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Merissa (11805 KP) rated Taking Chances: A Male/Male Novella Collection in Books
Oct 31, 2018
Taking Chances: A Male/Male Novella Collection by Robin Covington
Taking Chances is a set of three novellas, all dealing with love where you have to take a chance. All three of these stories are only quick snippets as they are novellas. I do think (and it could have already happened!) that all three could go onto to be a fully fledged novel, rather than a novella.
The stories are all heart-warming in their own way, although there is angst and suspense within each one. The characters are well-rounded, and have their own foibles. There isn't much world-building involved as they are all contemporary, but that just means the focus can be on the characters rather than the scenery.
I enjoyed each story and would definitely read more by this author. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The stories are all heart-warming in their own way, although there is angst and suspense within each one. The characters are well-rounded, and have their own foibles. There isn't much world-building involved as they are all contemporary, but that just means the focus can be on the characters rather than the scenery.
I enjoyed each story and would definitely read more by this author. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Merissa (11805 KP) rated Old Acquaintance in Books
Nov 30, 2018
Old Acquaintance by Annabelle Jacobs
Old Acquaintance is a semi-seasonal story about two men who reunite after many years apart. Their separation was caused by life, and jobs, and the fact they never got on when they were at school, for reasons only known to one of them.
The story takes place on the build up to Christmas (hence the semi-seasonal), but it doesn't focus on the season! Instead, quite rightly, it focuses on Sam and Charlie. You stay with them as they work through their attraction, and communication issues, and even bring up history from the past.
There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. This is a lovely book, with a real feel-good vibe to it. Funny in places, and low-angst in others, this was the getaway-from-everything book I needed. Most definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was received by me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The story takes place on the build up to Christmas (hence the semi-seasonal), but it doesn't focus on the season! Instead, quite rightly, it focuses on Sam and Charlie. You stay with them as they work through their attraction, and communication issues, and even bring up history from the past.
There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. This is a lovely book, with a real feel-good vibe to it. Funny in places, and low-angst in others, this was the getaway-from-everything book I needed. Most definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was received by me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Graham and Morgyn are wandering souls who meet at a weekend long concert in the hills. They quickly realize they also have a circle of friends who know each other pulling their worlds a little closer.
Trails of Love is a fall quick story with no real angst in the storyline. Both come from big families and have their own agendas in life to forward their successes. They fit together pretty well and have little rearranging of life and/or goals to make a relationship work.
Story reads well and pretty seamlessly, but one issue and had me grating my teeth was Morgyn's nickname of "Cracker" for Graham. It just didn't work for me at all and I groaned everytime I read it. That being said, the rest of the story was well written, not a knock me off my seat story but sweet and romantic. I received an advance copy without expectation for review, any and all opinions expressed are my own. This continuation of the Bradens and Mongomerys series is well worth the read.
Trails of Love is a fall quick story with no real angst in the storyline. Both come from big families and have their own agendas in life to forward their successes. They fit together pretty well and have little rearranging of life and/or goals to make a relationship work.
Story reads well and pretty seamlessly, but one issue and had me grating my teeth was Morgyn's nickname of "Cracker" for Graham. It just didn't work for me at all and I groaned everytime I read it. That being said, the rest of the story was well written, not a knock me off my seat story but sweet and romantic. I received an advance copy without expectation for review, any and all opinions expressed are my own. This continuation of the Bradens and Mongomerys series is well worth the read.
Auburn (57 KP) rated Shadow & Flame in Books
Jun 21, 2019
This book throws you right back into the action 6 months from the ending of the last book. The plot rockets from about 1- 100 in the span of a page. I started and finished this book in the same day. That is how engrossed I was and how much I needed to know how it ends.
The dual perspective gives us two very different sides of the story. Each side has enough angst and high drama that you won’t feel bored with one. This is great since lately a lot of dual POV bore me.
The romance is more subtle in this book and it focuses more on Kate and Corwin growing as individual characters. And there is a lot of growth that happens. From book one through the ending of this you feel that each character grows and changes. Some not in the best way.
Overall this was the perfect duology. If had action, magic, horses, heartbreak, and love. If you enjoyed the first book you will Love this one.
The dual perspective gives us two very different sides of the story. Each side has enough angst and high drama that you won’t feel bored with one. This is great since lately a lot of dual POV bore me.
The romance is more subtle in this book and it focuses more on Kate and Corwin growing as individual characters. And there is a lot of growth that happens. From book one through the ending of this you feel that each character grows and changes. Some not in the best way.
Overall this was the perfect duology. If had action, magic, horses, heartbreak, and love. If you enjoyed the first book you will Love this one.
