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Merissa (11805 KP) rated Star Brides: The Meat Market (Star Brides #2) in Books
Oct 19, 2018
Star Brides: The Meat Market (Star Brides #2) by Pia Manning
The Meat Market is the second book in the Star Brides series, but can be read as a standalone. It is actually a bit of a misnomer. I thought we would start off by 'seeing' the Meat Market, but no. Instead, we dive right into the story and only learn about the market through Tasmyn's remembrances.
Basically, she went there with a friend, got tangled up with a creature, and ended up being 'married' to two men, brothers. She goes back to their planet, to find out everything has changed, and they are shipped off to a different planet. There they have to learn how to live and work together, as well as deal with dangers on the way.
This is an easy to read book, with no great depth to it, or twists and turns. However, what is here is excellently written, and provides enough story for a nice, lighthearted, read. The characters all work together, and help to round each other out. The scenery is easy to see, and the pacing is smooth. There were not editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow.
A great read, perfect for what I wanted, and thoroughly enjoyable. 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!
Basically, she went there with a friend, got tangled up with a creature, and ended up being 'married' to two men, brothers. She goes back to their planet, to find out everything has changed, and they are shipped off to a different planet. There they have to learn how to live and work together, as well as deal with dangers on the way.
This is an easy to read book, with no great depth to it, or twists and turns. However, what is here is excellently written, and provides enough story for a nice, lighthearted, read. The characters all work together, and help to round each other out. The scenery is easy to see, and the pacing is smooth. There were not editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow.
A great read, perfect for what I wanted, and thoroughly enjoyable. 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!
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated Need (Finding Anna, #2) in Books
Nov 5, 2018
This book was reviewed as part of a blog tour on Lily Loves Indie and the whole review can be seen here http://lilylovesindie.co.uk/?p=185
This book was very hit and miss for me. There were some aspects of it that were brilliant, yet there were others that just failed to grab my attention, and left me struggling to pick the book up once I put it down. That being said, I still had a desire to find out what happened, and I still read it from cover to cover with considerable speed. Hence why this review is rather bitty, and hit and miss, rather like the book. I really want to like it, but there are just some more niggles that build on those from the first in the series.
So, grumbles over, what did I actually like? Well, there's plenty, as you're about to find out. I LOVED the fact that at long last, Brianna and Stephan actually 'got together'! And boy was it well written. Delicate, just like their love, and completely consensual. There was a real message in there to a lot of younger people out there who perhaps don't go about sex in the right way. Also, unlike sex in a lot of other books I've read in the last few years, it was rather beautiful and so sensitively written, that you could imagine that having actually been someone's first time (without the background of Brianna of course).
This book was very hit and miss for me. There were some aspects of it that were brilliant, yet there were others that just failed to grab my attention, and left me struggling to pick the book up once I put it down. That being said, I still had a desire to find out what happened, and I still read it from cover to cover with considerable speed. Hence why this review is rather bitty, and hit and miss, rather like the book. I really want to like it, but there are just some more niggles that build on those from the first in the series.
So, grumbles over, what did I actually like? Well, there's plenty, as you're about to find out. I LOVED the fact that at long last, Brianna and Stephan actually 'got together'! And boy was it well written. Delicate, just like their love, and completely consensual. There was a real message in there to a lot of younger people out there who perhaps don't go about sex in the right way. Also, unlike sex in a lot of other books I've read in the last few years, it was rather beautiful and so sensitively written, that you could imagine that having actually been someone's first time (without the background of Brianna of course).
Merissa (11805 KP) rated Melting For You (Neighborhood Shindig #1) in Books
Jun 19, 2019
Melting For You (Neighborhood Shindig #1) by A.M. Arthur
Melting For You is the first book in the Neighborhood Shindig series. This is decidedly lower angst than previous books by Ms. Arthur I have read, and we meet Joel and Isaiah. Joel has had the dirty done to him by his (ex) partner, in both his personal and professional lives. Isaiah has returned home to look after his dad after he had a heart attack, and also, hopefully, to build a better relationship with him.
The relationship between Joel and Isaiah starts off fast, but then slows down some, as they spend time together doing things, not just each other. I loved how the two of them worked together, and bounced ideas around. One major plus for me were the excellent descriptions of the Neighborhood Shindig itself. I could see it clearly in my mind, and my mouth was certainly watering with the descriptions given.
