Constitution-Class) was brought through to giving hope to both the Terran Revolution and Memory Omega operatives. This is an anthology that I highly recommend for anyone who is interested in Star Trek's original Mirror Universe.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Infinity's Prism (Star Trek: Myriad Universes, #1); Author: William Leisner; Genres: history, fiction, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, mystery; Review: I enjoyed all three stories within this volume and would like to see a continuation of all three of them from the Unifcation of Valucan and Romulas and the inclusion of Earth into the Intersteller Coliton to the Detla Colitions introduction into the United Federation of Planets post Donimion War to the rebellion within the Khan rulled universe and how they could toppel it. Needless to say this was a very good read but I would like to see these stories continued.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kitty Takes a Holiday (Kitty Norville, #3); Author: Carrie Vaughn; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: There are few books that remind me why I write and this is one of them. Needless to say I really enjoyed it and I thank you Carrie.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kitty and the Silver Bullet (Kitty Norville, #4); Author: Carrie Vaughn; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: When it came to Kitty and the Sliver Bullet I admit that I had been looking forward to reading after finishing Kitty takes a Holiday, In this book we see Kitty returning home becasue her mother had come down with caser and then she is forced to return to Denver and along the way she is recruted by her old vampire friend Rick who wants to take over as Master of Denver, while this is going on she deals with the two alphas whom exiled her a year before thus becoming the new alpha of her old pack. Needless to say this series gets more and more intersting with every installment and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sacrifice Moon (Stargate SG-1, #2); Author: Julie Fortune; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Considering that this book takes place right after the second episode of the first season of SG-1 I have to admit that Fortune did a heck of a job bringing back those memories of when Carter was still a Captain, Jackson had just lost his wife to a "snake" as they called them in the series as a sler and Teal'c was still new to working with humans instead of fake gods. this book also read like an empisode of the series which is good and I was glad to step through the stargate with the eariler verson of SG-1.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery, #1); Author: Kim Harrison; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I liked the beginning of this series, and the fact that even though at the beginning we see Madison thinking that she's to become a light reaper but as the book draws to its climax we find out that she has a desteny to become the dark timekeeper and in the course of finding out she learns that she can shape her own desteny and thouse of people who would've done something terrible.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Trading in Danger (Vatta's War, #1); Author: Elizabeth Moon; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Trading in Danger is a good madien voyage for the Vatta war series and I'm looking forward to reading the last four books in the series. Plus I recomend it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Marque and Reprisal (Vatta's War, #2); Author: Elizabeth Moon; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: As this series continues we see Ky Vatta deal with the loss of her parents and most of her family, a sisuation that I can identify with. Needless to say that this adventure has a lot of twists and turns and we see new crew members board Ky's first command as well as see her take command of a warship that her family had lost years before. Again I recomend it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cadet Kirk (Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, #3); Author: Diane Carey; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, non-fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Being as this is the third on the original series starfleet acadmey books I liked it and I liked that it showed how Kirk, Spock and, McCoy became one heck of a crew. Diane Carey weaves a tale of a young strong willed cadet that will one day become the captain of the Entperise and makes me at least want to read the My Brother's Keepr trilogy and Entperise: The First Adventure just to continue on and see how young James Kirk rose in rank to command the legendary starship.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Generations; Author: John Vornholt; Genres: young-adult, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: In this quick reads or junior novelization of the 1994 film we get a quick but still fulfilling retelling of an early draft of the script. This book begins with Captain Kirk now retired from starfleet making an orbital dive and thinking about why he retired from starfleet even though he is feeling his age. At the launching of the Enterprise-B he is has to make sure that the ship survives its encounter with an energy ribbon called the nexus. Eighty years later Captain Picard is promoting his tactical officer Worf to the rank of Lieutenant Commander when he receives a call from Earth about his brother and his nephew. After that the Enterprise-D gets a distress call from a solar observatory. From there the book follows the film up until Kirk and Picard come out of the nexus to stop a madman from destroying a star in order to get into the nexus but it still ends with Riker and Picard beaming up to the recuse ship. If you're looking for a fast read of one of the classic movies then pick this one up.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek; Author: Alan Dean Foster; Genres: history, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is a great novilization of the 11th film, which is ironic becaue Foster wrote the original story for Star Trek: The motion picture back when they wanted to do the Phase II series which never was.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: What You Leave Behind; Author: Diane Carey; Genres: history, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: For the final to the Dominion War and the series final for DS9 I think it was a good adaptaion and a good ending and beginning for the charactors.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Where Sea Meets Sky (Star Trek: The Captain's Table, #6); Author: Jerry Oltion; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This was a really good Captain Pike story as told from his point of view.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Butlerian Jihad (Legends of Dune, #1); Author: Brian Herbert; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: And so it begins, this is the story that sows the seeds for the rest of the Dune books that lead up to Franks original Dune, this book is the beginning of a ten thousand year tale and the will give birth to Paul Atreides. Through the war with the thinking machines and the one woman who will spark a crusade that will forever change the face of the galaxy and give birth to the Fremen who will be Paul of Dune's fighters.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Machine Crusade (Legends of Dune, #2); Author: Brian Herbert; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: What a book, Dune the Machine Crusade, the second of the Legends trilogy deals with the ever changing battle between the free humans and the machine monsters and its creators the Titans, the war sees the beginnings of the Guild Highliners from Dune and the beginning of the Freman as well as the split of the war into a three sided war because the Titans after a thousand years break from their machine masters, we also see the first signs of what will come in the original Dune book. And it should be noted that this trilogy packs a punch and is more in depth than the brief mention of these events at the beginning of the extended edition of the original film. I'm looking forward to reading the last book in this trilogy and the other prequel books that follow leading up to Dune.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Winds of Dune (Heroes of Dune, #2); Author: Brian Herbert; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: The events of the Winds of Dune pickup two months after Paul went into the desert at the end of Dune Messiah. The original title of this book was Jessica of Dune but was changed to Winds because of the caous that followed after Paul left his new borns and the Empire behind leaving his sister Alia as Regent and how she soldifes her power and how Jessica deals with her son's loss. But it dose leave questions that Children of Dune will answer and hopefully we will get the other books in the hero's of Dune series after the school's of Dune trilogy is over.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dune Messiah (Dune Chronicles #2); Author: Frank Herbert; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I came into Dune Messiah after watching the scifi channels Children of Dune mini series and expected to read what I saw and then some but what I got was better even though it was a little more complex but then again Frank did a great job and it's easy to see why the Dune series has lasted as long as it has. Even though I expected to see certain scense this is the source material and it briges the gap between Paul of Dune and the Winds of Dune.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Children of Dune (Dune Chronicles #3); Author: Frank Herbert; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Children of Dune sets the stage for the hopefully forthcoming books by Franks Son Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson. As like the second and third parts of the mini series of the same name that was adapted from this book we see that Leto II has begun his journey down the Golden Path and that he is giving the people of the Empire and the Freman that which they had asked for a living god which Paul could not give them. The end result is the fourth book in the Dune Chronicles saga Gold Emperor of Dune but there are four thousand years in between that will be very interesting to read and hopefully well see a mini series of those forth coming books and the last three books in the Dune Chronicles series. But as I said before the stage is set.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Terminator 2: The New John Connor Chronicles Book 2: An Evil Hour (The New John Connor Chronicles #2); Author: Russell Blackford; Genres: paranormal, non-fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I loved the time parallel universe angel in this book as I did the first one but now that it's ended one war with Skynet there are still two others which have to end. But I'm looking forward to reading book three in the trilogy and I'm enjoying them so that's all that matters.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely, #5); Author: Melissa Marr; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: First off let me say that I won this book from Goodreads first reads. Second, this is my introduction to the series, so when I started to read it I was a little confused but as the I kept reading I saw where the peaces fit, Now I've gone and bought a copy of the first book of the Wicked Lovely series so I can read the whole series from the beginning and I know that I will reread Darkest Mercy again. But in the end it was a good book and I can see how come so many people have made it a Bestseller.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Delta Anomaly (Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, #1); Author: Rick Barba; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: This book is the first in the Kelvin timeline of Starfleet Academy books but it is the second story in the series with the Edge being the first. A black fog hangs over San Francisco and in that fog is small machines that want to learn the inner workings of all of the species of Earth. These small machines have been causing trouble for the SFPD and one night Jim Kirk faces them but at the end of the conflict a Borg cube appears and heads back to the Delta Quadrant of the galaxy. Yes one hundred years before the Enterprise-D encounters the Borg in system J-25 in Q-Who the Kelvin timeline Kirk and McCoy battle Starfleet's greatest villain before Kirk even takes command of this timelines Enterprise 1701.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Steel; Author: Carrie Vaughn; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: I've loved Carrie's books since I began reading Kitty and the Midnight Hour and I really liked how she took me back in time to the deck of a priate ship called the Diana with this book. Steel would be a great movie if and when that option comes up and would easly fit on the shelf next to the four Pirates of the Caribben movies which in a way I felt I was reading. Once again I have to thank you Carrie for reminding me why I like to write and a reminder why I love books and movies with time travel and ships either starships or saling ships I thank you.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Battle of Betazed; Author: Charlotte Douglas; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: For a story that takes place inbetween seasons 6 and 7 fo Deep space nine, I have to admit this was a good book and and good insite to how the Dominion subjugated a people in the time of war.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hollow Men; Author: Una McCormack; Genres: fiction; Review: I've read every Dominion War book that is out and this one just didn't have the punch that the others did but also considering that it's set before the Battle of Betazed. But it was still a good book and the author kept me intersted.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Time for Yesterday (Star Trek: The Yesterday Saga, #2); Author: A.C. Crispin; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I really enjoyed this adventure and how it forshadowed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. But I also liked the fact that we finally saw what happened to Spock's son Zar even though Spock himself decides not to view the recording that he made after saving his son and returned back to the Enterprise.