Jake (52 KP) rated Clash (The Arinthian Line, #4) in Books
Jul 25, 2019
Probably my favorite book in the series so far.
I read a bunch of reviews where others disliked this book a lot. I don't understand. This one was GREAT.
We get more arcanery (magic), we get new friends, magic TOURNAMENTS, an old magic school with history and lore, understanding of the past, hope for the future. We get more action, more excitement, and more AWESOMENESS.
People mention things like "pacing" or "teenage angst" or "there were some grammatical errors". COME ON PPL Get over yourselves, I don't see you writing incredible stories in awesome worlds with legit magic-systems, etc! I'll take your reviews seriously when you write something this good. Really, I didn't even notice ANY of that junk because of how good the book was.
Really I was able to read all of the books in a series in a row, didn't have to wait for book 5 to come out. But if I had finished this and had to wait for book 5, I don't know what would have happened...
I read a bunch of reviews where others disliked this book a lot. I don't understand. This one was GREAT.
We get more arcanery (magic), we get new friends, magic TOURNAMENTS, an old magic school with history and lore, understanding of the past, hope for the future. We get more action, more excitement, and more AWESOMENESS.
People mention things like "pacing" or "teenage angst" or "there were some grammatical errors". COME ON PPL Get over yourselves, I don't see you writing incredible stories in awesome worlds with legit magic-systems, etc! I'll take your reviews seriously when you write something this good. Really, I didn't even notice ANY of that junk because of how good the book was.
Really I was able to read all of the books in a series in a row, didn't have to wait for book 5 to come out. But if I had finished this and had to wait for book 5, I don't know what would have happened...
Leah on the Offbeat
7.9
Rate It
Book
In this sequel to the acclaimed Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda--soon to be a major motion...
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Square (2017) in Movies
Jun 30, 2020
Another of those occasions where the Smashbomb rating scale falls a little short: 'shoddy' isn't how I'd describe this film as much as fundamentally somewhat misconceived. Anyway: award-winning satire of liberal pretensions and angst set in and around a Stockholm art gallery. Curator Christian gets mugged, leading him to make some very poor decisions; various installations and performances go horribly wrong; the gulf between the high-minded aspirations of the museum's patrons and their actual behaviour is repeatedly exposed.
The odd quite funny and on-point scene, but it doesn't half labour its points and at nearly two and half hours it feels much too long (I watched it in installments, which I never normally do). Bang is pretty good in the central role and the thesis of the film is certainly relevent to the modern world, but it could have been funnier, sharper, and less irritatingly weird in places. As it is, this is a film satirising pretentiousness which actually feels rather pretentious itself - so not a great look. Hard work, if you ask me,
The odd quite funny and on-point scene, but it doesn't half labour its points and at nearly two and half hours it feels much too long (I watched it in installments, which I never normally do). Bang is pretty good in the central role and the thesis of the film is certainly relevent to the modern world, but it could have been funnier, sharper, and less irritatingly weird in places. As it is, this is a film satirising pretentiousness which actually feels rather pretentious itself - so not a great look. Hard work, if you ask me,
Map My Heart: My Love-Life in Doodles
Book
How to spend a night being a self-pitying wreck: Get on FB and stalk your ex, then spend 20 minutes...
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Accidental Romeo in Books
Jan 11, 2021
First off: the cover is amazing - well the guy is. And the plot sounded good.
It started quite good but it become pretty obvious from fairly early on that a certain someone wasn't all that he seemed and it was rather slow in getting to the culprit and why he'd done what he did.
And then the romance, too. It started quite nice and gentle and then the dirty talk when they finally got into bed...there is one word I don't like - begins with c, ends in t, and is 4 letters - and Hunter used it a few times. To me, it's not hot or attractive. I find it kinda vulgar and it puts me off.
As for the rest of the story. I just found it a little boring. There wasn't enough stuff going on for me. I like a little angst between my characters, I like to get drawn into their romance, I like them to fight and make up...
It just wasn't what I wanted it to be.
It started quite good but it become pretty obvious from fairly early on that a certain someone wasn't all that he seemed and it was rather slow in getting to the culprit and why he'd done what he did.
And then the romance, too. It started quite nice and gentle and then the dirty talk when they finally got into bed...there is one word I don't like - begins with c, ends in t, and is 4 letters - and Hunter used it a few times. To me, it's not hot or attractive. I find it kinda vulgar and it puts me off.
As for the rest of the story. I just found it a little boring. There wasn't enough stuff going on for me. I like a little angst between my characters, I like to get drawn into their romance, I like them to fight and make up...
It just wasn't what I wanted it to be.