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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Playing with Matches in Books
Mar 10, 2019
Good read, especially for those young & dating
Sasha Goldberg's plans as a writer are quickly derailed when her boss tells her he doesn't have the funds to hire her on after her graduation. She's stuck--in New York City--without a Plan B. When she sees a job listing for a matchmaker, she's intrigued. Sasha's secret is that her parents met through a kind of matchmaker: her father chose her mom through a catalog and paid for her to come to the United States from Russia. Of course, it didn't exactly work out (they're divorced), but Sasha uses the story to get hired on at Bliss, an exclusive NYC matchmaking service. She's hopeful the job will tide her over while she waits for a writing gig. And, she thinks, she has to know something about love, since she's successfully with her boyfriend, Jonathan, who works around-the-clock in his Wall Street gig. But matchmaking isn't as easy as it looks--it's a lot of stressful Tinder swiping and tracking down potential mates in random ways--and it becomes even more complicated when Sasha develops a crush on one of her client's matches. One of the firm's rules is that matches are off-limits. Sasha's struggling: can she keep it all together?
This is one of those books where I find myself going into it warily, because you just know things are going to come crashing down, and you (me) are not 100% sure you want to be there for all of it. It's not a secret (it's in the book description) that Sasha and Jonathan break up and that she gets into a relationship with Adam, one of her client's matches. For some reason, I often have an issue with these sorts of books where the character just makes bad choices: Sasha makes no attempt to avoid what will be an inevitable downfall with Adam, so I found myself cringing as she made a string of poor decisions.
That's not to say Sasha isn't an engaging character. This book is very readable, and I certainly liked Sasha and reading about her life. However, I can't lie:I probably am a little older than the target audience for this novel. It offers a fun and engaging look at the dating scene in New York, but there wasn't a lot I could relate to. I felt protective of Sasha, not empathetic to her, if that makes any sense. Honestly, the book just made me feel relieved I no longer have to date or deal with basically anything Sasha had to endure during the course of this novel.
Still, Orenstein does a good job at capturing Sasha's voice and what it's like to be a young twenty-something trying to survive in the city. Sasha's relationship with her best friend Caroline and her mom are well-done. I didn't think there was as much overall about matchmaking as a job as I'd hoped--it seemed to be a lot of Tinder swiping and chatting--so that was a little bit of a bummer, but there was enough to know it's a job I'd never want!
Overall, if you're young and still dating, you'll probably really enjoy this book--especially if you live in a city. If not, some of its essence may be a bit lost of you, but you'll still like Orenstein's witty writing and the arc of Sasha's struggles.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
This is one of those books where I find myself going into it warily, because you just know things are going to come crashing down, and you (me) are not 100% sure you want to be there for all of it. It's not a secret (it's in the book description) that Sasha and Jonathan break up and that she gets into a relationship with Adam, one of her client's matches. For some reason, I often have an issue with these sorts of books where the character just makes bad choices: Sasha makes no attempt to avoid what will be an inevitable downfall with Adam, so I found myself cringing as she made a string of poor decisions.
That's not to say Sasha isn't an engaging character. This book is very readable, and I certainly liked Sasha and reading about her life. However, I can't lie:I probably am a little older than the target audience for this novel. It offers a fun and engaging look at the dating scene in New York, but there wasn't a lot I could relate to. I felt protective of Sasha, not empathetic to her, if that makes any sense. Honestly, the book just made me feel relieved I no longer have to date or deal with basically anything Sasha had to endure during the course of this novel.
Still, Orenstein does a good job at capturing Sasha's voice and what it's like to be a young twenty-something trying to survive in the city. Sasha's relationship with her best friend Caroline and her mom are well-done. I didn't think there was as much overall about matchmaking as a job as I'd hoped--it seemed to be a lot of Tinder swiping and chatting--so that was a little bit of a bummer, but there was enough to know it's a job I'd never want!
Overall, if you're young and still dating, you'll probably really enjoy this book--especially if you live in a city. If not, some of its essence may be a bit lost of you, but you'll still like Orenstein's witty writing and the arc of Sasha's struggles.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Leave No Trace in Books
Mar 15, 2019
Quick, puzzling read
Maya Stark is twenty-three and an assistant speech therapist at Congdon, a facility for the mentally ill. She's had a tough past, and it isn't easy for her to form attachments with anyone. Maya's mom left when she was a kid, and Maya was once a patient at the facility where she now works. So she's surprised when she feels drawn to Congdon's newest patient, nineteen-year-old Lucas Blackthorn. Lucas arrives at Congdon after being arrested for breaking and entering into a wilderness store. Lucas and his father, Josiah, haven't been seen in ten years: Josiah took his son camping in the vast stretch of Minnesota territory known as the Boundary Waters a decade ago and the two haven't been heard from since. It's clear that Lucas wants nothing more than to return to the Boundary Waters. He's a recalcitrant and sometimes violent patient, who will cooperate with no one but Maya. Maya wants to help Lucas, and she wants to know why she feels so strong for this strange and angry boy.
This was my first Mejia book, and while it wasn't quite what I was expecting (I was thinking more mystery, less character-driven novel), it was really interesting. It's told mostly from Maya's point of view, but we hear some from Lucas and others too. It's a very readable book--I tore through it quickly, as there's something gripping about the style and reveal of facts about both Maya and Lucas' lives. We start out knowing very little about either of them--what put Maya in Congdon, what drove Lucas and Josiah into the Boundary Waters, and the novel does a good job of keeping you reading and wondering.
