The novelization of Jingle All The Way is written by two authors - David Cody Weiss and Bobbi JG Weiss. The former I recognise more from writing some The novelization of Jingle All The Way is written by two authors - David Cody Weiss and Bobbi JG Weiss. The former I recognise more from writing some of the Sabrina The Teenage Witch novelizations.
This is a good novelization of the film, with some very minor changes, which you’ll only recognise if you’ve watched the film very recently. There’s a very slight change to the beginning and an additional scene at the end.
Throughout the book, there aren’t many other changes and it sticks pretty closely to the final script.
It’s a very quick read, with 117 pages, and it makes for a pleasant Christmas Eve’s afternoon reading, with your children, or just by yourself, if you’re a lover of novelizations like myself.
Definitely pick this up if you love the film. ...more
I remember hearing the news about Robin’s death and thinking/hoping immediately that it was one of those nonsense clickbait rumours that float around I remember hearing the news about Robin’s death and thinking/hoping immediately that it was one of those nonsense clickbait rumours that float around every so often. I remember hearing the news quite late that night and telling my dad (who was half asleep at the time) and him mis-hearing it as Robbie Williams who had died. No Dad. Different celebrity altogether.
This book is incredibly downbeat, from what you know of Robin and how he died. The author has relied heavily on interviews with others, as well as some input from Robin before his all too early demise (as mentioned in the epilogue.) At the end of finishing this, if you don’t have a stiff drink in your hand, you’re reading a different book to what I did.
What this book will make you feel is how much happiness you got from his films and stand up shows. I have only ever seen a handful of episodes of Mork & Mindy (I didn’t know prior to reading this that it was a loose spin off from Happy Days and now I want to see more), but my favourites are still Mrs Doubtfire, RV (strangely) and Jumanji.
I was a little disappointed about some of the coverage the author gave to some of the films - he seemed to focus very negatively on the worst performing films and would spend pages dissecting them, and talking about Robin’s reaction, whereas Jumanji barely warrants a paragraph in the book.
Also, the negativity in the press surrounding Pam Dawber’s comments in this book, relating to Robin’s behaviour towards her on the set of Mork & Mindy, shouldn’t have been included. The author must have known what reaction it would get in the wake of the Me Too allegations, which have run rampant throughout Hollywood and tainted a well loved actor, who can no longer defend himself. Personally, I wouldn’t have included these comments.
I was also a little disappointed at the photographs in this. Instead of the glossy colour photos that you generally find in celebrity biographies, you get low quality, black and white photos printed on matte paper.
Overall, whilst I enjoyed this book, it’s a very depressing read, and seems saturated in heavy handed hints to what would eventually happen to Robin. It certainly wasn’t the best biography I’ve read, and I just wish that the author hadn’t skipped over certain films.
Oh and don’t be put off by the length of this book. I was quite shocked that Robin died at the end of a chapter and there was still 100+ pages to go. Whilst there’s some focus on Robin’s autopsy and the legal fight between his third wife and his three children from previous marriages, the book actually ends on page 440. After that, you have a chapter dedicated to his “selected” works and awards, a chapter on Notes (I feel like this would have been better placed as footnotes throughout the book, rather than a separate chapter), Acknowledgements and the index. ...more
I'm so disappointed in this book. I was really looking forward to reading it, and getting the opportunity for an ARC on Netgalley, I jumped at the chaI'm so disappointed in this book. I was really looking forward to reading it, and getting the opportunity for an ARC on Netgalley, I jumped at the chance.
Everything about the book attracted me - the cover, the description, the similarities that it brought to mind of the TV show Terra Nova, and 172 Hours On The Moon. And the inevitable comparisons to The Martian.
What a damp squib this was. If this had been a physical book, I fear I would have thrown it across the room, however, I did not want to break my phone. I knew I was struggling with this at around the 50% mark, possibly before, and I have seen other good reviews, and trying to figure out what I'm missing about this book.
This suffers from numerous issues, with the characters not well enough defined, and too many characters introduced at once. There are also various formatting issues if you're reading this through the Kindle app on your phone, and the really annoying habit of certain names/places not being capitalized. For example, the character of Eliot, is constantly referred to as eliot, which got on my nerves no end.
The characters really annoyed me, including a surprising action in the beginning, which came out of nowhere. I also felt the constant back and forth between the different characters did not work, as they weren't clear in my head, who was who.
There is one main big event about 70% of the way through, which is when the book gets exciting, as something that you weren't expecting happens, but by that point, I felt that it was too little, too late.
Also that ending ... I won't spoil it for anyone, but this is clearly set up for a sequel, or a film. I hated the ending, and I really don't like this book. There's too much to go into, without ruining certain aspects of the book, but it really doesn't flow or work well. I was expecting possibly another standout like The Martian, or 172 Hours On The Moon, and I felt like this was what the author wanted. I didn't see the comparisons to The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, as this was another book that I could not get into.
I'm sorry, but I can't recommend this, and I'm really disappointed in the entire book. I have been reading it on and off for nearly two weeks, with a last minute push to get it finished. Just don't pick it up. Pick up one of the others.
With thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review....more
These appear to be quite the series at the moment - we've had similar books for Christmas on Coronation Street, and also Mothers Day on Coronation StrThese appear to be quite the series at the moment - we've had similar books for Christmas on Coronation Street, and also Mothers Day on Coronation Street, which I have not yet read.