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Seven of Nine (Star Trek: Voyager, #16); Author: Christie Golden; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I have to say that this was a good look into the mind of Seven of Nine and the fact that little Annaika Hanson is still within her even though she dosn't let anyone know it. It also remindes me of the series episode the Raven where Seven was drawn back to her lost ship. Needless to say it was an enjoyible read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1); Author: Rick Riordan; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, children, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This was a good take on the old story of Clash of the Titans and on top of things it's only the beginning. The charactor of Percy Jackson is someone whom I can relate to personally and this fact makes this book one of my new favorites. Note I have yet to see the movie verson of this book but now that I've read the first in the series I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Early to Death, Early to Rise (Madison Avery, #2); Author: Kim Harrison; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For Madison Avery's second outing I'd say that Kim Harrison did a great job in giving Madison a task that need to be complete with in 24 hours. And the introdiction of Ron's puple Paul who as it turns out really believe's in fate insetad of choice but then again this whole book series is about chosing choice over fate or destiny then again if we could chose our destiny what would we chose and if it was fated to happen all along then is it really choice? Needless to say this is a great second book in the Madison Avery trilogy and I am looking forward to reading the last installment and secertly whishing that Harrison would continue the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Legacy; Author: Michael Jan Friedman; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This was a good story where we see Captain Pike on Talos IV wondering about his former science officer Spock who at the time is on a survey mission, while on the mission Spock is attacked and then taken back to the Enterprise while Captain Kirk is stranded as the Enterprise is called away to fight a villan from the ships past. While I was reading this book it felt like an episode from the TV series so I would say that Mike did a great job writing it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Meg: Hell's Aquarium; Author: Steve Alten; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Meg: Hell's Aquarium is definitely a thrill ride from the opening page to the end and the fact that so many people didn't listen to what the Taylors had to say and trying to capture of the oceans monsters and put it in an aquarium is like going back in time and trying to capture a T-Rex or larger bipedal dinosaur to put in Jurassic park. Needless to say the ending will keep everyone wanting more and as they say at the end of the Bond series of films the Taylors will return.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror; Author: Steve Alten; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I began reading this novel after watching Jaws for the hundreth time, and it rocks. The idea of there being 45 to 60 foot sharks, that should've dided out when the dinosoars did to be in the here and now is a great concpet, the ending is a little grewsome but consdiering that it is basckly a horror novel it fits the bill and it would be a great motiion picture if produced right. I can't wait to read the second novel in the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm; Author: Michael A. Martin; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: To Brave the Storm was a fitting end to the Romulan War and it ended with a little insight into what is going to happen to the rest of the Enterprise crew it also ended with the founding of the United Federation of Planets which leads into the next part of the series the Founding of the Federation which I look forward to reading. These two books and the books following would be great to be adapted for TV if and when Paramount decides to finally continue Enterprise.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Trench (MEG, #2); Author: Steve Alten; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: The Trench picks up four years after then events in MEG and Steve Alten continues to through hard punches as we see begin to see what happened after Jonas Talyor captures the pup Meg which has grown to 72 feet while it was in captivivty and I liked how he wove a james bond like story with both secret agents influtrating the new owner of the institue where the Meg was being held. And like the book before we see this Meg break away from his holding pen and venture out into the open water heading on a course for the Trench. I do hope that which ever movie studio that picked up the first Meg novel would consider making an adaptation of this one as well.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Primal Waters (MEG #3); Author: Steve Alten; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Meg: Primal Waters picks up some 18 years after the events of the Trench, and finds the Talyor family in deep financal dept but there is hope as Jonas is recruted to co-host a show called Dardevles, the only hitch is that the 76-foot Meg Angel has returned as has her two pups both have grown and all three of them make for one heck of a ride as the three storylines merge into one at the end giving us one heck of a clifhanger, I'm already for the next book in the series, and can't wait for the movie of the first.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Templar One (EVE, #2); Author: Tony Gonzales; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I won this book from goodreads first reads and have enjoyed the whole story, I liked how military and political stratigies where used along with the concept of immortal shoulders. This will defiltelly be one that I will read again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Glow (Sky Chasers, #1); Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: First I won this book from Goodreads first reads, and was intreaged by the concept of sending out colony ships to land and populate on a new earth, but this concept isn't new since there is the star trek six book series of the same name(New Earth). I did like that the charactors where well written and that it kept me wanting to finish the book, but over all the pace in some parts was slow. Over all it was a good read and later on I'll more than likely pick it up and read it again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Doctor Who and the Daleks; Author: David Whitaker; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is a novleization of the very first Dalek story and it is told from the point of view of the Doctor's compaion Ian Chetertain, but make no mistake that the opening chapters are more a kin to the original pilot the Unearhtly Child than they are to the Daleks which is the second serieal from the opening years of the Doctor's adventrues. But needless to say it is a good adaptation but it dosn't answer as to how the Daleks uptainted time-travel which enambled them to invade Earth in the second Dalek story the Invasion of Earth and in the Chase in which they chase the Doctor and his compatiions through out history. But it is a good introduction to the Daleks even though their history gets compicated as they years go on.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aliens: Nightmare Asylum; Author: Steve Perry; Genres: comics, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: It's been a while since I last read an Alien book and after seeing Prometheus which is the third prequel to the original I couldn't wait to read this since there wasn't a novlization of the film. But as far as the book I liked that it picked up right where Earth Hive left off and puts Wilks and Bille which if you read the original comics where supposed to be Hicks and Newt but when the comic series was adapted they changed the name and ironicly the names where then changed a few years later when later publications of the graphic novel came out. But this story manly delt with a crazy general who thought that he could tame the xenomorphs (aliens) but in the end couldn't and there is a surpsie return of Riply at the end thus tying this trilogy in with the movies but keeping her alive and not killing her on Fury 161.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aliens: The Female War; Author: Steve Perry; Genres: comics, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is a great adaptation of the comic series Aliens: Earth War and I liked how both Steve and Stephaine wove the last chapter of the trilogy togeather as well as explained how Ripley could've survived her death on Fury 161, it is apparent that this trilogy takes place during the 200 hundred years between Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection and as far as I am conserned it should've been Alien 4 instead of Resurrection which still could've come later but that's not saying that this trilogy still couldn't be made into motion pictures and like Prometheus it would bring the Alien saga back in a big way.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Meg: Origins; Author: Steve Alten; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: For a prequel Meg: Origans is a good one, I liked how Steve wove the beginning of his grand adventure with the addtion of a second ship that knew of the Meg's before Jonas Taylor had his first encounter and was really lead to the location that the Sea Cliff had dove too by that same ship since they had the bright idea to try and bring a 40 foot Meg up from the depths. I recommend that this story is read after reading the first chapter of the orignal book Meg then continue on.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: ETA - Estimated Time of Arrest; Author: Delphine Pontvieux; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: This was a very good action thriller with lots of twists and turns and a love story to boot. ETA would make a very intersting movie.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Choice of Futures (Star Trek: Enterprise: Rise of the Federation #1); Author: Christopher L. Bennett; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: A Choice of Futures is the first book in the Rise of the Federation subseries of Star Trek: Enterprise, following the Romulan War, the new government is put to the test as several old enemies of the crew of the Enterprise come to the foreground, but the main point is that the explorers of the crews of the Endeavour and the Pioneer get through their conflicts peacefully after all being explorers is what the Federation was founded upon and what we see the original series, The Next Generation, DS9, and Voyager. The tag line from Star Trek: The Motion Picture is correct for this "The Human Adventure is just Beginning." I'm looking forward to reading the next book the series and beyond.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Beautiful Friendship (Honorverse: Stephanie Harrington, #1); Author: David Weber; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For the first prequel in the Honor Harrington series that deals with Honor's ancestor Stephanie Harrington it's a great read and a good jumping off point to the whole Honorverse saga and I look forward to reading the next book in this prequel series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Doctor Who: Shada: The Lost Adventure by Douglas Adams; Author: Gareth Roberts; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: I first heard this book in the form of an audio adventure starring the 8th Doctor Paul McGann and now thanks to Garth Roberts I've read what should be called a novelization of the 6 part story that had Tom Bakers 4th Doctor needless to say that this book is a great read and it dose mention Douglas Adams The Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy as the book that old Professor Chornotis mentioned as doubling for the time lord book that he swapped it for.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alien: Out of the Shadows (Canonical Alien trilogy, #1); Author: Tim Lebbon; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: For the first of a trilogy set between Alien and Aliens it definitely os worthy of being in the universe that sprung from the mind of Dan O'Bannon and would've made a great film.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Aliens; Author: Alan Dean Foster; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: The novelization of the second Alien film is a great read and gives descriptions of deleted scenes from the movie which can been seen in the special edition. It must be noted that the end of this book is now a point of divergence since Alien 5 (not Alien: Covenant er Prometheus 2) is diverting from this time line into another one that resembles the alien comics and books from Dark Horse Comics, which is now available in omnibus collections from Titan Books. The first omnibus book has Aliens: Earth Hive, Nightmare Asylum, and the Female War.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alien³; Author: Alan Dean Foster; Genres: thriller, comics, crime, paranormal, graphic, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Alien 3: the novelization is based on the script that was used for the special edition of the film found on both the quadrilogy and the anthology (BD) set that was released later on. But to put it simply this is a good novel version of the film and deals with the class-C prison known as Fury 161 but the book mostly refers to it as Fury 361 and the arrival of both Ripley and a xenomorpth that terrorizes the prison and later Ripley finding out that she has a queen in her chest waiting to come out and start the nightmare a new. Alien fans would like this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Doctor Who: Tales of Trenzalore; Author: Justin Richards; Genres: paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, fiction; Review: This anthology has four stories from the seige of Trenzalore and they range from an attack by the Ice Warriors to a foe that uses bones from a dead man to make his move on the small town of Christmas. The Doctor fights all four and wins but at a price each time because the people of Christmas don't always tell him what is going on on the outskirts of the town. This anthology is a must for any Doctor Who fan who want's to read what happened during the events of the episode the Time of the Doctor.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alien: Sea of Sorrows (Canonical Alien trilogy, #2); Author: James A. Moore; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: The Sea of Sorrows takes place 117 years after the events in Alien Resurrection and gives us a brand new hero in the from of one of Ripley's decedents a man named Alan Decker who is also a low level telepath. This books gives us a return to LV-178 and the colony that had sprung up in the two hundred years since the last book Out of the Shadows. And low and behold Wayland-Yutani is back as well and holding Decker responsible for the actions of his ancestor Ellen Ripley.