It's an emotional read--obviously being partially set in a mental hospital, it deals with mental illness. I thought, overall, Mejia did a good job with the topic, but if that's a trigger for you, just keep it in mind. The ancillary characters are pretty sparse: Maya's boss, the patients, Maya's dad, etc., but all are well-formed as well. Maya and Lucas are the stars, and both are well-done and easy to picture. The novel did a great job of pulling together all its various pieces. I was impressed how Mejia brought together the different parts of Lucas and Maya's lives--it's quite exceptionally thought out.
Probably the only thing marring this one for me were little things, but they nagged at me a bit. At times, the care Lucas receives seems odd and a bit weirdly thought out--giving a speech therapist such control over his care, for instance, and taking a violent patient into some strange situations. Maya and Lucas' instant attachment was also a little hard to completely believe, as well. But those were pretty small pieces in the scheme of the book.
Overall, I enjoyed my first Mejia book. The plot was the best part for me--I loved how it was a quick read and how enjoyable it was to put together all the various pieces of Lucas and Maya's lives. While there were a few little quirks that kept this from being an amazing read, it was still a solid, worthwhile read.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
This was my first Mejia book, and while it wasn't quite what I was expecting (I was thinking more mystery, less character-driven novel), it was really interesting. It's told mostly from Maya's point of view, but we hear some from Lucas and others too. It's a very readable book--I tore through it quickly, as there's something gripping about the style and reveal of facts about both Maya and Lucas' lives. We start out knowing very little about either of them--what put Maya in Congdon, what drove Lucas and Josiah into the Boundary Waters, and the novel does a good job of keeping you reading and wondering.
It's an emotional read--obviously being partially set in a mental hospital, it deals with mental illness. I thought, overall, Mejia did a good job with the topic, but if that's a trigger for you, just keep it in mind. The ancillary characters are pretty sparse: Maya's boss, the patients, Maya's dad, etc., but all are well-formed as well. Maya and Lucas are the stars, and both are well-done and easy to picture. The novel did a great job of pulling together all its various pieces. I was impressed how Mejia brought together the different parts of Lucas and Maya's lives--it's quite exceptionally thought out.
Probably the only thing marring this one for me were little things, but they nagged at me a bit. At times, the care Lucas receives seems odd and a bit weirdly thought out--giving a speech therapist such control over his care, for instance, and taking a violent patient into some strange situations. Maya and Lucas' instant attachment was also a little hard to completely believe, as well. But those were pretty small pieces in the scheme of the book.
Overall, I enjoyed my first Mejia book. The plot was the best part for me--I loved how it was a quick read and how enjoyable it was to put together all the various pieces of Lucas and Maya's lives. While there were a few little quirks that kept this from being an amazing read, it was still a solid, worthwhile read.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
Lee (2222 KP) rated Fisherman's Friends (2019) in Movies
Mar 18, 2019 (Updated Mar 18, 2019)
Formulaic, clichéd, enjoyable bit of fun
Hot on the heels of Fighting with my Family comes yet another true story that I feel I should have known more about beforehand, but didn't. Fisherman's Friends tells the story of a group of singing Cornish fishermen who, in 2010, managed to land themselves not only a top 10 album but an appearance on Glastonbury's pyramid stage! The plot follows a much more formulaic and clichéd approach than Fighting with my Family does though, not quite managing to come close to the high bar that set, but is enjoyable enough all the same.
We begin by following a group of four men heading out on their stag do in the beautiful town of Port Isaac in Cornwall. A&R man Danny (Daniel Mays), his annoying record exec boss Troy (Noel Clarke) and a couple of their colleagues all arrive in the small fishing town for the weekend and immediately find themselves on the wrong side of the locals - driving the wrong way down a narrow one way street, foolishly ordering lager instead of bitter in the local pub (they don't serve fizzy drinks there) and needing to be rescued after their careless weekend enjoyment finds them all stranded at sea. City types who think they know it all, but haven't got a clue.
The fishermen that rescued the lads turn out to be part of a popular local singing group - singing sea shanties together while working out at sea and regularly putting on small concerts for the locals down on the harbour. It's while performing one of those gigs that Danny and his friends come across them. After a few moments of watching, Troy tells Danny that he wants him to go over and sign them up, and that he's not to take no for an answer. Off he goes, not knowing that it's all just a big joke, while his three colleagues all return home. Danny is left behind, struggling to try and convince the group that their unique sound is going to make them all big stars.
Out of the group of fishermen, only a handful of them are really explored and fleshed out as characters in any kind of way, with the majority of them simply fading into the background - backing singers if you will. Jim (James Purefoy) and his father Jago (David Hayman), are the main focus of the movie, along with Jim's single-mum daughter Alwyn (Tuppence Middleton), who Danny eventually begins to strike up a friendship with, and her young daughter. One of the other fishermen runs the local pub at the heart of the community, along with his wife, but is struggling to make ends meet in a sub-plot which comes to a head later on in the movie.
Fisherman's Friends is a movie full of clichés - the city slicker who initially doesn't understand the simple life, the familiar rom-com couple who start off disliking one another, but will clearly be falling madly in love before long, annoying city types who don't even look like they know how to tie their own shoelaces, let alone become successfully music moguls. But, despite it all, the movie works considerably well. The relationship and chemistry between Danny and Alwyn is believable, and the highs and lows that the group go through on their journey to stardom is both heartwarming and fun in equal measure. It's the kind of reliable movie you could quite happily sit and watch on the TV, on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
We begin by following a group of four men heading out on their stag do in the beautiful town of Port Isaac in Cornwall. A&R man Danny (Daniel Mays), his annoying record exec boss Troy (Noel Clarke) and a couple of their colleagues all arrive in the small fishing town for the weekend and immediately find themselves on the wrong side of the locals - driving the wrong way down a narrow one way street, foolishly ordering lager instead of bitter in the local pub (they don't serve fizzy drinks there) and needing to be rescued after their careless weekend enjoyment finds them all stranded at sea. City types who think they know it all, but haven't got a clue.