If I had anything bad to say about the book, it would be the ending felt a bit rushed to me. I only had six minutes reading time left, and neither Joel nor Isaiah had spoken to the other about staying. Apart from that, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and look forward to returning to the Shindig. Definitely recommended.
* 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 relationship between Joel and Isaiah starts off fast, but then slows down some, as they spend time together doing things, not just each other. I loved how the two of them worked together, and bounced ideas around. One major plus for me were the excellent descriptions of the Neighborhood Shindig itself. I could see it clearly in my mind, and my mouth was certainly watering with the descriptions given.
If I had anything bad to say about the book, it would be the ending felt a bit rushed to me. I only had six minutes reading time left, and neither Joel nor Isaiah had spoken to the other about staying. Apart from that, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and look forward to returning to the Shindig. Definitely recommended.
* 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 Wings of the Wicked: A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection in Books
Jan 8, 2019
Guarding Reese by R.S. McCoy
Guarding Reese is a story by R.S. McCoy, in the Wings of the Wicked anthology. In it we meet Cass, a guardian angel who has had to spend nine years away from his charge. Reese has worked his way through five other guardians, but no one seems to work. Cass is given the chance to work with Reese again, and he follows his heart to the one who has held it since the first moment they met.
This book is a paradox - it is both steamy and sexy, whilst also fading to black. The passion between Reese and Cass is full-on, and full of emotion. I was hoping for that ending, but I wasn't sure I would get it. R.S. McCoy managed to keep me on tenterhooks throughout.
This is an excellent story, being well written, and with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. The pacing is smooth, and the characters well rounded. I would love to know if this is part of a series, as I would love for Vin and Alexander to have their stories too!
If you like reading about hot and sexy angels, or ripped musicians who know what they want, then I can definitely recommend this book.
* 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!
This book is a paradox - it is both steamy and sexy, whilst also fading to black. The passion between Reese and Cass is full-on, and full of emotion. I was hoping for that ending, but I wasn't sure I would get it. R.S. McCoy managed to keep me on tenterhooks throughout.
This is an excellent story, being well written, and with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. The pacing is smooth, and the characters well rounded. I would love to know if this is part of a series, as I would love for Vin and Alexander to have their stories too!
If you like reading about hot and sexy angels, or ripped musicians who know what they want, then I can definitely recommend this book.
* 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 Star Brides: The Meat Market (Star Brides #2) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
The Meat Market is the second book in the Star Brides series, but can be read as a standalone. It is actually a bit of a misnomer. I thought we would start off by 'seeing' the Meat Market, but no. Instead, we dive right into the story and only learn about the market through Tasmyn's remembrances.
Basically, she went there with a friend, got tangled up with a creature, and ended up being 'married' to two men, brothers. She goes back to their planet, to find out everything has changed, and they are shipped off to a different planet. There they have to learn how to live and work together, as well as deal with dangers on the way.
This is an easy to read book, with no great depth to it, or twists and turns. However, what is here is excellently written, and provides enough story for a nice, lighthearted, read. The characters all work together, and help to round each other out. The scenery is easy to see, and the pacing is smooth. There were not editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow.
A great read, perfect for what I wanted, and thoroughly enjoyable. 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!
Basically, she went there with a friend, got tangled up with a creature, and ended up being 'married' to two men, brothers. She goes back to their planet, to find out everything has changed, and they are shipped off to a different planet. There they have to learn how to live and work together, as well as deal with dangers on the way.
This is an easy to read book, with no great depth to it, or twists and turns. However, what is here is excellently written, and provides enough story for a nice, lighthearted, read. The characters all work together, and help to round each other out. The scenery is easy to see, and the pacing is smooth. There were not editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow.
A great read, perfect for what I wanted, and thoroughly enjoyable. 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!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2103 KP) rated Legacy in Books
Dec 31, 2019
Sophie’s Journey Continues – Now with Twice the Alicorn Cuteness
This book opens nine days after the previous book ends. Sophie is finally able to talk to Mr. Forkle, one of the leaders of the Black Swan. However, he is most interested in discussing the most likely target for the Neverseen’s next attack instead of answering Sophie’s questions. His theory makes sense, but can Sophie and her friends figure out a way to stop them? Meanwhile, the Council has a surprising and game changing offer for Sophie. Will she take it?
