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Bethr1986 (305 KP) rated The Dark Cry of Aristid in Books
Jan 26, 2023
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The village of Elta is under the rule of the White Citadel. The villagers must do what they're told or face the serious consequences of their actions, including who they worship. They are forbidden to use magic unless they have permission from the overseer, there are however certain people in the village that are gifted with magic and still believe in the old ways.
I found I liked this book from the start the opening chapter 1 is supposed to ease you in and let you get settled, but I found that straight away it was pulling me in and I wanted to find out more about the characters and the village itself. There are so many avenues this book could go! The way it's finished could leave it open for a series, it's one I would continue to read if the author were to go down that route.
I like the support that the villagers give each other in the hard times they suffer.
It's a book I recommend
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
The village of Elta is under the rule of the White Citadel. The villagers must do what they're told or face the serious consequences of their actions, including who they worship. They are forbidden to use magic unless they have permission from the overseer, there are however certain people in the village that are gifted with magic and still believe in the old ways.
I found I liked this book from the start the opening chapter 1 is supposed to ease you in and let you get settled, but I found that straight away it was pulling me in and I wanted to find out more about the characters and the village itself. There are so many avenues this book could go! The way it's finished could leave it open for a series, it's one I would continue to read if the author were to go down that route.
I like the support that the villagers give each other in the hard times they suffer.
It's a book I recommend
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa (13326 KP) rated The Skriker (Pitch & Sickle #3) in Books
Sep 28, 2022
THE SKRIKER is the third book in this ongoing series and starts where book two finished. Pitch and Sickle are licking their wounds and recovering from their fight with the Verderer. However, even though his body appears to be mending, Pitch's mind is nowhere near healed. He pushes Silas away and, eventually, Silas goes.
For the majority of the book, Pitch and Sickle have their own separate 'adventures' and, although necessary, I wanted them to get back together. To me, it was pretty obvious who would be able to heal Pitch and I was all 'woohoo, it's finally happening!' only for it to stutter to a stop and we're back to square one. Gah!
The overall story arc is definitely picking up the pace and I look forward to Pitch and Sickle's upcoming adventures. I just wish they'd sort themselves out a bit more. They take the miscommunication or lack of talking trope to new extremes!
Still a great read and 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
For the majority of the book, Pitch and Sickle have their own separate 'adventures' and, although necessary, I wanted them to get back together. To me, it was pretty obvious who would be able to heal Pitch and I was all 'woohoo, it's finally happening!' only for it to stutter to a stop and we're back to square one. Gah!
The overall story arc is definitely picking up the pace and I look forward to Pitch and Sickle's upcoming adventures. I just wish they'd sort themselves out a bit more. They take the miscommunication or lack of talking trope to new extremes!
Still a great read and 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Merissa (13326 KP) rated Snowbody Loves Me (Christmas Falls #2) in Books
Nov 13, 2023
SNOWBODY LOVES ME is the second book in the multi-author seasonal series, Christmas Falls. You don't have to have read book one to get this one, but you're missing out on a brilliant story.
Arlo is the owner of one of the B&Bs and Emerson is the one lucky enough to find a spare room when everywhere is fully booked up. It is insta-lust, quickly followed by insta-love. To be fair, they don't act upon the insta-lust immediately with neither of them sure what is going on or how long Emerson will be staying.
There are lots of pluses for this book, but I do wish they would have spoken a little more about the big things. I know it can be scary to put yourself out there, but surely getting a solid answer is better than a lifetime of uncertainty.
This was a fun, low-angst, seasonal romance set in a town I am coming to love. 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!
Nov 13, 2023
Arlo is the owner of one of the B&Bs and Emerson is the one lucky enough to find a spare room when everywhere is fully booked up. It is insta-lust, quickly followed by insta-love. To be fair, they don't act upon the insta-lust immediately with neither of them sure what is going on or how long Emerson will be staying.
