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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2444 KP) rated Sleep in Heavenly Pizza in Books
Dec 18, 2024 (Updated Dec 18, 2024)
Delilah’s Friends and Family are in Deep Dish
When Delilah and the staff at her restaurant cater a combined Hanukkah and Christmas dinner, Delilah is surprised to run into some family she didn’t know were in town. But the bigger surprise comes the next day when the body of one of the guests is found in a snow pile created for the snow sculpting contest. With her family and friends as the prime suspects, Delilah jumps in to clear them. But what are they hiding?
I always enjoy reading holiday books during December, and this one gave me plenty of Christmas vibes while also including Hanukkah, which was a great touch. The mystery unfolded a little differently, but still pulled me in and kept me turning the pages until I reached the logical climax. Meanwhile, the characters shine, with some nice growth for them and their relationships. There’s plenty of talk about food, and the four recipes at the end sound good. No matter when you pick up this book, you’ll find it delicious.
I always enjoy reading holiday books during December, and this one gave me plenty of Christmas vibes while also including Hanukkah, which was a great touch. The mystery unfolded a little differently, but still pulled me in and kept me turning the pages until I reached the logical climax. Meanwhile, the characters shine, with some nice growth for them and their relationships. There’s plenty of talk about food, and the four recipes at the end sound good. No matter when you pick up this book, you’ll find it delicious.
The White Deer of Kildare (The Castle in Kilkenny: Fairy Tales #2)
Book
A Winter Solstice fairy tale adventure All Maura wants is a peaceful winter holidays in her Irish...
Time-Slip Fantasy
Kaysee Hood (83 KP) rated Throne of Glass in Books
Jun 27, 2017
Badass female (1 more)
Mystery
She's beauty and grace. She's not sorry at all about your face.
There are quite a few people who look down on Celaena Sardothien as a character because she is a badass woman who is confident in her appearance. She thinks about how she presents herself to the world and has no qualms about declaring her beauty. She comes off as vain, but I found it as a relief after reading so many books where a female character did not realize her worth for whatever reason. It was a nice change to go from a mousy girl who does not believe in herself to Celaena, who does not always believe in herself, but at least knows she is on top of the world.
Throne of Glass has an array of characters who have a purpose. Each one mentioned plays a part in some manner. It may not be in this first book of the series, but they all play a part at some point. No one is unimportant. They weigh on the events unfolding even if it is the smallest of details. They aren't there are fillers, which is wonderful.
As for the very obviously love triangle between Celaena, Chaol, and Dorian I was fine with it. Even if it was a focus, their triangle did not keep from the plot. It was not a distraction and thrown in their for "romance". It actually plays a part for later in the series. In a way, I felt it helped progress the story along and did not keep us from the main focus: rid the kingdom of evil.
Throne of Glass has an array of characters who have a purpose. Each one mentioned plays a part in some manner. It may not be in this first book of the series, but they all play a part at some point. No one is unimportant. They weigh on the events unfolding even if it is the smallest of details. They aren't there are fillers, which is wonderful.
As for the very obviously love triangle between Celaena, Chaol, and Dorian I was fine with it. Even if it was a focus, their triangle did not keep from the plot. It was not a distraction and thrown in their for "romance". It actually plays a part for later in the series. In a way, I felt it helped progress the story along and did not keep us from the main focus: rid the kingdom of evil.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Thorn Queen (Dark Swan, #2) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I liked this book more than the first in the series, Storm Born, simply because the complaints I had about the first book were answered to in this one. I thought that Dorian was by far a better match for Eugenie than Kiyo, and really, Kiyo just becomes a major wimp in this book. Even his ability in the bedroom is shown up by Eugenie's mere memories of Dorian - and that's just sad.
The second complaint I had in the first book is also answered for - but definitely not in a good way, as it was about how Richelle Mead wrote Eugenie's reactions to the multiple rape attempts made on her. This book took things much further and really drew an emotional reaction from me. I really hope that the next two books don't revisit this issue. Moving on.
Dorian is nearly perfect in every way in this book, answering to Eugenie's many sensitivities and internal struggles, as well as exacting justice when Kiyo was too cowardly to do the deed. Honestly, I'm at the point where if Dorian says to do it, Eugenie should do it. After all, I loved that Dorian tricked Eugenie into claiming Aeson's kingdom, as she genuinely cares about and wants to help her people just as much as she would want to in the human world.
Oh yes, and some of the other quirks of this plot were quite enjoyable, such as watching Eugenie gain greater access to her storm abilities, as well as her angsty half-sister Jasmine coming to her aid at the end. I look forward to reading the next installment, Iron Crowned.
