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Debbiereadsbook (1678 KP) rated Nightcrawler (Trackers #1) in Books
Nov 30, 2024
I liked the steam level was perfect for these two!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Miguel and raven find themselves crossing paths when Raven "steals" Miguel's bounty. Miguel is angry at him for that, but it doesn't stop him saving the man's life at another job. Raven calls to his soul.
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book, to be honest. It didn't really push my buttons but there were bits I liked.
I liked that both Raven and Miguel had a say, in the first person. Each change is clearly headed. But doesn't always come at the chapter change. Didn't bother me either way, but some might not like that, so needs mentioning.
I liked the steam level. Granted, it goes without saying I would have liked more steam but I'm not holding that against this book. I liked that the level was perfect for Miguel and Raven, given how Raven was injured early in the book!
I liked, to a point, the Nightcrawler reviews. They were funny, but I didn't read them all. Not sure why, but I skipped them after about half way through. I didn't really see what they added to the story, to be honest.
I LOVED the supporting cast. Miguel's mentor/friends were great, and add in their wider circle who came to help him with that last bounty, and my interest was well and truely piqued. I'm not sure if these guys have stories somewhere, but if they do, I wanna read them!
One last thing, I would have liked some closure on the boob heist š I'm not sure if I missed what happened to the porn star and her boyfriend, or we didn't find out, but I would have liked to have known what happened to them!
A quick look on shows me I've read a couple of Logan books and they weren't doing anything for me. This one, though, I think is one of the better ones.
3.5 stars but rounded up for the blog to 4 stars.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Miguel and raven find themselves crossing paths when Raven "steals" Miguel's bounty. Miguel is angry at him for that, but it doesn't stop him saving the man's life at another job. Raven calls to his soul.
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book, to be honest. It didn't really push my buttons but there were bits I liked.
I liked that both Raven and Miguel had a say, in the first person. Each change is clearly headed. But doesn't always come at the chapter change. Didn't bother me either way, but some might not like that, so needs mentioning.
I liked the steam level. Granted, it goes without saying I would have liked more steam but I'm not holding that against this book. I liked that the level was perfect for Miguel and Raven, given how Raven was injured early in the book!
I liked, to a point, the Nightcrawler reviews. They were funny, but I didn't read them all. Not sure why, but I skipped them after about half way through. I didn't really see what they added to the story, to be honest.
I LOVED the supporting cast. Miguel's mentor/friends were great, and add in their wider circle who came to help him with that last bounty, and my interest was well and truely piqued. I'm not sure if these guys have stories somewhere, but if they do, I wanna read them!
One last thing, I would have liked some closure on the boob heist š I'm not sure if I missed what happened to the porn star and her boyfriend, or we didn't find out, but I would have liked to have known what happened to them!
A quick look on shows me I've read a couple of Logan books and they weren't doing anything for me. This one, though, I think is one of the better ones.
3.5 stars but rounded up for the blog to 4 stars.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Merissa (13840 KP) rated Bright Midnights (Limerent #2) in Books
Oct 24, 2025
BRIGHT MIDNIGHTS is the second book in The Limerent Series, so I have read this one slightly out of order. However, as it has mostly separate characters, everything was fine.
Let me start by saying The Limerent Series is absolutely unique, and each book has had me completely gripped from the very beginning. Each book is different and can be read as a standalone - time, place, characters, etc. - but they are still linked together in ways that you may not immediately realise.
Now, moving on to this book. Amelie is an outstanding character and has lived through hell, but has her own personal coping mechanisms. Which work great, until they don't. You get glimpses of what it's like when they don't, which helps you to understand just what she can do and why. Her life is turned upside down and inside out when she meets Clovis, and life will never be the same again.
Clovis is also an exceptional character, with depth and intrigue, s3x appeal and love. I loved the interactions between them in the different 'stories', and how it was written with them both working things out.
There is a full cast of supporting characters - some good, some not so good - but not so many as to get confused. If there were any complaint about this book, it's that I don't know what happened to Hudson. I'm hoping to find out at a later date, because I'm pretty sure he doesn't appear in book 3. Either that, or my memory is faulty!
This is a dark story, so please bear that in mind. I absolutely loved it right up until the chapter, when I hated it, while still loving it. Make sense? No? Well, read the book and then you'll understand. I blame the author!
Sheer brilliance and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 24, 2025
Let me start by saying The Limerent Series is absolutely unique, and each book has had me completely gripped from the very beginning. Each book is different and can be read as a standalone - time, place, characters, etc. - but they are still linked together in ways that you may not immediately realise.
