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General Recommendations
@red_sky_in_the_morning of the Teen Review Board at the Hamilton Public Library
By:
t
TEENREVIEWCREW
Hamilton Public Library
Community-created list
Check out items reviewed by @red_sky_in_the_morning, a Teen Review Board volunteer at the Hamilton Public Library.
By:
t
TEENREVIEWCREW
Hamilton Public Library
8 items
8 items
Book - 2018
I would rate this book five out of five stars, right off the bat. If you like mystery, thriller, or any type of wacky character-driven Groundhog Day style...Show more
I would rate this book five out of five stars, right off the bat. If you like mystery, thriller, or any type of wacky character-driven Groundhog Day style snagged-on-a-splinter-of-the-universe type shenanigans, then this is the book for you. This first time I read it, I was at the singular most boring family reunion of all time, and I read through the whole thing in about three hours and did not regret a second of it. The characters are unique without being contrived and are all very well written, the story is an new twist on a classic formula, which lends it an air of familiarity while still providing something new, and the atmosphere is incredibly eerie. It's so incredible to watch the characters try to keep their sanity from slipping through their fingers as they try to escape from their situation. Long story short, it's an amazing read, and I highly recommend it.
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I would rate this book five out of five stars, right off the bat. If you like mystery, thriller, or any type of wacky character-driven Groundhog Day style...Show more
I would rate this book five out of five stars, right off the bat. If you like mystery, thriller, or any type of wacky character-driven Groundhog Day style snagged-on-a-splinter-of-the-universe type shenanigans, then this is the book for you. This first time I read it, I was at the singular most boring family reunion of all time, and I read through the whole thing in about three hours and did not regret a second of it. The characters are unique without being contrived and are all very well written, the story is an new twist on a classic formula, which lends it an air of familiarity while still providing something new, and the atmosphere is incredibly eerie. It's so incredible to watch the characters try to keep their sanity from slipping through their fingers as they try to escape from their situation. Long story short, it's an amazing read, and I highly recommend it.
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DVD - 2009
Honestly, what can I say besides that it's a classic. It's got that weird, quirky, b-movie vibe, and is just bizarre and funny enough to make you forget a...Show more
Honestly, what can I say besides that it's a classic. It's got that weird, quirky, b-movie vibe, and is just bizarre and funny enough to make you forget about the kinda sorta terrifying story. It's funny, heartfelt, horrifying, and tragic, somehow managing to strike a perfect balance. Seymour's moral dilemma will forever be heart-wrenching, the concept of a sadist dentist will forever be hilarious, and a giant, singing, human-flesh-devouring alien flytrap named Audrey II of all things and voiced by Levi Stubbs of all people will forever be the cherry on top of this timeless movie.
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Honestly, what can I say besides that it's a classic. It's got that weird, quirky, b-movie vibe, and is just bizarre and funny enough to make you forget a...Show more
Honestly, what can I say besides that it's a classic. It's got that weird, quirky, b-movie vibe, and is just bizarre and funny enough to make you forget about the kinda sorta terrifying story. It's funny, heartfelt, horrifying, and tragic, somehow managing to strike a perfect balance. Seymour's moral dilemma will forever be heart-wrenching, the concept of a sadist dentist will forever be hilarious, and a giant, singing, human-flesh-devouring alien flytrap named Audrey II of all things and voiced by Levi Stubbs of all people will forever be the cherry on top of this timeless movie.
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Book - 2016
Let's start with the positives here. It has fantastic atmosphere, a sense of creeping dread that builds steadily to a horrifying conclusion, and well-roun...Show more
Let's start with the positives here. It has fantastic atmosphere, a sense of creeping dread that builds steadily to a horrifying conclusion, and well-rounded, well-written characters. King has informed my writing style in many ways, so I really can't critique him much on that. But on the flip side, IT'S ABOUT 700 PAGES LONG. I mean, I understand that there needs to be atmosphere and suspense and stuff, but dude, come on! King himself said in a Rolling Stone interview that he thinks it's about 350 pages longer than it has to be, and to be honest I can't help but agree. Overall, it's a good read, and it's hard not to feel really proud of yourself for finishing a book that long, but it gets so incredibly tedious, and for that I must dox it 2 stars.