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Point of Divergence (Star Trek: Seekers, #2); Author: Dayton Ward; Genres: fiction; Review: The Voyages of the starships Endeavor and Sagittarius continue as the events from the first Seekers book continue. The Endeavour takes the center stage in this book as her crew fight to bring peace and evolution back to the Tomol a species once subjugated by the Shedai and taken to their current home by another species known as the Preservers. Events spin out of control but are put back in order as the Endeavour's CMO and science officer find a cure for the Change that the Tomol go through. This is a great continuation of the first book and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the Seekers series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Second Nature (Star Trek: Seekers, #1); Author: David Mack; Genres: graphic, comics, fiction; Review: Seekers: Second Nature is the first book in the continuing voyages of both the scout ship Sagittarius and Endeavour as they continued to explore the area of space known as the Taurus Reach several months following the destruction of the Vanguard station. Captain Clark Terrell (of the USS Reliant, ST II: The Wrath of Khan) sends down a landing party to investigate strange energy readings only to find a species that sacrifice themselves before they turn eighteen years old and turn into telekinetic monsters. While this is going on a Klingon captain Kang (St: Day of the Dove) enters orbit and tries to being one of the changed aboard but they take over a Bird-of-Prey and end up crashing it on their island, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Skin Deep (DarkWorld, #1); Author: T.G. Ayer; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Skin Deep takes us on a tale of murder and mayhem in the dark under belly of Chicago but manly focuses on two people, the first is a skin walker or were panther who is an alpha, the second is the man that falls for her and tries to protect her from the dangers that she gets into he is a member of an elite group of magic users, events unfold that bring the two of them together but I must say this, this is only the beginning and yes there is a short prequel to this book called Pyros which I recommend to read before this. This series would make for a good TV series, and I recommend it to everyone who likes paranormal or wizards and weres alike.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alien: River of Pain (Canonical Alien trilogy, #3); Author: Christopher Golden; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: River of Pain is the story that took place within the first twenty minutes of the film Aliens and dealt with the cut sense from the theatrical edition of the film. We also get another view of an old Dark Horse Comics doughy called Newt's Tale which this book really reminded me of. I did like how the author took certain sense from Alien and Aliens and melded them with the rest of the story which besides Newt also focuses on the arrival of the colony's Colonial Marines new commanding officer and the fact that the company would stop an nothing to get a live xenomorph (Alien). Even though this is the last of this trilogy it wets my appetite for more Alien/Predator books and maybe one day a novelization of Prometheus.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stargate SG1: Permafrost (SGX, #2); Author: Sally Malcolm; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: StarGate SG-1: Permafrost takes place at Christmas time during the third season of the show and deals with an Asgard artifact that held back a thinking incest that can control a corps like a robot but with SG-1 on the sense the bugs are forced to take on the dead or make the dead in order to breed, but thanks to Captain Samantha Carter who is able to rig a crystal to work to contain the bugs they are able to make sure that no one else would be hurt by them. And as the story closes SG-1 becomes closer as they spend Christmas day together. I recommend this short StarGate book to anyone who both misses this show and the adventures in this universe.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Order of the Dimensions; Author: Irene Helenowski; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: As an author of universe hopping stories I really enjoyed this opening act to this trilogy. As I was finishing reading this book one line came to mind Jane the universe hopper which is accurate. Jane starts off as a physics student before being pulled into another universe by her nemesis. Through out the book Jane jumps from one universe to another with the use of a multiverser which she was working on at the beginning of the book and soon she becomes a member of an underground Federation that helps to restore the universes after her nemesis creates an order to control them. Needless to say I'm looking forward to reading the second and third books in this trilogy. On another note this trilogy would make for a great set of films.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rising Tide: Dark Innocence (The Maura DeLuca Trilogy, #1); Author: Claudette Melanson; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Claudette knows how to weave a tale and the little hints that she gives that her main character is turning into what is born to be is remarkable and it is a great beginning to a trilogy. This first act will make you think and yet will make you want to continue on with the rest of the trilogy just to find out what and how things happen. I'm looking forward to reading the next act in the trilogy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kaiju Winter (Kaiju Winter, #1); Author: Jake Bible; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Kaiju Winter is the opening act to a series that I admit I got into because of Godzilla and Pacific Rim, both of those movies and books dealt with large monsters tearing up cities and so on. But like the recent Godzilla film this book brings a human element into the mix and makes us care for the characters and the mystery that then unfolds. I interested is what comes next in the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sixty-Four Days, A Sea Story: Sailing Adventures Aboard Battleships at Sea and in Ports of Call Around the World (Sea Stories Book 1); Author: Malcolm Torres; Genres: fiction; Review: Sixty-Four days is manly about a navel deck hand that has to deal with the fact that he has sixty-four days until retirement, it made me think of other stories in which the main character was nearing the end of their service to the fleet and was looking forward to seeing their families and going on those extended vacations. Malcolm dose a great job getting into the mind of hic characters and we see that the main character is ready to spend the time with his wife driving in a mobile yacht across country. I do recommend this novel to those who like Tom Clancy's novels and to continue the series I know I will.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Scorpion; Author: John A. Autero; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: The Scorpion is a thrill ride with twists and turns that will make you think about our world today, it begins with an explosion in an under water refinery then it picks up with three friends finding a weird looking server drive in a lad fill and finding out that what was being refined was being used to power a space station that was described like the one from 2001: A space odyssey but in low Earth orbit. The three friends find that because of the drive that they're now being hunted by the NSA. I highly recommend this book and it wold make a great film on top of that but you'll have to read it to find out the end and who survives.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Long Shot (Star Trek: Seekers, #3); Author: David Mack; Genres: fiction; Review: Star Trek: Seekers #3 Long Shot takes us on an adventure to a pre-warp civilization that for a test us trying to use Dark Matter to rush an FTL drive into being but backfires since the experiment then turns the technology into an improbability generator that threatens to destroy the planet Anura. Luckily the starship Sagittarius was able to pick up the subspace distortions from a near by star system and Captain Terrell and his crew came to their aid and stopped the improbability generator from destroying the local star. This was a great book and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the Seekers series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Something Deadly This Way Comes; Author: Kim Harrison; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: For the third and last book in the Madison Avery trilogy I enjoyed how all of the storylines wrapped up including how Madison regained her body. Everything Madison dose seems to go hay wire but she comes out the victor as the Sherpas predicted and has made them chose to use both light and dark in reaping's with her as their guide. I really enjoyed this trilogy and hope that one day Kim Harrison will continue it but as we know great things are rear and this trilogy is one rear jem. I highly recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Spark Of Magic (Chosen Saga #1); Author: J.L. Clayton; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Author J.L. Clayton brings us the beginning of a saga through the eyes of a young woman named Charlie who at this point doesn't know how powerful she is and what her destiny has in store. This is a great book and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes magic.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Have You Seen This Girl? (Flocksdale Files, #1); Author: Carissa Ann Lynch; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, mystery; Review: Wow, this is one heck of story and it's beautifully written, Wendi Wise goes through so much from being lead into taking drugs for the first time to being kidnapped to being let go and going to a part of her life that made her grow up to returning to her home town to track down the scum that began her life of drugs and lies to finding a man whom helped her defeat the demons of her past. I highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series, and the studios should be keeping an eye on this series because they would make great films.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lost Soul (DarkWorld, #2); Author: T.G. Ayer; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Lost Soul picks up right where Skin Deep leaves off and Kai knows and goes after her sister Greer who is trapped in the Graylands while fighting off the infection that she sustained from her previous adventure. This is a great series and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: House of the Lost Girls (Flocksdale Files, #2); Author: Carissa Ann Lynch; Genres: thriller, crime, romance, mystery; Review: Wow, House of the Lost Girls is definitely one not to be missed. The second book in the Flocsdale Files really packs a punch as twenty years have passed since Have you seen this Girl? and a new girl is thrown into the horrors of the town of Flocksdale. Marianna thought that she was the daughter of a loving mother but in reality she is the daughter of a murder who is living with her cousin and continuing the kidnapping and murder spree that began in the first book. Author Carissa Lynch packs a punch with this book as she did with the first and she gives hints to the third book in the trilogy which I'm looking forward to reading. I highly recommend this series to everyone.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Last Chance (DarkWorld, #3); Author: T.G. Ayer; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, young-adult; Review: Last Chance picks up right after Lost Soul ends and we find Kai now on a search for her mother in the Wrath realm, there she meets the head of the Wrath rebellion but after an unsuccessful attempt to free her mother from the evil Wrath she returns home and then get's ambushed only to survive and to find out her mother is in a facility in Nevada, she then rescues her mother and to find out her uncle is still alive, this book has a lot of twists and turns and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Outlaw River Wilde: Sometimes a Man Needs to Journal; Author: Mike Walters; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: The Outlaw River Wild tells the tale of a small town under attack by what can only be described as an alien invasion but a slow one and that has caught the attention of two men, one older who knows about and has evidence going back to the 1980's while the other is experiencing things that he would've never believed. This is a captivating book which I highly recommend to everyone!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holiday's Presence; Author: Angel L. Woodz; Genres: romance; Review: Angel L. Woodz brings us the tale of Holiday Brooks at the end of her life she decides to change it to make a difference in how she has lived all these years. The story opens up with Holiday finding out that she has cancer and only a short time to live she then wins the lottery and moves away from her small town to Aspen where she meets Parker Knight and falls in love with him. One night she tells him about why she moved and he dose everything in his power to help her. this is a perfect holiday story for everyone and would be a good Hallmark movie (pun intended since they are talked about in the book).; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Strength Inside (a novella); Author: Melissa Marr; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, young-adult; Review: The Strength Inside by Melissa Marr is a very interesting short story which deals with a subspecies of humans known as Blori who are the living embodiment of wild kinds raised by wolves or other animals, they are immortal but this story would've been better had it been a full blown novella where the characters could be really fleshed out but I will say this it was a good read even though the only version now available is an audio version but it was still worth reading.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Miss Benjamin Had a Donkey; Author: H.R. Sealy; Genres: children, fiction; Review: This is a clever book about a loud mouthed donkey who gets into all sorts of trouble and even tries to burn down Miss Benjamin's house. But I will say this it was an enjoyable read and one that I recommend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shades of Sydney; Author: Brittney Coon; Genres: romance; Review: Author Brittney Coon brings us the opening tale of Sydney Anne West and how we see love from her point of view. Yes Sydney begins being broken until she and her best friend Amelia are in Malibu California on summer vacation and Sydney and her way of making boys her summer boys. But her and Amelia meet Hunter and Jason and both of their lives change. It is an instant change for Amelia who falls in love with hunter but Brittney shows us how the walls of Sydney's hart begin to crumble until she breaks and finally says those three little words to Jason. Brittney dose make you want to read the next book in the Sydney West trilogy which I'm looking forward to doing so.