Naturally, that just scratches the surface of this book since it is almost 800 pages. But it is worth it to watch the plots and sub-plots unfold. Sophie is on quite a journey, and this is another large step forward since we get some twists and revelations in this book. Obviously, I don’t recommend starting here. There’s been a lot of world building in the previous seven books, and that’s always important in a fantasy series. Plus, because the books build on each other, there are major spoilers for events in the earlier books. The characters and their relationships continue to grow, and I loved watching that. Plus there’s plenty of humor and alicorn cuteness. The target middle grade audience will love it, as will anyone who enjoys fantasy. The pages flew by as I got lost in the story. Just be ready for that cliffhanger.
Naturally, that just scratches the surface of this book since it is almost 800 pages. But it is worth it to watch the plots and sub-plots unfold. Sophie is on quite a journey, and this is another large step forward since we get some twists and revelations in this book. Obviously, I don’t recommend starting here. There’s been a lot of world building in the previous seven books, and that’s always important in a fantasy series. Plus, because the books build on each other, there are major spoilers for events in the earlier books. The characters and their relationships continue to grow, and I loved watching that. Plus there’s plenty of humor and alicorn cuteness. The target middle grade audience will love it, as will anyone who enjoys fantasy. The pages flew by as I got lost in the story. Just be ready for that cliffhanger.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2103 KP) rated Scone Cold Dead in Books
Jul 23, 2019
Can Natalie Find a Scone Cold Killer?
It’s late spring on Cranberry Island, but the beautiful weather is doing nothing for the tensions building. Something is going on with the lobstermen on the island. There are rumors of illegal activity, but no one seems to have any proof. Natalie Barnes is concerned about that, but she is also concerned that her bed and breakfast doesn’t have reservations like in years past. Fortunately, she does have some guests thanks to the new artists commune her niece, Gwen, has opened. But when the tension on the island leads to murder, will Natalie figure out what happened?
It’s always a pleasure to visit Cranberry Island, and this book is no exception. The characters are old friends by this point, and there are a couple of sub-plots that focus on them that helped pull me into the book early. Not that the mystery itself wasn’t compelling, and the sub-plots and mystery weave in and out of each other expertly. There are several good fully developed suspects we meet and plenty of turns before we hit the suspenseful climax. Natalie is working on recipes for a scone competition, so it is no surprise that three of the recipes at the end of the book are scones. Fans of the series will be happy with our latest visit to the island, and this book is fun enough to hook new fans as well.
It’s always a pleasure to visit Cranberry Island, and this book is no exception. The characters are old friends by this point, and there are a couple of sub-plots that focus on them that helped pull me into the book early. Not that the mystery itself wasn’t compelling, and the sub-plots and mystery weave in and out of each other expertly. There are several good fully developed suspects we meet and plenty of turns before we hit the suspenseful climax. Natalie is working on recipes for a scone competition, so it is no surprise that three of the recipes at the end of the book are scones. Fans of the series will be happy with our latest visit to the island, and this book is fun enough to hook new fans as well.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Small Spaces (Small Spaces #1) in Books
Jul 24, 2019
Fantasy Horror Book marketed for middle school/middle grades
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Katherine Arden is best known for her adult/young adult fantasy novel, The Bear and the Nightingale. With Small Spaces, Katherine Arden ventures into writing for middle school-aged children. This creepy horror book brought me back to my childhood where I stayed up late reading Lois Duncan, Richard Peck, and Joan Lowery Nixon. Those authors, among others, wrote horror books for children that were able to scare you without being gory.
The description of Small Spaces brought to mind the movie Jeepers Creepers 2 - a school bus full of children breaks down and they are in danger of something in the night/dark. That is where the similarities end. Arden teams up 3 students who are classmates but not friends. They leave the bus for the safety of the forest...
This story is tame compared to many of the horror movies children have seen in recent years. It is the innocence of the story while being scary and suspenseful that makes it such an interesting read.
Small Spaces is the first book in her Small Spaces series. The 2nd, Dead Voices, has a release date of August 27, 2019. I preordered it and will review it as soon as possible.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/24/19.
Katherine Arden is best known for her adult/young adult fantasy novel, The Bear and the Nightingale. With Small Spaces, Katherine Arden ventures into writing for middle school-aged children. This creepy horror book brought me back to my childhood where I stayed up late reading Lois Duncan, Richard Peck, and Joan Lowery Nixon. Those authors, among others, wrote horror books for children that were able to scare you without being gory.