Now, moving on to this book. Amelie is an outstanding character and has lived through hell, but has her own personal coping mechanisms. Which work great, until they don't. You get glimpses of what it's like when they don't, which helps you to understand just what she can do and why. Her life is turned upside down and inside out when she meets Clovis, and life will never be the same again.
Clovis is also an exceptional character, with depth and intrigue, s3x appeal and love. I loved the interactions between them in the different 'stories', and how it was written with them both working things out.
There is a full cast of supporting characters - some good, some not so good - but not so many as to get confused. If there were any complaint about this book, it's that I don't know what happened to Hudson. I'm hoping to find out at a later date, because I'm pretty sure he doesn't appear in book 3. Either that, or my memory is faulty!
This is a dark story, so please bear that in mind. I absolutely loved it right up until the chapter, when I hated it, while still loving it. Make sense? No? Well, read the book and then you'll understand. I blame the author!
Sheer brilliance and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 24, 2025
Debbiereadsbook (1678 KP) rated Saving What's Mine (Men of Maddox Security #2) in Books
Apr 3, 2025
loving these group of men and the women who fall for them!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Men of Maddox Security series, but it's not necessary to read book 1 first. They can be read as a stand alone. A note though, the first chapter of this book is the same as the first in all the books, just from each guy's point of view. But the note at the front of THIS book, says that it's Ranger who has a point of view, and his book was first. So, maybe that note needs changing for each book. You might not notice it, but I did!
Orion is tasked with keeping Briar safe until a restraining order is obtained against her ex who is becoming dangerous. Seeing her picture, and Orion's world shifts. But can he keep her safe? And her parrot, Jeb?
I found this a bit darker read than book, but no less engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
While Orion has instant and immediately attraction to Briar, he knows that he cannot cross that line. Briar's attraction to Orion takes a little bit of time (but not noo long!) but given what her ex kept telling her, she is wary. She keeps comparing them, but very quickly learns they are miles apart. I like that it took a little time for them to act on it.
I loved Jeb, Briar's parrot. He does get up to mischief, but he does let Orion know when Briar does what she does.
Steamy, oh yes. But I thought the emotional connection was more pronounced here than in book 1.
I'm still a little confused as to what the ex wanted with the star parrot from the zoo, though!
I liked how we caught up with Ranger and Tori from book one. And I still NEEEEEEEEEEEEED to read Dean's book!
Creeping up a bit to 4.5 stars, cos of that emotional connection but rounded down to 4 for the purpose of the review, since I can't do half stars.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in the Men of Maddox Security series, but it's not necessary to read book 1 first. They can be read as a stand alone. A note though, the first chapter of this book is the same as the first in all the books, just from each guy's point of view. But the note at the front of THIS book, says that it's Ranger who has a point of view, and his book was first. So, maybe that note needs changing for each book. You might not notice it, but I did!
Orion is tasked with keeping Briar safe until a restraining order is obtained against her ex who is becoming dangerous. Seeing her picture, and Orion's world shifts. But can he keep her safe? And her parrot, Jeb?
I found this a bit darker read than book, but no less engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
While Orion has instant and immediately attraction to Briar, he knows that he cannot cross that line. Briar's attraction to Orion takes a little bit of time (but not noo long!) but given what her ex kept telling her, she is wary. She keeps comparing them, but very quickly learns they are miles apart. I like that it took a little time for them to act on it.
I loved Jeb, Briar's parrot. He does get up to mischief, but he does let Orion know when Briar does what she does.
Steamy, oh yes. But I thought the emotional connection was more pronounced here than in book 1.
I'm still a little confused as to what the ex wanted with the star parrot from the zoo, though!
I liked how we caught up with Ranger and Tori from book one. And I still NEEEEEEEEEEEEED to read Dean's book!
Creeping up a bit to 4.5 stars, cos of that emotional connection but rounded down to 4 for the purpose of the review, since I can't do half stars.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Merissa (13840 KP) rated Ebb and Flow (Ebb & Flow #1) in Books
Aug 27, 2025
EBB AND FLOW is the first book in the series of the same name, and is set in the same universe as the author's Real Werewolves Donāt Eat Meat series, although it says it is not a direct part of that series. Saying that, I did feel as though I'd missed out on something, and had to double-check this was book one I was reading. Right at the end of the book, at the end of the last chapter, there is a paragraph about how you can read what happened to Quinn in a book called Heart and Home. I'll be honest, I was surprised to read that, and think maybe that should be book one in the series, because I've obviously missed out a chunk. Apparently, Quinn is also in Take Some Tahini, probably with more backstory too.