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Let's start with the positives here. It has fantastic atmosphere, a sense of creeping dread that builds steadily to a horrifying conclusion, and well-roun...Show more
Let's start with the positives here. It has fantastic atmosphere, a sense of creeping dread that builds steadily to a horrifying conclusion, and well-rounded, well-written characters. King has informed my writing style in many ways, so I really can't critique him much on that. But on the flip side, IT'S ABOUT 700 PAGES LONG. I mean, I understand that there needs to be atmosphere and suspense and stuff, but dude, come on! King himself said in a Rolling Stone interview that he thinks it's about 350 pages longer than it has to be, and to be honest I can't help but agree. Overall, it's a good read, and it's hard not to feel really proud of yourself for finishing a book that long, but it gets so incredibly tedious, and for that I must dox it 2 stars.
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Music CD - 2019
I would rate it five out of five stars.
It’s a fantastic album, all around. Definitely a stylistic departure from their earlier work, but I really appreci...Show more
I would rate it five out of five stars.
It’s a fantastic album, all around. Definitely a stylistic departure from their earlier work, but I really appreciate that and I think that it still works within their sound. From a songwriting and compositional perspective it’s so great, and I don’t think there’s a single song on this album that I’m not excited to hear when I’m playing all my music on shuffle. I love the way that you can listen to all the songs back to back and weave together a storyline following these characters through the night, but that in no way inhibits the songs from being enjoyed separately. In conclusion I’d highly recommend it to anyone who likes what Spotify has deemed Modern Rock.
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I would rate it five out of five stars.
It’s a fantastic album, all around. Definitely a stylistic departure from their earlier work, but I really appreci...Show more
I would rate it five out of five stars.
It’s a fantastic album, all around. Definitely a stylistic departure from their earlier work, but I really appreciate that and I think that it still works within their sound. From a songwriting and compositional perspective it’s so great, and I don’t think there’s a single song on this album that I’m not excited to hear when I’m playing all my music on shuffle. I love the way that you can listen to all the songs back to back and weave together a storyline following these characters through the night, but that in no way inhibits the songs from being enjoyed separately. In conclusion I’d highly recommend it to anyone who likes what Spotify has deemed Modern Rock.
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by Simon, Paul
Music CD - 2011
I would give it four out of five stars.
This album was pretty much the soundtrack to my childhood. I loved it then and I still love it now. All of the so...Show more
I would give it four out of five stars.
This album was pretty much the soundtrack to my childhood. I loved it then and I still love it now. All of the songs are so cool and the different South African artists that Paul Simon worked with to create this album lend it such a distinct voice. The use of different motifs and repeating phrases throughout the album is another thing that always stood out to me as a really cool little bit of texture, the way that the woman whom the narrator seems to meet in many of the songs may or may not be the same person. Honestly the only reason that I couldn’t rate this five stars was that the production of the album was definitely morally questionable. Black groups in South Africa were protesting against Apartheid Law at the time, and Paul Simon suddenly showing up to profit off of indigenous South African culture was certainly a little bit of a blow against them. However, in terms of the finished product of the album, I think it’s very good.
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I would give it four out of five stars.
This album was pretty much the soundtrack to my childhood. I loved it then and I still love it now. All of the so...Show more
I would give it four out of five stars.
This album was pretty much the soundtrack to my childhood. I loved it then and I still love it now. All of the songs are so cool and the different South African artists that Paul Simon worked with to create this album lend it such a distinct voice. The use of different motifs and repeating phrases throughout the album is another thing that always stood out to me as a really cool little bit of texture, the way that the woman whom the narrator seems to meet in many of the songs may or may not be the same person. Honestly the only reason that I couldn’t rate this five stars was that the production of the album was definitely morally questionable. Black groups in South Africa were protesting against Apartheid Law at the time, and Paul Simon suddenly showing up to profit off of indigenous South African culture was certainly a little bit of a blow against them. However, in terms of the finished product of the album, I think it’s very good.
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by Lee, David
Book - 2015
I would rate it five out of five stars.
Firstly, this book is set in Hamilton, which earns it like a hundred bonus points already. Secondly, it deals with...Show more
I would rate it five out of five stars.