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Carnival of Dead Girls (Flocksdale Files, #3); Author: Carissa Ann Lynch; Genres: thriller, crime, romance, mystery; Review: Carnival of Dead Girls is the last in the Flocksdale Files trilogy and what an ending it is, this books unfolds with the story of a girl names Josie who is taken to the Carnival of secrets by her friend Freya who then ditches her but events take a turn for the worse as Freya goes missing and Josie take's it upon herself to find her missing friend. I won't spoil the ending for you but the book wraps up the story from the first two in the trilogy. I highly recommend this book to everyone, this is one that shouldn't be missed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Timebound (The Chronos Files #1); Author: Rysa Walker; Genres: history, young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Wow, what a great start to a series and an inspiration for me to write my own Chronos Files storyline too. Rysa Walker introduces us to Kate a new time-traveler who is forced to change history in order to save her family from another more sinister part of her extended family, I do see hints of Doctor Who in this tale and that makes it that much more fun to read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Time-Travel stories and pick up the other books in the series as well, you won't be disappointed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Miasma (Star Trek: The Original Series); Author: Greg Cox; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Author Greg Cox brings us into the time in between Star Trek V and VI where Sulu has gone off and taken command of the Excelsior leaving the helm officer position open aboard the Enterprise-A. That position for this story at least is being filled by a fan favorite Lieutenant Saavik who shares as bond with Captain Spock. Miasma starts off with the Enterprise-A on a diplomatic faring mission and picks up a signal of unknown origin prompting Captain Kirk to find out where it was coming from but I won't spoil it but I will say that this is a good story that fits in between Star Trek V and VI.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lost Queen (SGX, #4); Author: Melissa Scott; Genres: fiction; Review: This Stargate Atlantis book takes us through the eyes of the series most feared enemies the Wraith the species that drove the Ancients back to Earth. This book deals with the loss of one of two Wraith queens and their adventure to find her and her downed ship. Along the way they do find her but also a dangerous plague brought by one of the Wraith, the end will keep you guessing until the last page. I recommend this book for all Gaters.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cheerleading Can Be Murder; Author: Carissa Ann Lynch; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: Author Carissa Ann Lynch dose it again and serves us up with the beginning of a story line that will keep you wondering who is trying to knock off the cheerleading squad at Harrow High. We witness these events through the eyes of Dakota Densford who sees her friends being bullied by a sociopath that likes playing with their victims. I highly recommend this book to add to your library of books and I'm looking forward to the next to books in this years, Carissa you knocked it out of the park again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Waylaid (The Peri Reed Chronicles, #1.5; The Hollows, #13.2); Author: Kim Harrison; Genres: paranormal, romance, fantasy, fiction; Review: Author Kim Harrison brings us a crossover tale for her two main characters, Rachel Morgan ( the hollows) & Peri Reed, (Peri Reed Chronicles) they two heroines meet by accident when Peri's partner Jack casts a summoning spell with out knowing that he did and that brings Rachel Morgan into Peri's universe. This is a fast story to get through and it's interesting to see how these two hero's learn to get along and work together. If you like parallel universe travel or just these two hero's then I highly recommend picking up a copy of this story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BattleTech: Stalking The Legends; Author: Loren L. Coleman; Genres: fiction; Review: Stalking the Legends is a short story that deals with a battle on the planet Solaris VII and makes the main character which we see through his eyes that he could fight the invasion with his team and their battlemechs. This was a great short reed and I'm looking forward to the next in this short series; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Transformers: Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron; Author: Alex Irvine; Genres: history, young-adult, mystery, thriller, comics, crime, paranormal, graphic, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: Transformers: Exodus tells the tale of how Orion Pax became Optimus Prime and how the great war between the Autobots and the Decepticons began. It should be noted that this books is an adaptation of the game War for Cybertron and has elements from the episodes of the original Generation One pilot More than Meets the Eye and the later second two episode where a group of Autobots travel back in time to witness the beginning of the war. But this book also has elements of the Megatron rising story line as well as the War Within story line. I recommend this book to any Transformers fan who like me grewup with Generation One and enjoyed the following Generations and the movies and I am looking forward to reading the next book in this duology.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cutting Up the Competition; Author: Carissa Ann Lynch; Genres: thriller, crime, young-adult, mystery; Review: In this followup to Cheerleading can be murder Author Carissa Lynch brings us into the life of Amanda Loxx who is trying out for the squad for a second year but on the first day of her second year everything begins to spiral out of control as one of the girls is murdered. At one point Amanda thinks that it's her friend Sydney that is doing all of the killing and harassing but to calm herself she goes to the graveyard in a town that was once called Flocksdale where she wonders if the evil from that town seeped into Harrow. I highly recommend that you pick this book up you won't be disappointed at all. I am looking forward to book 3 in the series and I know that this was originally supposed to be a four book series so we might see that sometime later on?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tales of Dune; Author: Brian Herbert; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: These five stories span a good part of the Dune universe from the beginning of Stilgar to the aftermath of Chapterhouse Dune right before the events of Hunters of Dune to seeing how the Beast Rabban destroyed his parents business. I highly recommend this book as a companion to the anthology the Road to Dune.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Reflections of Eternity:; Author: J.M.D. Reid; Genres: paranormal, fantasy; Review: This short story has elements of time travel and love as two strangers from two different time periods are forced to enter a cave were time has stopped but also merged and those two are Xella and Rehman who emerge five hundred years before they are well I won't give away the ending but will say this, it's a great short story and not one to be missed on any account. Pick up a copy your won't be disappointed, I wasn't.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crying Bear: Yes, Bears Cry Sometimes, Too; Author: Virginia Wright; Genres: children; Review: Crying Bear by Virginia Wright is a touching book about a bear who wakes up and finds it's mother gone then goes out and looks for her. Along the way Crying Bear remembers how to fish then heads back and well you're just going to have to read for yourself, I highly recommend this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: City of Demons (Georgia Kincaid #2.5); Author: Richelle Mead; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Author Richelle Mead takes us back to the world of Georgina Kincaid for a novella that is set between her books Succubus on Top and Succubus Dreams. Georgina is ordered to attend a murder trial by her arch demon boss which will be held in the city of angels L.A. but to the demons they know it as the title of this novella the City of Demos, Richelle brings the us into the lives of her characters with great detaile and some left to the imagination. This short book shouldn't be missed by fans of Richelle's Succubus series who will like the twists and turns in this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Transformers: Exiles; Author: Alex Irvine; Genres: young-adult, comics, paranormal, graphic, fantasy, fiction; Review: Transformers: Exiles picks up right after Exodus with Optimus Prime on a search for the Allspark while being chased by Megatron and the Nemesis. This book takes us too two Cybrotronian worlds that we've seen in both the original series and in Transformers: Cybertron, this book also meshes over thirty years of transformers history into a story that keeps the reader wanting more, we meet Vector Prime and Nexus Prime and the hologram of Solus Prime all who treat Optimus as a comrade in arms. This book will is one to be recommended to any transformers fan or any one who wants to get into the Transformers story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Recollections of My Life; Author: John Findley; Genres: history, non-fiction, biography, historical fiction; Review: John Findley tells us his life story from when he was a child of eight to his adult life of a married man who has found his true love. This book is filled with his memories and tales of his life that it puts the readers life into perspective. I enjoyed reading this book from cover to cover and recommend it to everyone.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Doctor Who: Rain of Terror; Author: Mike Tucker; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: The Doctor, Amy, and Rory stop on a safari planet for a party that the Doctor had promised the Ponds but wind up in the middle of an invasion that the inhabitants of the planet have known would come about for a long time. The Doctor battles the toothy rain while fighting to bring a culture back from hibernation and a mad man that wants to make a prophet from the toothy creatures.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Parallel Roads (Lost on Route 66): Time Travel the Mother Road; Author: Dennis Higgins; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: Time travel is a favorite subject of time and I really like how Dennis has woven it in to this story about a grandson that is tasked with saving his grandmother from harm and finding his true love under his nose at the same time. This book takes you down the old Route 66 along with Kevin and Cheryl on an adventure to save Kevin's grandmother Kate who in their original timeline was lost. I won't give away the ending but I will say this, this book needs to be made into a film, it is perfect for the screen either big or small and is a must read for Time travel fans.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Amaryllis and Other Stories; Author: Carrie Vaughn; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This collection of stories is so diverse that they take you in from the opening story about First Contact to the end trilogy about a post catastrophe Earth were the seas rose to the reshaping of humanity. Carrie tells stories that keep her readers wanting more and keep them coming back for her other tales. I highly recommend this anthology to everyone who loves science fiction and fantasy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ten Zany Birds; Author: Sherry Ellis; Genres: children; Review: Author Sherry Ellis gives us a book that helps with counting and a fun tale to boot, I recommend this book for anyone with kids who are learning their numbers.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shades of Honor; Author: Sandy Williams; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Author Sandy Williams continues her Anomaly series with Shades of Honor which picks up where Shades of Treason leaves off with Ash being reassigned to a new teams and feeling them out while still dealing with her feelings for her fail-safe. Her fail-safe is the man that trained her and the man with who she is in love with. But as things progress Ash and her fail-safe are assigned to a diplomatic mission to a station in the middle of no where were they are caught up within an insurrection, This is a fast passed story and one that I recommend for any science fiction fan.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Steampunk Alice; Author: Dennis Higgins; Genres: young-adult; Review: Steampunk Alice is a different kinda of take on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and it is done beautifully with the main part being set in an alternate 1882 and everything that you could imagine about the Steampunk era to be. The title character of Alice Straight works at Acme Cosmetics and lives a boring life until she meets a new worker Peter White who was born on the other side but decided to move to this universe and world but upon meeting Alice he deiced to bring her across to the other universe were she learned something new about herself as well as grew out of her shell. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes the original tale and for those who like a parallel universe/time travel adventure.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Halloween Frost (Mythos Academy, #1.5); Author: Jennifer Estep; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, young-adult, romance; Review: Gwen Frost is having her first Halloween at Mythos Academy and on this fateful night while she is out with her friends she run into a nemian prowler a large cat the size of a panther and after it attacks her and her friends Gwen slays the prowler with her sword Vic. This is a great short story and it leaves you wanting more which the author dose provide in the book Kiss of Frost.