Moving on, Quinn is a young werewolf, both literally and figuratively. He's not had an easy time of it, but is now with Tobias, the Anax of the United States, as one of his guards. All of this is covered in the previously mentioned book, I presume. Anyway, Silas, the Anax of Canada, requests Quinn's presence, so he goes. Once there, he sees Malachi, his older mate, who hasn't returned his calls or texts. What will happen now they're under the same roof?
This book is pretty much non-stop action, although the timeframe is only short. At this point, I'm completely lost over why people are trying to kill the two Anaxes, and wondering if Quinn is just a bad luck charm. There is a lot of back-and-forth between Quinn and Malachi, and even now, I'm not sure if Malachi is 100% 'in' with Quinn, or if he'll change his mind again.
This was an intriguing read, and I will continue with the series.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 27, 2025
Moving on, Quinn is a young werewolf, both literally and figuratively. He's not had an easy time of it, but is now with Tobias, the Anax of the United States, as one of his guards. All of this is covered in the previously mentioned book, I presume. Anyway, Silas, the Anax of Canada, requests Quinn's presence, so he goes. Once there, he sees Malachi, his older mate, who hasn't returned his calls or texts. What will happen now they're under the same roof?
This book is pretty much non-stop action, although the timeframe is only short. At this point, I'm completely lost over why people are trying to kill the two Anaxes, and wondering if Quinn is just a bad luck charm. There is a lot of back-and-forth between Quinn and Malachi, and even now, I'm not sure if Malachi is 100% 'in' with Quinn, or if he'll change his mind again.
This was an intriguing read, and I will continue with the series.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 27, 2025
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Emaji Nation Book 1 The Sparrow in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
Emaji Nation Book 1: The Sparrow by Denna M. Davis is a book that I will not soon be forgetting about. In fact, I was very pleasantly surprised by just how much I enjoyed this book. The first chapter grabbed my attention instantly. Most books I have read donāt do that, they tend to need some time to build up a readerās interest. Each chapter seems to leave the reader hanging with just enough anticipation that you might find yourself staying up hours past your intended stopping time to continue the story.
With little explanation as to why young Amanda finds herself walking through a portal at her grandparentās house and transported to the planet Emaji. This is where she meets Solomon, who helps reunite her with her grandparents. Her grandmother tells her that there is a prophecy naming her the defeater of Zorn and savior of Emaji. With the help of the Emaji leaders, Amanda learns that Emaji was once much like Earth. That is until a nuclear world war forced the survivors into Mount Hanovi where their God (Ema) united them and blessed them with gifts. Peace cannot seem to last and Zorn grew arrogant with his gifts and betrayed the rest of the survivors.
Now, Amanda has to deal with being under attack by an unknown assassin controlled by Zorn. At the same time, she must begin her training. Amanda is only given two days to train and learn about the warrior classes of the Emaji before taking her own Journey of Discovery to receive her personal gift from Ema. At the very end of her Journey she must jump from a cliff to prove her belief in Ema. On top of all this, the prophecy also names the Emaji man she is supposed to marry and she isnāt even seventeen yet.
Denna M. Davis makes Amanda a very relatable character. Amanda shows her fear and her doubts from the moment she steps through the portal at her grandparentās house and finds herself in Emaji. Unlike many books where a character is the main focus of a prophecy, Amanda does not jump right into her Destiny and instead takes her time deciding if that is what she really wants to do. She internally struggles with the idea of being this destined hero when she could always just go back to the safety of her home. Staying on Emaji means facing danger and possible death for people she just met.
There are so many things I liked about this book that it is hard to pinpoint what I liked best. I loved how relatable and real Amanda is. I also found the story to be gripping and so detailed that the action never slows down for a second. I did not want to stop reading. Being completely honest what I liked least about the book seems almost trivial to me. I did not really enjoy how every citizen of Emaji is described as having their own specific skin color. I understand how this may be a gift from Ema or possibly a result of the radiation from the war but, I just had a hard time picturing it. Frequently, I noticed I would mentally default back to thinking in the skin tones that are naturally found on Earth.
The target readers for this book are fantasy readers starting at mature middle school age and older. There are a few different times that Amanda hints at the fact that she may have been (or came close to being) raped while at a party, so readers would have to be mature enough to handle that concept. Although, nothing of a sexual nature is actually described with detail at any point in the book. I am fully confident in my decision to give this book a complete 4 out of 4 rating. It is extremely well edited to where I only noticed one error in the entire book. Also, I found myself enjoying this book right from the start. Denna M. Davis portrayed a world different from ours wonderfully. I felt like I was actually there at times and was sad when I finished the book. I can not wait to read the second one. I am hooked and I believe anyone who enjoys fantasy will be as well.