Firstly, this book is set in Hamilton, which earns it like a hundred bonus points already. Secondly, it deals with Eldritch horrors and draws directly from H. P. Lovecraft which is just amazing. It’s super well-written, the plot is excellent and compelling and it handles the description of things which by definition cannot be described with a kind of immediacy that makes them feel very much real. The overall atmosphere in this book is absolutely impeccable, blending the kind of abandoned industrialism of North End Hamilton with rifts between dimensions and enormous old things that humans could not hope to comprehend. It’s great.
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I would rate it five out of five stars.
Firstly, this book is set in Hamilton, which earns it like a hundred bonus points already. Secondly, it deals with...Show more
I would rate it five out of five stars.
Firstly, this book is set in Hamilton, which earns it like a hundred bonus points already. Secondly, it deals with Eldritch horrors and draws directly from H. P. Lovecraft which is just amazing. It’s super well-written, the plot is excellent and compelling and it handles the description of things which by definition cannot be described with a kind of immediacy that makes them feel very much real. The overall atmosphere in this book is absolutely impeccable, blending the kind of abandoned industrialism of North End Hamilton with rifts between dimensions and enormous old things that humans could not hope to comprehend. It’s great.
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Book - 2016
I would rate this four out of five stars.
This is an amazing mystery-style book for tweens in which a kid named Reuben finds an old-fashioned clock watch ...Show more
I would rate this four out of five stars.
This is an amazing mystery-style book for tweens in which a kid named Reuben finds an old-fashioned clock watch with mysterious properties. This was one of my favourite books as a kid. The writing style is amazing and a big influence on how I write to this day, and the characters are very compelling, especially in how they react to the world around them. The dystopian city of New Umbra is the perfect canvas on which the story of Reuben and his magical clock watch can play out. I would recommend this to anyone who likes Trenton Lee Stewart’s other work such as The Mysterious Benedict Society, as well as basically anything with mystery and low-fantasy elements.
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I would rate this four out of five stars.
This is an amazing mystery-style book for tweens in which a kid named Reuben finds an old-fashioned clock watch ...Show more
I would rate this four out of five stars.
This is an amazing mystery-style book for tweens in which a kid named Reuben finds an old-fashioned clock watch with mysterious properties. This was one of my favourite books as a kid. The writing style is amazing and a big influence on how I write to this day, and the characters are very compelling, especially in how they react to the world around them. The dystopian city of New Umbra is the perfect canvas on which the story of Reuben and his magical clock watch can play out. I would recommend this to anyone who likes Trenton Lee Stewart’s other work such as The Mysterious Benedict Society, as well as basically anything with mystery and low-fantasy elements.
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Book - 2001
I would rate this book three out of five stars.
Throughout this book, we follow preparatory school dropout Holden Caulfield through his adventures in post...Show more
I would rate this book three out of five stars.
Throughout this book, we follow preparatory school dropout Holden Caulfield through his adventures in post-WWII New York City. And what adventures they are. It was probably just the fact that I read this book for English class that made me realize exactly how interesting it’s central themes actually are and exactly what a fascinatingly messed up character Holden actually is, but all the same this was a really fun book to analyze. However I did have to dox it a few stars because for all the events that happen over the course of the book, those events don’t really seem to string themselves into a coherent plot, and also Holden can get really annoying as a narrator. I wouldn’t really recommend this book for casual reading because I think I would’ve gotten fed up with it really fast if I hadn’t been obligated to finish it.
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I would rate this book three out of five stars.
Throughout this book, we follow preparatory school dropout Holden Caulfield through his adventures in post...Show more
I would rate this book three out of five stars.
Throughout this book, we follow preparatory school dropout Holden Caulfield through his adventures in post-WWII New York City. And what adventures they are. It was probably just the fact that I read this book for English class that made me realize exactly how interesting it’s central themes actually are and exactly what a fascinatingly messed up character Holden actually is, but all the same this was a really fun book to analyze. However I did have to dox it a few stars because for all the events that happen over the course of the book, those events don’t really seem to string themselves into a coherent plot, and also Holden can get really annoying as a narrator. I wouldn’t really recommend this book for casual reading because I think I would’ve gotten fed up with it really fast if I hadn’t been obligated to finish it.
Show less