The fishermen that rescued the lads turn out to be part of a popular local singing group - singing sea shanties together while working out at sea and regularly putting on small concerts for the locals down on the harbour. It's while performing one of those gigs that Danny and his friends come across them. After a few moments of watching, Troy tells Danny that he wants him to go over and sign them up, and that he's not to take no for an answer. Off he goes, not knowing that it's all just a big joke, while his three colleagues all return home. Danny is left behind, struggling to try and convince the group that their unique sound is going to make them all big stars.
Out of the group of fishermen, only a handful of them are really explored and fleshed out as characters in any kind of way, with the majority of them simply fading into the background - backing singers if you will. Jim (James Purefoy) and his father Jago (David Hayman), are the main focus of the movie, along with Jim's single-mum daughter Alwyn (Tuppence Middleton), who Danny eventually begins to strike up a friendship with, and her young daughter. One of the other fishermen runs the local pub at the heart of the community, along with his wife, but is struggling to make ends meet in a sub-plot which comes to a head later on in the movie.
Fisherman's Friends is a movie full of clichés - the city slicker who initially doesn't understand the simple life, the familiar rom-com couple who start off disliking one another, but will clearly be falling madly in love before long, annoying city types who don't even look like they know how to tie their own shoelaces, let alone become successfully music moguls. But, despite it all, the movie works considerably well. The relationship and chemistry between Danny and Alwyn is believable, and the highs and lows that the group go through on their journey to stardom is both heartwarming and fun in equal measure. It's the kind of reliable movie you could quite happily sit and watch on the TV, on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated All I Ever Wanted in Books
Mar 20, 2019
Fun, enjoyable book with great characters
Callie Grey is turning thirty, and her life simply isn't going as planned. She's not married--or even dating--and now her boss, Mark, whom she's loved for years, is marrying Muriel, a perfect specimen from California. Even worse, Muriel is honing in on Callie's territory at the advertising agency where she works. Her mother runs the family business: a funeral home, where Callie's thirtieth birthday was held (sharing space with a wake). Her father, meanwhile, is trying to win her mother back, despite the fact that she hates him for cheating on her--when Callie was eight. Hester, her sister, despises all men due to said cheating incident. And no matter how hard she tries, Callie can't get over Mark and the five weeks they "dated." Still, it seems like maybe that could change when she meets Ian, the town's new sulky but handsome veterinarian. But can Callie put the past behind her to find her own happiness? And is Ian ready to move on himself?
So, as part of my reading goals for 2019, I'm going to try to read more books that I own. I've been "practicing" a bit here at the end of 2018, and ALL I EVER WANTED was part of that. I read two of Higgins' recent releases lately and really loved them, so decided to go with this one. While I didn't find it quite as modernly witty and wonderful as those two (a few scenes describing characters' weight and a few other things rubbed me a bit wrong), it was still a really enjoyable read.
Well, I read another romance recently and while it was good, I just couldn't fall fully for the characters. Not the case here. While I worried a bit early on that Callie would be too much of a whiner, she grew on me quickly. Higgins is just so good with the slow build of her characters and storylines. You get the gruff but charming Ian and all these wonderful scenes that make you smile. Her books have just the right balance of sweet and funny (there always seems to be a classic dinner party scene that makes me laugh out loud). There's a great moment where Callie and Ian are on a hike, and a wonderfully humorous time where Callie dates someone who is, yes, a human hair artisan.
The point is, we really get to know the characters--their flaws and foibles plus their good sides--and it just helps make the story. I care about them. I know Callie's family (a great cast of ancillary characters, including her grandfather and nieces), I know her backstory, and we even get to know Ian's tale. The book deals, deftly, with some complicated emotions and heartache along with the fun and fluff. (And well, there's an incident with a wild turkey that's pretty awesome.) And because we get these two fleshed out characters--even if we know they are probably destined to get together--we're invested along the way to find out how and why. That's what I love about Higgins. It's not just some token scenes along the way to an inevitable conclusion. There's real meat and depth, along with humor. And I really enjoyed the ending, too.
Overall, this is just a fun, enjoyable book with some depth to back itself up. The characters are interesting, and parts of it will make you laugh out loud. I recommend it, and I'm glad I picked it up off my bookshelf!
So, as part of my reading goals for 2019, I'm going to try to read more books that I own. I've been "practicing" a bit here at the end of 2018, and ALL I EVER WANTED was part of that. I read two of Higgins' recent releases lately and really loved them, so decided to go with this one. While I didn't find it quite as modernly witty and wonderful as those two (a few scenes describing characters' weight and a few other things rubbed me a bit wrong), it was still a really enjoyable read.
Well, I read another romance recently and while it was good, I just couldn't fall fully for the characters. Not the case here. While I worried a bit early on that Callie would be too much of a whiner, she grew on me quickly. Higgins is just so good with the slow build of her characters and storylines. You get the gruff but charming Ian and all these wonderful scenes that make you smile. Her books have just the right balance of sweet and funny (there always seems to be a classic dinner party scene that makes me laugh out loud). There's a great moment where Callie and Ian are on a hike, and a wonderfully humorous time where Callie dates someone who is, yes, a human hair artisan.
The point is, we really get to know the characters--their flaws and foibles plus their good sides--and it just helps make the story. I care about them. I know Callie's family (a great cast of ancillary characters, including her grandfather and nieces), I know her backstory, and we even get to know Ian's tale. The book deals, deftly, with some complicated emotions and heartache along with the fun and fluff. (And well, there's an incident with a wild turkey that's pretty awesome.) And because we get these two fleshed out characters--even if we know they are probably destined to get together--we're invested along the way to find out how and why. That's what I love about Higgins. It's not just some token scenes along the way to an inevitable conclusion. There's real meat and depth, along with humor. And I really enjoyed the ending, too.
