Skip to Content
Hours & Location Help, opens a new window
Main navigation
Open search form

Search

Advanced Search
iloveseaotters
Sno-Isle Libraries
iloveseaotters's Profile Shelves

iloveseaotters's Completed Shelf

Filter your results by...

1 to 25 of 958 items
Print view, opens a new window

Carrie Pilby, eBook

by Lissner, Caren
eBook - 2010
iloveseaotters's rating:
1.5 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 10, 2021

Comment:

I can't review this book without making reference to the movie. The movie (which I found by accident on Netlflix) was literally love at first sight. I've seen it so many times now that I have most of it memorized. It ranks up there with "Sleepless in Seattle", "Roman Holiday" and "You've Got Mail". That is saying a LOT. I knew absolutely nothing about it before I started watching it so when I discovered that it's based on a book, I couldn't wait to read it. I wish I had waited a very long time. This is why I don't like reading books AFTER I've seen the movie, because my mind automatically wants the book to be like the movie. Whomever said that the book is ALWAYS better than the movie is WRONG because that statement does not apply here. So first I'm going to give a quick review of the movie and compare to the book (which as you have guessed I do not recommend at all). The movie is cute, funny, sweet and simple. The cast is perfect and although it's not a hilarious movie, the fact that I fell in love with it so quickly is a huge thing. Seriously, watch the movie-it's amazing. Okay, now onto the book. For me, most of it was just filler because like I said the movie is pretty simple and straightforward.The book has a lot of swearing and a lot of unnecessary scenes that just seemed to not be needed. In one part, Carrie decides to go to church (which does not happen in the movie at all) and I just felt that it was too dragged out. The list that she was given in the movie was very simple and straightforward. I hate to keep repeating myself, but really, that's the way it was. I didn't care for Carrie in the book at all nor did I like all of the swearing and the few sections pertaining to sex. I was so envious of her job in the movie but in the book it's completely different. We actually get to see her work, but I was a little disappointed in the way it was written. Honestly I was hoping that the book would fill in some blanks from the movie and help me appreciate the movie more but I couldn't even finish the book. I started it on New Year's Day, and it was going to be my first book of 2021. I didn't intend to take 8 days to read it and even then I finally gave up on it at page 237. I tried to finish, I really did but some of it was just painfully boring and so disappointing. I told myself that I would not watch the movie again until I'd finished the book, kind of as a reward for myself. But now I think that watching the movie will be much more enjoyable. At least I can get through that in two hours. Seriously, watch the movie instead of reading this boring book. You'll be glad you did, especially when you see Nathan Lane as her therapist.

A Promised Land, Book

by Obama, Barack
Book - 2020
iloveseaotters's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 26, 2020

Comment:

This book is long- extremely long (751 pages total, which includes the index) and I've completed about ten of them. President Obama is not only my favorite President but also one of the people I most admire, so I was excited when my turn came to check this out from the library. As I write this "review"this book is due at the library in three days. It has a waiting list of over 450 and it's going to take a while to read it thoroughly. So that being said I'm going to wait till sometime in 2021 to start from the beginning and get as much as I can out of President Obama's newest book. Another reason to look forward to 2021. But in the meantime I will say this... the first ten pages are pretty amazing.

Off the Tourist Trail, Book1,000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives

Book - 2009
iloveseaotters's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 25, 2020

Comment:

This is definitely a book for dreamers. It's very thick and heavy (weight wise)-better suited for a coffee table book. It's great for those who travel (like myself) and want alternatives to lesser explored places. I wasn't able to fully experience this book the way I had hoped but I will definitely check it out again in the future.

The Noel Diary, Book

by Evans, Richard Paul
Book - 2017
iloveseaotters's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 21, 2020

Comment:

I didn't expect to love this as much as I did but I'm definitely not complaining. I loved the characters of Jacob and Rachel. Looking forward to reading the other books in this series. Ironically this is the second Christmas book that I've read in a row where a road trip to Arizona is involved. I wonder if that's a sign...

