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Hazel (2934 KP) rated What July Knew in Books
Feb 5, 2023
I have read and enjoyed a couple of Emily's books before and this was no exception and something a little different to my usual reads.
July has had a difficult start in life having lost her mum very early in her life but as she nears her tenth birthday and wants to find out more about her mum, her life becomes even more difficult especially when she is not allowed to ask any questions otherwise there are "lessons" that she needs to learn.
I absolutely loved July and was immediately drawn to her and her story. Her innocence was endearing and I matched her desire and need to find out more about her mum and what happened to her.
This was a tough read in parts as it deals with domestic and child abuse and although it isn't gratuitous, if these are triggers for you, I would think strongly whether you want to read it.
Although it's a little slow to start, there is a pervading sense of unease amongst the drip drip of information that makes you want to keep reading and I would recommend to those of you who enjoy a great mystery but, more than that, a strong story of friendship, family and finding out where you belong within that complicated structure.
Thanks to Random House UK, Vintage and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of What July Knew.
July has had a difficult start in life having lost her mum very early in her life but as she nears her tenth birthday and wants to find out more about her mum, her life becomes even more difficult especially when she is not allowed to ask any questions otherwise there are "lessons" that she needs to learn.
I absolutely loved July and was immediately drawn to her and her story. Her innocence was endearing and I matched her desire and need to find out more about her mum and what happened to her.
This was a tough read in parts as it deals with domestic and child abuse and although it isn't gratuitous, if these are triggers for you, I would think strongly whether you want to read it.
Although it's a little slow to start, there is a pervading sense of unease amongst the drip drip of information that makes you want to keep reading and I would recommend to those of you who enjoy a great mystery but, more than that, a strong story of friendship, family and finding out where you belong within that complicated structure.
Thanks to Random House UK, Vintage and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of What July Knew.
Merissa (12552 KP) rated A Silver Fox for Kinkmas (Naughty or Nice Season Three) in Books
Dec 21, 2022
"Washing machines and socks? It works here!"
A SILVER FOX FOR KINKMAS is part of the Naughty or Nice Season 3 and we meet Barney and Magnus. Barney is Kasper's best friend (Crazy Little Thing Cold Love, Destination Daddies Season Two) and comes to Manchester to spend some time with him and Jude. Plus, Cuff'd are having a week-long event called Kinkmas in Manchester that Barney wants to attend. He'd really like a silver fox for Christmas, nothing too serious, nothing too special. What he gets is Magnus, a silver fox who falls for bratty Barney and wants long-term.
There was so much about this story I loved. Magnus' memories of Leo were so sweet and I loved how Barney understood and let him have his moments, feeling secure in what was between them. Barney is the one with worries about their relationship which, to be fair to him, was completely understandable considering how his parents were. Anyone would have doubts after growing up with that.
Light on kink (unless you count washing machines and wearing socks!) but heavy on emotion, this was a wonderful book to read and I have no hesitation in recommending it.
** 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!
There was so much about this story I loved. Magnus' memories of Leo were so sweet and I loved how Barney understood and let him have his moments, feeling secure in what was between them. Barney is the one with worries about their relationship which, to be fair to him, was completely understandable considering how his parents were. Anyone would have doubts after growing up with that.
Light on kink (unless you count washing machines and wearing socks!) but heavy on emotion, this was a wonderful book to read and I have no hesitation in recommending it.
** 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 (12552 KP) rated Abandoned Things in Books
Jan 31, 2023
ABANDONED THINGS is a standalone book that I loved from beginning to end.
Frankie is an author, trying to finish college and his series. He goes incognito to book signings. Everything changes when Rook, a character from his book turns up. That can't happen, right? Wrong!
There is nothing about this book I didn't like. Frankie - prepared to stand by those he cares for and stand up for what is right. Rook - a grumpy a$$ who is able to see when he's made a mistake and change (a little bit). Together, they are just perfect. I loved how Rook was so grumpy with everyone else and, yes, even Frankie at times, but how caring and gentle he was too.
The other characters were just as good, doing what they do best and providing support to Frankie and Rook and letting the story move along. I can't say the twist was a surprise but I loved how it came about and the excitement it brought.
This was a fantastic story and I would love to see more from these characters. I have to say, I love this author's imagination and her stories never disappoint!
Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Frankie is an author, trying to finish college and his series. He goes incognito to book signings. Everything changes when Rook, a character from his book turns up. That can't happen, right? Wrong!
There is nothing about this book I didn't like. Frankie - prepared to stand by those he cares for and stand up for what is right. Rook - a grumpy a$$ who is able to see when he's made a mistake and change (a little bit). Together, they are just perfect. I loved how Rook was so grumpy with everyone else and, yes, even Frankie at times, but how caring and gentle he was too.
The other characters were just as good, doing what they do best and providing support to Frankie and Rook and letting the story move along. I can't say the twist was a surprise but I loved how it came about and the excitement it brought.
This was a fantastic story and I would love to see more from these characters. I have to say, I love this author's imagination and her stories never disappoint!
Absolutely 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 (12552 KP) rated The Pantomime Prince in Books
Nov 28, 2022
"This is a little cracker of a book."
THE PANTOMIME PRINCE is a short but oh-so-sweet seasonal story about Teddy filling in on stage for his pregnant sister. Receiving flowers each performance is bittersweet when he longs for someone of his own but knowing the flowers are sent for his sister.
I won't go into detail about the story itself as I really don't want to ruin what is a little cracker of a book. Teddy makes his feelings known to the reader, giving me pause as my heart broke a little for him. Basil was a brilliant addition that had me laughing out loud.
My only wish would be that this was a longer story. I wish I could have delved a little deeper into the characters and their backstories. There are so many things I need to know. Samantha SoRelle did an amazing job of creating a short story that grabs your attention and characters that hold it from page to page. And for that reason, I want more. I don't think I'm ready to say goodbye to Teddy and Basil yet.
A fantastic read that is absolutely 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!
I won't go into detail about the story itself as I really don't want to ruin what is a little cracker of a book. Teddy makes his feelings known to the reader, giving me pause as my heart broke a little for him. Basil was a brilliant addition that had me laughing out loud.
My only wish would be that this was a longer story. I wish I could have delved a little deeper into the characters and their backstories. There are so many things I need to know. Samantha SoRelle did an amazing job of creating a short story that grabs your attention and characters that hold it from page to page. And for that reason, I want more. I don't think I'm ready to say goodbye to Teddy and Basil yet.
A fantastic read that is absolutely 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 (12552 KP) rated Bad at Being Good in Books
Dec 4, 2023
BAD AT BEING GOOD is a standalone story about friendship, loss, and how people deal with grief in their own ways. It is also about love, and how that can impact your life in ways you don't expect.
My heart went out to Benji from the very beginning. He has so much to deal with, at such a young age. I loved that Kellan was there for him... until he wasn't. And Milo, oh, Milo. He is such a sweetie. Also dealing with a lot, not the least of which was Benji ghosting him for a year, but he still has hope and tenacity.
I loved how this book shows how different people deal with grief. There isn't one-size-fits-all situation, and some of the ways aren't the healthiest, but there was hope by the end.
While giving you the lows, it also gave me the highs - seeing Benji and Milo develop their relationship with each other, and the steamy moments that brought, as well as their relationships with others in their lives.
There wasn't a single moment when I wasn't hooked by this story. HIGHLY 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 29, 2023
My heart went out to Benji from the very beginning. He has so much to deal with, at such a young age. I loved that Kellan was there for him... until he wasn't. And Milo, oh, Milo. He is such a sweetie. Also dealing with a lot, not the least of which was Benji ghosting him for a year, but he still has hope and tenacity.
I loved how this book shows how different people deal with grief. There isn't one-size-fits-all situation, and some of the ways aren't the healthiest, but there was hope by the end.
While giving you the lows, it also gave me the highs - seeing Benji and Milo develop their relationship with each other, and the steamy moments that brought, as well as their relationships with others in their lives.
There wasn't a single moment when I wasn't hooked by this story. HIGHLY 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 29, 2023
Merissa (12552 KP) rated Becoming Brooklyn in Books
Jul 13, 2021 (Updated Jul 17, 2023)
BECOMING BROOKLYN is a standalone novel that has the potential for a series. A series I really hope happens!
Brooklyn is a 9/11 baby, her father died in the terrorist attack. During a memorial service, terrorists attack again and Brooklyn, along with five others, are told the impossible -- that their parents had superpowers and worked with the government to stop terrorists. They are given the choice to follow in their footsteps. But things aren't always as they appear and they all have hard lessons to learn.
This was a great story. It is filled with action, adventure, and a touch of romance. I loved how the story panned out, and how they worked together, which made the ending even more jaw-dropping.
The characters are all well thought out and play to their own strengths. Told from Brooklyn's point of view, obviously, we learn more about her, but through her eyes, we learn about the others too. Brilliant storytelling!
I don't know if there are any plans for a sequel or series, but I would love to hear more from Brooklyn and see where the future takes her.
A fantastic contemporary superpower novel that I have no hesitation in recommending.
** 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!
Jul 13, 2021
Brooklyn is a 9/11 baby, her father died in the terrorist attack. During a memorial service, terrorists attack again and Brooklyn, along with five others, are told the impossible -- that their parents had superpowers and worked with the government to stop terrorists. They are given the choice to follow in their footsteps. But things aren't always as they appear and they all have hard lessons to learn.
This was a great story. It is filled with action, adventure, and a touch of romance. I loved how the story panned out, and how they worked together, which made the ending even more jaw-dropping.
The characters are all well thought out and play to their own strengths. Told from Brooklyn's point of view, obviously, we learn more about her, but through her eyes, we learn about the others too. Brilliant storytelling!