The second complaint I had in the first book is also answered for - but definitely not in a good way, as it was about how Richelle Mead wrote Eugenie's reactions to the multiple rape attempts made on her. This book took things much further and really drew an emotional reaction from me. I really hope that the next two books don't revisit this issue. Moving on.
Dorian is nearly perfect in every way in this book, answering to Eugenie's many sensitivities and internal struggles, as well as exacting justice when Kiyo was too cowardly to do the deed. Honestly, I'm at the point where if Dorian says to do it, Eugenie should do it. After all, I loved that Dorian tricked Eugenie into claiming Aeson's kingdom, as she genuinely cares about and wants to help her people just as much as she would want to in the human world.
Oh yes, and some of the other quirks of this plot were quite enjoyable, such as watching Eugenie gain greater access to her storm abilities, as well as her angsty half-sister Jasmine coming to her aid at the end. I look forward to reading the next installment, Iron Crowned.
Merissa (13469 KP) rated Under the Radar in Books
May 3, 2019
Under the Radar by Lillian Francis
Under the Radar is a wonderful story about two opposites - An American playboy and a Welsh innocent. They are opposite in other ways too, but that just makes them fit together perfectly. Zachary has been 'expelled' from the US Air Force after an indiscretion, and his punishment is to become a Submariner. A harsh punishment indeed for someone who loves the sky. Gethin is from a farm in Wales, and happy to be on the submarine. These two shouldn't really fit, but they do.
I loved how this story came about. There is an incredible amount of research that has gone into it, and the descriptions are compelling. I literally found myself having to straighten my shoulders after hunching them over as I was reading! This is a slow-burn romance, with some funny parts in there as Gethin's innocence stops him from reading Zachary's overtures.
This was exceptionally written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed. The characters are all magnificent, especially the supporting cast. I'm so glad I got one of the 'bad guys' right, but I won't say who or when. Everything about this book ticked my boxes - from the descriptions of war-time rations, to how some of them spoke Polari (LOVED that inclusion!). I really hope this isn't the last we see of Zachary and Gethin. I'm sure they could have some amazing adventures together.
Highly 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!
I loved how this story came about. There is an incredible amount of research that has gone into it, and the descriptions are compelling. I literally found myself having to straighten my shoulders after hunching them over as I was reading! This is a slow-burn romance, with some funny parts in there as Gethin's innocence stops him from reading Zachary's overtures.
This was exceptionally written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed. The characters are all magnificent, especially the supporting cast. I'm so glad I got one of the 'bad guys' right, but I won't say who or when. Everything about this book ticked my boxes - from the descriptions of war-time rations, to how some of them spoke Polari (LOVED that inclusion!). I really hope this isn't the last we see of Zachary and Gethin. I'm sure they could have some amazing adventures together.
Highly 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!
Lindsay (1779 KP) rated A Texan's Promise (Heart of a Hero, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2018
I want to get this book to read but I was reading another book by Shelley Shepard Gray at the time. I was either going to wait for it to become free for my Nook or get it though the library. Well I was surfing my facebook or looking at posts that were coming to my surprise Shelley Shepard post Status update saying that her book "A Texan's Promise" was being able to download it free for that day or that week for the Nook at Barnes & Noble website. So I downloaded it to my Nook and started reading it. Now on to my lovely thought of the book.
I really like how the beginning starts in this book. We get learn about Clayton and Vanessa past though the book. We start to see how Vanessa Grant life become rattled and how things change rapidly. Clayton seems to care for her and her pain. He see her in pain and wants to get her safe. We get to introduced to Miles Grant and Vanessa stepfather a little bit. We hear about Clayton's side of the family while he and Vanessa are traveling on the trail from Texas to Colorado. Along the way, you meet a few of Clayton's friends. Their a new set problem that exist with old one between Clayton and Vanessa. You also hear about Miles and his struggles along with Miles and Vanessa stepfather problem is. To find out what they are and struggles each person as is suggest that you go and read it. [b:A Texan's Promise|11082675|A Texan's Promise|Shelley Gray|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327938432s/11082675.jpg|16004333]
I really like how the beginning starts in this book. We get learn about Clayton and Vanessa past though the book. We start to see how Vanessa Grant life become rattled and how things change rapidly. Clayton seems to care for her and her pain. He see her in pain and wants to get her safe. We get to introduced to Miles Grant and Vanessa stepfather a little bit. We hear about Clayton's side of the family while he and Vanessa are traveling on the trail from Texas to Colorado. Along the way, you meet a few of Clayton's friends. Their a new set problem that exist with old one between Clayton and Vanessa. You also hear about Miles and his struggles along with Miles and Vanessa stepfather problem is. To find out what they are and struggles each person as is suggest that you go and read it. [b:A Texan's Promise|11082675|A Texan's Promise|Shelley Gray|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327938432s/11082675.jpg|16004333]
Debbiereadsbook (1570 KP) rated Mr July (Calendar Men #7) in Books
Jul 22, 2018
loving these still!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 7 in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone.
