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Debbiereadsbook (1721 KP) rated Stalk of the Town (The Rhubarb Effect #6) in Books
Jan 18, 2025
sticking to the 4 fun and smexy stars!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Book 6 of 7 in this series, and you really do NEED to read the others. There is an overlapping timeline and story arc.
Goliath is the gentle giant of the town. He likes to check on people from afar, hence the nickname, Stalk Of The Town. He's an Alpha stalk, and catching a sight of the llama in the pack gives him hope that he can have a mate. But will the drama llama accept him as he is? Drew is omega, but likes to be in control. Discovering just why he likes being at the bottom of the garden and doing all kinds of naughty things doesn't mean he will have to stop being himself, does it??
What I'm loving about these books is how much FUN they are! Drew really is a drama llama and his reaction to missing Tim's babies being born, followed by the birth of Burke's babies is a prime example and he made me laugh! He was a bit horrid to Goliath for making him miss Tim's delivery but he does make it up to him.
I loved that Drew could really see Goliath, and picked up very quickly that he preferred their mental connection to communicate.
Leo is the last man standing, and he will be the last book with the sheriff as his mate. He is also the reason why the old alpha is in town, and we might actually get the full story in the last book! Also, there is some reluctance on Leo's part to take his mate, given as they are both alphas. That'll be fun to read!
I'm loving that I've been kept on my toes for 6 books but I'm really desperate for the grand finale!
sticking at the 4 fun and smexy stars, maybe book 7 will tip over to 5!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Book 6 of 7 in this series, and you really do NEED to read the others. There is an overlapping timeline and story arc.
Goliath is the gentle giant of the town. He likes to check on people from afar, hence the nickname, Stalk Of The Town. He's an Alpha stalk, and catching a sight of the llama in the pack gives him hope that he can have a mate. But will the drama llama accept him as he is? Drew is omega, but likes to be in control. Discovering just why he likes being at the bottom of the garden and doing all kinds of naughty things doesn't mean he will have to stop being himself, does it??
What I'm loving about these books is how much FUN they are! Drew really is a drama llama and his reaction to missing Tim's babies being born, followed by the birth of Burke's babies is a prime example and he made me laugh! He was a bit horrid to Goliath for making him miss Tim's delivery but he does make it up to him.
I loved that Drew could really see Goliath, and picked up very quickly that he preferred their mental connection to communicate.
Leo is the last man standing, and he will be the last book with the sheriff as his mate. He is also the reason why the old alpha is in town, and we might actually get the full story in the last book! Also, there is some reluctance on Leo's part to take his mate, given as they are both alphas. That'll be fun to read!
I'm loving that I've been kept on my toes for 6 books but I'm really desperate for the grand finale!
sticking at the 4 fun and smexy stars, maybe book 7 will tip over to 5!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Merissa (13942 KP) rated A Whisper of Claws (Steel Vanguard #1) in Books
Apr 13, 2026
A WHISPER OF CLAWS is the first book in the Steel Vanguard series, set in the same world as The Hawks series, but in a different land.
And I made a mistake! A huge one! I had all weekend to read this book, and I started it on Friday night. I also finished it on Friday night. Well, technically, it was Saturday morning, but either way... I should have known better. I really should have. It's a JLR book, which means I'm never going to be able to put it down once I start.
Anyway, in case you haven't already been able to tell, this was a fantastic story that gripped me from the very beginning. There is no slow build-up to this story. It starts with a death and continues on from there, giving the backstory in a natural way as the story progresses.
The characters are all great, although some need to get their heads out of their a$$es. Yes, I'm looking at you, Luke and Shane! Okay, so Luka kinda did, but still... it took long enough. Izzy deserves a medal for putting up with him. She is a strong, independent character who was a delight to read.
You don't have to have read The Hawks series to enjoy this one. There is enough backstory and world-building for anyone. Plus, the overall story arc is going to be a good one, and I can't wait to read more in this series. The Steel Vanguard are bound to have a multitude of adventures, with love and loss along the way, and I am here for it! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 10, 2026
And I made a mistake! A huge one! I had all weekend to read this book, and I started it on Friday night. I also finished it on Friday night. Well, technically, it was Saturday morning, but either way... I should have known better. I really should have. It's a JLR book, which means I'm never going to be able to put it down once I start.