With little explanation as to why young Amanda finds herself walking through a portal at her grandparentās house and transported to the planet Emaji. This is where she meets Solomon, who helps reunite her with her grandparents. Her grandmother tells her that there is a prophecy naming her the defeater of Zorn and savior of Emaji. With the help of the Emaji leaders, Amanda learns that Emaji was once much like Earth. That is until a nuclear world war forced the survivors into Mount Hanovi where their God (Ema) united them and blessed them with gifts. Peace cannot seem to last and Zorn grew arrogant with his gifts and betrayed the rest of the survivors.
Now, Amanda has to deal with being under attack by an unknown assassin controlled by Zorn. At the same time, she must begin her training. Amanda is only given two days to train and learn about the warrior classes of the Emaji before taking her own Journey of Discovery to receive her personal gift from Ema. At the very end of her Journey she must jump from a cliff to prove her belief in Ema. On top of all this, the prophecy also names the Emaji man she is supposed to marry and she isnāt even seventeen yet.
Denna M. Davis makes Amanda a very relatable character. Amanda shows her fear and her doubts from the moment she steps through the portal at her grandparentās house and finds herself in Emaji. Unlike many books where a character is the main focus of a prophecy, Amanda does not jump right into her Destiny and instead takes her time deciding if that is what she really wants to do. She internally struggles with the idea of being this destined hero when she could always just go back to the safety of her home. Staying on Emaji means facing danger and possible death for people she just met.
There are so many things I liked about this book that it is hard to pinpoint what I liked best. I loved how relatable and real Amanda is. I also found the story to be gripping and so detailed that the action never slows down for a second. I did not want to stop reading. Being completely honest what I liked least about the book seems almost trivial to me. I did not really enjoy how every citizen of Emaji is described as having their own specific skin color. I understand how this may be a gift from Ema or possibly a result of the radiation from the war but, I just had a hard time picturing it. Frequently, I noticed I would mentally default back to thinking in the skin tones that are naturally found on Earth.
The target readers for this book are fantasy readers starting at mature middle school age and older. There are a few different times that Amanda hints at the fact that she may have been (or came close to being) raped while at a party, so readers would have to be mature enough to handle that concept. Although, nothing of a sexual nature is actually described with detail at any point in the book. I am fully confident in my decision to give this book a complete 4 out of 4 rating. It is extremely well edited to where I only noticed one error in the entire book. Also, I found myself enjoying this book right from the start. Denna M. Davis portrayed a world different from ours wonderfully. I felt like I was actually there at times and was sad when I finished the book. I can not wait to read the second one. I am hooked and I believe anyone who enjoys fantasy will be as well.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Demon Seed: A novel of terror to horrify you this Halloween in Books
May 16, 2018
One of the things Iāve noticed when Iām running around between thrift stores is an abundance of Dean Koontz novels. That said, Iāve definitely been stockpiling them up, and the first one I read out of my Koontz pile is Demon Seed. Demon Seed is told from a rather peculiar perspective: that of a computer with artificial intelligence. Before I delve deeper into my thoughts on Demon Seed, I would like to note that this is a copy of the 1997 release, and not the original novel published in 1973. There are differences in the two books, however because I have not happened to lay hands upon the original version, I am unable to compare or contrast their contents. As such, my review is based solely upon the second version of the book, which is told solely from the perspective of Proteus, the artificial intelligence program that is all too frighteningly real.
The idea of a computer striking fear into someoneās heart is a bit of an oddball, but with the idea of artificial intelligence an all too possible reality, fear over what could happen should the AI take control of itself and evolve is real. In Demon Seed that science is taken too far when Proteus takes control of his own programming and not only stalks the recently divorced Susan Harris, but holds her captive within her own home. With a plan for the ideal race of humans on its mind, Proteus sets forth on a horrifying adventure to create for himself the perfect body, and poor Susan is a key player in his endeavor.
As a premise, especially for something originally written in the early 70ās, the idea behind Demon Seed is intriguing. I find Proteus to be a very disturbing character, and the way in which Koontz pens Proteus gives me chills. I remember once, a long time ago, having a similar feeling while reading a novel by P. T. Deutermann, in which the occasional chapter was in the killerās perspective. I donāt remember the name of the book, only the fact that I was left nerve-wracked. Koontzās Proteus is not too far off from that mark and the mere fact that Koontz is able to capture that essence of a true sociopath with an inanimate object (if I can really call Proteus that) probably factors into my opinion on the book the most. The other characters, and to some degree Susan as well, strike me as a bit one-dimensional. They have a single, solitary purpose and while they possess wildly different backgrounds, the way in which the story progresses does not leave room for the development of feelings toward the characters.