There are lots of pluses for this book, but I do wish they would have spoken a little more about the big things. I know it can be scary to put yourself out there, but surely getting a solid answer is better than a lifetime of uncertainty.
This was a fun, low-angst, seasonal romance set in a town I am coming to love. 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!
Nov 13, 2023
Merissa (13326 KP) rated Death Wish (Ceruleans #1) in Books
May 24, 2023
This is the first book of the Cerulean series, and as such, it pulls you in gently, giving lots of information and a back story without just being an info dump.
Scarlett's character was immediately likeable, as were Cara and Luke. Jude, you are left questioning - which is the whole purpose of his character! Scarlett is dealing with a personal tragedy, leaving her with unanswered questions that she needs answers to. She decides to spend the summer in her grandparents' old home, trying to give herself both some space and also the answers she wants.
This is a book that definitely builds up, and there is no insta-love or love triangles, which I will be forever grateful for! The story is intriguing and smoothly paced, and the contemporary world setting is both complex and carefree.
Fair warning - this story comes to a close with one major cliffhanger!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more about the Ceruleans. 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!
Mar 5, 2016
Scarlett's character was immediately likeable, as were Cara and Luke. Jude, you are left questioning - which is the whole purpose of his character! Scarlett is dealing with a personal tragedy, leaving her with unanswered questions that she needs answers to. She decides to spend the summer in her grandparents' old home, trying to give herself both some space and also the answers she wants.
This is a book that definitely builds up, and there is no insta-love or love triangles, which I will be forever grateful for! The story is intriguing and smoothly paced, and the contemporary world setting is both complex and carefree.
Fair warning - this story comes to a close with one major cliffhanger!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more about the Ceruleans. 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!
Mar 5, 2016
Merissa (13326 KP) rated The Lost Art of Woodworking and Taking Risks (The Lost Arts #2.5) in Books
Aug 22, 2025
THE LOST ART OF WOODWORKING AND TAKING RISKS is a short side character novella in The Lost Arts series, featuring Chamis and Bennan, who we met in book 2. This delightful addition gives us more details about their romance and how they moved forward in both their lives and the romance.
The thing I loved about this one was that Chamis and Bennan are total opposites from the outside, which they acknowledge in the story. One is a shy introvert, and one is a flirty extrovert. NEITHER of them wanted the other to change. How wonderful is that?! There is no way I can say which character I loved the most, as they were both absolutely gorgeous on the inside.
Definitely less steam in this book, which completely fitted the narrative. I loved seeing their romance through their eyes, but the teasers for book 3 have about killed me. I need it NOW!!! A great addition and 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!
Aug 22, 2025
The thing I loved about this one was that Chamis and Bennan are total opposites from the outside, which they acknowledge in the story. One is a shy introvert, and one is a flirty extrovert. NEITHER of them wanted the other to change. How wonderful is that?! There is no way I can say which character I loved the most, as they were both absolutely gorgeous on the inside.
Definitely less steam in this book, which completely fitted the narrative. I loved seeing their romance through their eyes, but the teasers for book 3 have about killed me. I need it NOW!!! A great addition and 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!
Aug 22, 2025
Merissa (13326 KP) rated Lightkeepers (Tales of the Five Realms #3) in Books
Jan 28, 2025
LIGHTKEEPERS is the third book in the Tales of the Five Realms series, and I would definitely say you need to read the other two first.
Hagar has returned to school but Jude hasn't. She is still in the Lightkeepers and wants to concentrate on her studies. Things don't work out that way for her. Ortense and Rollow are the main focus of this book and they both have their own issues and plots to deal with.
I don't know if it's the gap in books (it was 2022 when I read book 2) or just me, but I struggled with this one. I started it three different times before I decided to push through. The world is just as intricate as before but it didn't grip me this time. As for Rollo and Ortense, I found that I just didn't care.
If you have read the other two, then I definitely recommend you giving this one a go and decide for yourself.