Felix is commissioned to do a mural for Erza, who is close to the original photographer of the shoot. Meeting Tse makes Felix realise there is more to life than work. But Felix finds out a shocking truth about his parents death, and it makes him see things in a much clearer light. If only Tse didn't live in another state!
Oh I love these books, I really do. Ms Bradford keeps coming up with more and more obscure shifters and I love that! Here, Felix is a mountain sheep from Cyprus. It takes back stage, and is mentioned more in passing than anything else, but still, love it!
Felix and Tse have Chemistry, with a capital C! Right from the start, they are hot off the page! I loved how they both have hook up rules, but both of them, seperately, wanted to break those rules. They don't, but I loved that they thought about it. They both knew this was going to be more than a hook up, very early on, and usually, I don't much care for early declarations of love, but I thought it right and proper for these two.
When Felix finds out the truth about his parents deaths, it's Tse he runs to, but gets waylaid by Tse's entire family! When Felix tells Tse, he's all...And why would that make a difference?
Thoroughly enjoying this series!
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 7 in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone.
Felix is commissioned to do a mural for Erza, who is close to the original photographer of the shoot. Meeting Tse makes Felix realise there is more to life than work. But Felix finds out a shocking truth about his parents death, and it makes him see things in a much clearer light. If only Tse didn't live in another state!
Oh I love these books, I really do. Ms Bradford keeps coming up with more and more obscure shifters and I love that! Here, Felix is a mountain sheep from Cyprus. It takes back stage, and is mentioned more in passing than anything else, but still, love it!
Felix and Tse have Chemistry, with a capital C! Right from the start, they are hot off the page! I loved how they both have hook up rules, but both of them, seperately, wanted to break those rules. They don't, but I loved that they thought about it. They both knew this was going to be more than a hook up, very early on, and usually, I don't much care for early declarations of love, but I thought it right and proper for these two.
When Felix finds out the truth about his parents deaths, it's Tse he runs to, but gets waylaid by Tse's entire family! When Felix tells Tse, he's all...And why would that make a difference?
Thoroughly enjoying this series!
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Lindsay (1779 KP) rated A Texan's Promise (Heart of a Hero, #1) in Books
Aug 30, 2018
I want to get this book to read but I was reading another book by Shelley Shepard Gray at the time. I was either going to wait for it to become free for my Nook or get it though the library. Well I was surfing my facebook or looking at posts that were coming to my surprise Shelley Shepard post Status update saying that her book "A Texan's Promise" was being able to download it free for that day or that week for the Nook at Barnes & Noble website. So I downloaded it to my Nook and started reading it. Now on to my lovely thought of the book.
I really like how the beginning starts in this book. We get learn about Clayton and Vanessa past though the book. We start to see how Vanessa Grant life become rattled and how things change rapidly. Clayton seems to care for her and her pain. He see her in pain and wants to get her safe. We get to introduced to Miles Grant and Vanessa stepfather a little bit. We hear about Clayton's side of the family while he and Vanessa are traveling on the trail from Texas to Colorado. Along the way, you meet a few of Clayton's friends. Their a new set problem that exist with old one between Clayton and Vanessa. You also hear about Miles and his struggles along with Miles and Vanessa stepfather problem is. To find out what they are and struggles each person as is suggest that you go and read it. [b:A Texan's Promise|11082675|A Texan's Promise|Shelley Gray|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327938432s/11082675.jpg|16004333]
I really like how the beginning starts in this book. We get learn about Clayton and Vanessa past though the book. We start to see how Vanessa Grant life become rattled and how things change rapidly. Clayton seems to care for her and her pain. He see her in pain and wants to get her safe. We get to introduced to Miles Grant and Vanessa stepfather a little bit. We hear about Clayton's side of the family while he and Vanessa are traveling on the trail from Texas to Colorado. Along the way, you meet a few of Clayton's friends. Their a new set problem that exist with old one between Clayton and Vanessa. You also hear about Miles and his struggles along with Miles and Vanessa stepfather problem is. To find out what they are and struggles each person as is suggest that you go and read it. [b:A Texan's Promise|11082675|A Texan's Promise|Shelley Gray|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327938432s/11082675.jpg|16004333]
ClareR (6001 KP) rated Conversations With Friends in Books
Oct 28, 2019
Frances is a student in Dublin who performs her poetry with her ex-girlfriend Bobbi. They meet Melissa, a journalist and photographer, at one of their shows and she befriends them. When they go back to her house they meet her husband, Nick, and Frances goes on to start an affair with him.
