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(scroll down for english summary) *** Upozornění: Uživatelé starší verze (Be-on-road) mohou...
Merissa (12723 KP) rated The Botanist (The Sin Bin #2.5) in Books
Sep 16, 2017
The Botanist: Short Story (The Sin Bin #2.5) by Dahlia Donovan
The Botanist is part of The Sin Bin series, and let me tell you, this may be classed as a short story, but it is full of everything you could wish for... apart from one thing, which I'll get to later!
Wyatt (Earp) Hardy is a Navy Seal, on a combined exercise with the UK. They come across a boat that shouldn't be there, and their scans reveal four bodies on-board, when there should only be one. It turns into a rescue mission, and Wyatt lays eyes on Aled for the first time. Aled has been tortured, and is in a state of shock. However, he is returned home, and Hamish and Wyatt hope that he will be okay.
He's not.
I am a long-term fan of Ms. Donovan's; she has never disappointed me with any of her stories - and trust me when I say this one is right up there! Wyatt is a giant of a man, with a heart to match. He wants to push Aled in some ways, but never bad ways. He goes above and beyond to do what he thinks will help. Aled, what a brave and courageous guy, even when he thinks he isn't. The rapport that these two have is off the charts, and I loved the pair of them.
With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, this was one helluva story that packs a mighty punch for being short. And that, right there, is the only problem I have with it! I NEEDED MORE!!!! I seriously wasn't ready for this book to be over. I loved every single word. There just weren't enough of them to please me ?
Do I recommend this book? Absolutely!
Do I recommend any of Dahlia Donovan's work? You betcha!
Do I want more from Aled and Wyatt? YES!!!!!!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comment here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Wyatt (Earp) Hardy is a Navy Seal, on a combined exercise with the UK. They come across a boat that shouldn't be there, and their scans reveal four bodies on-board, when there should only be one. It turns into a rescue mission, and Wyatt lays eyes on Aled for the first time. Aled has been tortured, and is in a state of shock. However, he is returned home, and Hamish and Wyatt hope that he will be okay.
He's not.
I am a long-term fan of Ms. Donovan's; she has never disappointed me with any of her stories - and trust me when I say this one is right up there! Wyatt is a giant of a man, with a heart to match. He wants to push Aled in some ways, but never bad ways. He goes above and beyond to do what he thinks will help. Aled, what a brave and courageous guy, even when he thinks he isn't. The rapport that these two have is off the charts, and I loved the pair of them.
With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, this was one helluva story that packs a mighty punch for being short. And that, right there, is the only problem I have with it! I NEEDED MORE!!!! I seriously wasn't ready for this book to be over. I loved every single word. There just weren't enough of them to please me ?
Do I recommend this book? Absolutely!
Do I recommend any of Dahlia Donovan's work? You betcha!
Do I want more from Aled and Wyatt? YES!!!!!!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comment here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Rachel King (13 KP) rated A Pointed Death in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I am not usually a fan of mysteries. They often seem like pre-scripted storylines with fill-in-the-blank characters and place names. Not so with this book. The mystery that Nola Billingsley finds herself in the midst of is set against a background of dot-com start-up corporations and the biotechnology industry. I was intrigued right away by the biotechnology aspects thanks to some education in biology myself. Russell often goes into the technical details of this thriving industry, which I think can slow a reader down who does not already understand much of this terminology.
Many of the characters are unique, if a bit cliche - such as Nola's southern belle mother, Janie Belle. I also found it odd that Nola mostly referred to her mother by her first name instead of simply calling her Mother or Mom. Nola's pointer dog, Skootch, often stole the show with his antics, but the plot seems to depend on Skootch's behavior for its progression.
Other parts of the book that I enjoyed for their own sake was the details that Russell used to bring the setting of San Francisco to life, such as the California cuisine. The polarization of Nola's choice of foods in comparison to her mother's southern cooking made for some interesting situations, and one scene at a crab festival had me salivating in jealousy. Russell is very good with details and descriptions across the board.
As for the plot, there was very little to disappoint. There was not much I could predict, no matter how many times I thought I knew what would happen next. The action was intense at times, but it was interspersed with bits of humor and romance to lighten the tension. Most of the subplots wrapped up nicely, with only a bit left over for a second book in the series to pick up. The only real question that I had that was never answered was what Nola's dot-com company actually did before it crashed. This likely was not relevant enough to the plot to be worth including.
On the whole, I was delighted that this book was a much better read than I expected it to be.