** 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!
Jan 28, 2025
Hagar has returned to school but Jude hasn't. She is still in the Lightkeepers and wants to concentrate on her studies. Things don't work out that way for her. Ortense and Rollow are the main focus of this book and they both have their own issues and plots to deal with.
I don't know if it's the gap in books (it was 2022 when I read book 2) or just me, but I struggled with this one. I started it three different times before I decided to push through. The world is just as intricate as before but it didn't grip me this time. As for Rollo and Ortense, I found that I just didn't care.
If you have read the other two, then I definitely recommend you giving this one a go and decide for yourself.
** 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!
Jan 28, 2025
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2425 KP) rated Haunted House Ghost in Books
Oct 22, 2025 - 4:18 AM
The Need for a Good Edit Haunts This Book
It’s been a few months since we last checked in on Kellan Ayrwick, single father and new professor at Braxton University, where his family has been involved for decades. In that time, he’s been overseeing the contractor working on his new house, and it’s almost ready for move in. That is, until someone comes along and sabotages it, leaving behind a threatening message. Who could be doing it? Does it have anything to do with the former inhabitants? How does the old skeleton uncovered on campus tie in?
Knowing that the story driving so much of the first half of this series was mostly completed, I was curious to see where things would go. Sadly, this was disappointing. The book tried to take on too much. Even though the pacing was good and the book is long for a cozy, we still got data dumps and exposition with summarized dialogue in the final quarter. It also kept me from really connecting with the characters. Given the October setting, the book does have fun with the seasonal vibes. But I am going to need a break before I move on to the next book, if I decide to.
Knowing that the story driving so much of the first half of this series was mostly completed, I was curious to see where things would go. Sadly, this was disappointing. The book tried to take on too much. Even though the pacing was good and the book is long for a cozy, we still got data dumps and exposition with summarized dialogue in the final quarter. It also kept me from really connecting with the characters. Given the October setting, the book does have fun with the seasonal vibes. But I am going to need a break before I move on to the next book, if I decide to.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Faerie Prince (Creepy Hollow, #2) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<b>It's weird to get back into a series after over an entire year.</b> Everything that happened back in the <a title="Read Sophia's review of The Faerie Guardian" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-guardian-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">first <i>Creepy Hollow</i> book</a> has either been entirely forgotten or stored away and wouldn't be recovered unless Rachel Morgan refreshed me in the sequel.
I suppose the memorable ones the ones I'm extremely passionate or enraged about are the ones that are remembered. Someone do an experiment on this. I digress.
<b>The second book in the <i>Creepy Hollow</i> series brings us back to Creepy Hollow (of course)</b>, shortly after Violet was handed over to the Unseelie Court by Nate, a half human and half faerie she fell in love with. Violet and Ryn decide to forget their ugly past and become friends, and Violet gets her final assignment as a trainee before becoming a guardian and finding out whether or not she gets the top prize of her graduating class.
<i>The Faerie Prince</i> <b>isn't exactly as action-packed</b> this time, mainly focusing on Violet's final assignment as a trainee before graduation definitely <b>the slowest out of all three books in this first arc of the series</b> (I just hope Morgan doesn't pull off a Cassandra Clare/Erin Hunter). It's more of an observation, lose the magic, and walk home in midst of <b>developing the overall plot of the first arc and Violet's relationship with Ryn.</b>
Reading <i>The Faerie Prince</i> probably <b>opened up my eyes on quite a few things about the series</b> that I probably wouldn't have noticed while reading the first book, and had I actually read the first book again this year, I may not have rated it as high as I did. However, <b>the series definitely has the majority of everything I would want in a book:</b>
<b>A fantastic main character Violet is just like any other ordinary teenager</b>, even if she's not a human. She has her moments and her quirks. She's extremely determined, wanting to do things on her own if at all possible without any help. She also <b>kicks butt and she has an attitude filled with sass and the occasional sarcasm that makes the book more entertaining</b>. It certainly made the second book entertaining. I suppose part of that sarcasm is to be blamed on Ryn.
