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Bureaucracy, Law and Dystopia in the United Kingdom's Asylum System
Book
The central concern of this book is to find answers to fundamental questions about the British...
Pumpkin Cinema: The Best Movies for Halloween
9.0
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Book
People celebrate the magical holiday of Halloween in a wide variety of ways, but most will, at some...
Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys
Book
Praise for the previous edition: "[A] fascinating book." John Thackara, Doors of Perception...
The Fix: How Nations Survive and Thrive in a World in Decline
Book
Longlisted for the FT/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award 2016 The world's most intractable...
PHP Arrays: Single, Multi-Dimensional, Associative and Object Arrays in PHP 7
Book
Gain an in-depth understanding of PHP 7 arrays. After a quick overview of PHP 7, each chapter...
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release!
I hadn't read anything by Dolly Alderton before but I'd heard great things about 'Everything I Know About Love' so when I heard about her fiction debut I knew I needed to try it! I love Dolly's voice, it's so wonderfully British which as someone who reads so much American based fiction was refreshing. There was quite a lot of heavy swearing so if that's not your thing be wary (but that's what you get for being British I guess). I loved the different aspects of ghosting that were covered from dating, to friendships fading, and to dementia and the ghosting of memories. It was such a poignant read. I enjoyed this book immensely but I just couldn't get invested, it took me quite a while to get through as I only found myself reading a chapter at a time so hence the reason for my lower rating but I think I'm slightly younger than the target audience for this book so that's potentially why but I'd say if you are older and single you'll definitely see a lot of yourself here, I'm young and single and I definitely did. It made me think a lot about the future.
I hadn't read anything by Dolly Alderton before but I'd heard great things about 'Everything I Know About Love' so when I heard about her fiction debut I knew I needed to try it! I love Dolly's voice, it's so wonderfully British which as someone who reads so much American based fiction was refreshing. There was quite a lot of heavy swearing so if that's not your thing be wary (but that's what you get for being British I guess). I loved the different aspects of ghosting that were covered from dating, to friendships fading, and to dementia and the ghosting of memories. It was such a poignant read. I enjoyed this book immensely but I just couldn't get invested, it took me quite a while to get through as I only found myself reading a chapter at a time so hence the reason for my lower rating but I think I'm slightly younger than the target audience for this book so that's potentially why but I'd say if you are older and single you'll definitely see a lot of yourself here, I'm young and single and I definitely did. It made me think a lot about the future.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated For Batter or Worse in Books
May 10, 2021
A Baker’s Dozen of Delight
Mel and Joe’s wedding day is fast approaching. For their reception, they’ve picked the resort where Oz has landed the job of head pastry chef. However, things are not going well for Oz there as the head chef is proving to be an egomaniac. One day, Mel and Angie witness a very public fight between Oz and the head chef. Then, a couple of days later, Mel and Joe find Oz bending over the dead body of the chef. Mel doesn’t need anything else on her to do list, but can she figure out who the killer is before she walks down the aisle?
If you were worried that Oz was leaving the series after the events of the previous book, this proves that he will still very much be part of the series. He gets some interesting character growth, in fact. The rest of the gang is all present, and I enjoyed laughing at their antics as they worked to solve the case. The mystery is filled with plenty of suspects and red herrings, and I only began to figure things out right before Mel put it all together. I loved the final chapter. If the book makes you hungry, you’ll be happy with the four recipes at the end. Once again, fans will devour this book and be ready for Mel’s next adventure.
If you were worried that Oz was leaving the series after the events of the previous book, this proves that he will still very much be part of the series. He gets some interesting character growth, in fact. The rest of the gang is all present, and I enjoyed laughing at their antics as they worked to solve the case. The mystery is filled with plenty of suspects and red herrings, and I only began to figure things out right before Mel put it all together. I loved the final chapter. If the book makes you hungry, you’ll be happy with the four recipes at the end. Once again, fans will devour this book and be ready for Mel’s next adventure.
Natural Histories: 25 Extraordinary Species That Have Changed Our World
Stephen Moss and Brett Westwood
Book
Prepare to dive to the depths of the sea with 100-foot-long giant squid, travel through space after...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Secrets and Scents in Books
Mar 1, 2023 (Updated Mar 1, 2023)
Unexpected Surprise in the Storeroom
Best friends Kelli and Jo are thrilled that the opening day for their new book and candle shop, Reading Makes Scents, is finally here. However, the celebration hits a bad note before it can even get started when Kelli finds a stranger unconscious in their storage area. Who is he? Why was he attacked? Does it have anything to do with the prophecy they found weeks before in their building?
While I normally skip paranormal themed stories, I made an exception here, and I’m glad I did. It does employ a narrative technique I dislike (early multi-chapter flashbacks), bet there is a good story here. I got quite caught up in it near the end, in fact. The story is a bit different from what I normally read, but it worked well. The paranormal elements are light, and they are a fun addition to the story. I loved Kelli, Jo, and their love interests. The rest of the cast are fun as well, and the town where the action takes place was delightful. The book is on the short side, so keep that in mind. As a bonus, there’s a recipe at the end. If you are looking for something light and fun, this book is for you.
While I normally skip paranormal themed stories, I made an exception here, and I’m glad I did. It does employ a narrative technique I dislike (early multi-chapter flashbacks), bet there is a good story here. I got quite caught up in it near the end, in fact. The story is a bit different from what I normally read, but it worked well. The paranormal elements are light, and they are a fun addition to the story. I loved Kelli, Jo, and their love interests. The rest of the cast are fun as well, and the town where the action takes place was delightful. The book is on the short side, so keep that in mind. As a bonus, there’s a recipe at the end. If you are looking for something light and fun, this book is for you.
Merissa (13382 KP) rated Hunted (Dark Reflections #2) in Books
Apr 6, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
Bound took you into the alternate reality of Sanctuary's shifters. Hunted shows you Adri's story where her father and sister didn't die.
The best thing about these books is that you see and recognise characters from the Reflections series. Some parts may change but some, like in Adri's case, her core remains the same. The worst thing about these books is that I recognise a name and can't help but think about what sort of character they were in the 'other' reality. I say the worst thing but this is in no way a bad thing as it keeps the story fresh and very entertaining.
This book kept me turning the pages, unwilling to put it down until I had read 'just one more chapter'. You would think that I should know by now not to start one of Dean's books in the evening as it always ends up with me going to bed late!
Good luck to Adri with her training and I can't wait for her and Alec to meet in this reality. Highly recommended to Dean Murray/Eldon Murphy fans.
* 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!
September 10, 2016
The best thing about these books is that you see and recognise characters from the Reflections series. Some parts may change but some, like in Adri's case, her core remains the same. The worst thing about these books is that I recognise a name and can't help but think about what sort of character they were in the 'other' reality. I say the worst thing but this is in no way a bad thing as it keeps the story fresh and very entertaining.
This book kept me turning the pages, unwilling to put it down until I had read 'just one more chapter'. You would think that I should know by now not to start one of Dean's books in the evening as it always ends up with me going to bed late!
Good luck to Adri with her training and I can't wait for her and Alec to meet in this reality. Highly recommended to Dean Murray/Eldon Murphy fans.
* 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!
September 10, 2016