Many of the characters are unique, if a bit cliche - such as Nola's southern belle mother, Janie Belle. I also found it odd that Nola mostly referred to her mother by her first name instead of simply calling her Mother or Mom. Nola's pointer dog, Skootch, often stole the show with his antics, but the plot seems to depend on Skootch's behavior for its progression.
Other parts of the book that I enjoyed for their own sake was the details that Russell used to bring the setting of San Francisco to life, such as the California cuisine. The polarization of Nola's choice of foods in comparison to her mother's southern cooking made for some interesting situations, and one scene at a crab festival had me salivating in jealousy. Russell is very good with details and descriptions across the board.
As for the plot, there was very little to disappoint. There was not much I could predict, no matter how many times I thought I knew what would happen next. The action was intense at times, but it was interspersed with bits of humor and romance to lighten the tension. Most of the subplots wrapped up nicely, with only a bit left over for a second book in the series to pick up. The only real question that I had that was never answered was what Nola's dot-com company actually did before it crashed. This likely was not relevant enough to the plot to be worth including.
On the whole, I was delighted that this book was a much better read than I expected it to be.
An Indian Summer of Steam
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'An Indian Summer of Steam' is the second volume of David Maidment's 'railway' autobiography,...
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Girl Before in Books
Feb 21, 2021
The Girl Before has left me uncertain. I'm going to try and explain that, but having pondered it for some time I'm still not exactly sure how I feel about it.
The books is split into short chapters from one of two points of view, Emma, the previous tenant and Jane, the new tenant. This works well although took me slightly longer to get used to, not because of the characters or the story line, but because of the writing itself.
Something I noticed fairly quickly was that there are whole sections of this book where speech is basically ignored. It'll appear as you would expect it to in the writing but there are no speech marks to highlight it. At the time of reading it was horrendously annoying, having just flicked through a few pages while writing this I have noticed that all the speech marks are used in Jane's chapters and not in Emma's. I can only assume that it's meant to reflect the two different characters and their personalities, but frustrating is the only way to describe it. I constantly noticed it as I read but made no link to any reason for it until this very minute. If it is a device, I can't say it was very successful, honestly it felt more like a massive error had been made in editing.
That aside, the author has created some very engaging characters. You pick up enough about them as you progress through the book to pick up things of the upcoming story and that always entices you to read on. The book also has a lot of unsettling male characters in it. The women in comparison seem relatively normal. This could be another way to get you on board with the two leads of the book and make you protective of them. But again, that's not something I noticed until after I'd finished the book.
What is there to say about that ending? Unexpected? Overkill?
I enjoy a twist and turn as much as the next person but this book throws them at you. Kudos to the author again for crafting the story well, I did not guess all the twists that it ended up taking. Some were necessary but others seemed to just be there to have a conclusion to every piece of the story. An effort which didn't entirely feel pleasing.
It was an entertaining read, and at just over 400 pages it's easy to whizz through in a day. There's a preview at the end for Believe Me. Reading it just now I'm drawing parallels between how chapters are designed to match their character, I don't think it's for me as a style but the story itself is mildly intriguing. Hopefully it showcases some more well developed characters.
The books is split into short chapters from one of two points of view, Emma, the previous tenant and Jane, the new tenant. This works well although took me slightly longer to get used to, not because of the characters or the story line, but because of the writing itself.
Something I noticed fairly quickly was that there are whole sections of this book where speech is basically ignored. It'll appear as you would expect it to in the writing but there are no speech marks to highlight it. At the time of reading it was horrendously annoying, having just flicked through a few pages while writing this I have noticed that all the speech marks are used in Jane's chapters and not in Emma's. I can only assume that it's meant to reflect the two different characters and their personalities, but frustrating is the only way to describe it. I constantly noticed it as I read but made no link to any reason for it until this very minute. If it is a device, I can't say it was very successful, honestly it felt more like a massive error had been made in editing.
That aside, the author has created some very engaging characters. You pick up enough about them as you progress through the book to pick up things of the upcoming story and that always entices you to read on. The book also has a lot of unsettling male characters in it. The women in comparison seem relatively normal. This could be another way to get you on board with the two leads of the book and make you protective of them. But again, that's not something I noticed until after I'd finished the book.
What is there to say about that ending? Unexpected? Overkill?
I enjoy a twist and turn as much as the next person but this book throws them at you. Kudos to the author again for crafting the story well, I did not guess all the twists that it ended up taking. Some were necessary but others seemed to just be there to have a conclusion to every piece of the story. An effort which didn't entirely feel pleasing.