<b>The writing</b> It's fantastic. The way Morgan writes, <b>you can almost <i>feel</i> Violet's emotions</b> her anxiety, fear, nervousness, happiness, joy, etc.
<blockquote>Oh dear Seelie Queen I'm going to trip in these heels and land on my butt and my dress will tear right down the middle and everyone will see my ridiculous enchanted underwear and </blockquote>
<b>A world I want to live in</b> I would love to live in Creepy Hollow. It might just be the faeries and other cool creatures (like Filigree, who I want as a pet), but <b>I imagine the world to be absolutely magical and fantastical</b>. I even want a story from another guild, so long as the traditions are different. Maybe from another creature? (I repeat: I seriously don't want a bunch of spin-offs, but that topic will be discussed another day.)
<b>The ending of <i>The Faerie Prince</i>, however, felt a little abrupt. It also felt appropriate for some unknown reason</b>, but with the slowness of the book, the fast ending just felt skewed and a little out of place. <b>Everything seems to be going well and peachy for Violet, but all of a sudden, everything just falls apart and the book ends.</b>
I'm not too sure how I feel about that.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-prince-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<b>It's weird to get back into a series after over an entire year.</b> Everything that happened back in the <a title="Read Sophia's review of The Faerie Guardian" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-guardian-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">first <i>Creepy Hollow</i> book</a> has either been entirely forgotten or stored away and wouldn't be recovered unless Rachel Morgan refreshed me in the sequel.
I suppose the memorable ones the ones I'm extremely passionate or enraged about are the ones that are remembered. Someone do an experiment on this. I digress.
<b>The second book in the <i>Creepy Hollow</i> series brings us back to Creepy Hollow (of course)</b>, shortly after Violet was handed over to the Unseelie Court by Nate, a half human and half faerie she fell in love with. Violet and Ryn decide to forget their ugly past and become friends, and Violet gets her final assignment as a trainee before becoming a guardian and finding out whether or not she gets the top prize of her graduating class.
<i>The Faerie Prince</i> <b>isn't exactly as action-packed</b> this time, mainly focusing on Violet's final assignment as a trainee before graduation definitely <b>the slowest out of all three books in this first arc of the series</b> (I just hope Morgan doesn't pull off a Cassandra Clare/Erin Hunter). It's more of an observation, lose the magic, and walk home in midst of <b>developing the overall plot of the first arc and Violet's relationship with Ryn.</b>
Reading <i>The Faerie Prince</i> probably <b>opened up my eyes on quite a few things about the series</b> that I probably wouldn't have noticed while reading the first book, and had I actually read the first book again this year, I may not have rated it as high as I did. However, <b>the series definitely has the majority of everything I would want in a book:</b>
<b>A fantastic main character Violet is just like any other ordinary teenager</b>, even if she's not a human. She has her moments and her quirks. She's extremely determined, wanting to do things on her own if at all possible without any help. She also <b>kicks butt and she has an attitude filled with sass and the occasional sarcasm that makes the book more entertaining</b>. It certainly made the second book entertaining. I suppose part of that sarcasm is to be blamed on Ryn.
<b>The writing</b> It's fantastic. The way Morgan writes, <b>you can almost <i>feel</i> Violet's emotions</b> her anxiety, fear, nervousness, happiness, joy, etc.
<blockquote>Oh dear Seelie Queen I'm going to trip in these heels and land on my butt and my dress will tear right down the middle and everyone will see my ridiculous enchanted underwear and </blockquote>
<b>A world I want to live in</b> I would love to live in Creepy Hollow. It might just be the faeries and other cool creatures (like Filigree, who I want as a pet), but <b>I imagine the world to be absolutely magical and fantastical</b>. I even want a story from another guild, so long as the traditions are different. Maybe from another creature? (I repeat: I seriously don't want a bunch of spin-offs, but that topic will be discussed another day.)
<b>The ending of <i>The Faerie Prince</i>, however, felt a little abrupt. It also felt appropriate for some unknown reason</b>, but with the slowness of the book, the fast ending just felt skewed and a little out of place. <b>Everything seems to be going well and peachy for Violet, but all of a sudden, everything just falls apart and the book ends.</b>
I'm not too sure how I feel about that.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-prince-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Merissa (13326 KP) rated Awakened (Semiramis #1) in Books
Jan 11, 2019
Awakened (Semiramis Book 1) by Maya Daniels
Awakened is the first book in the Semiramis series, and we start of with Al, who is our main female. She is a strong character, who also seems a bit absent-minded at times. She is working in a place where she is unhappy, but has Daisy there to keep her company. Things change when she has a car accident, and her life changes forever.
This book is told in two (uneven) halves as you could call it before and after the accident. Obviously, there is not that much from before, and you spend most of the book with Al as she meets Warlocks, Gods, Goddesses, and Angels. She has a dry sense of humour which was delightful to read, and really came across well on the page.
Awakened is well written, with characters that jump off the page. Be warned though, there are a lot of them so you will need to keep track of who they are. With a few editing issues in words being misspelt, this was nevertheless an intriguing read. I was slightly disappointed we didn't meet Daisy again after Al's accident, especially when Philip is there so much.
Ending with a cliffhanger, this is a book to be enjoyed, and will definitely leave you wanting more. Absolutely 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!
This book is told in two (uneven) halves as you could call it before and after the accident. Obviously, there is not that much from before, and you spend most of the book with Al as she meets Warlocks, Gods, Goddesses, and Angels. She has a dry sense of humour which was delightful to read, and really came across well on the page.
Awakened is well written, with characters that jump off the page. Be warned though, there are a lot of them so you will need to keep track of who they are. With a few editing issues in words being misspelt, this was nevertheless an intriguing read. I was slightly disappointed we didn't meet Daisy again after Al's accident, especially when Philip is there so much.
Ending with a cliffhanger, this is a book to be enjoyed, and will definitely leave you wanting more. Absolutely 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!
Kate (493 KP) rated The Dark Web Murders in Books
Feb 6, 2020
I like the twists and turns in this book and the motive. You can guess the motive from the beginning of the book but you can't guess the true ins and outs. There were a couple of different stories going on which helped the story unravel.
I usually read this kind of genre - crime. It was one of the good ones which you couldn't guess.
I was hooked from the first chapter and sometimes crime books take me a few chapters to get into. I couldn't put the book down.
The story flowed really well. The only thing I didn't like was the descriptions of people at the beginning of the book - some of the information was not relevant and never came up in the story. Also I get a feeling for the characters and learn about them as I read. With so many characters described I quickly forgot the information about each character. I understand the author had done this as people had commented that they would prefer this but me personally I didn't like it.
Some of the information that came to light in the book shocked me and the book is definitely not for the faint hearted. Although it is fiction it does remind you that this stuff really does go on.
The audience is definitely adults due to the content which was shocking.
I would 100% read the other books in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
I usually read this kind of genre - crime. It was one of the good ones which you couldn't guess.
I was hooked from the first chapter and sometimes crime books take me a few chapters to get into. I couldn't put the book down.
The story flowed really well. The only thing I didn't like was the descriptions of people at the beginning of the book - some of the information was not relevant and never came up in the story. Also I get a feeling for the characters and learn about them as I read. With so many characters described I quickly forgot the information about each character. I understand the author had done this as people had commented that they would prefer this but me personally I didn't like it.
Some of the information that came to light in the book shocked me and the book is definitely not for the faint hearted. Although it is fiction it does remind you that this stuff really does go on.
The audience is definitely adults due to the content which was shocking.
I would 100% read the other books in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.