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The Bride Test
The Bride Test
Helen Hoang | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received The Bride Test on Saturday, a few days before today's (May 7th) release date, through Book of the Month. I've been really excited about this one, because it's another adult romance with an autistic main character, like the first book, The Kiss Quotient. (The author is also autistic.) There's actually a lot of #ownvoices representation here; Hoang has an author's note at the end talking about how much of Esme's personality and struggles are based on her own mother, who immigrated from Vietnam as a refugee at the end of the Vietnam war. I love that in writing the book, Hoang grew closer to her mother as she learned about her history. Definitely don't miss the author's note at the end of this book, if you read it!

I have mixed feelings about this one, but unfortunately the part I really have mixed feelings about is very spoilery, so I can't talk about it without ruining major plot points! Overall, I did really like the book, and Khai showed a lot of the same traits my husband does. The first book's autistic character is female, so it was nice to see a character so similar to my husband this time. The characters from The Kiss Quotient do make a token appearance in The Bride Test, and I'm hoping Hoang will finally write Quan's story next! There is an untitled third book in the series due out in 2020, so I'm crossing fingers for Quan!

I absolutely adored Esme in this book. She is hardworking and strong-willed, and knows what she's worth. I wish she'd been a little more honest with Khai, but I can understand being too afraid to be fully honest with someone who could have such control over your future. I did really enjoy this sequel, and I can't wait to hear what the plot will be for the third book.

You can read all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
  
WT
When the Grits Hit the Fan
Maddie Day | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
To help make money in the cold February winter, Robbie Jordan has opened up her restaurant for dinner two Friday’s a month to the Sociology department of a nearby college. Any thoughts she had about this being a calm exchange of ideas goes out the window when one of the professors, Charles, picks fights with two different people. The next afternoon, Robbie is out with her friend Lou when they find Charles under the ice in the nearby lake. Since Lou had fought with Charles the night before, the police are looking at her as a suspect. But with Charles as universally hated as he was, surely Robbie can find a better suspect, right?

Charles’s habit of making enemies serves us plenty of suspects. The lack of clues to point the finger at any single person makes for lots of fun. I was never bored watching the plot unfold. A couple of the series regulars weren’t around for this book, but those who were around were certainly delightful. The suspects were all strong and viable, and the climax was creative and page turning. Can I just say how much I would love to visit Robbie’s restaurant? Seriously, it sounds delightful. (Well, when a murder isn’t taking place, of course.)

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/03/book-review-when-grits-hit-fan-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
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Bysa (2 KP) rated The Hunger Games in Books

Sep 19, 2018  
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins | 2014 | Young Adult (YA)
8
8.5 (277 Ratings)
Book Rating
**This read was hard to put down. I initially held-out on getting the book because I heard I should get all three books of the series before hand because I will want to keep reading. That person was so right! I am angry with myself for waiting to read this book! I planned on going to the movie opening later this month but I wanted to finish this book before-hand. So glad I did.**

I think the author did an incredible job demonstrating each characters motivations. The characters are very memorable. I did not find any time where I wanted to stop reading or where the story slowed to a point where I couldn't go on. Many books have done that for me, not this one. I would definitely re-read this book and would go as far as to buy all my tweenies and/or youngin's in the family a copy!
  
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Merissa (14046 KP) rated Vampire for Christmas in Books

Apr 10, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)  
Vampire for Christmas
Vampire for Christmas
Felicity Heaton | 2010 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
OK, so I know October is the wrong month to be reading about Christmas but it was next on my list ;)

This is a novella so the storyline is fast-paced and moves along swiftly. Saying that, you will still find all the information you need to be engrossed in the story of how Rafe and Shannon came to be partners and what their histories are.

This is a wonderful story that I would recommend for a rainy evening or when you are curled up in front of a fire, who knows maybe even during the build-up to the season itself! Short, sweet and sexy.
 