Anyway, in case you haven't already been able to tell, this was a fantastic story that gripped me from the very beginning. There is no slow build-up to this story. It starts with a death and continues on from there, giving the backstory in a natural way as the story progresses.
The characters are all great, although some need to get their heads out of their a$$es. Yes, I'm looking at you, Luke and Shane! Okay, so Luka kinda did, but still... it took long enough. Izzy deserves a medal for putting up with him. She is a strong, independent character who was a delight to read.
You don't have to have read The Hawks series to enjoy this one. There is enough backstory and world-building for anyone. Plus, the overall story arc is going to be a good one, and I can't wait to read more in this series. The Steel Vanguard are bound to have a multitude of adventures, with love and loss along the way, and I am here for it! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 10, 2026
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Moonville ( Gold Prophecy 1-4) in Books
Mar 1, 2024
40 of 220
Kindle
Booksirens arc
Moonville (Gold Blood Prophecy 1-4)
By K.J Devoir
⭐️⭐️
Please check Trigger warnings
Psycho gets the girl.
Leena Sperling has fallen into darkness. Darkness has a name...
ZAND BYRON
He’s larger than life. He’s also a deeply dangerous, twisted soul, a textbook psychopath. But, somehow...she makes him feel.
"You can run, Leena. But I will find you."
Leena: When I arrived to the City of Souls, the tiny cemetery town wrapping the Bay Area foothills where Moonvine Manor is located, I had no idea what to expect or how insane my life would become after moving into the former, Queen Anne, funeral home that belonged to my missing sister. I should have known that being greeted by a tombstone-shaped granite welcome sign was either a sick joke or a bad omen. But I could never have predicted that I would fall in love with the darkness.
Zand: I don’t want to ever stop making her cry. Her tears are full of human feelings, and I love the taste. She makes me feel, but part of me wants to end the human in her that brings out the human in me. In a heartbeat, I could make her nightmares infinitely darker. I'm a bad man, trying to be good.
Ok so this premise was good it gave me very much Morganville vibes but a little darker and steamy. The characters were ok and certainly lived up to the dark paranormal romance vibe.
But I had a few issues and I can only be honest. There were bits of the book that didn’t quite add up and there was something really off about it all. A few times I wanted to stop reading. It just wasn’t for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Please check Trigger warnings
Kindle
Booksirens arc
Moonville (Gold Blood Prophecy 1-4)
By K.J Devoir
⭐️⭐️
Please check Trigger warnings
Psycho gets the girl.
Leena Sperling has fallen into darkness. Darkness has a name...
ZAND BYRON
He’s larger than life. He’s also a deeply dangerous, twisted soul, a textbook psychopath. But, somehow...she makes him feel.
"You can run, Leena. But I will find you."
Leena: When I arrived to the City of Souls, the tiny cemetery town wrapping the Bay Area foothills where Moonvine Manor is located, I had no idea what to expect or how insane my life would become after moving into the former, Queen Anne, funeral home that belonged to my missing sister. I should have known that being greeted by a tombstone-shaped granite welcome sign was either a sick joke or a bad omen. But I could never have predicted that I would fall in love with the darkness.
Zand: I don’t want to ever stop making her cry. Her tears are full of human feelings, and I love the taste. She makes me feel, but part of me wants to end the human in her that brings out the human in me. In a heartbeat, I could make her nightmares infinitely darker. I'm a bad man, trying to be good.
Ok so this premise was good it gave me very much Morganville vibes but a little darker and steamy. The characters were ok and certainly lived up to the dark paranormal romance vibe.
But I had a few issues and I can only be honest. There were bits of the book that didn’t quite add up and there was something really off about it all. A few times I wanted to stop reading. It just wasn’t for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Please check Trigger warnings
Merissa (13942 KP) rated Worth the Fight (Worth It #2) in Books
Dec 22, 2025
WORTH THE FIGHT is the second book in the Worth It series, and features the cocky fireman from book one, Reece. It also stars Trent, the paramedic who seems to have all the answers. Guess what? He doesn't.