The description of Small Spaces brought to mind the movie Jeepers Creepers 2 - a school bus full of children breaks down and they are in danger of something in the night/dark. That is where the similarities end. Arden teams up 3 students who are classmates but not friends. They leave the bus for the safety of the forest...
This story is tame compared to many of the horror movies children have seen in recent years. It is the innocence of the story while being scary and suspenseful that makes it such an interesting read.
Small Spaces is the first book in her Small Spaces series. The 2nd, Dead Voices, has a release date of August 27, 2019. I preordered it and will review it as soon as possible.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/24/19.
Debbiereadsbook (1110 KP) rated Never Date a Doctor: A Life Lessons Novel in Books
Mar 2, 2020
I didn't like Sasha!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
*insert sigh*
*insert another sigh*
I wanted to love, to even LIKE this book but I struggled, to be honest.
Mostly, because of two things.
Only Sasha has a say, and she grated on me, she really did. I can't say WHY, and I'm more annoyed that I cannot voice WHY she got my back up and got on my nerves, but she did. And because Caleb isn't given a voice, I very nearly dumped it, because she drove me nuts at points!
AND
First person/present tense. Even if caleb had been given a voice, with the book written this way, I would have enjoyed it a bit more, I think.
You could see the "situation" developing at the hospital, with the other nurse, coming at ay like a train wreck, and you can't stop, but it is nice for everything to be laid out for you once in a while. There were SOME surprises though, so i enjoyed that.
I'm sorry, a short review, but I really am struggling to make sense.
I finished it, though, and I promised myself that I would give a book 3 stars if I finished it, even if I didn't really like so.
Will I read other books in the series? Probably not, no. By this author? I'll give Ms Smith another try, certainly.
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
*insert sigh*
*insert another sigh*
I wanted to love, to even LIKE this book but I struggled, to be honest.
Mostly, because of two things.
Only Sasha has a say, and she grated on me, she really did. I can't say WHY, and I'm more annoyed that I cannot voice WHY she got my back up and got on my nerves, but she did. And because Caleb isn't given a voice, I very nearly dumped it, because she drove me nuts at points!
AND
First person/present tense. Even if caleb had been given a voice, with the book written this way, I would have enjoyed it a bit more, I think.
You could see the "situation" developing at the hospital, with the other nurse, coming at ay like a train wreck, and you can't stop, but it is nice for everything to be laid out for you once in a while. There were SOME surprises though, so i enjoyed that.
I'm sorry, a short review, but I really am struggling to make sense.
I finished it, though, and I promised myself that I would give a book 3 stars if I finished it, even if I didn't really like so.
Will I read other books in the series? Probably not, no. By this author? I'll give Ms Smith another try, certainly.
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated The Red Ribbon (True Colors #8) in Books
Feb 23, 2021
While this is not my first time reading a book by Pepper Basham it is one of my favorites! She combined two of my favorite things in one book (Mystery + Sweet Romance) and did it in a thoroughly enjoyable way. The True Colors crime series by Barbour has been one of my most looked forward to installments over this past year, each author bringing a different writing style and creativity to the table.
The Red Ribbon had great character build-ups, sweet moments, and mystery on every page. Ava and Jeremiah were an interesting couple that kept me engaged swept up in the story with them. The story itself was well written and a great mystery; I am glad Pepper Basham chose to write about this mystery as I had not heard of it before. I think because the story was based in her backyard that Pepper Basham was able to bring a lot of realism and vivid descriptions to town life, the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the character's actions. Fans of mysteries need to put this on their TBR pile as it will give them a very interesting story to read!
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the great characters, the intriguing mystery, and for the well-developed storyline that pulled me in and would not let go.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
The Red Ribbon had great character build-ups, sweet moments, and mystery on every page. Ava and Jeremiah were an interesting couple that kept me engaged swept up in the story with them. The story itself was well written and a great mystery; I am glad Pepper Basham chose to write about this mystery as I had not heard of it before. I think because the story was based in her backyard that Pepper Basham was able to bring a lot of realism and vivid descriptions to town life, the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the character's actions. Fans of mysteries need to put this on their TBR pile as it will give them a very interesting story to read!
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the great characters, the intriguing mystery, and for the well-developed storyline that pulled me in and would not let go.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.