Christmas at Harrington's, Book

by Carlson, Melody
Book - 2010
iloveseaotters's rating:
2 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 21, 2020

Comment:

I didn't like this book as much as I liked "Christmas Joyride", but if you read my review of that book, you'll realize that it's not a compliment. It started out interesting but honestly the whole story is ridiculous. Harrington's is actually a very minor part of the book and doesn't even come into play until about halfway through. (SPOILER: Her past is discovered and it affects her job, but seriously what kind of company doesn't do a background check before hiring someone. The whole point of the book was that she was starting a new life. The job was supposedly waiting for her but yet initially she had to get the position on her own, which didn't really make sense. I admit that it was the cover that drew me to this book, but the story just doesn't live up to my expectations. I only skimmed the last chapter when reading it and I think the writer must have skimmed it when writing it.

Merry and Bright, BookA Novel

by Macomber, Debbie
Book - 2017
iloveseaotters's rating:
1.5 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 21, 2020

Comment:

It's hard to know how to start this review because this book is REALLY bad. Think of the worst Hallmark Christmas movie you've ever seen and that would be this book. Speaking as someone who LOVES most Hallmark Christmas movies, that's saying a lot. I've read a lot of Debbie Macomber's books in the past. Some were good and some I couldn't get into, but none of them are this bad. I'll start with the title. It's cute and all, but as soon as I discovered the "meaning" behind it (Merry is the main character and her boss' last name is Bright) I was rolling my eyes. As I read on (still rolling my eyes), I was surprised at how badly it is written. It's like a bad YA book, geared more toward pre-teens (writing wise) in very simplistic words. The storyline, of course is intended for adults but I hated it. Yes, it's a knockoff of "You've Got Mail" but a very, very bad one. "YGM" is one of my all time favorite movies and this has absolutely none of the charm. I'll spare you the details as I'm sure others have reiterated the storyline in their review. However, I do feel the need to mention some spoilers: First of all, Merry is the main character and works as a temp for Jayson Bright. How she managed to get a temp job that lasted A YEAR is beyond me-and beyond ridiculous. Her boss basically clashes with her daily and thinks her name is Mary, because that's what her name plate says. Both he and Merry end up online and find each other through a dating site. However, he doesn't know that Mary and Merry are one and the same. I mean, really? They couldn't come up with a different name? After a while, my head was spinning trying to remember which Mary/Merry was which. And then there the stupid things he says to his cousin like "I'm in love with Merry online but in love with Mary at the office". Over the phone, this makes NO sense. The worst line I've ever read in a so-called romance novel has to be when Merry and Jayson are online. Jason says "You're the one who has talons in my heart." OMG, that is disgusting! I mean, just the image that it conjures up makes me cringe. I originally planned to read to page 100 and then add it to my DNF list. But I admit that I was intrigued so I kept on reading. Had it been closer to 300 pages, I wouldn't have finished. And frankly reading the last 50 pages was painful enough. It might be a long time before I read anymore Debbie Macomber books but I hope that I never read something this bad from her again. While I was reading, I couldn't help "rewriting it in my head" hoping for a better story.

Greenlights, Book

by McConaughey, Matthew
Book - 2020
iloveseaotters's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 12, 2020

Comment:

Before I started reading this, Ididn't know a lot about Matthew McConaughey except that he is from Texas and went to the University of Texas. But he is so much more. I love that this was unlike any other autobiography I've ever read. It's absolutely hilarious, sensitive and extremely personal. I loved it so much that I really want to listen to the audio book, which he narrates. My only "complaint "is that the pictures are really small. But they tell a very big story.

The Panda Problem, Book

by Underwood, Deborah
Book - 2019
iloveseaotters's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 9, 2020

Comment:

I absolutely love pandas and this was such a cute and really funny book told in a unique way. It's not often that the character talks directly to the writer and vice versa! The illustrations are really cute, too.