Told from dual perspectives, their story gives you all the information you need - from the current time to a couple of flashbacks, which help you understand their relationship better. I wasn't that bothered about Reese in the first book, and just saw what he presented to the world, but I really enjoyed him in this one. Seeing the man behind the mask, with all his vulnerabilities and wishes, really hit the mark. And I would say the same for Trent. Seeing this capable paramedic turn into something else when he's off shift was so well-written. And the two of them together? Hot!!! It's a good job Reese is a fireman, although I don't think he's got a snowball's chance in hell of putting this fire out.
The overall arc continues and moves forward, especially with Reece's twin brother, Ethan. And that was the other thing I loved. The similarities in looks, differences in personalities, and yet when the crunch came, Ethan was there for Reece. I'm hoping he is in the next book, just so I can see how his story pans out.
And happily for me, Nathan, Freddie, and Alfie were here too. I was a little traumatised during their story (as I was supposed to be), and I'm really hoping again that we catch up with them in the third book, as I NEED to know that Alfie is okay now.
A great read that had me gripped. A wonderful addition to the story, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 22, 2025
Told from dual perspectives, their story gives you all the information you need - from the current time to a couple of flashbacks, which help you understand their relationship better. I wasn't that bothered about Reese in the first book, and just saw what he presented to the world, but I really enjoyed him in this one. Seeing the man behind the mask, with all his vulnerabilities and wishes, really hit the mark. And I would say the same for Trent. Seeing this capable paramedic turn into something else when he's off shift was so well-written. And the two of them together? Hot!!! It's a good job Reese is a fireman, although I don't think he's got a snowball's chance in hell of putting this fire out.
The overall arc continues and moves forward, especially with Reece's twin brother, Ethan. And that was the other thing I loved. The similarities in looks, differences in personalities, and yet when the crunch came, Ethan was there for Reece. I'm hoping he is in the next book, just so I can see how his story pans out.
And happily for me, Nathan, Freddie, and Alfie were here too. I was a little traumatised during their story (as I was supposed to be), and I'm really hoping again that we catch up with them in the third book, as I NEED to know that Alfie is okay now.
A great read that had me gripped. A wonderful addition to the story, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 22, 2025
Merissa (13942 KP) rated One Step Sideways (Enhanced World Security #1) in Books
Mar 18, 2025
ONE STEP SIDEWAYS is the first book in the Enhanced World Security series, which itself is a spinoff of the Enhanced World H.E.R.O. series. I haven't read any of those, but I now want to! I don't feel as though my enjoyment was negatively impacted by not having read them, as enough details were given here that I understood what was going on.
Kane has had a terrible life. No two ways about it. My heart broke for him on so many occasions and when he first met Danny, I went full-on Mama Bear. Danny was a soldier who also had something terrible happen to him and his friends, which has left him with severe PTSD. He has a gorgeous service dog but immediately thought the worst of Kane in every possible situation when he thought Kane had hurt a dog in his past. He really was a judgemental pr!ck.
But then the story picked up, I became invested, and Danny and Kane worked things out and became the most important thing to each other, and I was okay with that.
This does have an overreaching arc so don't expect everything to be tied up in this edition, but it made for a fantastic read. Well-paced, with plenty of action, twists and turns, plus hooks dangling which left me wanting the next book immediately, it was already a 5-star read for me. But then Danny went above and beyond and had my eyes leaking for the last part of the book. That 5-star was never in doubt!!! An amazing story and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 18, 2025
Kane has had a terrible life. No two ways about it. My heart broke for him on so many occasions and when he first met Danny, I went full-on Mama Bear. Danny was a soldier who also had something terrible happen to him and his friends, which has left him with severe PTSD. He has a gorgeous service dog but immediately thought the worst of Kane in every possible situation when he thought Kane had hurt a dog in his past. He really was a judgemental pr!ck.
But then the story picked up, I became invested, and Danny and Kane worked things out and became the most important thing to each other, and I was okay with that.