It was an entertaining read, and at just over 400 pages it's easy to whizz through in a day. There's a preview at the end for Believe Me. Reading it just now I'm drawing parallels between how chapters are designed to match their character, I don't think it's for me as a style but the story itself is mildly intriguing. Hopefully it showcases some more well developed characters.
Financial and Management Accounting: An Introduction
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Lindsay (1752 KP) rated Aoléon The Martian Girl (Part 3) in Books
Apr 9, 2019
I know children love action and adventures. Well this book sure has it. I truly know it got a space in it as well. It wonderful. Pictures are done well. They seem to capture you to look at them. Aoleon and Gilbert find themselves trapped when Aoleon is taking her pilot exam.
They start there adventure when they are spying on Luminon. Can they warn her father about Galact saboteur can do any damage. What happens next is just the beginning for their adventure and it live treating. They seem to find something in the moon above Mars. Gilbert leans to sky-board. There more trouble ahead. They seem to have been found or they were being tracked.
They get back to Aoleon home and find it ransacked by who know who. They find Uri who had hidden from them. These people who were there took her mother and father. She tell her sister to stay with her Grandma. Pax shows up and tell him that Aoleon an Gilbert will need to escape while they can and need to go somewhere where they can get the help. Will they escape? You will need to read to find out.
They start there adventure when they are spying on Luminon. Can they warn her father about Galact saboteur can do any damage. What happens next is just the beginning for their adventure and it live treating. They seem to find something in the moon above Mars. Gilbert leans to sky-board. There more trouble ahead. They seem to have been found or they were being tracked.
They get back to Aoleon home and find it ransacked by who know who. They find Uri who had hidden from them. These people who were there took her mother and father. She tell her sister to stay with her Grandma. Pax shows up and tell him that Aoleon an Gilbert will need to escape while they can and need to go somewhere where they can get the help. Will they escape? You will need to read to find out.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2324 KP) rated Meet Your Baker (A Bakeshop Mystery, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
After years at sea, Jules Capshaw has returned to Ashford, Oregon. While she figures out what to do with her life, she is helping her mother with Torte, the family bakeshop. But she’s hardly back in town before she meets Nancy Hudson. Nancy is a new member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival board, and she is obnoxious, picking fights with everyone she meets. When Jules finds Nancy one more in Torte’s kitchen, there are quite a few suspects. But with the police focuses on Jules’s friends, she starts to investigate herself in order to find out the truth. Can she do it?
I’ve long heard of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and I’d love to go sometime. Until that happens, this is a great alternative. The characters are wonderful and already fully formed, although I do feel like part of Jules’s backstory isn’t strong enough for her actions. But that’s probably just me. The plot is good, although it was a little weak at the end. Still, everything is wrapped up in a logical way.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/07/book-review-meet-your-baker-by-ellie.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I’ve long heard of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and I’d love to go sometime. Until that happens, this is a great alternative. The characters are wonderful and already fully formed, although I do feel like part of Jules’s backstory isn’t strong enough for her actions. But that’s probably just me. The plot is good, although it was a little weak at the end. Still, everything is wrapped up in a logical way.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/07/book-review-meet-your-baker-by-ellie.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Cold Granite (Logan McRae #1) in Books
Dec 19, 2019
Gritty Police procedural.
If you are not going to manage with descriptions of horrendous crimes committed against young children though I would step away from this one.
Listening to the audio of this book narrated by Steve Worsley felt a lot like curling up in front of the TV to watch a post-watershed BBC police procedural series set in Scotland. If you like a good dark down to earth police procedural then this may well be up your alley.
Logan McRae is just returning to work following sustaining horrific injuries in the line of duty and is thrown straight back into the thick of it when the mutilated body of a young boy is discovered. Numerous threads, involving various cases and a smattering of personal life then intertwine to give a very solid down to earth police procedural. OK, I could of done with Logan being a bit less obsessed with every bit of leg he saw but for the time and place set probably fairly accurate…
First in a long-running series and as there's not much on the TV at the minute I'm on board for more of these
Listening to the audio of this book narrated by Steve Worsley felt a lot like curling up in front of the TV to watch a post-watershed BBC police procedural series set in Scotland. If you like a good dark down to earth police procedural then this may well be up your alley.
Logan McRae is just returning to work following sustaining horrific injuries in the line of duty and is thrown straight back into the thick of it when the mutilated body of a young boy is discovered. Numerous threads, involving various cases and a smattering of personal life then intertwine to give a very solid down to earth police procedural. OK, I could of done with Logan being a bit less obsessed with every bit of leg he saw but for the time and place set probably fairly accurate…
First in a long-running series and as there's not much on the TV at the minute I'm on board for more of these