Crow and her adoptive father, Osh, live a simple, tranquil life on a small island off the coast of Massachusetts. Osh had traveled there by choice many years ago, but it was luck that helped Crow arrive there as an infant. Only hours old, Crow had been placed in a small boat and, during a storm, sent into the water, arriving on the shore of the island where Osh lived. Osh found the baby, took her home, and the two quickly became a family. With Osh's fatherly love and care, and the occasional help of neighbor Miss Maggie, Crow grew to be a happy, healthy child. Now, about 12 years later, Crow is curious about her origins. She feels very strongly that the answers she's looking for lie across the water on the deserted Penikese Island, which had been home to a leper colony until shortly after Crow's birth. Crow enlists the help of Miss Maggie, and a reluctant Osh, to search for the truth about where she came from, and why she was sent away. Things take a turn early on in the story when, during a visit to Penikese, now a wildlife refuge, Crow experiences strange, dark feelings about the supposed bird-keeper of the island. After the startling discovery of the real bird-keeper, and learning that his captive is on the loose, Crow uncharacteristically lies to Osh and impulsively embarks on a trip alone to do some sleuthing. This trip provides Crow with more information about her birth family, but places her in grave danger. Much like her previous Wolf Hollow, Lauren Wolk's Beyond the Bright Sea is a thought-provoking story full of mystery and suspense, with various intertwined threads which entertain and engage as the reader eventually untangles everything to get to the truth. It's a story about connections, and the focus is on what truly makes a family. Through Crow and Osh, and even Miss Maggie, the reader learns how some bonds can be stronger than blood. This winner of the 2018 Scott O'Dell Award is a fantastic story for middle-school and up, and fans will definitely be on the lookout for more by this author.

One of my all time favorite Rbin Williams movies. I love that he would do anything to spend time with his children even if its posing as a woman nannie. Love all the quick change he does while trying not to be caught. Really an enjoyable watch

Action. Inspiring. Family Movie. Lovable Characters. Heart-warming friendship.

Even though this movie is from the 1980's it still carries the same issues that children deal with today (bullying, popularity). A good movie for the family to watch together. It was fun to watch.

Comedy. Lots of Action. Fun to watch. Funny actors.

Just a funny as the first Rush Hour (maybe funnier). Chan and Tucker continue to bring in lots of laughs as they team up together. I love the chemistry between them. Other then some cussing the movie is really good.  The stunts were awesome as well.

Comedy. Fast-paced. Action. Fun To Watch

Chan and Tucker work very well together and both are hilarious. There's lots of not bloody action.  The movie's dialouge was very funny.  This movie was fun to watch, I enjoyced it.

Time travel is real. Everyone, no matter what year you go to, knows that time travel is real. Only cultural geologists, who study history by going to see it for themselves, are allowed to use the five time machines whose origins are shrouded in mystery. For as long as humans can remember, the time machines have allowed you to travel back in time and return to the year you came from. Changing history is possible, but difficult, and very forbidden. The Daughters of Harriet are a group of geologists who secretly work to alter history in order to advance woman's rights in society. Their current project is to make a shift that will result in abortion being legal in the United States. They are at war with the Comstockers, a group of time traveling men who want eliminate rights for women and then destroy the time machines, locking humanity in one timeline forever. A parallel story is told of a group of teenagers in the Los Angeles suburbs circa 1992, who become serial killers that target men who try to sexually abuse girls, and one girl's journey to escape an abusive family.

Part historical fiction and part speculative fiction, Newitz tells a tale with fascinating world-building, plenty of mystery, and an ending that will make you cry. While the cast is racially diverse on the surface, and includes both trans and non-binary characters, all of the women in the Daughters of Harriet story feel like more-or-less the same person, primarily due to poorly written dialogue that lacks subtlety and personality. The intersecting story about the teenage serial killers, which has little-to-no time travel at all, is by far the strongest part of the book, with compelling character development and themes about accountability, agency, trauma, and radical acceptance of the most difficult things to accept in life. This book is worth picking up for these sections alone. If you don't mind moments that can be a little on-the-nose about the author's opinions on which feminist historical figures were better than others, then you should be able to look past the flaws and have a very fun time in a timeline neither better or worse, just different, from our own.

A story about a tide-locked planet called January, where one side always faces the sun. The sun does not rise or set. Day and night are just sides of the planet. The day will incinerate you and the night will freeze you, if the native wildlife doesn't eat you first. January is a planet of extremes. Human settlers have created two cities in the thin sliver of twilight between the day and the night, where it is temperate enough to live. One city is ruled by strict order and artificial cycles of time. Another city is ruled by chaos, with no measurements of time passing at all. 