This does have an overreaching arc so don't expect everything to be tied up in this edition, but it made for a fantastic read. Well-paced, with plenty of action, twists and turns, plus hooks dangling which left me wanting the next book immediately, it was already a 5-star read for me. But then Danny went above and beyond and had my eyes leaking for the last part of the book. That 5-star was never in doubt!!! An amazing story and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 18, 2025
ClareR (6129 KP) rated Creature: A Novel of Mary Shelley and Frankenstein in Books
Aug 27, 2025
This book tells the story of Mary Shelley, how she ran away with the poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley, in order to live the life that she wanted to live, free of the constraints of society and hopefully live up to her perception of her mother’s standards. Instead, it felt as though she was dragged around Europe by her (eventual) husband, everything at his whim, paying for freedom from society with the deaths of 4 of her 5 children.
Ok, I may be a little harsh here. Mortality rates in infants were abysmal at this point in history, but I’m. Still not a Shelley/ Byron fan 🤷🏼♀️
If it sounds as though I’m being negative, I actually loved this book. The writing is wonderfully descriptive, the perspectives swapping between Mary and (and this is what really makes this novel stand out)the Creature from the novel, Frankenstein. His life plays out at the same time as Mary’s, he grows up with her from childhood, always nearby, I’m sure she could have seen him from the corner of her eye. His life is as tragic as hers.
Reading this novel, I was standing beside Mary and her Creature, experiencing their lives with them, which was pretty hard-going at times. To experience such loss and keep going really shows Mary’s strength of character.
Mary’s life was adventurous, uncertain, unconventional, rich in experience, and pretty frustrating at times - thanks to Shelley and Byron!
This took me longer than it possibly could have to read. I kept going through the footnotes, googling, reading some of Shelley’s and Byron’s poetry - this book took over my reading entirely!
Now, where did I put my copy of Frankenstein? I might just have to reread…
I received an ARC of this book for free, and I’m reading this review voluntarily (and why wouldn’t I?!). Many thanks to the publishers, BookSirens and Amy Weldon.
Ok, I may be a little harsh here. Mortality rates in infants were abysmal at this point in history, but I’m. Still not a Shelley/ Byron fan 🤷🏼♀️
If it sounds as though I’m being negative, I actually loved this book. The writing is wonderfully descriptive, the perspectives swapping between Mary and (and this is what really makes this novel stand out)the Creature from the novel, Frankenstein. His life plays out at the same time as Mary’s, he grows up with her from childhood, always nearby, I’m sure she could have seen him from the corner of her eye. His life is as tragic as hers.
Reading this novel, I was standing beside Mary and her Creature, experiencing their lives with them, which was pretty hard-going at times. To experience such loss and keep going really shows Mary’s strength of character.
Mary’s life was adventurous, uncertain, unconventional, rich in experience, and pretty frustrating at times - thanks to Shelley and Byron!
This took me longer than it possibly could have to read. I kept going through the footnotes, googling, reading some of Shelley’s and Byron’s poetry - this book took over my reading entirely!
Now, where did I put my copy of Frankenstein? I might just have to reread…
I received an ARC of this book for free, and I’m reading this review voluntarily (and why wouldn’t I?!). Many thanks to the publishers, BookSirens and Amy Weldon.
ClareR (6129 KP) rated Jewels of the Crown in Books
Nov 23, 2025 (Updated Nov 23, 2025)
Jewels of the Crown is the fourth and final novelette in the After the Storm quartet, and it sets things up very nicely for what is to come!
Each novelette has centred around one of the four main characters, and Jewels is all about Lawrence, the King of the werewolves, and a rather large secret that he has been keeping form his mates.
I loved finding out about how the mates are settling in to parenthood and their new lives - and the children seemed to be as mischievous as many children are! One or two also seem to have a trick or two tucked up their sleeves - which I’m sure will come out further in subsequent novels (I hope!).