What Happens Under the Mistletoe, Book

Book - 2015
Added Dec 2, 2020

Comment:

I liked the concept if this book but with everything going on in my life, it proved to be too much to take in. It took me a while to get past the first few pages. I may try reading this again at s later date but until then I'm going to move on my next read.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, DVD

DVD - 2009
iloveseaotters's rating:
2.5 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 1, 2020

Comment:

I was so sure that this movie was going to be horrible, but I was so wrong. In the beginning there's a lot (and I mean a lot) of references to sex, to the point where it was getting annoying. But it didn't last long and it gave way to some absolutely hilarious moments; most by Lacey Chabert (whom I absolutely love and had no idea was in this!), but a lot by Matthew Mcconaughey. I didn't realize that the movie was a take on "A Christmas Carol", but I liked the concept. It could have been a little better in some parts, but I loved Michael Douglas as the "Jacob Marley" ghost. The ending was pretty predictable but it was also lacking something. Overall, though I did like this one. I probably wouldn't seek it out to watch it again, but it's worth seeing at least once.

The Princess Diaries, DVDThe Princess Diaries 2 : Royal Engagement

DVD - 2012
iloveseaotters's rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 28, 2020

Comment:

I'd seen the original a few times but it was nice to see it again bundled with the sequel which I'd only seen bits and pieces of. As for the original it was really cute and I loved Mia's transformation from ordinary teenager to Princess. Julie Andrews was beyond wonderful and I loved Hector Elizondo. Such a cute and funny movie.. As for the sequel, I admit that I lost interest a few times and had to re watch it twice, but all in all I really liked it. Loved the Princess slumber party and what makes sequels work is having most of the original cast. That was a define plus. Gary Marshall directed both of these movies and there is a slight nod to "Pretty Woman" in the sequel (unless I just imagined it). For me the best thing about this DVD set was/were the extras. So many, including a Princess quiz, outtakes and a featurette on the making of the movie. It looked amazingly fun! I'm almost finished with "Royal Engagement" but I think I'm going to watch it again with the commentary featuring Julie Andrews and Hector Elizondo. Honestly I'm going to be sad when I have to return this to the library, but I will definitely check it out again!

The Hundred Penny Box, Book

by Mathis, Sharon Bell
Book - 2006
iloveseaotters's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 28, 2020

Comment:

Excellent book that has some subtle humor and touching moments. I waited a long time for this book to arrive at my library and it was definitely worth the wait!

Christmas at the Palace, DVD

DVD - 2019
iloveseaotters's rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 21, 2020

Comment:

I really liked this one because it combines ice skating and royalty-who wouldn't love that? It's a sweet storyline that's a little different than the other ones with a Nutcracker feel to it.

Stories From Suffragette City, Book

Book - 2020
iloveseaotters's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 17, 2020

Comment:

I feel somewhat guilty for leaving this book unfinished because it's worth finishing. It was just hard to read so many stories about the sane subject and I started getting bored with them about halfway through. I really read this book because of Kristin Hannah's introduction which I loved. Of the stories that I read, my absolute favorite was "A First Step" by MJ Rose. It was cute and funny and I wish it had been a lot longer because it ended on a cliffhanger of sorts. I would love to read an expanded version. I loved the characters and really didn't want it to end. That being said, unless I'm confused, a couple of the characters are mentioned in the following story ("Deeds, Not Words"-which was interesting at first but felt way too long.) Overall it's a great concept for a book, with a lot of unique stories. I will probably go back and read the rest at a later date.