* 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!
October 8, 2016
  
A Bird’s Eye View of Murder
A Bird’s Eye View of Murder
Jacqueline Vick | 2014 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Frankie Finds that Murder Isn’t Flighty
Frankie Chandler’s hardly recovered from the murder she got involved in the month before when her aunt comes for a visit. The aunt has scored some tickets to the taping of a live baking show, and Frankie joins her. That’s how Frankie stumbles on the dead body of the contestant winner. With the police looking at her aunt, her aunt hiding secrets, and animals starting to talk to Frankie again, can she figure out what is really going on?

Yes, this book falls into the paranormal cozy subgenre, which I tend to avoid. I appreciated how Frankie wrestles with her gift and what it means since those are the same things I struggle with myself. And it’s a minor part of the book anyway. In fact, this is more comedic, at least to me. I enjoyed laughing at the antics of the characters as the book progressed. The story started a bit slowly, but it grew stronger as it went along, and I was surprised by the ending. Do keep in mind that there is some violence to animals, but they are treated no worse than the human characters in the story. I really enjoyed the characters. I’m hoping I can get to the next in the series soon.
  
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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Sweetpea in Books

Sep 24, 2020  
Sweetpea
Sweetpea
C.J. Skuse | 2017 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Humor & Comedy
10
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a first book I read, which is written by this author, and it is absolutely hilarious and fantastic. I absolutely loved it! Rhinannon is a psychopath, and this book is her diary, which is incredibly amusing. By day she acts as this loving, caring and sweet friend/ colleague/girlfriend, and by night, her only urge is to kill, and relieve her tension. She targets people with bad intentions, or who gave her hard time when she was little, but the urge to kill leaves her desperate for anyone, eventually.

The main character chosen for this book is incredibly funny and seriously disturbed. I really liked the way she expressed herself in this diary. We all sometimes want to kill some nasty people around us, of course just in our heads, but the character actually does it. Rhinannon is psychotic genius, I would say, she knows how to manipulate people to her advantage, knows how to lure them into her traps, like a clever spider. It’s just hard to explain her personality, it is so twisted and complex. In some places I was really grossed out by the fetishes of the main character, they are just nasty. All these details made this book so amazing.

The plot of this book happens in one of England’s small towns, and time frame of this diary is between New Year and first of June, so, six month. Most of the chapters used to start with character’s “kill list”, the people who annoyed her in one way or the other, and she would be more than happy to end their lives. The plot of this book is full of twists and turns, and more you get into the book, the more secrets and nastiness it unfolds. It was quite scary to read, how detailed the author described the feeling, when the murder used to take place. How does she know all this stuff? I found it interesting, how author showed, that stereotypes of serial killers can be broken, and that you never know who is seriously messed up in their heads.

 The book itself contains heaps of strong language, which makes it really funny, and most probably, I looked really silly, while reading and smiling on the tube. The chapters of the book are really short, and the book is fast paced, so it makes it a real page turner, as you really want to find out what is coming up next. The writing style of this book is really great, and I had real pleasure while reading it, it’s easy to understand and uses great daily terms which are very realistic, and we all used them sometimes. The ending of the book left me questioning and curious, but at the same time it was obvious and concluding. But still, I really want to know what happened next. So, to conclude, I really loved this book and I strongly recommend getting it, it is a marvellous thriller which is extremely funny, but disturbing at the same time, full of layers and insight into the mind of the psychopath. It’s one of my favourites so far and a total must read.
  
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Phoebe Robinson recommended Cane in Books (curated)

 
Cane
Cane
Jean Toomer | 1923 | Fiction & Poetry
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"I also read this in college. I guess going to college was great, because I read some great books. It’s considered a novel but the structure is more a collection of vignettes. Some poetry and some short stories. I really like how it keeps your brain engaged; when the writer switches between this structure and dialogue and not proper English, it makes you focus on what’s actually being written. I love how ambitious it is. It’s also another book about black life that tons of people should love and read and not only read during Black History Month. You know what? Read this book in April when it’s raining outside. How about that?"

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