I’ve been trying to work out why I like these books by Dianna Hardy so much, and I think I’ve come up with one or two reasons. I really enjoy the writing style and how we get to see what the characters are thinking “in their own words”; of course, there’s the fantastical element of werewolves and magic that relates back to my love of fairy tales, myth and legend; and then there’s the found family. This theme has snuck up on me over the years, but I seem to read a lot of books where the main characters find the people that they want to call their family, and these aren’t the people that they necessarily grew up with. And Dianna’s books do this so well.
If this sounds like something you’d like to read, I should say that there’s a touch of spice in these books, too, but if that’s likely to be a deal breaker, I wouldn’t let it put you off. There’s so much going on in such a short space of a novelette besides the sex (and it’s all in context - not gratuitous).
I look forward to every book that Dianna publishes, and I feel very lucky to have received the ARC of this book.
All opinions are, of course, my own.
Each novelette has centred around one of the four main characters, and Jewels is all about Lawrence, the King of the werewolves, and a rather large secret that he has been keeping form his mates.
I loved finding out about how the mates are settling in to parenthood and their new lives - and the children seemed to be as mischievous as many children are! One or two also seem to have a trick or two tucked up their sleeves - which I’m sure will come out further in subsequent novels (I hope!).
I’ve been trying to work out why I like these books by Dianna Hardy so much, and I think I’ve come up with one or two reasons. I really enjoy the writing style and how we get to see what the characters are thinking “in their own words”; of course, there’s the fantastical element of werewolves and magic that relates back to my love of fairy tales, myth and legend; and then there’s the found family. This theme has snuck up on me over the years, but I seem to read a lot of books where the main characters find the people that they want to call their family, and these aren’t the people that they necessarily grew up with. And Dianna’s books do this so well.
If this sounds like something you’d like to read, I should say that there’s a touch of spice in these books, too, but if that’s likely to be a deal breaker, I wouldn’t let it put you off. There’s so much going on in such a short space of a novelette besides the sex (and it’s all in context - not gratuitous).
I look forward to every book that Dianna publishes, and I feel very lucky to have received the ARC of this book.
All opinions are, of course, my own.
Merissa (13942 KP) rated Worth the Risk (Worth It #3) in Books
Dec 29, 2025
WORTH THE RISK is the last book in the Worth It series, rounding off the overall story about Radley.
It's time for Jude to take the spotlight, something he's become familiar with after staying with Alfie in the last book. And for him, the only one who would match him is Warren. He is an undercover officer, on his last chance, after he was reprimanded for going off-script. The only trouble is, with Jude, it doesn't feel like a script, but all too real.
I liked Jude in the other stories, and really wanted his. What I didn't expect was for it to be as good, or as heart-wrenching, as it was. And the thing that I absolutely loved was although things happened that shook the ground underneath him, he was prepared to listen to explanations, rather than just run away with misconceptions or miscommunications.
Warren was perfect for him. A big squishy marshmallow who knows how to protect. While I found it funny to read how he disregarded all protocol, I'm sure he would be a nightmare to work with!!! Still, he was perfect for Jude and the story. I'm so glad I got to read their story.
The overall arc also gets sorted, with a couple of twists here and there that I did not see coming! I loved how it not only gave me a very satisfying ending to the series, but also caught me up to date with the couples and their families that I have met while reading the stories.
This was an outstanding series, and I really hope it's not the end of Worthbridge! The best of a really good bunch, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 29, 2025
It's time for Jude to take the spotlight, something he's become familiar with after staying with Alfie in the last book. And for him, the only one who would match him is Warren. He is an undercover officer, on his last chance, after he was reprimanded for going off-script. The only trouble is, with Jude, it doesn't feel like a script, but all too real.
I liked Jude in the other stories, and really wanted his. What I didn't expect was for it to be as good, or as heart-wrenching, as it was. And the thing that I absolutely loved was although things happened that shook the ground underneath him, he was prepared to listen to explanations, rather than just run away with misconceptions or miscommunications.
Warren was perfect for him. A big squishy marshmallow who knows how to protect. While I found it funny to read how he disregarded all protocol, I'm sure he would be a nightmare to work with!!! Still, he was perfect for Jude and the story. I'm so glad I got to read their story.