Heartburn, Book

by Ephron, Nora
Book - 1996
iloveseaotters's rating:
1 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 15, 2020

Comment:

I hated giving this book one star because honestly I love Nora Ephron. And to be fair I won this book (and three of her other-hopefully better) books in a Facebook contest, so what follows is an honest review. I tried reading this three times and I've had it in my possession for years. The fact that it took me this long to begin it probably should have been a sign. But I was hoping that I would be wrong. The first chapter is way too wordy and kind of annoying because questions are "said" and not "asked". But in a nutshell it just wasn't funny. I even skimmed it and couldn't find much to like about it. Oddly enough, I absolutely love the movie, so there's that. I think I'll stick to it because it's hilarious and Jack Nicholson/Meryl Streep make a great couple. BTW, Meryl narrates the audio book, so maybe I'll give that a try. In the meantime I'll start reading one of Nora's other books. If that doesn't work, I'll just watch "Sleepless in Seattle " again.

The Hopefuls, Book

by Close, Jennifer
Book - 2016
iloveseaotters's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 15, 2020

Comment:

I honestly didn't think I would like this book at all but, like most books on my to-read list, I added it because it sounded interesting. It took me a while to read it (almost a month, which for me is a long time), but there was just something about it that kept me reading. It only took a few pages for me to like Beth. I mean I really liked her. She was someone that I could see myself being best friends with. The plot is hard to describe when you're in the middle of this book, but once I neared the end, it became more and more clear what Ms Close was trying to convey. I should have known that I was coming to the end when I felt my eyes filling with tears as I eagerly read to the end to find out the fates of the four main characters. The book itself has some hilarious moments and some entertaining ones as well. By the time I got to the end I was struck by how emotional I'd become and how painfully realistic it was. But I'm pretty sure that my emotional state was due to the fact that I knew I was going to have to leave Beth, Matt, Jimmy and Viv. I liked them all for different reasons, although none of them are perfect in the least. I'm not much of a political person and I found myself drawn to Beth because it felt like we were similar in a lot of ways. I love that a large portion of this book takes place in Texas and if I didn't know any better I'd say that Ms. Close is from Texas (like me, born and raised) the way she named off so many towns (even ones I didn't know and I lived in Texas for 28 years!) and places in the Lone Star State. That being said, I should point out that "The Hopefuls" is a "blue" book, meaning that the basic plot revolves around democratic politics and the events surrounding Obama's campaign for re-election in a very clever way. So if you are someone who doesn't like the politicians mentioned in this book, or you are a "red" person, you probably won't like "The Hopefuls" as much as I did. But after reading the whole book I realized that yes, the book is about two politicians and their wives, but it's more about relationships between husbands/wives and friendships. The book is wrapped up nicely, but I honestly wish (and hope) that there will be another book featuring at least Matt and Beth (the two main characters; the book is told in Beth's point of view), because I'd love to read more about their lives. I'd even settle for a movie version of "The Hopefuls" although I know that it would never be as good as the book. Now after all of this gushing I probably should have given it a five star rating, but I'm deducting one star for the amount of swearing that was intertwined throughout the pages. Pretty much all of it was unnecessary, and sometimes it took away from the story itself. I think I would have enjoyed it more without seeing the showers of "F" and "S" words on every third or fourth page.

Everything I Need to Know About Christmas I Learned From A Little Golden Book, Book

by Muldrow, Diane
Book - 2014
iloveseaotters's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 15, 2020

Comment:

This book is really cute, as are all of the books in this series. Reading the titles of the books where the pictures came from makes me want to divulge into my childhood and re-read some of those wonderful Little Golden Books! Loved the Christmas theme!

Everything I Need to Know I Learned From A Little Golden Book, Book

by Muldrow, Diane
Book - 2013
iloveseaotters's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 15, 2020

Comment:

This is such a cute concept for a book! I loved the illustrations because they brought back childhood memories and made me want to read all of the Little Golden Books again. I really liked all of the positive messages. That's nice to see in a book for adults.