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dune: Red Plague; Author: Brian Herbert; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: The Red Plague is a followup short story to the Schools of Dune trilogy which ended with Navigators of Dune. As the story opens we find that Josf Venport is being asked to help out a colony planet that had turned its back on technology, we also learn that the leader of the opposing force that has blockaded that planet has gone to join his fleet. I won't give away the ending but this story makes me want more Dune and I'm still looking forward to the two Leto II books that are supposed to bridge Children of Dune to God Emperor of Dune. Pick this story up you won't be disappointed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The More Things Change (Star Trek: The Original Series); Author: Scott Pearson; Genres: fiction; Review: Six months after the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Doctor Chapel being asked to help the Trill Ambassador Dax on a shuttle trip to a Trill ship that will be able to deal with their special needs. Through out this adventure we see that Spock is still thinking about his dealings with V'Ger and weather or not he wants to stay aboard the Enterprise. But when it comes to Doctor Chapel she finds out about the Trill special needs and vows to keep silent as well as makes a choice that will lead her to the position that we see her in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. This story also would fit well into the anthology the Lives of Dax and I do recommend it for every Star Trek fan.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Thing about Growing Up in Jokertown; Author: Carrie Vaughn; Genres: paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, fiction; Review: Author Carrie Vaughn brings us into the universe of Jokertown, Jokertown is a place were people who have been mutated go to live out their lives in peace and they have kids, this story is about one of those kids a teenager named Rikki who has what can be called the speedforce for a joker but she is a cut above her friends because she wants to get involved and have adventures which she dose as her and her friends take a trip to central park. This is a great story and one not to be missed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hegira (The Brin Archives #1); Author: Jim Cronin; Genres: thriller, crime, mystery, fiction; Review: Hegira is the name of a starship that is found dead in space by a species known as the Skre who take a DNA sample from it's storage and reanimate it. This clone's name is Karm who must travel back through time to a point in his homeworlds past in order to prepare for what he knows is to come now along the way he employs a genetic scientist named Dr. Rocker who only Karm knows the truth about and whom is responsible for his reanimation thanks to the tech found of the Hegira. Along the way Karm has to deal with backstabbing monarchs and crazy religious fanatics in order to save his species from the dying world that they are on. Everything goes as planned for Karm and the twist ending will leave you wanting more, I sure do and will be reading the next book in this series soon. I highly recommend that you pickup a copy of this opening tale in this series you won't be disappointed; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Recusant (The Brin Archives #2); Author: Jim Cronin; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: Author Jim Cronin brings us the next chapter in the Brin Archives as three hundred years have passed since the Brin settled on their new homeworld but in that time the indigenous species had been turned into the slaves for the Brin mines but the Brin populace doesn't know this until one of the decedents of Karm and Jontor find out that the people that he had been searching for their history are still alive, this book is a great read and will make you think about our own culture, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy you won't be disappointed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Aeneid; Author: Virgil; Genres: history, poetry, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: "Learn, my son, what I can show you, valor and real labor: learn about luck from others. Now my hand will be your shield in war, your guide to glory, to great rewards."; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beowulf; Author: Unknown; Genres: history, poetry, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: "Wyrd goes ever as it must!"; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: King Lear; Author: William Shakespeare; Genres: history, poetry, biography, historical fiction, fiction; Review: "There she shook the holy water from her heavenly eyes"; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Odyssey of Homer (The Harvard Classics, Volume 22); Author: Charles William Eliot; Genres: poetry; Review: Dawn, the rosy-fingered.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Timaeus; Author: Plato; Genres: history, non-fiction, biography, historical fiction; Review: Plato's "Genesis" Excessively droning but an interesting explanation of the universe nonetheless.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Critias; Author: Plato; Genres: paranormal, non-fiction, fantasy; Review: What a cliffhanger; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Countess Cathleen [with Biographical Introduction]; Author: W.B. Yeats; Genres: poetry, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: "The saint with the sapphire eyes"; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ajax; Author: Sophocles; Genres: history, poetry, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: "Strangely the long and countless drift of time Brings all things forth from darkness into light, Then covers them once more."; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, Cleanness, Patience; Author: Unknown; Genres: history, poetry, paranormal, biography, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction; Review: A big bold bowl of black beef bouillon; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hotel Arno; City: Milan Lombardy; Review: Don't be put off by its unprepossessing appearance. The Hotel Arno offers the best value budget accommodation in town. The Ritz it's not and the hotel lift is ridiculous, but it is safe, clean and the owner, Patrick, is super-helpful. There is free wi-fi in your room (something you certainly don't find for free in 5-star hotels in Milan). I always come here when I work in Milan and have been staying here for the past 9 years. The hotel is very conveniently-located for shops on Corso Buenos Aires and is within walking distance of both the train station and the centre. It is located in a vibrant, ethnically-diverse yet SAFE area. Another reviewer has said that 'I wouldn't recommend eating in the area'. Crazy!! I don't agree at all. There are a wealth of great restaurants and bars all around this area. Some of the city's most interesting ethnic restaurants are located here. If you're lazy or tired, just go to the Chinese-run restaurant next door. It offers great Italian food (it is always packed with local Milanese, so they must be doing something right). Owners and staff are great and prices are very reasonable.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tower Club at Lebua; City: Bangkok; Review: The Lebua offers some great deals. I've stayed in many 5 star hotels in Bangkok but this is my favourite. We were upgraded to the higher floors of the Tower Club without even asking. The view is phenomenal... you can walk straight out onto the balcony on the upper floors and have a breathtaking view of the city and river. Staff are ultra-attentive and kind. Breakfast is AMAZING! The hotel is very well located for the skytrain.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tower Club at Lebua; City: Bangkok; Review: I never thought I would write a review like this. I loved the Lebua hotel, having stayed there twice in the past. I travel a great deal for both business and leisure and usually like to try out different hotels in the 5 star category in the same city just for comparison. The Lebua was different. I enjoyed coming back to this hotel for its position, friendly staff, excellent views and superb breakfast. On 31st December we returned to the Lebua (tired from many hours of flying) to be told that no room was available. This was despite the fact that we had booked AND PAID by credit card a month earlier. There were many other people at the hotel in our situation too who found it unbelievable. Initially we thought it was a problem with the booking system (at least that is how it was explained to us by the duty manager) and we accepted the offer of a substitute room at the Chatrium (despite being disappointed). However, it soon became clear that this was deliberate overbooking on the part of the hotel in a peak period. Despite being told that we could return at 12 the next day our room was not ready until 4 pm! A key only appeared when my patience was exhausted and I asked to speak to the manager. The Lebua caused us nothing but problems and inconvenience. This is totally unacceptable service and a complete betrayal of guest loyalty on the part of a hotel of this standard and price category that no amount of free drinks or offers of transfers to the airport can make up for. Neither is this the usual complaint about the beds not being soft enough or the pillows fluffy enough...being denied a room that you have purchased one month in advance is a bit more serious than that. The hotel obviously knew of the situation and had all the time in the world to contact us, refund the money and allow us to make alternative arrangements. Instead it preferred to keep the cash (an awful lot of it) and put us wherever it saw fit. Truly appalling customer relations. I will take my money elsewhere in the future; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Daniela Ferrara Budget Hotel; City: Ferrara Province of Ferrara Emilia Romagna; Review: Very simple, clean hotel with kind staff and parking. Great bar/ restaurant/pizzeria next door and breakfast is included in the bar. Location is not central and you need a car or bike (Ferrara is the city of bicycles!) so best recommended for work/other not for tourism; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Swiss Diamond Hotel Lake Lugano; City: Vico Morcote Canton of Ticino Swiss Alps; Review: All the staff took such care over you! This is truly how a hotel should be run. Superb service with a personal touch.The restaurant is EXCELLENT, food is delicious and the restaurant staff are so professional. I only stayed there one night but I wish I could have stayed longer. Would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone. Absolutely lovely!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Diwane Hotel Spa Marrakech; City: Marrakech Marrakech Tensift El Haouz Region; Review: I personally wouldn't give it 4 stars but it wasn't that bad, it is a little dated and could do with a freshen up throughout, but as it was part of a GroupOn deal the cost was pretty low and I wasn't expecting the Ritz, the food was ok but the Wi-Fi only worked in the lobby; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Solana Hotel and Spa; City: Mellieha Island of Malta; Review: Stayed here for 3 nights recently, good rooms and very clean, it's a very nice hotel with all the mod cons, a lovely restaurant and a great rooftop pool area. It's centrally located on the Main Street in a quiet little town, would love to visit again; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Manly Paradise Motel Apartments; City: Manly Greater Sydney New South Wales; Review: Stayed in a 2 bed apartment for 9 days, very spacious and tidy, with a stunning beach view. If I'm ever in Sydney/Manly again, the manly paradise will be my first port of call looking for accomadation; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ivana Palace Hotel; City: Sunny Beach Burgas Province; Review: The hotel was clean and tidy, rooms were spacious, breakfast was ok and plenty of it. The pool area was good (with a pool bar) It was only a short walk down to the beach were all the pubs, clubs etc are located.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Marina Hotel Athens; City: Athens Attica; Review: Stopped here for 3 nights recently, very clean hotel, and very friendly staff who could not do more for you. Breakfast was also pretty good. The area around the hotel isn't the best, and it's probably best not to venture out on foot at night, but it's fine to do so during daylight, close to the station and one of the city tour bus stops.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Astoria Hotel; City: Dubai Emirate of Dubai; Review: Spent 4 nights here recently, staff were friendly and very helpful. Rooms were slightly dated, but for the most part clean and tidy. The nightclubs and bar make the lower floors very noisy until the early hours every night, wouldn't recommend this hotel for a family, the location was pretty good.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Alexandra Hotel; City: Stockholm; Review: Stayed here for 3 nights recently, the hotel was clean and tidy but slightly dated, the room was warm (a little too warm at times). The hotel has a sauna which can be booked in advance, the location was ok, a good walk or cab ride to the central station. OK for the price; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: EasyHotel Luton; City: Luton Bedfordshire England; Review: Stayed here the night before an early morning flight from Luton Airport . The good bits, cheap, pretty clean and easy to get to the airport. Poor bits, location wasn't the best to be walking around at night, the rooms temperature was far too hot, asked at reception to turn it down, but never happened. And the most annoying thing about the stay was, somewhere close to our room there was a very noisy heating/water pump that kept turning on and off all night, so didn't have a great nights sleep. Don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed, just passable for 1 night but next time I fly from Luton I will be looking elsewhere; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Best Western Plus Doha; City: Doha; Review: Had a one night stopover here when flying into Doha, this hotel was a 20 minute taxi ride from the airport, the room was very spacious and clean and tidy. Only downside was its very isolated and not much else is nearby, there is a mosque close by. Ate in the buffet restaurant which was pretty good too.