Sophie, a university student, saves her best friend's life by confessing to a crime she didn't commit, but is exiled into the night as punishment. This was supposed to be an execution, left to be eaten by vicious alien crocodiles, but instead the crocodiles save her life, and she learns they an advanced native civilization called the Gelet, who live deep in the night and communicate through sharing memories. She befriends the Gelet, and wishes to live in their midnight city, far away from the humans who hurt her, but first she owes them a debt.  Mouth, our other protagonist, is a smuggler who brings goods between January's two cities. Mouth is the last of a nomadic community, whose memory she is struggling to honor living among people who know nothing of her culture. Sophie and Mouth's fates soon become intertwined in this novel with incredible world-building, compelling characters, political intrigue, and deep questions about how we relate to one another.

If you like books by Octavia Butler or Ursula K. Le Guin, you will absolutely love this book. If Butler and Le Guin had a baby, it would be Charlie Jane Anders. Fascinating narrative devices compell you to wonder what is truly going on. The story is both action-packed and deeply contemplative. The pacing is excellent and you won't be able to put it down as more and more of the world unfolds. You will be left wanting more.

 

Atheist chaplain and queer religious studies scholar, Chris Stedman, explores how social media changes the ways we relate to one another and to ourselves. According to Stedman, religious institutions have traditionally been how people made meaning in their lives, found community, established identity, and formed beliefs about right and wrong. As more and more people, especially young people, leave traditional religious institutions and identify as "nones" (people who answer "nothing in particular" when asked about religious beliefs), social media has become the place where we make meaning, find community, establish identity, and form beliefs.

But if social media is serving such an important role in our lives, says Stedman, then we must engage with social media in intentional, mindful, and healthy ways; because if we don't, we will be allowing the corporations that control those social media networks to become the ones who drive our meaning, communities, identities, and beliefs.

To help the reader in the process of reflecting on their own social media use, Stedman analyzes our relationships to social media from many different angles and perspectives, including but not limited to: Drag, religion, astrology, cartography, tattoos, social media as live memoirs, game design, play, and as a way of coping with uncertainty (drawing upon Stedman's personal experiences with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).

At times, certain tangents or personal anecdotes can feel repetetive as they show up multiple times throughout the book. If you are willing to stick with the book through those sections, or skim them, then you will find that more of this book is meanigful and helpful than not.

Stedman's stance is never overly celebratory or overly critical. He never indicts nor champions social media. He doesn't pull punches when he thinks social media has created an unhealthy behavior, but he also doesn't hold back in discussing the beauty and love he finds in social media. Stedman believes that, if used right, the internet can bring us more joy than sorrow. This book is like a secular theology book, exploring many different philosophies we can take to life and our relationships to each other. Stedman is an Atheist Humanist, but has great compassion, love, and understanding for his religious friends and the interfaith communities he has worked in. People of all faiths will find much to love about this book.

Atheist chaplain and queer religious studies scholar, Chris Stedman, explores how social media changes the ways we relate to one another and to ourselves. According to Stedman, religious institutions have traditionally been how people made meaning in their lives, found community, established identity, and formed beliefs about right and wrong. As more and more people, especially young people, leave traditional religious institutions and identify as "nones" (people who answer "nothing in particular" when asked about religious beliefs), social media has become the place where we make meaning, find community, establish identity, and form beliefs.

But if social media is serving such an important role in our lives, says Stedman, then we must engage with social media in intentional, mindful, and healthy ways; because if we don't, we will be allowing the corporations that control those social media networks to become the ones who drive our meaning, communities, identities, and beliefs.

To help the reader in the process of reflecting on their own social media use, Stedman analyzes our relationships to social media from many different angles and perspectives, including but not limited to: Drag, religion, astrology, cartography, tattoos, social media as live memoirs, game design, play, and as a way of coping with uncertainty (drawing upon Stedman's personal experiences with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).

At times, certain tangents or personal anecdotes can feel repetetive as they show up multiple times throughout the book. If you are willing to stick with the book through those sections, or skim them, then you will find that more of this book is meanigful and helpful than not.

Stedman's stance is never overly celebratory or overly critical. He never indicts nor champions social media. He doesn't pull punches when he thinks social media has created an unhealthy behavior, but he also doesn't hold back in discussing the beauty and love he finds in social media. Stedman believes that, if used right, the internet can bring us more joy than sorrow. This book is like a secular theology book, exploring many different philosophies we can take to life and our relationships to each other. Stedman is an Atheist Humanist, but has great compassion, love, and understanding for his religious friends and the interfaith communities he has worked in. People of all faiths will find much to love about this book.

a fun to watch movie. Not my all time favorite but enjoyed watching it.