The overall arc also gets sorted, with a couple of twists here and there that I did not see coming! I loved how it not only gave me a very satisfying ending to the series, but also caught me up to date with the couples and their families that I have met while reading the stories.
This was an outstanding series, and I really hope it's not the end of Worthbridge! The best of a really good bunch, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 29, 2025
Merissa (13942 KP) rated Red Moon Rising (Strength of the Pack #3) in Books
Feb 20, 2026
RED MOON RISING is the third book in the Strength of the Pack series, and it begins with a kidnapping. Tristan has finished a late shift at the diner and is making his way home when he is accosted by a couple of members of Cale's pack. They take him back to their compound, where things look bleak, before Colby does what he never thought possible.
Boy, if there's ever anyone who needs therapy (and a sh!t ton of it, too!), it's Colby. While nothing is specifically said, you get the gist of it enough to know how hellish his life is. But Tristan makes him want to be better, not liking who he is in the mirror that Tristan is metaphorically holding up.
Matt's pack may be one of the good ones, but they don't deal well with change, this time in the shape of Colby. Now, I understand why they have their reasons not to trust everyone immediately, but it does make me a little sad. That is one of the reasons I loved it when Tristan had his realisation about Riley and tried to change his behaviour.
I loved Colby and Tristan, both together and separately, the same way I loved that Tristan recognised (with a little help from Bryce) that Colby would need more help than he could give. I would have preferred a different ending with Cale and Nico, though. The one we got just seemed a little anticlimactic.
It's Bryce's story next, and he's not looking for a mate, so it should be fun. The overall story arc is continuing along nicely, and I am thoroughly enjoying this series. Definitely recommended by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 20, 2026
Boy, if there's ever anyone who needs therapy (and a sh!t ton of it, too!), it's Colby. While nothing is specifically said, you get the gist of it enough to know how hellish his life is. But Tristan makes him want to be better, not liking who he is in the mirror that Tristan is metaphorically holding up.
Matt's pack may be one of the good ones, but they don't deal well with change, this time in the shape of Colby. Now, I understand why they have their reasons not to trust everyone immediately, but it does make me a little sad. That is one of the reasons I loved it when Tristan had his realisation about Riley and tried to change his behaviour.
I loved Colby and Tristan, both together and separately, the same way I loved that Tristan recognised (with a little help from Bryce) that Colby would need more help than he could give. I would have preferred a different ending with Cale and Nico, though. The one we got just seemed a little anticlimactic.
It's Bryce's story next, and he's not looking for a mate, so it should be fun. The overall story arc is continuing along nicely, and I am thoroughly enjoying this series. Definitely recommended by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 20, 2026
Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated The Art of Hiding in Books
Oct 6, 2017
Right, I'm going, to be honest here and say that I really struggled with this book and it was only the last few chapters that bumped this up to a three star for me.
Until then It was a two all the way, so sorry.
I'm obviously in a minority here in regards to how The art Of Hiding was perceived by myself as I've seen many positive reviews singing its praises and this is a well-written story it just personally wasn't really my cup of tea.
So I'm going to try and pinpoint what wasn't working for me as there was never one major thing that stood out specifically and also what was actually floating my boat.
So first things first I've never read anything by Amanda Prowse before, so was going in blind here.
Well, my initial impression was that The Art Of Hiding was really well written, the words flowed easily and the writing style was one that was easy to get lost in.
But here comes my main problem, the actual story itself, I found it a bit boring and somewhat one-dimensional.
I also wondered whether the author herself has ever lived on the breadline or was this her portrayal of what she thinks it would be like to be in that scenario.
I thought to myself why wasn't Nina McCarrick with no income not down the job centre and putting in an application, dare I say it for housing benefit.
She was meant to be on her arse after all.
It also annoyed me how living on the breadline was initially portrayed all doom and gloom and shitty childhoods, I didn't find it a realistic portrayal of how the other half lives it was very stereotypical in the way it depicted the rich and the poor.
I found it so hard to connect with the characters especially Nina who I found very whiny and almost childlike in some of her reactions.
Thank god for Tiggy, she was a breath of fresh air and also very forgiving considering the way she has been treated by her sister over the past few years.