Searching for John Hughes, BookOr Everything I Thought I Needed to Know About Life I Learned From Watching '80s Movies

by Diamond, Jason
Book - 2016
iloveseaotters's rating:
1 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 10, 2020

Comment:

To say that reading this was disappointing is a huge understatement. In all fairness I admire the guy for taking something that he loves and turning it into a book. In fact, I'm a bit jealous. If you're looking for a book on 80s nostalgia, this is not the book for you. I started reading from the beginning but found this guy's life so boring that I started skipping pages to the infamous John Hughes' movies ( which, thankfully were italicized so that I could find them easily. I did learn a few facts here and there but for the most part, it was mainly his opinion of the movies. I found it hard to understand why he related to these movies so much, given that he was only 3 years old when Sixteen Candles was released, but I guess he saw something in those movies at a young age and tried to apply the characters and situations to his daily life. He also mentions more than once that he could relate to Andi (Molly Ringwald) in Pretty In Pink but the fact that he also wanted to BE Andi is rather disturbing. The book as a whole is an interesting concept, but the pages are so overpowering with the constant swearing and use of all caps on almost every page to get his point across that it was annoyingto try and read it. It's almost like he's screaming at you. Frankly the guy makes himself come off like a loser; he talks about stealing John Hughes movies from "big box" stores, using the "F" word in relation to his mother (gasp!) and doing drugs. It is said that this book is hilarious, but the only funny lines in this book are quotes from the movies and not words that he actually wrote. Big surprise. The concept of this book is great. I just wish it had a lot less of his personal story ( seriously, not interesting at all) and a lot less swearing. However as a high schooler in the John Hughes era, I hope I can find a book that is much more worthy and will definitely keep looking.

Fairfield Road, DVD

DVD - 2013
iloveseaotters's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Oct 30, 2020

Comment:

I don't know why it took me so long to watch this. I started it several times and then decided to watch something else, but I persevered and I'm very happy that I did. I love Jessie Metcalf and it was kind of funny seeing him so young. "Fairfield Road" is so much better than I expected. Loved the acting and as usual, Hallmark movies are always set in the most beautiful places. "Fairfield" has a political tone to it (fictional of course) which makes it perfect for watching around Election Day-or anytime.

Holiday Engagement, DVD

DVD - 2012
iloveseaotters's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Oct 30, 2020

Comment:

I've lost count of how many times I've watched this and it's definitely one of my favorites. I don't like Shelly Long at all and she's kind of annoying as the mom but the rest of the cast makes up for it. Lots of funny moments and predictable romance abound.

Sun, Sand & Romance, DVD

DVD - 2019
iloveseaotters's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Oct 30, 2020

Comment:

This one had me dreaming of going to the beach! The movie is kind of predictable but the scenery more than makes up for it. There's a great message about following your dreams.

Christmas at the Plaza, DVD

DVD - 2020
iloveseaotters's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Oct 30, 2020

Comment:

This is one of my all time favorite Hallmark Christmas movies. I was unfamiliar with the actress, but I love Ryan Paevey. What I loved most about it was the scenery (loved the scenes in the Plaza Hotel) and the fact that it's a really unique storyline. I love Hallmark movies in general but sometimes they can get a little repetitive so it's nice to see something different that still keeps the same feeling as their other movies.

An American Christmas Carol, DVD

DVD - 2012
iloveseaotters's rating:
1.5 out of 5 stars
Added Oct 28, 2020

Comment:

I hate to say it because I love Henry Winkler. but this is probably my least favorite version of A Christmas Carol. It's slow, boring and honestly a little hard to follow, even though I know the story. It just dragged and made thr movie seem a lot longer than it is. I prefer the more traditional versions.

Awakenings, DVD

DVD - 1997
iloveseaotters's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Oct 28, 2020

Comment:

This movie has been a favorite of mine since I first saw it in the theatre when it was released. It has a little bit of everything; humor, drama, sadness and a touch of romance. It's a very sweet film that's based on a true story. Robin Williams is wonderful in the title role and I loved Julie Cavner. I'm not usually a fan of Robert DiNero, but he was great as Raymond and his chemistry with Penelope Ann Miller was very sweet.
1 to 25 of 958 items

Powered by BiblioCommons.

NERF:nerf02 Version 8.35.0@0fc5ce9 Last updated 2020/12/08 13:48