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Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
7.5
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'A refreshingly honest reminder of what the path to business success really looks like ...It's an...
Lindsay (1774 KP) rated Saving Mrs. Roosevelt in Books
Sep 10, 2022
Saving Mrs. Roosevelt is a good book about some actual historical events. It deals with someone that needs to be a spy to help keep the first lady safe. But this also has some fiction in it as it is historical fiction. Some actual historical events do take place. This book is about Shirley Davenport and a few SPARS that help on the home front.
The author does a beautiful job of telling the story and adventures that Shirley Davenport goes through. She goes through some training and trials as she is on a mission but can not tell her family. The way she comes home and has to deal with losing her brother on the same day she comes home from training.
You will be surprised as to who it is in the end. Shirley and her friend Joan sign up to be SPARS. Will Joan be loyal to her country, or will she not be? Things do not all seem as they are when Shirley gets home. She must lie to protect herself and her family. Will she be found out?
She seems to be charming a young man who is a Captain. Will the Captain fall for Miss Davenport, or will he wall in his grief for his two young brothers? They have stood paired up to capture the person trying to kill the Roosevelts. Will Shirley be successful in finding out about the conspiracy against the first lady?
Suppose you are looking for an excellent book to read about history and the woman that help during world war two on the homefront. This book does tell a story about a few heroes of ww2. With a little bit of romance as well.
The author does a beautiful job of telling the story and adventures that Shirley Davenport goes through. She goes through some training and trials as she is on a mission but can not tell her family. The way she comes home and has to deal with losing her brother on the same day she comes home from training.
You will be surprised as to who it is in the end. Shirley and her friend Joan sign up to be SPARS. Will Joan be loyal to her country, or will she not be? Things do not all seem as they are when Shirley gets home. She must lie to protect herself and her family. Will she be found out?
She seems to be charming a young man who is a Captain. Will the Captain fall for Miss Davenport, or will he wall in his grief for his two young brothers? They have stood paired up to capture the person trying to kill the Roosevelts. Will Shirley be successful in finding out about the conspiracy against the first lady?
Suppose you are looking for an excellent book to read about history and the woman that help during world war two on the homefront. This book does tell a story about a few heroes of ww2. With a little bit of romance as well.
Merissa (13169 KP) rated When Darkness Turns to Light (Dark River Stone Collective #2) in Books
Jun 11, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)
WHEN DARKNESS TURNS TO LIGHT is the second book in the Dark River Stone Collective. Lincoln and Mason play a part in this but you don't have to have read their book for this one to make sense, although events are referred to.
Toad has been on the run from his family for a while, escaping a mental health facility to do so. His being under the radar is scuppered when he messes up his hand and has to go to the hospital. This opens a whole can of worms that he didn't want to deal with or for his brothers to know about. Sid has his own issues to contend with, which means that these two don't have a smooth ride of it. It's not major angst, but there is still some.
This was a brilliant addition to the series, with Sid and Toad definitely in the limelight. Lincoln and Mason are their supporting cast, and we get to see Mason in his full lawyer glory once again. The relationship between Sid and Toad has its bumps as they're both stubborn as...! These two are sexy as anything though, and I loved both the hot action and also the tender moments between them. The ending was perfect, such a Toad thing to do, and it was great to see the heat hasn't diminished between Lincoln and Mason too.
I am loving every word of this series and have no hesitation in recommending it. Now who comes next?
** 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!
Jun 11, 2021
Toad has been on the run from his family for a while, escaping a mental health facility to do so. His being under the radar is scuppered when he messes up his hand and has to go to the hospital. This opens a whole can of worms that he didn't want to deal with or for his brothers to know about. Sid has his own issues to contend with, which means that these two don't have a smooth ride of it. It's not major angst, but there is still some.
This was a brilliant addition to the series, with Sid and Toad definitely in the limelight. Lincoln and Mason are their supporting cast, and we get to see Mason in his full lawyer glory once again. The relationship between Sid and Toad has its bumps as they're both stubborn as...! These two are sexy as anything though, and I loved both the hot action and also the tender moments between them. The ending was perfect, such a Toad thing to do, and it was great to see the heat hasn't diminished between Lincoln and Mason too.
I am loving every word of this series and have no hesitation in recommending it. Now who comes next?