Overall, this is just a fun, enjoyable book with some depth to back itself up. The characters are interesting, and parts of it will make you laugh out loud. I recommend it, and I'm glad I picked it up off my bookshelf!
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated You Died, But a Necromancer Revived You in Video Games
Apr 19, 2019
Fast Paced Action (5 more)
Ever changing maps
Traps that make you think
Great art design
Great level design
Simple gameplay
Let Me Die!
You Died but a Necromancer Revived You......but you'll wish you had just stayed dead as you face the same levels over and over and over again. Speed and Accuracy are mandatory.
This game is so simple with no other controls to worry about other than your movement using the analog stick, or the D-Pads. The skill to get through the levels however becomes increasingly more difficult, and rapidly more frustrating as you will die.....over and over and over again, only to either respawn at the first level, or if you play on easy mode, you just have to play that same floor again where you just died, but don't bother memorising the traps placements, cos this game doesn't let you off the hook that easily....the maps change even when your playing the same floor you just died on.
Part of you might think at first, I'll wait for the trap to go before I move, but oh no, once again speed and accuracy are key here, you have to time your runs right, get through the traps, try not to get shot, stabbed, squashed, or even more so....try not to run off the edge into a floor full of spikes....it's not as easy to avoid as you might think, one small step in the wrong direction of those floors and you're gone.
This game is addictive, but so utterly frustrating and I had a good laugh on my own the first 100 times I died but I can imagine that with 3 other players on the board in 4-Player Co-Op mode, it will leave you in stitches (hopefully not literally....leave that to your character to injure themselves).
Difficulty levels I have seen this far are simply Easy, or Normal. I don't know if a hard difficulty unlocks after complete the game, because honestly at the minute....I can't complete it. The levels where you face the Necromancer himself are super frustrating and very difficult to do without messing up again and again. However, don't thin easy level makes the traps etc any easier....all it does is simply keep you on the floor you died (unless its a boss battle). The difficulty level of the traps does not change and in Normal mode, if you die, you go right back to the beginning of the level, but luckily there are checkpoints along the way so you don't start from square one again.
Oh and did I mention that as time goes on, the floor eventually starts blowing up behind you, making you rush through to the end.
There are a variety of awesome 8-bit characters to choose from, which gives this whole game a great nostalgic vibe of playing retro games, but with so much added in that it stills feels modern and definitely a game you'll keep going back to. Especially for a game night with friends.
I highly recommend this game for anyone who's a fan of action packed arcade games with a retro feel.
Just try not to throw the remote.
This game is so simple with no other controls to worry about other than your movement using the analog stick, or the D-Pads. The skill to get through the levels however becomes increasingly more difficult, and rapidly more frustrating as you will die.....over and over and over again, only to either respawn at the first level, or if you play on easy mode, you just have to play that same floor again where you just died, but don't bother memorising the traps placements, cos this game doesn't let you off the hook that easily....the maps change even when your playing the same floor you just died on.
Part of you might think at first, I'll wait for the trap to go before I move, but oh no, once again speed and accuracy are key here, you have to time your runs right, get through the traps, try not to get shot, stabbed, squashed, or even more so....try not to run off the edge into a floor full of spikes....it's not as easy to avoid as you might think, one small step in the wrong direction of those floors and you're gone.
This game is addictive, but so utterly frustrating and I had a good laugh on my own the first 100 times I died but I can imagine that with 3 other players on the board in 4-Player Co-Op mode, it will leave you in stitches (hopefully not literally....leave that to your character to injure themselves).
Difficulty levels I have seen this far are simply Easy, or Normal. I don't know if a hard difficulty unlocks after complete the game, because honestly at the minute....I can't complete it. The levels where you face the Necromancer himself are super frustrating and very difficult to do without messing up again and again. However, don't thin easy level makes the traps etc any easier....all it does is simply keep you on the floor you died (unless its a boss battle). The difficulty level of the traps does not change and in Normal mode, if you die, you go right back to the beginning of the level, but luckily there are checkpoints along the way so you don't start from square one again.
Oh and did I mention that as time goes on, the floor eventually starts blowing up behind you, making you rush through to the end.
There are a variety of awesome 8-bit characters to choose from, which gives this whole game a great nostalgic vibe of playing retro games, but with so much added in that it stills feels modern and definitely a game you'll keep going back to. Especially for a game night with friends.
I highly recommend this game for anyone who's a fan of action packed arcade games with a retro feel.
Just try not to throw the remote.
Debbiereadsbook (1650 KP) rated Their Bounty (Four Mercenaries #1) in Books
May 30, 2019
took me a while, but i did enjoy it.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Clover is rescued from the hands of traffickers and lands in the lap of a group of mercenaries. Tank, Boar, Pyro and Drake are a well-established group who right some of the world's wrongs, mostly on the wrong side of the line. But Clover is now a witness to a job, and there is a bounty on his head. They need to keep him safe. In the meantime, what harm is a little fun with the young man, huh?
I border-line did not finish this. I kept putting it down and picking it up again. I did though, eventually.
I think what bothered me the most, was the speed at which Clover gave himself to all four of the group. Very quickly, VERY quickly, he is calling Tank Daddy and Pyro and Boar are partaking of Clover’s body. Drake takes a lot longer to come around, but he does, eventually. Maybe it’s just me, maybe I expected Clover to be a bit more. . resistant to what Tank suggests. But he isn’t, he just jumps straight in!