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Conference Centre London Heathrow; City: West Drayton Greater Londo; Review: Had a one night stay here, using the stay and parking option, Hotel was good and the room was clean and tidy, but wasn't impressed with the extra tray charge for room service. The biggest issue was the parking, I arrived on a Sunday evening for a Monday morning flight, and basically it was a free for all on the parking front, spent 20 mins driving around looking for a space, eventually finding one at the furthest point away from the reception. Room was fine, but the parking needs a lot more effort; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mandarava Resort and Spa; City: Karon Beach Karon Phuket; Review: Stayed here for a week, lovely hotel, rooms were clean and tidy and the food in the restaurant was fantastic. Staff were extremely helpful and couldn't do enough for you. It is a little bit of a walk to the bars of Karon, but the hotel do run free shuttle buses. If you have any issues regarding climbing stairs etc, then getting to rooms can be challenging especially when really hot and humid, but again the hotel will take you on the open backed wagon. Highly recommended, but be warned you will climb a lot of stairs; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Phuket Airport Hotel; City: Nai Yang Sakhu Thalang District Phuket; Review: It's not the cheapest place to spend the night, but if you are in transit and don't have the time to get to and from Doha city, then you can not go wrong staying here. The hotel is a similar standard to most 3/4 star places, but you're a 10 minute walk to most of the departure gates, so wake up 90 minutes before your take off, quick shower, walk to the gate and board within minutes. Ideal; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Smart Sea View; City: Brighton East Sussex England; Review: Stayed here for one night recently, the hotel is quite tired and needs a good clean, the breakfast was cold and inedible apart from the pastries. We arrived late in the evening and went straight to sleep, next morning we noticed that the TV was damaged, reported it to reception when we checked out early the next morning. The hotel contacted Expedia and received payment for the TV before we even arrived home and could dispute their claim. Very unhappy with both the hotel and Expedia over this matter. Would give this place a very wide berth, but if you do stay here, check everything about the room as soon as you check in so you don't get fleeced like us.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Wellington Hotel; City: New York City New York; Review: We stayed here for a week recently and found the location ideal, a short walk from both Central Park and Times Square, and a subway station very close by, found the room to be pretty good, large comfortable bed and very clean. The hotel in general could do with a bit of an update but we didn't have any problems. Would definitely consider staying here again if we're back in New York; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Radisson Blu Hotel Oslo Alna; City: Oslo Eastern Norway; Review: We stopped here for a weekend just before Christmas, the hotel was of a good standard and the room was pretty good as well, the breakfast was good enough, I've had better, but also had a lot worse. The only issue I have with this hotel was it was in a very out the way area, but the bus links to the airport were great and there was a metro station within 10 minutes walking distance so not too bad overall; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik; City: Dubrovnik Dubrovnik Neretva County Dalmatia; Review: Stayed here for a few nights recently, and what a beautiful hotel with spectacular views, the rooms overlooking the sea have stunning views, the old town is a 15 minute walk away. The breakfast was excellent, and the pool was excellent as well. The staff couldn't be more helpful, I was trying to find something I didn't like about Bellevue and the nearest thing I could find was it had an over bath shower instead of a stand alone one, but it's not criticism at all, overall I would highly recommend anyone to stay here.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Conference Centre London Heathrow; City: West Drayton Greater Londo; Review: Stayed here for the second time before flying from Heathrow, the first time the parking was a bit difficult, but improvements seem to have been made and parking was a lot easier this time round. The hotel is as good as before, I will definitely be staying here before flying from Heathrow again; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: BLOC Hotel Gatwick; City: Crawley West Sussex England; Review: Spent a night here before an early morning flight, ideal location, clean and tidy room. Up to date technology throughout the room. Bed was comfortable and slept well. Wet room was compact but had all you need, nice rainfall shower. Will use again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Britannia Hotel Birmingham; City: Birmingham West Midlands England; Review: Spent a Saturday night here after the Test match at edgbaston. Perfect location right in the heart of the city and close to New street train station, not 5* but wasn't expecting that, breakfast was good and if I'm in Birmingham for a night out, I'd consider booking again.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hilton London Heathrow Airport; City: Hounslow Greater London England; Review: Stayed here recently for a night before an early morning flight from Heathrow on a park and fly basis, parking was easy and quick to get away when returning. Hotel was excellent and will definitely consider using again if flying from Heathrow again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Palace; City: Tallinn Harju County; Review: Spent a couple of days in Tallinn recently, the hotel was fantastic, room was great, staff were very friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. The location was excellent, a short walk from the old town, if in Tallinn, definitely worth staying here.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hampton by Hilton London Gatwick Airport; City: Crawley West Sussex England; Review: Stayed here for a night before an early morning flight from Gatwick, location was great and only a short walk to the terminal, room was clean and comfortable, the only issue I had was how busy everything seemed to be, but only staying one night it wasn’t really a problem; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Solaris Hotel; City: Fira Santorini Cyclades South Aegean; Review: Spent a night here recently, it’s in a good location, only a few minutes walk away from the local town centre. The hotel is ok, the room was clean and tidy, didn’t have the breakfast so can’t comment on that.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bandos Maldives; City: Bandos; Review: Spent a couple of days here recently, the whole island is the hotel, the various beaches around the island are beautiful, the staff were very friendly and catered for every need. The room was also excellent, highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Remisens Premium Hotel Metropol; City: Portoroz Slovenian Littoral Region; Review: Stopped here for a long weekend recently, it’s a nice enough hotel, with a decent breakfast and has some fantastic views, and is in a decent location, not sure it’s five stars, but it is a good hotel, and would consider going back.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Boutique LAS; City: Tirana Tirana County; Review: Stayed here for a couple of nights recently, the hotel was very nice, clean and comfortable, the staff were very friendly and couldn’t do enough for you. Location was pretty close to the centre of Tirana and would definitely consider returning if I’m in Tirana again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Centrale; City: Olbia Province of Olbia Tempio Sardinia; Review: Stayed here for a long weekend recently, the location was perfect, the room was clean and very comfortable, all the hotel staff were very friendly and couldn’t help you enough, if you’re ever going to Olbia, I’d recommend staying here for a few days.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Best Delta; City: Puig de Ros Majorca Balearic Islands; Review: Spent a couple of days here recently, the room was clean and comfortable, breakfast was okay, but the restaurant was very busy. The pool areas were also packed and little space to be found. Staff were very friendly and couldn’t help enough.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: OK Hotel; City: Riga Riga Region; Review: Decent priced budget hotel, stayed here for a weekend recently, location was pretty good, 30 minute walk into the old town, room was clean and comfortable, staff were friendly and helpful, breakfast was ok.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ibis London Luton Airport; City: Luton Bedfordshire England; Review: Stayed here for a night recently, prior to an early morning flight, the location was ideal for the airport and just a short walk to the terminal, the hotel was clean and comfortable and if flying from Luton again would definitely consider staying here again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Golden Ring Hotel; City: Moscow Central Russia; Review: Stayed here for a long weekend recently, location near to Arabat Street is ideal, room was clean and comfortable. The staff were very friendly and couldn’t help enough, was very impressed and if I’m ever back in Moscow, this will be one of the first places I try and book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Artagonist Art Hotel; City: Vilnius Vilnius County; Review: Stayed here for a weekend recently, the location is fantastic, the room was clean, comfortable and modern. The staff were brilliant and couldn’t help enough, the breakfast was excellent, if we are ever in Vilnius again the Artagonist hotel will be the first place we try, highly recommended; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Heritance Ahungalla; City: Ahungalla Galle District Southern Province; Review: Stayed here for a week recently during the Galle test match, the hotel is located right on the beach, the staff were very friendly and couldn’t be more helpful. The restaurant serves decent varieties of food and all were delicious. The pools serving the hotel were again both excellent. If in the area well worth checking this hotel out.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Amaya Hunas Falls Kandy; City: Elkaduwa Central Province; Review: Stayed here for 5/6 nights recently and the hotel is excellent and the staff were very friendly and couldn’t be more helpful, the food was very good and the room was clean and comfortable. The only downside is unfortunately the location, it is stunning with the lake and waterfalls, but the road up-to hotel is a very narrow potholed winding road and takes ages to get to the hotel. Which is fine if you only travel to the hotel once, but if you’re exploring the Kandy area then this maybe a problem.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hampton By Hilton London Stansted Airport; City: Stansted Mountfitchet Essex England; Review: Stayed here for a night prior to an early morning flight, took awhile to get checked in, but the room was clean and comfortable, the breakfast was available early and was pretty good as well. Ideally located and just a short walk to the terminal.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: LOFT Hotel Bratislava; City: Bratislava Bratislava Region; Review: Stayed here for a long weekend recently, the hotel was clean and comfortable, staff were very friendly and helpful, ideally located being a 10 minute walk to the old town and the same to the main train station, if we’re ever in Bratislava again then I’ll be looking to stay here again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Grand Port Royal Hotel; City: Port Royal Kingston Kingston Parish Jamaica; Review: The potential for this to be a cracking little hotel is there, but work is needed, room was a good size, but the A/C was noisy, and every time we used the shower it flooded the room, we had to insist on having the room serviced, the bar and restaurant were poorly stocked and parts of breakfast wasn’t always available. But the chef did cook omelettes to order each day, and the waitresses and bar staff were friendly and very helpful. Put in the time and effort and this could be special.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bredbury Hall Hotel; City: Stockport Greater Manchester England; Review: Stayed here for a business conference weekend recently and was pleasantly surprised with the hotel, staff were friendly, and the food was very nice. The room was clean, comfortable and a decent size, the hotel would benefit from a general update, but it’s still a nice place to stay.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Travelodge Gatwick Airport Central; City: Horley Surrey England; Review: Stayed here for a night recently after a late night return flight to Gatwick, transfer to the hotel was simple and quick, the room was clean and spacious and the bed was comfortable, a good budget Gatwick hotel; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel Jersey; City: St Helier Jersey Channel Islands; Review: Stayed here for a night recently, the hotel was a good size and clean and comfortable, a lovely room and a good location. Nice bar and restaurant, the staff were friendly and very helpful, if we’re ever in St Helier again this hotel will be high on the list to stay at.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Belgrade City; City: Belgrade; Review: Stayed here for a night recently, good location, good value, clean and comfortable. The staff were very helpful and courteous, breakfast was good and plentiful, the room was clean and the bed was comfortable. A good value place to stay while in Belgrade; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sofitel London Gatwick Hotel; City: Crawley West Sussex England; Review: Stayed here for a night recently prior to an early morning flight, great hotel, clean and comfortable spacious room, the staff were friendly and very helpful, an excellent start to a weekend away, will use again if flying early from Gatwick; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thistle London Heathrow Hotel; City: West Drayton Greater London England; Review: Stayed here a night before an early morning flight, room was comfortable, clean and surprisingly quiet. The pod ride to the terminal was quick and easy to get to. If I’m flying from T5 again I will definitely be coming back.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: O'Neill Men's Basic Skins UPF 50+ Long Sleeve Sun Shirt; Brand: O'Neill Wetsuits; Review: really will use this for sun protection.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TYR USA Kickboard Red/White; Brand: TYR; Review: I will use this t o keep my goals right in front of me.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TYR Big Mesh Mummy Backpack; Brand: TYR; Review: Smaller than i thought it would be to hold all of my swim gear.. I will probably give it to another swimmer who does not have something for her wet things.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TYR USA Pull Float Red/White; Brand: TYR; Review: Pretty n nice ... I hope it lasts a long time ...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kiefer Training Swim Fins; Brand: Kiefer; Review: Fit is right.