** 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!
Jun 11, 2021
Merissa (13169 KP) rated Ready For It (MacAteer Brothers #2) in Books
Nov 9, 2020 (Updated Aug 14, 2023)
READY FOR IT is the second book in the MacAteer Brothers series and I would say it definitely benefits the reader to have at least read book one in this series as it involves all the same characters and some of the situations help by having prior knowledge. I don't feel it is necessary to read the Dragon Runners series.
You know from book one that Melanie goes through 'boyfriends' like a hot knife through butter. What you don't know is the reason behind it. Owen has difficulties with his speech that make him the quiet one until he feels comfortable with you. However, don't mistake his silence for lack of intelligence. Not only is he smart but he has immense emotional intelligence and sees through to the heart of the situation.
As the story progresses you find out more about Melanie's past, mostly in flashback form, which helps to explain partly why she is the way she is. Some of it is just because she's a strong and feisty woman who isn't afraid to stand up for herself.
There is some steam in here but not that much as it takes a lot of the book for Owen and Melanie to get together. What there is, is a lot of loyalty with friends and family you make for yourself. Blood family loyalty? Well, you'll just have to read the book for yourself to figure that one out.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read with a host of brilliant characters. 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!
Nov 9, 2020
You know from book one that Melanie goes through 'boyfriends' like a hot knife through butter. What you don't know is the reason behind it. Owen has difficulties with his speech that make him the quiet one until he feels comfortable with you. However, don't mistake his silence for lack of intelligence. Not only is he smart but he has immense emotional intelligence and sees through to the heart of the situation.
As the story progresses you find out more about Melanie's past, mostly in flashback form, which helps to explain partly why she is the way she is. Some of it is just because she's a strong and feisty woman who isn't afraid to stand up for herself.
There is some steam in here but not that much as it takes a lot of the book for Owen and Melanie to get together. What there is, is a lot of loyalty with friends and family you make for yourself. Blood family loyalty? Well, you'll just have to read the book for yourself to figure that one out.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read with a host of brilliant characters. 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!
Nov 9, 2020
The Captain's Woman (The Thompsons of Locust Street #4)
Book
Meet the Thompsons of Locust Street, an unconventional family taking Philadelphia high society by...
American Historical Romance
Merissa (13169 KP) rated Smith's Corner: Storm & Stone (The Heartwood Series #5) in Books
Feb 14, 2022 (Updated Jul 3, 2023)
SMITH'S CORNER: STORM AND STONE is the fifth book in the Heartwood series. Stone has always been the odd one out amongst his brothers; the one they turn to when they need a favour, but not to give him the relationship he wants. He feels firmly stuck on the periphery when he wants to be involved. Storm knows all about that as she was a foster child until Dee and Layla found her. Whereas Stone will hold it all inside, Storm will lay it out there.
These two don't have it easy, simply because Stone is so afraid of being hurt again. He pushes Storm away until he snaps. It takes him some time to realise she is different from his ex, Vicki, but then, just like the proverbial bad smell, Vicki rolls back into town, with Stone set firmly in her sights.
One thing I adored about this is no matter Vicki's machinations, Storm is not prepared to jump to conclusions. She knows Stone, knows how he feels about Vicki, and how hurt he was. She does not jump to conclusions Vicki wants her to and certainly gives as good as she gets.
We also get further snippets of Hunter and Holden, as well as playing catch up with the rest of the clan. Now, you could read this as a standalone, but to get the most from it, I would definitely recommend you read it as part of the series.
A great addition to the series and 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!
Feb 14, 2022
These two don't have it easy, simply because Stone is so afraid of being hurt again. He pushes Storm away until he snaps. It takes him some time to realise she is different from his ex, Vicki, but then, just like the proverbial bad smell, Vicki rolls back into town, with Stone set firmly in her sights.
One thing I adored about this is no matter Vicki's machinations, Storm is not prepared to jump to conclusions. She knows Stone, knows how he feels about Vicki, and how hurt he was. She does not jump to conclusions Vicki wants her to and certainly gives as good as she gets.
We also get further snippets of Hunter and Holden, as well as playing catch up with the rest of the clan. Now, you could read this as a standalone, but to get the most from it, I would definitely recommend you read it as part of the series.
A great addition to the series and 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!
Feb 14, 2022
How to Chain Your Dragons
8.5
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MOVE OVER LITTLE GREEN MEN—THERE’S A NEW ALIEN IN TOWN. With Earth now occupied by monsters...