What I did like, though, was that ALL the guys are very different. Tank is the boss, but he is also the biggest baddest mofo in the group. Boar is a bear of a man, but the youngest (not counting Clover) of the group. He has the sweetest soul, for a bad-ish guy! Pyro is a bit bouncy, maybe even a little messed in the head, but it’s Drake who held my attention the most. Drake is clearly against Clover right from the start. He does come around, but it takes him a long time. He makes it clear what his kink is, and what would happen to Clover if Drake got his hands on him, but Clover is non-plussed by that.
All the guys get a voice, but I wasn’t sure if Drake would, since it’s a long time before he does. I’m glad he does though. I think, from what was said here, Drake will come out of himself a lot more now he’s accepted Clover is theirs. He doesn’t say much, but what he did say to Clover carried a lot of weight and says a lot about Drake and his past.
Clover and Tank have the majority voices though.
It is hot off the charts, with Clover the centre of every scene. There are 2/3/4-way scenes, and everyone gets a piece of Clover, not that Clover really minds, he just wants to be safe!
It carries some difficult topics, trafficking, murder, drugs but all dealt with well. I didn’t see any spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading.
I went through Merikan’s entire back catalogue to see if I had read anything else by this author, and it appears not. I would like to read more, even though I struggled with the SPEED at which things moved, I did enjoy it. I wrote 3 stars at the top of the page when I wrote this up, but now I’m typing my review up, I’m upgrading to 4 stars. I think it was just these guys and the way they work, rather than that speed making for a negative reaction to this book. I really want to see what’s gonna happen with these guys, and they will have two more books for me get used to them!
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Clover is rescued from the hands of traffickers and lands in the lap of a group of mercenaries. Tank, Boar, Pyro and Drake are a well-established group who right some of the world's wrongs, mostly on the wrong side of the line. But Clover is now a witness to a job, and there is a bounty on his head. They need to keep him safe. In the meantime, what harm is a little fun with the young man, huh?
I border-line did not finish this. I kept putting it down and picking it up again. I did though, eventually.
I think what bothered me the most, was the speed at which Clover gave himself to all four of the group. Very quickly, VERY quickly, he is calling Tank Daddy and Pyro and Boar are partaking of Clover’s body. Drake takes a lot longer to come around, but he does, eventually. Maybe it’s just me, maybe I expected Clover to be a bit more. . resistant to what Tank suggests. But he isn’t, he just jumps straight in!
What I did like, though, was that ALL the guys are very different. Tank is the boss, but he is also the biggest baddest mofo in the group. Boar is a bear of a man, but the youngest (not counting Clover) of the group. He has the sweetest soul, for a bad-ish guy! Pyro is a bit bouncy, maybe even a little messed in the head, but it’s Drake who held my attention the most. Drake is clearly against Clover right from the start. He does come around, but it takes him a long time. He makes it clear what his kink is, and what would happen to Clover if Drake got his hands on him, but Clover is non-plussed by that.
All the guys get a voice, but I wasn’t sure if Drake would, since it’s a long time before he does. I’m glad he does though. I think, from what was said here, Drake will come out of himself a lot more now he’s accepted Clover is theirs. He doesn’t say much, but what he did say to Clover carried a lot of weight and says a lot about Drake and his past.
Clover and Tank have the majority voices though.
It is hot off the charts, with Clover the centre of every scene. There are 2/3/4-way scenes, and everyone gets a piece of Clover, not that Clover really minds, he just wants to be safe!
It carries some difficult topics, trafficking, murder, drugs but all dealt with well. I didn’t see any spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading.
I went through Merikan’s entire back catalogue to see if I had read anything else by this author, and it appears not. I would like to read more, even though I struggled with the SPEED at which things moved, I did enjoy it. I wrote 3 stars at the top of the page when I wrote this up, but now I’m typing my review up, I’m upgrading to 4 stars. I think it was just these guys and the way they work, rather than that speed making for a negative reaction to this book. I really want to see what’s gonna happen with these guys, and they will have two more books for me get used to them!
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated You Should Have Left in Books
Jun 5, 2019
by author Daniel Kehlmann is imaginatively written in such a way that you’re reading a scriptwriter’s notes from his notebook, as he is writing them. The main character bares his soul about his life, his thoughts and dreams. Much of it is mundane everyday stuff, until you realise that what is being said actually has a very different meaning. Darker and more horrific than it at first may seem.
Writing his screenplay, and lying to his boss about his progress, the screenwriter takes his family, wife Susanna, and four-year old Esther to what he wants to be a writer’s retreat. Yeah, it does sound rather like The Shining. But even though there’s less of it, there’s even more to it… Stick with me. I’ll explain.
Things are not going as planned, for this unnamed writer. His marriage is on the rocks and his screenplay is failing. On top of that there are a lot of strange goings on he cannot explain. Odd things are happening in the house he’s renting via Airbnb. Maybe it’s haunted, or just tricks of light are playing with his mind giving him that illusion. Either way, it’s a slow descent into darkness that the author of the notebook does not seem to notice himself. Not straight away.
But as the reader I get to see that every now and then there’s things hidden in the text the writer seems not to be aware of. He’s spiralling downhill I’m wondering about his mental state, or if the house itself, or something in it — something supernatural — is playing with his mind.
How long can he hold it together? He’s got responsibilities to look after his kid, but he can hardly look after himself. He’s already forgetting which lies he’s told and mixing his dreams (and nightmares) with reality. Even he doesn’t know how it will end, and starts to think about leaving his notebook behind in order for it to be found… and it has been, I’m reading it now…
Several of the notes in his book get to the end of the page and are never finished, which to my mind, is in keeping with the distracted, confused voice of this note taker and adds to the setting’s dark, oppressive atmosphere.
Clever, surreal, with a kind of rhythmic writing, akin to memories of sitting in the back of the car and being rocked to sleep. The only difference would be the rude awakening. The slamming of the brakes. When the harshness of reality jolts you awake.
Yep, this unsettling, nightmarish journey, had me glued to the pages, even though at first I was not entirely sure I understood what I’d read… It’s a short novella sized book, and I must admit I had to read it again to fully appreciate this awesome piece of writing. It’s not your average horror, I can tell you! Nope, there’s nothing average about this at all. Incidentally, it’s translated from German and that fact may be why I thought it worked even better. No words are wasted. There’s a certain style to this book that makes me feel like he’s got something bigger, and maybe even better to come. I can see, however, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. I personally wish I’d got to this one sooner.
Stark, sparse, and totally different to anything I’ve read in a long time. I loved it. An alternative read without a doubt. A very short read, in fact. What’s more, this review took longer to write about it, than it did to read. Twice.
Writing his screenplay, and lying to his boss about his progress, the screenwriter takes his family, wife Susanna, and four-year old Esther to what he wants to be a writer’s retreat. Yeah, it does sound rather like The Shining. But even though there’s less of it, there’s even more to it… Stick with me. I’ll explain.
Things are not going as planned, for this unnamed writer. His marriage is on the rocks and his screenplay is failing. On top of that there are a lot of strange goings on he cannot explain. Odd things are happening in the house he’s renting via Airbnb. Maybe it’s haunted, or just tricks of light are playing with his mind giving him that illusion. Either way, it’s a slow descent into darkness that the author of the notebook does not seem to notice himself. Not straight away.
But as the reader I get to see that every now and then there’s things hidden in the text the writer seems not to be aware of. He’s spiralling downhill I’m wondering about his mental state, or if the house itself, or something in it — something supernatural — is playing with his mind.
How long can he hold it together? He’s got responsibilities to look after his kid, but he can hardly look after himself. He’s already forgetting which lies he’s told and mixing his dreams (and nightmares) with reality. Even he doesn’t know how it will end, and starts to think about leaving his notebook behind in order for it to be found… and it has been, I’m reading it now…
Several of the notes in his book get to the end of the page and are never finished, which to my mind, is in keeping with the distracted, confused voice of this note taker and adds to the setting’s dark, oppressive atmosphere.
Clever, surreal, with a kind of rhythmic writing, akin to memories of sitting in the back of the car and being rocked to sleep. The only difference would be the rude awakening. The slamming of the brakes. When the harshness of reality jolts you awake.
Yep, this unsettling, nightmarish journey, had me glued to the pages, even though at first I was not entirely sure I understood what I’d read… It’s a short novella sized book, and I must admit I had to read it again to fully appreciate this awesome piece of writing. It’s not your average horror, I can tell you! Nope, there’s nothing average about this at all. Incidentally, it’s translated from German and that fact may be why I thought it worked even better. No words are wasted. There’s a certain style to this book that makes me feel like he’s got something bigger, and maybe even better to come. I can see, however, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. I personally wish I’d got to this one sooner.
Stark, sparse, and totally different to anything I’ve read in a long time. I loved it. An alternative read without a doubt. A very short read, in fact. What’s more, this review took longer to write about it, than it did to read. Twice.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Small Admissions in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Kate Pearson is going through a rough time. She's been dumped by Robert, her incredibly handsome French boyfriend, and she turned down a spot in her grad school program, so instead of living a dream life in Paris, she's living on the couch, barely able to wash her own hair. Her friend Chloe feels responsible (Robert is her cousin, after all), her friend Vicki is just annoyed (Vicki has no patience for wallowing), and Kate's older sister Angela just wants to fix everything. She connects Kate to a lead for an interview at the admissions department at the Hudson Day School. Surprising everyone, Kate gets the job, and suddenly has to get her life together. There's no time for self-pity during admissions season, after all. Indeed, Kate finds herself drawn to her job, her new colleagues, and the various children she meets while at work. And while Kate's working non-stop, her friends are busy falling in love, feeling guilty about their role in Kate's earlier breakdown regarding Robert, and generally making a mess of things. Will Kate make her own mess at the new admissions gig as well, or is this the fresh chance she needed?
I am torn somewhat on my thoughts for this book. It starts off quite witty and drew me in immediately. It's told from a multitude of perspectives, including Kate's friends (Chloe and Vicki), her sister (Angela) and Kate, and Kate's new boss, Henry. It's also interspersed with tales of several children trying to get into private school, along with the perspectives of their parents. There's definitely some nuance and depth there, but sometimes it's A LOT. A lot of characters, a lot of jumping of back and forth. I won't lie: Kate's friends certainly annoyed me at times. The side show with them can be humorous, but often just irritating. I found myself wanting more Kate.
The problem with all the jumping around is that I didn't really get to know the characters as much as I wanted, which was a shame, because they were fascinating. Kate, Chloe, Angela, Henry -- they were intriguing and, when featured, seemed real, even if Angela was driving us crazy meddling into Kate's life, as was Chloe with her never-ending guilt over her supposed role in Kate's breakdown. Poeppel has done an excellent job of creating real, flawed characters, and I just wish they all received a little more face-time. The snippets from the kids (and parents) applying for school are great, too, but it's hard not to see them sometimes as a detraction from our main characters, especially a side plot with two fervent (and delusional) parents.
Still, don't think I didn't enjoy the book, because I did. There are some wise and wonderful moments and some instances where I found myself laughing out loud. Kate is endearing, and you cannot help but rooting for her character. This book is redeemed by her and her journey. She is an inspiration. Because of her and my various feelings for this novel, my final rating falls at 3.75 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 12/27/2016.
I am torn somewhat on my thoughts for this book. It starts off quite witty and drew me in immediately. It's told from a multitude of perspectives, including Kate's friends (Chloe and Vicki), her sister (Angela) and Kate, and Kate's new boss, Henry. It's also interspersed with tales of several children trying to get into private school, along with the perspectives of their parents. There's definitely some nuance and depth there, but sometimes it's A LOT. A lot of characters, a lot of jumping of back and forth. I won't lie: Kate's friends certainly annoyed me at times. The side show with them can be humorous, but often just irritating. I found myself wanting more Kate.
The problem with all the jumping around is that I didn't really get to know the characters as much as I wanted, which was a shame, because they were fascinating. Kate, Chloe, Angela, Henry -- they were intriguing and, when featured, seemed real, even if Angela was driving us crazy meddling into Kate's life, as was Chloe with her never-ending guilt over her supposed role in Kate's breakdown. Poeppel has done an excellent job of creating real, flawed characters, and I just wish they all received a little more face-time. The snippets from the kids (and parents) applying for school are great, too, but it's hard not to see them sometimes as a detraction from our main characters, especially a side plot with two fervent (and delusional) parents.
Still, don't think I didn't enjoy the book, because I did. There are some wise and wonderful moments and some instances where I found myself laughing out loud. Kate is endearing, and you cannot help but rooting for her character. This book is redeemed by her and her journey. She is an inspiration. Because of her and my various feelings for this novel, my final rating falls at 3.75 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 12/27/2016.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Behind Closed Doors in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also find my review here: http://bit.ly/28KzCFf
<b><i>Fear," he whispered. "There is nothing quite like it. I love how it looks, I love how it feels, I love how it smells. And I especially love the sound of it." I felt his tongue on my cheek. "I even love the taste of it.</i></b>
Welcome to Jack and Grace's perfect life and perfect marriage. Jack's an amazing, handsome and successful lawyer for battered woman and Grace is the gorgeous put-together house wife... or so it seems. But what if Grace were to tell she wasn't a house wife, she was in fact a prisoner locked up by her own husband who craves nothing more than seeing and feeling another person's fear? Would you believe her?
I loved all the twists and turns and edge of the seat moments within this novel. It was an excellent thriller that Im sure thousands have and will continue to enjoy. Im definitely going to keep my eyes peeled for any more novels from Paris as I loved her style of writing and felt her story telling flowed perfectly.
The characters were very well developed and you really got a good insight into their lives, thoughts and feelings. Paris did an excellent job at making two very unique characters. Without trying to give too much away, Jack is a very different kind of sadistic captor. Hes so terrifying because he could definitely be real. He could be your neighbour, your boss, your friend even. Hes just a seemingly normal guy but what lies underneath is far from normal.
Grace can be a little stupid and doesnt often act quick enough, its no use for her to try anyway as Jack is always one step ahead. Shes trapped and she knows it, therefore shes an interesting character to see progress through the novel as we see her seemingly give up against her captor, but really, underneath, shes cunning and planning the whole time.
If it wasnt for the fact that you could easily guess how this was going to end once the idea was placed in front of you, it might have even got a 5 star rating. Though the end was predictable there was still some element of shock to it, especially the last heart breaking / lifting scene. <spoiler>The final scene shared between Grace and Esther was such a wonderful way to end this book, it rounded this book off so well. The perfect ending!</spoiler>
The weird thing is, the whole time I read this I thought how far fetched and silly it was, though I was enjoying it, but when you think about it, its not <i>that</i> far fetched. You hear all these terrible stories about women kidnapped and held against their will who are given the freedom to go outside but theyre so paralysed by fear of what could happen, they never say a thing to anyone. Jaycee Lee Dugard, for example, was kidnapped and kept hidden for 18 years! Keeping someone captive isnt that uncommon and Im sure there are actually some terrified women out there that are living a life something very similar to this. So when you put it into that perspective this becomes a very chilling horror story rather than just a fast paced thriller.
<b><i>Fear," he whispered. "There is nothing quite like it. I love how it looks, I love how it feels, I love how it smells. And I especially love the sound of it." I felt his tongue on my cheek. "I even love the taste of it.</i></b>
Welcome to Jack and Grace's perfect life and perfect marriage. Jack's an amazing, handsome and successful lawyer for battered woman and Grace is the gorgeous put-together house wife... or so it seems. But what if Grace were to tell she wasn't a house wife, she was in fact a prisoner locked up by her own husband who craves nothing more than seeing and feeling another person's fear? Would you believe her?
I loved all the twists and turns and edge of the seat moments within this novel. It was an excellent thriller that Im sure thousands have and will continue to enjoy. Im definitely going to keep my eyes peeled for any more novels from Paris as I loved her style of writing and felt her story telling flowed perfectly.
The characters were very well developed and you really got a good insight into their lives, thoughts and feelings. Paris did an excellent job at making two very unique characters. Without trying to give too much away, Jack is a very different kind of sadistic captor. Hes so terrifying because he could definitely be real. He could be your neighbour, your boss, your friend even. Hes just a seemingly normal guy but what lies underneath is far from normal.
Grace can be a little stupid and doesnt often act quick enough, its no use for her to try anyway as Jack is always one step ahead. Shes trapped and she knows it, therefore shes an interesting character to see progress through the novel as we see her seemingly give up against her captor, but really, underneath, shes cunning and planning the whole time.
If it wasnt for the fact that you could easily guess how this was going to end once the idea was placed in front of you, it might have even got a 5 star rating. Though the end was predictable there was still some element of shock to it, especially the last heart breaking / lifting scene. <spoiler>The final scene shared between Grace and Esther was such a wonderful way to end this book, it rounded this book off so well. The perfect ending!</spoiler>
The weird thing is, the whole time I read this I thought how far fetched and silly it was, though I was enjoying it, but when you think about it, its not <i>that</i> far fetched. You hear all these terrible stories about women kidnapped and held against their will who are given the freedom to go outside but theyre so paralysed by fear of what could happen, they never say a thing to anyone. Jaycee Lee Dugard, for example, was kidnapped and kept hidden for 18 years! Keeping someone captive isnt that uncommon and Im sure there are actually some terrified women out there that are living a life something very similar to this. So when you put it into that perspective this becomes a very chilling horror story rather than just a fast paced thriller.