Frances seems to be a very unapproachable person. She doesn’t give OF herself, but expects everyone to respond towards her with love. Which must be hard work. Her youth really comes across when she talks about never wanting to work and not wanting or needing money - and then later her father stops paying her allowance. She realises then just what having no money is really like. There are other hints at her mental state. She talks about self-harming, and she seems reluctant to talk to either Bobbi or Nick about her feelings for them (my theory is that her parents separation is responsible for this). She’s not a particularly likeable character, and writing this has made me realise that I actually seem to like books where the main characters just aren’t particularly nice. Perhaps I just want to see why people are like this?
Anyway, I listened to this on Audible as I read along (when I could), and I really liked the narrator, Aoife McMahon. She’s engaging, has a really nice voice and there was never any doubt in my mind that she was a good choice. She really made this book for me.
I can see why there was such a buzz around this book when it first came out, because I enjoyed it too!
Frances seems to be a very unapproachable person. She doesn’t give OF herself, but expects everyone to respond towards her with love. Which must be hard work. Her youth really comes across when she talks about never wanting to work and not wanting or needing money - and then later her father stops paying her allowance. She realises then just what having no money is really like. There are other hints at her mental state. She talks about self-harming, and she seems reluctant to talk to either Bobbi or Nick about her feelings for them (my theory is that her parents separation is responsible for this). She’s not a particularly likeable character, and writing this has made me realise that I actually seem to like books where the main characters just aren’t particularly nice. Perhaps I just want to see why people are like this?
Anyway, I listened to this on Audible as I read along (when I could), and I really liked the narrator, Aoife McMahon. She’s engaging, has a really nice voice and there was never any doubt in my mind that she was a good choice. She really made this book for me.
I can see why there was such a buzz around this book when it first came out, because I enjoyed it too!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Witcher in TV
Dec 29, 2019
Better than expected
I know nothing about The Witcher books or games, so I went into this Netflix series with an open mind and overall I was pleasantly surprised at how this turned out.
Henry Cavill is a great choice as Geralt, charming and witty yet threatening, and let's just say I also wasnt complaining about the amount of time he spends with his top off. The effects in this are very good and the action and fight scenes are well choreographed and wonderfully gory and bloody. The whole show just looks great, from the costumes to the scenery. I did find the diverging timelines of the three main characters a little confusing to begin with and I had to really pay attention to figure out where everything was up to. The lives of Ciri and Yennefer are interesting and Yennefer especially is a wonderfully smart and intriguing character, however I did feel a little frustrated that we spend so much time across the episodes with both of them. Whilst they both tie into the main plot, for me Geralt was the most engaging thing about this show. His monster hunting and interactions with other characters, especially his rather funny relationship with Jaskier, were what really kept me entertained and I may have rated this a little higher had he featured a lot more.
Oh and the ending was just ridiculously frustrating and such an anticlimax. Overall though this is a surprisingly good watch and I'll be interested to watch the second series, I'm just sad this won't be for a few years yet!
Henry Cavill is a great choice as Geralt, charming and witty yet threatening, and let's just say I also wasnt complaining about the amount of time he spends with his top off. The effects in this are very good and the action and fight scenes are well choreographed and wonderfully gory and bloody. The whole show just looks great, from the costumes to the scenery. I did find the diverging timelines of the three main characters a little confusing to begin with and I had to really pay attention to figure out where everything was up to. The lives of Ciri and Yennefer are interesting and Yennefer especially is a wonderfully smart and intriguing character, however I did feel a little frustrated that we spend so much time across the episodes with both of them. Whilst they both tie into the main plot, for me Geralt was the most engaging thing about this show. His monster hunting and interactions with other characters, especially his rather funny relationship with Jaskier, were what really kept me entertained and I may have rated this a little higher had he featured a lot more.
Oh and the ending was just ridiculously frustrating and such an anticlimax. Overall though this is a surprisingly good watch and I'll be interested to watch the second series, I'm just sad this won't be for a few years yet!