Reverse Harem Dragons Shifters Science Fiction Romance Post Apocalyptic
Merissa (13169 KP) rated How to Chain Your Dragons in Books
Jun 2, 2025
HOW TO CHAIN YOUR DRAGONS appears to be a standalone, but could so easily be the first in a new series. In fact, I hope it is as I really want to see more of these Raptor Drakes and their True Mate fated females.
Jaz has learned how to fly under the radar as far as the Drakes, who run her part of 'town', are concerned. Unfortunately, that doesn't work for her half-brother or Kurt, his best friend. Females are in short supply, and Kurt has decided Jaz is his, whether she likes it or not. Luckily for her, their finding out she hasn't been tagged properly (yes, you read that right) means that she also gets injected with something that has an unexpected effect. During this time, she has met two of the three Raptor brothers, who will change her life.
This was a page-turner for me, and I loved every moment. The three Raptors - Zyair, Xandros, and Rhodes - were completely separate characters and personalities, making it easy to distinguish between the three. Jaz and Yani also had a wonderful relationship that thrived. This is not a galaxy for the weak, though, as some nasty characters are about. Those Manticores? Shudder!
Anyway, their story takes time to tell, and that just made it better. There are hot and spicy times, but they fit with the story and aren't just there for gratuitous pleasure! Jaz is no pushover, and if she does roll over, it's on her terms.
A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed, and a world I hope to return to. 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 26, 2025
Jaz has learned how to fly under the radar as far as the Drakes, who run her part of 'town', are concerned. Unfortunately, that doesn't work for her half-brother or Kurt, his best friend. Females are in short supply, and Kurt has decided Jaz is his, whether she likes it or not. Luckily for her, their finding out she hasn't been tagged properly (yes, you read that right) means that she also gets injected with something that has an unexpected effect. During this time, she has met two of the three Raptor brothers, who will change her life.
This was a page-turner for me, and I loved every moment. The three Raptors - Zyair, Xandros, and Rhodes - were completely separate characters and personalities, making it easy to distinguish between the three. Jaz and Yani also had a wonderful relationship that thrived. This is not a galaxy for the weak, though, as some nasty characters are about. Those Manticores? Shudder!
Anyway, their story takes time to tell, and that just made it better. There are hot and spicy times, but they fit with the story and aren't just there for gratuitous pleasure! Jaz is no pushover, and if she does roll over, it's on her terms.
A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed, and a world I hope to return to. 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 26, 2025
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Just One of the Guys in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Okay, I'm going to tell you why Just One of the Guys is not only one of my new favorite Higgins books, but one of my new favorite romances period.
1. The heroine is different. She's not super feminine in her character, but she's definitely feminine in her desires and her passion and her attitude. Growing up with four older brothers, Chastity Virginia (yeah, that's her name. I know, right?) yells when she's mad, throws punches with intent, and won trophies in college for rowing. She's a quarter inch away from being six feet tall, and she's got man-shoulders. She runs 10-mile races up hills for kicks. But she's thirty, she wants her passion to be returned, and her body is telling her that she should have already made at least three babies by now. I mean, how many romance novels do you read with female protagonists like that? most of the time they're young, innocent, unable to take care of themselves, and feminine. Chastity is not the typical female protagonist ... and that's one of the reasons I like her so much.
2. Like any good novel, there are a few sub-plots running through this novel; one is the failing marriage of one of Chastity's brothers, named Mark. He and his wife are going through hell (and possibly divorce and child custody problems) but they still love each other. There is this chapter (chapter 22--it's seared into my head) that made me cry because it was so amazing. See, Chastity babysat for Mark's soon-to-be-ex-wife, and she didn't tell him. When he found out, he blew up at her. Then later when he apologized they started talking, and he opened up to her about how badly he wants to make things right. she gave him a little advice and they had a sob-fest and in the end it worked out so perfectly. But the thing that got me was that so many stories I've read with failing relationships are about trying to get over the person, instead of reconciling. It was beautiful and inspiring and I read the chapter 3 times because I loved it so much.
3. Another one of those sub-plots was the relationship between Chastity’s parents. They’re officially divorced, but they still hang out all the time for dinner, they still love each other, and her dad just assumes her mom will wait around for him to retire. But that isn’t the case. Her mom starts dating again and throws everyone for a loop. Then when she gets into a serious relationship, shit really hits the fan. I was surprised by the outcome. I won’t say what it was for the sake of keeping this review spoiler-free. But I will say that it was different. It wasn’t the same-old same-old over again. Suffice to say, this book was the opposite of Happyland-syndrome.