I was so glad we had tiggy to add a bit of realism to this tale, I needed her as She was the one character I actually liked completely.
So a brief description of The Art Of Hiding is Nina McCarrick has the perfect life.
Until that is her husband Finn dies in a car crash leaving Nina and their Two sons in a mountain of debt and their whole lives unravelling.
Nina moves her boys back to the streets of Southampton where she grew up and The Art Of Hiding is really the story of how Nina and her children cope and grow as individuals as their world implodes.
As I said earlier I couldn't initially connect, but then a bit before the end I felt it and this is mainly what made me bump this up a star, I had a lump in my throat as Nina and her kids visit their former home with Tiggy, it was very poignant and sentimental and after pages of just reading, I actually started to feel the words written.
Overall though this book didn't make me feel good, On finishing, I felt rather sad and deflated and I like my fiction to leave me feeling rejuvenated, an emotional wreck, happy even sad, but not deflated and down that's a no-no.
I really do think I would enjoy other works of Amanda Prowse's as I really did like the writing style It was just the Art Of Hiding just didn't quite hit the mark for me.
So, In conclusion, this is a well-written story hence the three stars, It just personally wasn't quite for me, yourself well we are all diverse in our likes and dislikes so give it a go, I would so love to hear your take on this.
I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an arc of The Art Of Hiding By Amanda Prowse, this is my own voluntary, honest opinion.
Arc Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
Until then It was a two all the way, so sorry.
I'm obviously in a minority here in regards to how The art Of Hiding was perceived by myself as I've seen many positive reviews singing its praises and this is a well-written story it just personally wasn't really my cup of tea.
So I'm going to try and pinpoint what wasn't working for me as there was never one major thing that stood out specifically and also what was actually floating my boat.
So first things first I've never read anything by Amanda Prowse before, so was going in blind here.
Well, my initial impression was that The Art Of Hiding was really well written, the words flowed easily and the writing style was one that was easy to get lost in.
But here comes my main problem, the actual story itself, I found it a bit boring and somewhat one-dimensional.
I also wondered whether the author herself has ever lived on the breadline or was this her portrayal of what she thinks it would be like to be in that scenario.
I thought to myself why wasn't Nina McCarrick with no income not down the job centre and putting in an application, dare I say it for housing benefit.
She was meant to be on her arse after all.
It also annoyed me how living on the breadline was initially portrayed all doom and gloom and shitty childhoods, I didn't find it a realistic portrayal of how the other half lives it was very stereotypical in the way it depicted the rich and the poor.
I found it so hard to connect with the characters especially Nina who I found very whiny and almost childlike in some of her reactions.
Thank god for Tiggy, she was a breath of fresh air and also very forgiving considering the way she has been treated by her sister over the past few years.
I was so glad we had tiggy to add a bit of realism to this tale, I needed her as She was the one character I actually liked completely.
So a brief description of The Art Of Hiding is Nina McCarrick has the perfect life.
Until that is her husband Finn dies in a car crash leaving Nina and their Two sons in a mountain of debt and their whole lives unravelling.
Nina moves her boys back to the streets of Southampton where she grew up and The Art Of Hiding is really the story of how Nina and her children cope and grow as individuals as their world implodes.
As I said earlier I couldn't initially connect, but then a bit before the end I felt it and this is mainly what made me bump this up a star, I had a lump in my throat as Nina and her kids visit their former home with Tiggy, it was very poignant and sentimental and after pages of just reading, I actually started to feel the words written.
Overall though this book didn't make me feel good, On finishing, I felt rather sad and deflated and I like my fiction to leave me feeling rejuvenated, an emotional wreck, happy even sad, but not deflated and down that's a no-no.
I really do think I would enjoy other works of Amanda Prowse's as I really did like the writing style It was just the Art Of Hiding just didn't quite hit the mark for me.
So, In conclusion, this is a well-written story hence the three stars, It just personally wasn't quite for me, yourself well we are all diverse in our likes and dislikes so give it a go, I would so love to hear your take on this.
I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an arc of The Art Of Hiding By Amanda Prowse, this is my own voluntary, honest opinion.
Arc Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm