Search
Search results
A Christmas Cornucopia: The Hidden Stories Behind Our Yuletide Traditions
Book
The unpredictable origins and etymologies of our cracking Christmas customs For something that...
A History of the Crusades: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East 1100-1187: II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East 1100-1187
8.0
Rate It
Book
The second volume of Steven Runciman's classic, hugely influential trilogy on the history of the...
David McK (3600 KP) rated Biggles: The Camels Are Coming in Books
Jan 3, 2021
Technically, I'm too old for these books.
Thankfully, Amazon doesn't know (or care).
I've just re-read this for the first time in something like 30 odd years, and it's amazing how well it actually holds together all those years later.
Like 'Biggles Learns To Fly' (which I also re-read recently), this is more a collection of short stories with little in the real way of any over-arching plot: vignettes which, if the author is to be believed (and I've no reason not to) are all based on true stories that either happened to him or that he heard about during his earliest flying days in the latter stages of World War One.
While the character of Biggles may not be as popular or as well-known today as during the years in which the stories were written (the 1930 through to the 1990s), there's a reason why they have endured as long as they have ...
Thankfully, Amazon doesn't know (or care).
I've just re-read this for the first time in something like 30 odd years, and it's amazing how well it actually holds together all those years later.
Like 'Biggles Learns To Fly' (which I also re-read recently), this is more a collection of short stories with little in the real way of any over-arching plot: vignettes which, if the author is to be believed (and I've no reason not to) are all based on true stories that either happened to him or that he heard about during his earliest flying days in the latter stages of World War One.
While the character of Biggles may not be as popular or as well-known today as during the years in which the stories were written (the 1930 through to the 1990s), there's a reason why they have endured as long as they have ...
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Shiver (Unbreakable Bonds #1) in Books
Jan 7, 2021
4.5 stars
I was dragged into this from pretty early on. The connection between the four friends was amazing. They'd been through so much together. I'm definitely intrigued about reading the rest of their stories though I think since the series is all m/m romances that some shit is going to go down in the next books.
I loved the sexual tension between our boys in this. It was pretty scorching and when they finally gave into it, the romantic aspect of their relationship was so nice. I think they'd have died to save each other in the end.
One thing I did love was that the romance wasn't the main focus. These guys are badarse mofo's and kicked butt in a few scenes. The other part of the storyline when Lucas gets beat up over an investment was rather intriguing. Who was behind it and all that.
Definitely up for reading the rest of the series. Ashton/Snow's story next.
I was dragged into this from pretty early on. The connection between the four friends was amazing. They'd been through so much together. I'm definitely intrigued about reading the rest of their stories though I think since the series is all m/m romances that some shit is going to go down in the next books.
I loved the sexual tension between our boys in this. It was pretty scorching and when they finally gave into it, the romantic aspect of their relationship was so nice. I think they'd have died to save each other in the end.
One thing I did love was that the romance wasn't the main focus. These guys are badarse mofo's and kicked butt in a few scenes. The other part of the storyline when Lucas gets beat up over an investment was rather intriguing. Who was behind it and all that.
Definitely up for reading the rest of the series. Ashton/Snow's story next.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles, #1) in Books
Jan 8, 2021
3.75 stars.
Um...Okay...I'm not quite sure how I feel about this.
I liked the whole will they/wont they thing between Evie and Jackson but at the same time it drove me mad with the continuous misunderstandings and stuff between them. Why couldn't they just explain themselves better?!
And it was dystopia/post apocalyptic, which is another bonus because I really like those type of books: sandy, scorched earth; hardly any survivors...
What I wasn't particularly a fan of was the tarot card thing. I'll admit it grew on me throughout and at the end I'd gotten used to it and was more into the concept but at the start I had no idea what was happening and sort of skated over the dreams and such.
After the ending I will admit to be very intrigued with how the rest of the series will play out so I will be reading the second book soon.
Um...Okay...I'm not quite sure how I feel about this.
I liked the whole will they/wont they thing between Evie and Jackson but at the same time it drove me mad with the continuous misunderstandings and stuff between them. Why couldn't they just explain themselves better?!
And it was dystopia/post apocalyptic, which is another bonus because I really like those type of books: sandy, scorched earth; hardly any survivors...
What I wasn't particularly a fan of was the tarot card thing. I'll admit it grew on me throughout and at the end I'd gotten used to it and was more into the concept but at the start I had no idea what was happening and sort of skated over the dreams and such.
After the ending I will admit to be very intrigued with how the rest of the series will play out so I will be reading the second book soon.
Tom Turner (388 KP) rated The Ambassador's Mission (Traitor Spy Trilogy, #1) in Books
Apr 30, 2021
There was something bugging me about this book almost from the word go. It wasn't until I was nearly finishing it that I realised what it was - pacing. The story telling would switch between the POV of Sonea, Lorkin, Cery and Dannyl, but this would switch three or four times a chapter, and wouldn't necessarily be rotated in the same order each chapter. As the book progressed, these characters storylines in the most part separated out with plots rarely overlapping. Canavan is great at suspense, but because of the structure, the page turning aspect got lost, because the momentum got lost. I've seen a few reviews on here comparing the story was boring, I would definitely disagree with this assumption, the story and plotting was good, but the structure let it down as the momentum was all over the place. It came together by the end, and I really do hope it stays together for the next two books.
Tom Turner (388 KP) rated The Magicians' Guild (Black Magician Trilogy, #1) in Books
Apr 30, 2021
This book has been on my radar probably ever since it was first published, and on my shelf for about half that time too. The story is fairly simple, and there's definitely room for fleshing out the characters, but the way I've looked at it is I've just finished the first third of a compete story. So, these failings are forgivable. What got me hooked though, and the reason I will keep reading are two things. Firstly, the relationships between the main set of characters were special, something you could really believe in, even if you didn't know those characters as well as you could. The second is that, there were enough seeds scattered for future plot developments, that despite one arc having finished, there's enough intrigue to urge me to continue. I believe the second two books are improvements in the first, and personally I'm looking forward to finding out if that is the case!
Merissa (13154 KP) rated Gold Like the Sun (Sol #2) in Books
May 8, 2021
Pilar has already had one wedding to Hakan, but now she needs to proceed with the pomp and ceremony on The Hub. Things are fraught here and not always as they seem, so things don't go exactly smoothly. Unfortunately for Hakan, he underestimates Pilar as have so many before him. In his defence though, he is only trying to protect her because he loves her. Pilar is determined to sort things out - both in The Hub and also with Hakan. In doing so, she has a bigger adventure than she anticipated.
This is a well-written and fast-paced book, with no editing or grammatical errors to distract the eye. We learn more about Pilar and Hakan as well as what they have to face. Mica also makes a guest appearance, which was nice to read. A short, fun read full of action and romance. Definitely recommended.
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is a well-written and fast-paced book, with no editing or grammatical errors to distract the eye. We learn more about Pilar and Hakan as well as what they have to face. Mica also makes a guest appearance, which was nice to read. A short, fun read full of action and romance. Definitely recommended.
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Marina Abramovic recommended Letters: Summer 1926 in Books (curated)
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Fifty-Fifty (Eddie Flynn #5) in Books
Sep 7, 2020
This is most definitely one of my reads of 2020 and one that I can't recommend highly enough and although this is number 5 in the series, it can most certainly be read as a standalone - so what are you waiting for ... go buy it now!
With fantastic characters that you are drawn to and care about, an original and brilliant plot with twists and turns that keep you guessing, fast paced and so enthralling and riveting that you just have to read one more chapter and then one more and then ..... you get the idea 😊
I have read number 4 in the series "Thirteen" which was absolutely brilliant and one of my reads of 2018 and one of the best books I have ever read! I thought it couldn't be topped but "Fifty-Fifty" comes very, very close.
Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
With fantastic characters that you are drawn to and care about, an original and brilliant plot with twists and turns that keep you guessing, fast paced and so enthralling and riveting that you just have to read one more chapter and then one more and then ..... you get the idea 😊
I have read number 4 in the series "Thirteen" which was absolutely brilliant and one of my reads of 2018 and one of the best books I have ever read! I thought it couldn't be topped but "Fifty-Fifty" comes very, very close.
Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.