4. The romance between Chastity and Trevor was so epic. I’m not going to say anything else about it because I don’t want to risk spoiling it. It has to be read in order. You can’t know anything out of order. But trust me, it was epic and wonderful and powerful and perfect and beautiful.
Like all of Higgins's books, the writing is fun, easy to read, relaxed, and a little snarky. This one was a little awkward because some of it was written in a different tense than what she does now, but it's one of her earlier books, and I can't hold that against her.
Anyway, you should go get this book. Amazon, B&N, Paperbackswap, your local book store, etc. Trust me, it’s worth it.
Content/recommendation: Some language, mention of sex (but nothing explicit) Ages 17+
1. The heroine is different. She's not super feminine in her character, but she's definitely feminine in her desires and her passion and her attitude. Growing up with four older brothers, Chastity Virginia (yeah, that's her name. I know, right?) yells when she's mad, throws punches with intent, and won trophies in college for rowing. She's a quarter inch away from being six feet tall, and she's got man-shoulders. She runs 10-mile races up hills for kicks. But she's thirty, she wants her passion to be returned, and her body is telling her that she should have already made at least three babies by now. I mean, how many romance novels do you read with female protagonists like that? most of the time they're young, innocent, unable to take care of themselves, and feminine. Chastity is not the typical female protagonist ... and that's one of the reasons I like her so much.
2. Like any good novel, there are a few sub-plots running through this novel; one is the failing marriage of one of Chastity's brothers, named Mark. He and his wife are going through hell (and possibly divorce and child custody problems) but they still love each other. There is this chapter (chapter 22--it's seared into my head) that made me cry because it was so amazing. See, Chastity babysat for Mark's soon-to-be-ex-wife, and she didn't tell him. When he found out, he blew up at her. Then later when he apologized they started talking, and he opened up to her about how badly he wants to make things right. she gave him a little advice and they had a sob-fest and in the end it worked out so perfectly. But the thing that got me was that so many stories I've read with failing relationships are about trying to get over the person, instead of reconciling. It was beautiful and inspiring and I read the chapter 3 times because I loved it so much.
3. Another one of those sub-plots was the relationship between Chastity’s parents. They’re officially divorced, but they still hang out all the time for dinner, they still love each other, and her dad just assumes her mom will wait around for him to retire. But that isn’t the case. Her mom starts dating again and throws everyone for a loop. Then when she gets into a serious relationship, shit really hits the fan. I was surprised by the outcome. I won’t say what it was for the sake of keeping this review spoiler-free. But I will say that it was different. It wasn’t the same-old same-old over again. Suffice to say, this book was the opposite of Happyland-syndrome.
4. The romance between Chastity and Trevor was so epic. I’m not going to say anything else about it because I don’t want to risk spoiling it. It has to be read in order. You can’t know anything out of order. But trust me, it was epic and wonderful and powerful and perfect and beautiful.
Like all of Higgins's books, the writing is fun, easy to read, relaxed, and a little snarky. This one was a little awkward because some of it was written in a different tense than what she does now, but it's one of her earlier books, and I can't hold that against her.
Anyway, you should go get this book. Amazon, B&N, Paperbackswap, your local book store, etc. Trust me, it’s worth it.
Content/recommendation: Some language, mention of sex (but nothing explicit) Ages 17+
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Covenant in Books
May 16, 2018
I was disappointed, to say the least. The synopsis of the story is interesting enough: fairly young married couple move to small town and buy a house with a history. That history is dark and twisted, centering upon a previous owner that moonlighted as a serial killer. When the husband dies in a freak accident, all suspicion falls upon the surviving wife... and then all Hell breaks loose.
Many of the books I've read lately have had a fairly substantial cast of characters. Covenant does not; in fact, I can count the amount of characters in this book on my fingers. Normally one might expect that to be a good thing, as it opens up the opportunity for extremely developed characters. Because this is a short work of fiction, that depth does not exist. The characters are flat and their pasts are, with the exception of the Padgett brothers, a bit too perfect. The Coopers have been together since they were twenty and twenty-one, and their marriage has been perfect bliss. They are joined by a run-of-the-mill detective, an aging medium, and Lindie Cooper's boss, Debra Moynihan. Considering that the Padgett brothers play an extremely small role, - one of them is only mentioned, - I can't help but feel a bit put off by the fact that they appear to be more complete than the main characters are.