I haven't watched Emmerdale in years, but this attracted me, as it was a Christmas book, so I decided to get it, for something to read. I did eventually forget that the only names I recognised were the Sugdens and the Dingles, plus this was a couple of generations before the Sugdens/Dingles that I knew of.
This is a very easy to read book, perfect for curling up with on a cold winter's afternoon, next to a roaring fire preferably, and I did lose myself in the story. Some of the formatting issues, and various typos did detract a little bit from the story, but I managed to skip past them easily enough.
The easy writing style reminded me of Lyn Andrews and Katie Flynn, who are both authors who write likeable characters, and draw you into the storyline.
I felt disappointed that Molly's storyline wasn't quite wrapped up as well as I'd hoped, she's left without a resolution really, but I'm hopeful that will be a future book in the series.
Overall, a good easy read that will put you in the mood for Christmas.
Thank you for Netgalley for the free download, in return for an honest review....more
I borrowed this from one of my friends, as she knows I like historical books. I didn't realise that it was a children's book until I got it, but it waI borrowed this from one of my friends, as she knows I like historical books. I didn't realise that it was a children's book until I got it, but it wasted a quiet hour in work. (It's only 95 pages.)
This book is immensely boring, and even as a child, I would have found this boring. As proclaimed on the front cover, it's "the story of the original Mona Lisa", but it's her life, told in a very simplistic way (since it's aimed at children), but with talk of homosexuality and childbirth sprinkled throughout.
I think this is an OK book for children, as the book is well spaced, and short paragraphs/chapters, with easy to understand language, but it was just so dull. Most of it was from the author's imagination, (which she admits in the author's note), including Lisa being painted by Leonardo when she was three years old, and then again, when she became the Mona Lisa (or Monna Lisa, as the book frequently refers to her).
There's also a lot of talk about Michaelangelo, and the rivalry between him and Da Vinci, which didn't sit right, and almost detracted from the storyline.
Only a couple of pages are actually dedicated to the painting, towards the end of the book, and we hear more about Lisa's bad tempered husband than we do of the painting. I would have preferred the story to have been more centered around the painting, rather than tacked on at the end, almost like an afterthought.
I found it quite strange for Lisa to insinuate that Da Vinci had made her look like his partner at the time, Salai, and it seemed unnecessary to the storyline.
I wouldn't recommend this to read to your children, as they will likely be distracted by something else. There are much better books for kids out there - this one about the Mona Lisa is boring for an adult reading it, never mind a child....more
I have been a fan of Samantha Young, since I originally read On Dublin Street. She is definitely Scotland's answer to Sylvia Day, with believable, funI have been a fan of Samantha Young, since I originally read On Dublin Street. She is definitely Scotland's answer to Sylvia Day, with believable, funny characters, who tug at the heart strings.
I have found that Samantha Young hasn't quite found the height of On Dublin Street, as yet, that magic that I initially fell in love with. Possibly, because they were based around Edinburgh, while her On Hart's Boardwalk series, and this, are set in America, with some Scottish references (dinnae fash).
I really felt torn between Ava and Caleb in this book, and there were so many twists and turns, that my head was positively spinning by the end of it. If I hadn't been reading the majority of it at my work, or on my way to and from work, I think I probably would have been shouting at the book - which would have probably got me thrown off the bus.
I hope to see a story on Harper as a continuation of this series, as I loved her character, and wanted to find out more about her. I did feel that Caleb's family revelations come a little too late in the story, in my opinion, I would have wanted to know a little bit earlier.
If you have not yet discovered Samantha Young, I probably wouldn't recommend this one to start off with, I'd be more inclined to beg you to read the On Dublin Street series....more
I love anything to do with time travel, but a lot of the time, these short stories are half assed ideas, which either never make much sense or leave yI love anything to do with time travel, but a lot of the time, these short stories are half assed ideas, which either never make much sense or leave you wanting more. In this case, it was most definitely the former.
Out of 6 short stories, I only liked the first (Fast Forward) and the last (Matchmaker). Both were really good ideas, with a little bit of work, could have been extended into full books. And will definitely stick with you after you’ve finished them.
The second story, Refracted, I ended up skipping, as it didn’t grab me, and the other stories were bland and nothing really piqued my interest as much as the bookends of this collection.
Of course, the different stories in this will appeal to different people, with the main grab being time travel, but for me, the middle stories were not well thought out, and should have been left as crumpled up notes on the desk. ...more
It's been a quiet day at work, so I've been trying to read some of the shorter books on my Kindle wishlist. This was only 48 pages, and I wasn't expecIt's been a quiet day at work, so I've been trying to read some of the shorter books on my Kindle wishlist. This was only 48 pages, and I wasn't expecting much, but it was quite annoying in places.
Of course, it's Mills & Boon, so the two main characters kiss within the first two pages (it's a case of mistaken identity, since Jennifer has a identical twin sister - of course), and are getting each other hot and bothered by halfway through the book. The Titanic hits the iceberg at 81%, so overall, it's a lot of relationship and disaster crammed into 48 pages.
I wouldn't have said it was a particularly sexy book - it didn't get me hot and bothered, instead I found myself criticizing the author's words, and how she wrote the sex scenes. Maybe I'm getting cynical in my old age, but I don't feel that I believe two people can think about getting it on, within a couple of days of meeting each other. Especially when the man thought he was kissing the other twin sister to begin with.
Overall, an OK book if you want to while away a half hour while at your work, but not memorable, and not something I will read again. ...more
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