I don't know if there are any plans for a sequel or series, but I would love to hear more from Brooklyn and see where the future takes her.
A fantastic contemporary superpower novel that I have no hesitation in recommending.
** 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!
Jul 13, 2021
Merissa (12552 KP) rated Beautiful Facade in Books
Feb 2, 2021 (Updated Aug 7, 2023)
BEAUTIFUL FACADE is the debut novel from Kathryn S Rose and she pulls no punches (literally) with the subjects she covers in this novel - drink, drugs, sexual assault, and domestic violence.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable novel, told from the first perspective of the main female character. It was pretty clear from the start that Winter wouldn't end up with Liam, and their picture-perfect life wasn't as good as she imagined. I did enjoy the question mark over who was with him and was glad I was wrong. I won't say more as I don't want to ruin it!
The scene-setting was very well done, with a bunch of flawed characters as the supporting cast. If I had to say anything negative about this book, it would be the copious amount of alcohol that was drunk for the majority of the story, plus the number of texts and missed calls Winter had. If I had that many from one person in that amount of time, I'd be worried about their mental health!
On the whole, this was a great, smoothly-paced story that held my attention from beginning to end, that I have no hesitation in recommending.
* 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!
Feb 2, 2021
This was a thoroughly enjoyable novel, told from the first perspective of the main female character. It was pretty clear from the start that Winter wouldn't end up with Liam, and their picture-perfect life wasn't as good as she imagined. I did enjoy the question mark over who was with him and was glad I was wrong. I won't say more as I don't want to ruin it!
The scene-setting was very well done, with a bunch of flawed characters as the supporting cast. If I had to say anything negative about this book, it would be the copious amount of alcohol that was drunk for the majority of the story, plus the number of texts and missed calls Winter had. If I had that many from one person in that amount of time, I'd be worried about their mental health!
On the whole, this was a great, smoothly-paced story that held my attention from beginning to end, that I have no hesitation in recommending.
* 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!
Feb 2, 2021
Merissa (12552 KP) rated Lantern (Danubian #1) in Books
Aug 16, 2023
LANTERN is the first book in the Danubian series, and we head to the future where we have gone back to the Dark Ages.
Wren has always known he would leave the Monastery and his lovers behind at some point, but when that time comes, he finds it harder than expected. Not only that, but the solitude of being high in the mountains with only a dog for company, is more than he can bear. Luckily for him, Uli comes along and it's a healthy dose of insta-love for both of them.
There is a lot of world-building and explanations of the spiritual side in this book, as you would expect from the first book in a series. I was enthralled by the descriptions of how life was, but would have liked more about Wren interacting with the villagers and trying to adjust to his new way of life, rather than his constant lamentations about being lonely. I would also have liked more descriptions of Ev and Soren and their relationship with Uli.
On the whole, though, this was a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and can't wait to read the next in the series. 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 16, 2023
Wren has always known he would leave the Monastery and his lovers behind at some point, but when that time comes, he finds it harder than expected. Not only that, but the solitude of being high in the mountains with only a dog for company, is more than he can bear. Luckily for him, Uli comes along and it's a healthy dose of insta-love for both of them.
There is a lot of world-building and explanations of the spiritual side in this book, as you would expect from the first book in a series. I was enthralled by the descriptions of how life was, but would have liked more about Wren interacting with the villagers and trying to adjust to his new way of life, rather than his constant lamentations about being lonely. I would also have liked more descriptions of Ev and Soren and their relationship with Uli.
On the whole, though, this was a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and can't wait to read the next in the series. 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 16, 2023
Merissa (12552 KP) rated Oleander (Poison Garden #1) in Books
May 27, 2022
OLEANDER is the first book in the new Poison Garden series. I did have to double-check it was the first book though, as I kept feeling as though I had missed something. Saying that, the concept of the world - with witches, seers, and shepherds - was explained brilliantly, giving me the hierarchies of said sections without giving it as an info dump.
This is first and foremost a mystery that just happens to be set in a world where magic exists and the main culprits somehow happen to be connected to magic. I won't say anymore as I don't give out spoilers.
Eli is not only confused about her role in the seer community but also about which man she likes. Obviously, as a reader, I had my own preference but it took her quite some time to figure out which one she liked and, even then, it was because of someone else telling her who he was.
If you like character-led paranormal mystery, with a slow-burn romance simmering in the background, then this may be the book for you! I enjoyed it; I'm just not sure if I will continue with the series.
** 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!
This is first and foremost a mystery that just happens to be set in a world where magic exists and the main culprits somehow happen to be connected to magic. I won't say anymore as I don't give out spoilers.
Eli is not only confused about her role in the seer community but also about which man she likes. Obviously, as a reader, I had my own preference but it took her quite some time to figure out which one she liked and, even then, it was because of someone else telling her who he was.
If you like character-led paranormal mystery, with a slow-burn romance simmering in the background, then this may be the book for you! I enjoyed it; I'm just not sure if I will continue with the series.
** 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!