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Never Go Back: A Jack Reacher Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Lee Child Page; Review: Excellent reading as usual can't wait for the next book. A must read. Sometimes authors tend to make series books all read the same not Lee Child.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dust; Author: Visit Amazon's Patricia Cornwell Page; Review: Always a great author and always a great read, keep em coming and I will keep reading em. Love Scarpetta; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 9th Judgement; Author: Visit Amazon's James Patterson Page; Review: I like that each book ties in with books in the past feels like you are in an on going series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Black Friday; Author: Visit Amazon's James Patterson Page; Review: Great from start to finish. Loved the ending, hope to,see more of these two in future reads, keep the good books coming.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Motive: An Alex Delaware Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Jonathan Kellerman Page; Review: love Alex.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blood Line: A Thriller (Granger Spy Novel Series - Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's John J. Davis Page; Review: would like to see it become a movie or series the characters are great,; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alert (Michael Bennett); Author: Visit Amazon's James Patterson Page; Review: One of my favorite authors.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Sleeping Doll; Author: Visit Amazon's Jeffery Deaver Page; Review: Love Jeffrey Deaver.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Roadside Crosses: Kathryn Dance Book 2 (Kathryn Dance thrillers); Author: deaver-jeffery; Review: Another good read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Evil Never Dies (Lizzy Gardner); Author: Visit Amazon's T.R. Ragan Page; Review: Good read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Outrage (Faith McMann Trilogy); Author: Visit Amazon's T.R. Ragan Page; Review: As the others were very riveting. Can't wait for the next book. Hurry and get it written the anticipation for the ending; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Russo's Gold; Author: Visit Amazon's Scott Pratt Page; Review: Love every one of them on to the next book please keep them coming. Dillard to the rescue my new rally call.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Gables Hotel; City: Solihull West Midlands England; Review: The room was small with a double bed shoehorned into it. The TV was balanced unsecured on the bedside table. The room was in dire need of some TLC. It was reminiscent of cheap student accommodation from 20 or 30 years ago. The bathroom mirror light did not work. The show has seen better days with a soap dish that looked rather nasty. On the plus side there was free wifi.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Best Western Plus Old Tollgate Hotel; City: Bramber Horsham District West Sussex England; Review: Good location, quiet despite being on main street. Room in the west annexe was spacious and well appointed - particularly appreciated the under floor heating in the bathroom. Restaurant was good for both dinner and breakfast.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa; City: Takanawa Minato Tokyo Tokyo Prefecture Kanto; Review: Th hotel is easily accessible. The staff were, as expected, polite and very helpful. The rooms are well appointed. The "american breakfast" was good but not sure the broccoli sprout added a great deal. The buffet cafe was excellent value. The highlight though is the Japanese Garden which is very peaceful and restful.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Whitbarrow Hotel; City: Berrier Eden District Lake District Cumbria England; Review: We stayed in an Ullswater room - well suite - which was well furnished & decorated. The kitchenette was well equipped. The suite was large enough not to feel cramped. The flexibility in terms of catering was really useful for us. The breakfast was fine as was the dinner. We would return.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chatsworth Hotel; City: Worthing West Sussex England; Review: The room blurb describes the Chatsworth as "Worthing's most prestigious hotel". This may have been true once but I rather fear it's now relying on past glory, as the the building is now in need of some modernisation and running repairs. What's with the odd lift doors on the ground floor! Small things like the broken ceiling panel and broken wall light shade gave our room a rather shabby appearance. And it is a long time since I have had large physical room key which has to be surrendered to reception on leaving the hotel and picked up again on returning. Having said that the staff were pleasant and helpful, the bathroom shower worked excellently and the breakfast was good - with lots of toast! And, most importantly, the bed was comfortable. The room was clean and despite facing the Steyne was very quiet.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Bandolino Women's Pardey Boot; Brand: Bandolino; Review: These boots were just what I needed to wear with a dressy long black skirt & top. In addition to being very pretty, they were also very comfortable to wear for several hours.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jambu Women's Edge Barefoot Flat; Brand: Jambu; Review: These flats are cute as a bug and comfortable, too. Kind of a dressier sneaker/flat. I'll be wearing them a lot. Love Jambus!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sterling Silver Petal Twist Turquoise Drop Earrings; Brand: Amazon Collection; Review: I bought 4 pairs of these earring as gifts for friends. They all loved them - They're beautiful. Would like a pair for myself!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clarks Womens Brinkley Athol Open Toe Casual Sport Sandals; Brand: ; Review: I have 2 pairs of these shoes in different colors & they're my favorite flip flops. So comfortable, like walking on marshmallows.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sleepers Womens/Ladies Anne Jewelled Rosette Boa Mule Slippers; Brand: Sleepers; Review: These are really nice looking, sexy, comfortable shoes. My husband wanted me to get some bedroom slippers that didn't look like grandma's, and these fit the bill. Love them!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: eZstep Women's Penny Slippers; Brand: Corifei; Review: These are very cute house shoes, but have no support at all. Feels almost like walking barefoot. They have vinyl soles but you can't wear them outside, as the fabric touches the ground. Love the style & I will wear them, but I prefer house shoes with a thicker vinyl sole that can be worn for a quick trip outside (to take the dog out or to grab something from the car). Would be great for packing to take on a trip, though, as they're very lightweight.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Isaac Mizrahi New York Womens Memory Foam Terry Cotton Slide Scuffs House Slippers Shoes; Brand: ; Review: These shoes are a little longer than I really need, but fit ok. They are very comfortable and I like the fact that they have vinyl soles so that I can wear them outside to take the dogs out. They soles are very thick & cushy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BareTraps Women's Poppy Fashion Sneaker; Brand: ; Review: Love, love, love these shoes! So cute, and so comfortable I was able to wear them flying across country, walking through two airports. They never rubbed or chafed and felt completely comfortable. Good support!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: BareTraps Women's Jemily Wedge Sandal; Brand: ; Review: Had to return the first pair because my high arch would not go into these shoes. Had to return for a larger size, just so my feet would slide all the way in. Other than that, I like them. Just be aware if you have a very high arch, you might need to order a half size larger.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Moog K6534 Idler Arm; Brand: Moog; Review: Replaced steering linkage in a 2004 Yukon after originals wore out (100K+). Moog lived up to all expectations of quality fit and straightforward installation. All parts and adhesives/threadlock were included. Made a big difference and made the alignment tech very happy I didn't use lower quality parts.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Moog K6536 Pitman Arm; Brand: Moog; Review: Updated after 3 years and 40K, the pitman arm is completely worn out. My attempts to contact Moog Customer Service have gone unanswered. Replacing with AC Professional and see how that works. Replaced steering linkage in a 2004 Yukon after originals wore out (100K+). Moog lived up to all expectations of quality fit and straightforward installation. All parts and adhesives/threadlock were included. Made a big difference and made the alignment tech very happy I didn't use lower quality parts.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Moog ES3488 Tie Rod End; Brand: Moog; Review: Replaced steering linkage in a 2004 Yukon after originals wore out (100K+). Moog lived up to all expectations of quality fit and straightforward installation. All parts and adhesives/threadlock were included. Made a big difference and made the alignment tech very happy I didn't use lower quality parts.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Moog ES3493T Tie Rod End; Brand: Moog; Review: Replaced steering linkage in a 2004 Yukon after originals wore out (100K+). Moog lived up to all expectations of quality fit and straightforward installation. All parts and adhesives/threadlock were included. Made a big difference and made the alignment tech very happy I didn't use lower quality parts.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dorman 68168 License Plate Lens for Select Chevrolet/GMC/Cadillac Trucks; Brand: Dorman; Review: Old one had a tab break off when I changed a bulb. This replacement snapped right in and looks OEM.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bilstein (24-186643) 5100 Series Shock Absorber; Brand: Bilstein; Review: These lived up to every expectation of a Bilstein shock. Used as replacements for factory after 100K. Install was simple on the Yukon.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Monroe 901360 Max-Lift Gas Charged Lift Support; Brand: Max-Lift; Review: Fit the rear of my 04 Yukon and solved my sagging door. I only replaced one side and that appears to be working well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ACDelco 8-6714 Professional Windshield Washer Pump, 3.59 in; Brand: ACDelco; Review: the new pump and grommet fixed my leak in the washer tank of an 04 Yukon with a rear wiper/washer; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Power Stop K1933 Front Z23 Evolution Brake Kit with Drilled/Slotted Rotors and Ceramic Brake Pads (Packaging may vary); Brand: POWERSTOP; Review: Unfortunately, I just can't give this product a good review. I initially installed the matched set of pads and rotors on the front of my '03 Expedition and followed all the torque specs and break-in procedures. After a 4-6 weeks, I noticed a notable shudder when they got warm. I found that the warranty process was very elongated and painful. After 3-4 weeks, 10's of emails, pictures and remedy procedures, they finally replaced my rotors (one of which had a crack) for the costs of Shipping them (which was not insignificant due to the weight). At this point I replaced my calipers as well to ensure I had all new components. I was initially happy, but again after a couple months, I have shudder again. I will replace them locally with an OEM. If you are looking at rotors alone, it would server you well to review the warranty period on the Power Stop web site. I hate to have to provide negative feedback, but in this case, it was a painful experience all the way around and six months later I'm back where I started and out a few hundred bucks.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: attwood Replacement Cover 911526-1 for P-Trap Fuel Tank Vent Black-Boat; Brand: attwood; Review: My covers were getting bleached out and cracked. These worked great to replace just the cover rather then the entire vent assy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ACDelco GT330 GM Original Equipment Fuel Tank Cap; Brand: ACDelco; Review: It was a good quality cap, but the wrong one. For my 2004 Yukon, two designs are used. This is the one with locking lugs that turns 1/4 turn to lock, while the one I needed was the "threaded" version that screws into the filler neck multiple turns before locking (GT231). I missed that small fact when I ordered as the guide says it fit my model and I didn't look around enough to know there was two designs.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: ACDelco D6299A GM Original Equipment Combination Switch; Brand: ACDelco; Review: 45 minute job on an 04 Yukon and no need to remove steering wheel if you get a short torx bit for a drill/driver to get to the lower bolt and use a 1/4 inch wrench to turn the bit. Fixed an intermittent left turn signal that was sticking on.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ACDelco 15-73506 GM Original Equipment Air Conditioning Control Module; Brand: ACDelco; Review: Fixed my 2004 Yukon rear temp control and only took 25 minutes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dorman 604-106 Air Door Actuator; Brand: Dorman; Review: 20 minutes for replacing the drivers side blend actuator on an 04 Yukon. Works great at half the cost of GM part.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Monroe 171370 Quick-Strut Complete Strut Assembly; Brand: Monroe; Review: 30-40 minute job on an 2003 expedition FX4 with factory springs. Fit perfect and Rides great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TRAILER KING ST Radial Tire-ST205/75R15 D 107L; Brand: TRAILER KING; Review: So far 500Mi on both Hwy and gravel and performing well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Trailer King ST Radial Trailer Tire - 225/75R15 117L (Rims Not Included); Brand: TRAILER KING; Review: I now have a couple thousand miles mix of 70MPH freeway, country hwys and Gravel roads. Tires are holding up well with no issues and appear to be wearing well. My trailer is about 60% of the weight rating on these tires, so I'm running them at 50psi, but so far I'm very pleased with the quality and durability on gravel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: KeylessOption Key Replacement Case Shell Keyless Entry Remote Fob Uncut Blade Fix Master Compatible Hyq1512v, Hyq12bbt; Brand: KeylessOption; Review: Perfect fit for my broken remote on an RX300 (2000). Cost a bit to have cut, but beats a new remote.