As for the story's plot, I truly feel that Leverone could have done a lot more with it than he did. Covenant was a quick read, which worked to its disadvantage. Rather than rise to the climax like most books, Covenant jumped - and it did it in a manner that didn't quite make sense: freak accident, to mild haunting, to sudden inferno - literally. There were also too many inconsistencies, most notably in the latter portion of the book where most of the action takes place. Lindie manages to knock herself out in a manner that simply is not possible, for example. I won't delve further into the specifics there, because then I'd be crossing into spoiler territory.
In regards to the style of Leverone's writing, it definitely isn't to my taste. Much of it felt too clunky and there were far too many sentence fragments. That's not to say sentence fragments are a bad thing, because they aren't. There's a method to the way they are applied though, and leaving off pronouns entirely is not the way to do it. Some of the writing felt a bit too forced at times, and others it read a bit too much like an over cliched, badly written comedy.
<spoiler>My final complaint has to do with something that occurs at the end of the book, and I feel that it isn't a spoiler for me to bring it up so I'm going to. After everything is said and done, Lindie compares herself to Hester Prynne. While she is referring to how others see her, I find myself extremely vexed that this comparison was made - largely because Lindie is nothing like Hester Prynne. For anyone that hasn't read The Scarlet Letter, which is still on the curriculum for most high schools, Hester Prynne was an adulteress that became pregnant with another man's child while her husband was away. As a result, she was forced to where a red "A" upon her breast and was shunned by her community. Hester Prynne's suffering at small town gossip should not be trivialized by a character's poorly conceived notion of how others view her.</spoiler>
I found Covenant to be a quick and easy read, but it definitely didn't hit the spot for me, so to speak. I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher, DarkFuse, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Many of the books I've read lately have had a fairly substantial cast of characters. Covenant does not; in fact, I can count the amount of characters in this book on my fingers. Normally one might expect that to be a good thing, as it opens up the opportunity for extremely developed characters. Because this is a short work of fiction, that depth does not exist. The characters are flat and their pasts are, with the exception of the Padgett brothers, a bit too perfect. The Coopers have been together since they were twenty and twenty-one, and their marriage has been perfect bliss. They are joined by a run-of-the-mill detective, an aging medium, and Lindie Cooper's boss, Debra Moynihan. Considering that the Padgett brothers play an extremely small role, - one of them is only mentioned, - I can't help but feel a bit put off by the fact that they appear to be more complete than the main characters are.
As for the story's plot, I truly feel that Leverone could have done a lot more with it than he did. Covenant was a quick read, which worked to its disadvantage. Rather than rise to the climax like most books, Covenant jumped - and it did it in a manner that didn't quite make sense: freak accident, to mild haunting, to sudden inferno - literally. There were also too many inconsistencies, most notably in the latter portion of the book where most of the action takes place. Lindie manages to knock herself out in a manner that simply is not possible, for example. I won't delve further into the specifics there, because then I'd be crossing into spoiler territory.
In regards to the style of Leverone's writing, it definitely isn't to my taste. Much of it felt too clunky and there were far too many sentence fragments. That's not to say sentence fragments are a bad thing, because they aren't. There's a method to the way they are applied though, and leaving off pronouns entirely is not the way to do it. Some of the writing felt a bit too forced at times, and others it read a bit too much like an over cliched, badly written comedy.
<spoiler>My final complaint has to do with something that occurs at the end of the book, and I feel that it isn't a spoiler for me to bring it up so I'm going to. After everything is said and done, Lindie compares herself to Hester Prynne. While she is referring to how others see her, I find myself extremely vexed that this comparison was made - largely because Lindie is nothing like Hester Prynne. For anyone that hasn't read The Scarlet Letter, which is still on the curriculum for most high schools, Hester Prynne was an adulteress that became pregnant with another man's child while her husband was away. As a result, she was forced to where a red "A" upon her breast and was shunned by her community. Hester Prynne's suffering at small town gossip should not be trivialized by a character's poorly conceived notion of how others view her.</spoiler>
I found Covenant to be a quick and easy read, but it definitely didn't hit the spot for me, so to speak. I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher, DarkFuse, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.