The author, Stuart Easterling, explains the changing and confusing issues and people involved in the Mexican revolution.  Land reform was a goal for farmers seeking to acquire land. The middle class wanted higher pay and more opportunities. The book describes the agreements and battles between famous Mexican leaders such as Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata, Francisco Madero, Venustiano Carranza, Alvaro Obragon and more. The author thanked fifteen people who helped with his book, yet it seems only two were Hispanic.

A Simple Favor, starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively is about Stephanie (Kendrick) a mother and vlogger who tries to figure out the disappearance of her best friend, Emily (Lively). This thriller was fun to watch and definitely has you surprised. While I enjoyed this movie, I did think it was too long. This movie does mess with your head. Emily is a crazy person and sometimes you believe her instead of the truth. I liked trying to figure out what happened, but now that I know what did, I don't think I could watch this movie again because I wouldn't be as surprised. This movie was still fun and crazy and Kendrick and Lively do a great job with their characters.

This is not read in Ta Nehisi original voice so I was disappointed for only that reason; still check it out!

Great film from 2006, not to be confused with the Prestige, another magic film which came out the same year.

Eat Pray Love is great, full of humor, part travelogue part diary. If you struggle with self maintenance and retaining your sense of self identity and sustenance in relationships then this book might be one stop shopping for a return to self. If you need time, reading this will be the excuse for alone time. If you are weary, you can take it a step further and mimic the activities the author did to move beyond her divorce. (A follow up workbook was made for this book; and I'm confident it's instructions say to "Go eat Gelato".) It's also light enough material it's a great read in a foreign language (francais!) and will have you happily spoused up in no time, tiptoing out of the house ontime for your morning yoga sessions, blissfully enamored just the right amount; never too much.

 

I love the Vera detective character. I can binge watch all day. The only unrealistic thing about this show is that Vera puts herself in dangerous situations that if they were to happen in real life she would probably have already been hurt or dead but I still love the mystery....  trying to find the killer. This is my 2nd time watching the series in fact. Brenda Blethyn as the sharp- tongued, no-nonsense detective pulls the viewer into each episode and doesn't let go until the end. Each episode is superbly written, with attention grabbing plots and conclusions that mirror human nature at it's best...or worst. Here's hoping for another season.

This is a good book to read if there is interest in reading about Chinese culture. This is one of the few Children's book that I read speaking about a deep

I appreciate the representation for what is considered to be Chinese opera. So when the author mentions the high pitched singing, that definitely not false. There is the story of a young boy who's father is the band leader and composer of Chinese opera. He learns the basics on how to be an acrobat from one of the show's performers. But was surprised when he wasn't able to join the show. This highlights the years of dedication to the craft of performing in a Chinese opera.

The illustrations in this book is great with the colors.

Toward the end of the book, there was an author note that was published that the author Rich Lo on more of the background of Chinese opera and he also wrote of his family's own journey to the United States as this speaks about the Asian immigrant and diaspora experience. There is a brief recommendation list to read more about Chinese opera.
 

This is a good book to read if there is interest in reading about Chinese culture. This is one of the few Children's book that I read speaking about a deep

I appreciate the representation for what is considered to be Chinese opera. So when the author mentions the high pitched singing, that definitely not false. There is the story of a young boy who's father is the band leader and composer of Chinese opera. He learns the basics on how to be an acrobat from one of the show's performers. But was surprised when he wasn't able to join the show. This highlights the years of dedication to the craft of performing in a Chinese opera.

The illustrations in this book is great with the colors.

Toward the end of the book, there was an author note that was published that the author Rich Lo on more of the background of Chinese opera and he also wrote of his family's own journey to the United States as this speaks about the Asian immigrant and diaspora experience. There is a brief recommendation list to read more about Chinese opera.

 Funny. Predictable. Family. Funny Characters

When their flight to Fiji is cancelled a couple  (Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn)  struggles to live through visiting all four of their divorced parents on Christmas.  How they survive four Christmas with dysfunctional families is hilarious. Four Christmases will have you laughing from start to finish. You will definitely be able to see yourself in some of these characters .If you don't like being home for Christmas you would like this movie.

Hilarious. Family Friendly. Fun to Watch. Heart-warming.  Touching

Fred Claus (Santa's brother)  is hilarious.  All mayhem breaks loose when Santa tries to help his brother stay out of trouble by bringing him to the North Pole.  What could possibly go wrong??? Let's just say that Fred is not on the nice list.   This is a movie that the whole family can enjoy together.