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Battery Tender 021-0123 Battery Tender Junior 12V, 0.75A Battery Charger; Brand: Battery Tender; Review: Use it on my boat all winter and it worked great. You can use 1 for two batteries if they are similar in size and voltage.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Starter Repair / Rebuild Kit for Nippondenso 1.2kW, 1.4kW OSGR Starters (Plunger & Solenoid Contacts); Brand: Crank-n-Charge; Review: Fit my 2000 RX300 perfectly and took less than an hour.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: OTC (2359) Oil Suction Gun; Brand: OTC; Review: This suction gun has been great for changing Transmission fluid thru the Dipstick tube on my Ford truck (used a longer length of clear tubing), as well as filling the lower unit with 90W on my outboard motor. Both of those chores were a mess before I used this.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gates 6744 Powerated Belt; Brand: Gates; Review: Fit great on my Husqvarna Rototiller reverse belt.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Yuasa YUAM320BS YTX20L-BS Battery; Brand: Yuasa; Review: I bought this battery as an identical replacement for the original in my 2007 Yamaha Grizzly 450. I suppose this review is as much about the original as the new one, but after 10 years (activated 1/2007), the original Yuasa YTX20L-BS was still performing well. During my 10 year tune up I thought better of asking any more from it. I don't use maintainers and I use the quad roughly once a month. I look forward to the same performance from this replacement and will update this review if it doesn't perform. The activation process was simple and the battery was ready to go after an overnight charge.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Automotive |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hotel Matelote; City: Antwerp Antwerp Province; Review: We booked a Deluxe Cosy room, but were upgraded to a Junior Suite at no extra cost - a real treat. The room was very large, quiet and comfortable with huge windows/patio doors looking out over the Antwerp rooftops and the Cathedral to the side. The large bathroom with free-standing bath was also very luxurious! We loved the hotel's style of having a very modern interior, within a very old and beautiful building. The hotel is located in a quiet side-street only a minute's walk from the Grote Markt - a perfect location to explore the city. Agree with the previous comments about the stairs, but don't let that put you off... we were offered help with our luggage and even on the top floor, it really was not that difficult. We had no issues with the temperature of the room or the water pressure as mentioned in previous reviews. We could not find fault at all with the hotel. If we return to Antwerp we would definitely book the Matelote again... Thanks to the hotel staff for an excellent weekend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 36 Bed Breakfast; City: Kandy Kandy District Central Province; Review: ; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rahayeb Desert Camp; City: Wadi Rum Al Aqabah Governorate; Review: I would definitely recommend spending a night in the desert in Wadi Rum - there are many camps to chose from, but we really enjoyed our stay at Rahayeb Camp. We stayed in a basic tent, but the bed was very comfortable, and it was surprisingly cool inside, despite being in direct sunlight all day - the blankets on the bed were very welcome in the cool night-time. The shared bathroom facilities were clean, and while there was some building work going on during our stay, it didn't really affect our experience. The food was some of the best we had in Jordan - meats and vegetables roasted in a natural oven buried under the sand! Overall we really enjoyed our night in Wadi Rum and would recommend the Camp to others who don't mind the camping experience!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dana Guesthouse; City: Dana Tafilah Governorate; Review: The Dana Guesthouse offers basic accommodation with shared facilities, however it's major attraction is its location. Perched on the clifftop on the edge of the Dana Biosphere Reserve, you couldn't ask for somewhere more beautiful and peaceful. Our room had a terrace, which was a great spot to enjoy the sunset over the valley. Our room also had 2 bunk beds in it, which didn't make for the most romantic stay, but it was clean and comfortable. The staff were very friendly, the local food for dinner was delicious and the packed lunch was generous. Can't recommend the walk from Dana to Feynan highly enough - we had a brilliant day walking through the valley admiring the stunning scenery.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Feynan Ecolodge; City: Dana Tafilah Governorate; Review: The Feynan Eco Lodge turned out to be one of the unexpected highlights of our trip to Jordan. We hiked to the lodge from the Dana Guesthouse and received a warm, friendly welcome before being shown to our room. We received a complimentary upgrade which was a nice extra. The room was very comfortable - although a little warm in the day time, there were plenty of places to keep cool elsewhere in the lodge - we found the courtyard to be the nicest environment in the daytime. After the sun set, the rooms cooled down to a perfectly comfortable temperature. The staff and guides at the lodge were very friendly and seemed keen to do everything they could to make sure we had a good stay. Our guide for the free sunset walk and stargazing (Suliman) was particularly great. Seeing Saturn through the lens of the telescope on the roof terrace was amazing! It may not be 5* luxury, but the lodge clearly has a really positive impact on the community around it. Overall the peace and quiet, remote and beautiful location, friendly staff, good food and unique atmosphere really made a lasting impression on me - I would recommend it to anyone visiting Jordan.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dead Sea Marriott Resort Spa; City: Sweimah Dead Sea Region; Review: There's a lack of any hotels near the Dead Sea with any local character, but if you want an international resort experience you won't go far wrong with the Marriott. There's no town as such nearby, so you have to rely on the hotel for everything you need. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, the outside areas around the pools and bars are really smart and most areas have lovely views over the Dead Sea. We preferred the sunbathing area near to the beach than the crowded pool areas, and found relaxing in the Sea far more enjoyable than the pools. Our room faced the next door Moevenpick hotel, and we did experience quite a lot of noise and music from their bar in the evenings. It was silent by midnight, but if you don't want to stay up late I would advise asking for a quieter room. The eating options were a bit of a let-down for us. The main restaurant for breakfast was incredibly busy during our stay, and the acoustics made it very noisy. Despite hoping for a lazy, relaxing breakfast on the terrace, we ended up simply grabbing a quick bite. We therefore didn't want to repeat this experience in the evenings, so ate in the Italian and Steak restaurants. Both served good food, but were quite pricey. Mineral water was especially expensive - it seems you're not able to order Jordanian water, only over-priced imported Evian. Light bites to eat at lunchtime were also a little hard to come by - large main meals seemed to be all that was on offer. We did try to investigate neighbouring hotels to see if their restaurants offered something different, however it all seemed to be the same. Overall however we had a really relaxing stay at the Marriott.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Bull Hotel; City: Bridport Dorset England; Review: This was our second stay at the Bull Hotel and we loved it just as much as the first time. We were upgraded on arrival to stay in the beautiful Old Stable room - large and bright, with a sofa as well as bed. The bed was super comfortable and having Neals Yard toiletries in the bathroom is a nice touch. The food offered at the Bull is also top notch. The breakfast is possibly the best I've had! Excellent quality bacon and sausage, delicious pastries and really lovely, friendly service. In the evenings we ate in the Stable one night and enjoyed excellent pizza and speciality cider, then the hotel's main restaurant where we had a great three-course dinner. Also worth a mention is Venner's cocktail bar - a lovely place to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail - I'd particularly recommend the Breakfast Martini! Overall we loved our stay at the Bull and feel sure we'll be back again before too long. Definitely recommend it as a good place to stay in Dorset - Bridport is a bustling little town, very close to West Bay on the Jurassic Coast.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Saurat; City: Espot Province of Lleida Catalonia; Review: Espot itself is a very small town, but really convenient for access to the National Park - we stayed in the Hotel Saurat for 2 nights and would happily recommend it for other visitors to the national park - great value for money too. The rooms are cosy and comfortable and have everything you'd need (including plenty of hot water for a long shower after a day's hiking!) and the staff were friendly and helpful - especially when helping plan our walks in the park. Breakfast was a good spread (including some superb croissants and pan au chocolat!). The hotel has its own car park which could well be a real positive in the busy season. Overall, a great option for exploring the National Park.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Parador de Vic Sau; City: Vic Catalonia; Review: We stayed at the Parador de Vic-Sau for 2 nights - before we arrived the hotel emailed us offering us the opportunity to pay an additional €25 per night to upgrade to a superior room with a balcony overlooking the lake. I don't know what the standard rooms look like (or if they have a lake view) but I certainly felt that the upgrade was worth the money. The room was spacious and comfortable and the view from our balcony was just stunning. The parador is about a 15 minute drive from the centre of Vic, but this was not an issue as we had a hire car and found some free car parking very close to the city centre (5 minutes walk to the main square) which proved to have some excellent dinner options. The parador location is beautiful and peaceful and a real escape from the urban hustle and bustle. Would definitely recommend a stay in Vic for a night or two, and the parador makes a good base - great value for money.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nord 1901; City: Girona Province of Girona Catalonia; Review: The location of the hotel is fantastic - right in the city centre, with cafes and restaurants on the doorstep and less than 5 minutes walk to the old city. Its city centre location did make it a little tricky to find (you're confronted by a bollard before getting close to the hotel) however we found out that there's a call button next to the bollard and the hotel can let you through to unload your cases, before parking the car in the nearby garage. The parking initially seems expensive at €21 per day, but in comparison to other major cities it's not too bad (and we knew of the charge in advance). Our room was very spacious, amazingly comfortable large bed, great bathroom with walk in shower and had everything we needed. I agree with other reviews about the rooms being a bit dark though - ours was also a standard room with one window opening onto the light well in the centre of the building - I'm not sure whether you have to book a superior room to get one with a proper window... But having said that, this did not ruin our stay as we spent very little time in the room itself. The pool/garden area was a lovely spot to unwind and read at the end of a more hectic day wandering the streets of Girona. We didn't eat at the hotel due to the vast number of options so close by, but the breakfast always smelled good and eating dinner in the garden looked very appealing. The staff were very friendly and were very helpful. Overall a really good choice for a visit to Girona and good value for money for the type of hotel too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: A Spool of Blue Thread; Author: Visit Amazon's Anne Tyler Page; Review: There is something so familiar and comforting about an Anne Tyler novel. The families she creates seem as if they are people I've known.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Nature of the Beast (Chief Inspector Gamache); Author: Visit Amazon's Louise Penny Page; Review: Another good addition to the Three Pines sagas; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crooked Little Lies; Author: Visit Amazon's Barbara Taylor Sissel Page; Review: Quick ant intriguing read; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Cape Ann (Contemporary American Fiction); Author: Visit Amazon's Faith Sullivan Page; Review: Excellent novel depicting hardships of the depression with insight into an abusive marriage. The narrator is a young girl but the character with courage Is her mother who escape the harsh circumstances.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Snow Child: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Eowyn Ivey Page; Review: Great book club choice...lots to discuss!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Kindle Fire For Dummies; Author: Nancy C. Muir; Review: i didn't get much information when i purchased my kindle fire, so the manual was very helpful, i am still learining.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Three Silver Doves; Author: Visit Amazon's Deborah Garner Page; Review: Great story; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Lake House Secret: A Jenessa Jones Mystery, Book 1 (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Debra Burroughs Page; Review: Great book, kept my interest, was hard to put down; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Above the Bridge; Author: Visit Amazon's Deborah Garner Page; Review: Good suspense; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: When Snow Falls (Whiskey Creek); Author: Visit Amazon's Brenda Novak Page; Review: Great story as always.brenda, kept me on the edge of my seat . I can't wait to read the next book Great job; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A View to Die For (Books To Die For) (Volume 1); Author: Mr Richard W Houston; Review: Very interesting,fast paced,and hard to put down.. I love stories involving animals, dogs in particular. Can't wait for the next one.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
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