Alice (12 KP) rated Ocean Light in Books
Jul 4, 2018 (Updated Jul 7, 2018)
A fantastic installment to a great series
This review was originally posted on my blog raptureinbooks.com
It feels like I’ve been waiting for Ocean Light for 20 years, when in reality it’s probably only 5 or 6 but Ocean Light not only marks the second installment to the Psy-Changeling Trinity it marks a pretty huge milestone in the fantabulous world of the Psy-Changeling. I have one word: BlackSea.
The BlackSea Changelings have been that mystery group for a great many and finally, Ocean Light opens the doors to the black and Nalini Singh drops us in the deep end – figuratively speaking.
This book has my favourite human in it – Bowen Knight. He’s rough, he’s ready, he’s an alpha and he’s dying. Ocean Light is the story of Bowen’s recovery and his ultimate kick-assery of the things that go bump in the night.
After the previous shit-storm where Bowen is gravely injured, we see his rise through the blackness of despair and see him take on the chip that is currently destroying his brain like a boss.
Nothing will take him down. Especially not his own choices.
Our lovely lady of the book is Kaia Luna, a shy, mysterious cook with a scientific background and a really smart pet mouse.
Their growing relationship is beautiful from the outset and Bo brings the shyness out of Kaia really well. She becomes a woman to reckon with under the sweet ministrations of Bowen Knight and I implore you to fuck with her.
Nalini’s writing style is, as always, pretty perfect with nothing bad that I can say about it. She has a way with words and characters that are to die for, plots that I’ve never seen before her and probably never will again.
Ocean Light brings us – as readers – into the deepness that is the black and into the darkness that is The Vanishings. We’re introduced to characters we’ve seen before and to new characters and species that are quite frankly sometimes not what you expect – Bebe I’m looking at you.
Ocean Light has the traditional Psy-Changeling-Human interaction that signature with Nalini’s books and that is threaded throughout each book. We’re 17 books in to the story and I just know Nalini has more to give and there is more for us to learn.
The unique plot base of the Psy-Changeling universe is something that is ever growing and ever evolving with each book. If you’ve never read one of these books I suggest you do. Although you can start with Silver Silence the first in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series – as Nalini Singh gives you plenty of background into the previous history- I highly recommend that you start from the beginning with Slave to Sensation as you will get the full force and magnitude of what is happening in the series and you’ll get the full experience of Nalini Singh’s work.
One of my favourite characters from the preceding books – Kaleb Krychek reappears as the badass that he is in Ocean Light and what I love is that He still retains the badass around everyone but his Sahara. It’s beautiful.
I always give Nalini’s books 5 stars purely because they deserve it. There’s never anything I genuinely say I didn’t like and for a series with this many books that is saying something. Other long running series I’ve read I can lose interest in. Nalini Singh’s books I await with bated breath for the next release.
It feels like I’ve been waiting for Ocean Light for 20 years, when in reality it’s probably only 5 or 6 but Ocean Light not only marks the second installment to the Psy-Changeling Trinity it marks a pretty huge milestone in the fantabulous world of the Psy-Changeling. I have one word: BlackSea.
The BlackSea Changelings have been that mystery group for a great many and finally, Ocean Light opens the doors to the black and Nalini Singh drops us in the deep end – figuratively speaking.
This book has my favourite human in it – Bowen Knight. He’s rough, he’s ready, he’s an alpha and he’s dying. Ocean Light is the story of Bowen’s recovery and his ultimate kick-assery of the things that go bump in the night.
After the previous shit-storm where Bowen is gravely injured, we see his rise through the blackness of despair and see him take on the chip that is currently destroying his brain like a boss.
Nothing will take him down. Especially not his own choices.
Our lovely lady of the book is Kaia Luna, a shy, mysterious cook with a scientific background and a really smart pet mouse.
Their growing relationship is beautiful from the outset and Bo brings the shyness out of Kaia really well. She becomes a woman to reckon with under the sweet ministrations of Bowen Knight and I implore you to fuck with her.
Nalini’s writing style is, as always, pretty perfect with nothing bad that I can say about it. She has a way with words and characters that are to die for, plots that I’ve never seen before her and probably never will again.
Ocean Light brings us – as readers – into the deepness that is the black and into the darkness that is The Vanishings. We’re introduced to characters we’ve seen before and to new characters and species that are quite frankly sometimes not what you expect – Bebe I’m looking at you.
Ocean Light has the traditional Psy-Changeling-Human interaction that signature with Nalini’s books and that is threaded throughout each book. We’re 17 books in to the story and I just know Nalini has more to give and there is more for us to learn.
The unique plot base of the Psy-Changeling universe is something that is ever growing and ever evolving with each book. If you’ve never read one of these books I suggest you do. Although you can start with Silver Silence the first in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series – as Nalini Singh gives you plenty of background into the previous history- I highly recommend that you start from the beginning with Slave to Sensation as you will get the full force and magnitude of what is happening in the series and you’ll get the full experience of Nalini Singh’s work.
One of my favourite characters from the preceding books – Kaleb Krychek reappears as the badass that he is in Ocean Light and what I love is that He still retains the badass around everyone but his Sahara. It’s beautiful.
I always give Nalini’s books 5 stars purely because they deserve it. There’s never anything I genuinely say I didn’t like and for a series with this many books that is saying something. Other long running series I’ve read I can lose interest in. Nalini Singh’s books I await with bated breath for the next release.