Demon Seed is an extremely quick read, and if youāve got the time to sit for a few hours and thumb through its pages, Iād definitely recommend it. While it isnāt among my favorite books, and only receives a passing āmehā score from me, it was enjoyable. The linear plot line, told from a single, solitary perspective, makes it an easy read as well. There is also a movie adaptation of the novel, but it is not presently on my to-watch list.
The idea of a computer striking fear into someoneās heart is a bit of an oddball, but with the idea of artificial intelligence an all too possible reality, fear over what could happen should the AI take control of itself and evolve is real. In Demon Seed that science is taken too far when Proteus takes control of his own programming and not only stalks the recently divorced Susan Harris, but holds her captive within her own home. With a plan for the ideal race of humans on its mind, Proteus sets forth on a horrifying adventure to create for himself the perfect body, and poor Susan is a key player in his endeavor.
As a premise, especially for something originally written in the early 70ās, the idea behind Demon Seed is intriguing. I find Proteus to be a very disturbing character, and the way in which Koontz pens Proteus gives me chills. I remember once, a long time ago, having a similar feeling while reading a novel by P. T. Deutermann, in which the occasional chapter was in the killerās perspective. I donāt remember the name of the book, only the fact that I was left nerve-wracked. Koontzās Proteus is not too far off from that mark and the mere fact that Koontz is able to capture that essence of a true sociopath with an inanimate object (if I can really call Proteus that) probably factors into my opinion on the book the most. The other characters, and to some degree Susan as well, strike me as a bit one-dimensional. They have a single, solitary purpose and while they possess wildly different backgrounds, the way in which the story progresses does not leave room for the development of feelings toward the characters.
Demon Seed is an extremely quick read, and if youāve got the time to sit for a few hours and thumb through its pages, Iād definitely recommend it. While it isnāt among my favorite books, and only receives a passing āmehā score from me, it was enjoyable. The linear plot line, told from a single, solitary perspective, makes it an easy read as well. There is also a movie adaptation of the novel, but it is not presently on my to-watch list.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Vendetta in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Vendetta by Iris Johansen brings back characters introduced in the Eve Duncan books. Although it is billed as an āEve Duncanā she is only mentioned briefly. But, this does not take anything away from the plot and the main characters, Rachel Venable and Jude Brandon. The story centers on these two and their attempts to bring down Max Huber, the head of Red Star, a terrorist organization with immense power.
The story begins with the shooting of a top CIA official, Carl Venable. His dying breath to the operative, Jude Brandon, to save his daughter, Dr. Rachel Venable, and give her the choice of eliminating Huber to prevent him from wreaking further havoc on a global scale. Huber wants revenge on Rachel, believing that she killed his father by poisoning him. Enlisting the help of her good friend, CIA operative Catherine Ling and her on again, off again boyfriend, Richard Cameron, they work together to bring Huber down.
Johansen noted, āEvery other chapter has a choice come into play. It is all about making choices. Rachel had to decide if she would go after the bad guys. Brandon whether he would involve himself emotionally with Rachel. Catherine made the choice not to hide from her desire for Cameron, as well as knowing she had to give Rachel space and control over her own destiny. The bad guy Huber is pure evil without redeeming qualities and his choice was to inflict as much collateral damage as possible. Even though I have a choice as a writer, I just wanted to kill Huber for doing terrible things to the people I love in my books.ā
Both Rachel and Catherine had similar experiences of having to overcome rape. At the age of fifteen Rachel was captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan, watched them kill her mother and brother, and was brutally raped as well as tortured. What Johansen does wonderfully is to show how Rachel is determined to overcome her past experiences. One of the reasons she becomes a medical doctor is to heal people. Both Catherine and Rachel are intelligent, tough, strong, independent, and stubborn.
The book quote has Rachel determined to not be seen as a cripple. āI wrote that because I consider it the bravest thing she ever said. She went through a terrible event, but she fought and conquered it. Catherine also had a tough life, growing up on the Hong Kong waterfronts. She learned from it to become stronger. These two women are more similar than different. They had rough teenage years that they had to overcome. I think they are more sisters than friends and will always go to bat for each other. I think Catherine is more like the older sister because she has a son, which makes a big difference.ā
Johansen writes female characters that are something other than constant damsels in distress. They find a way to survive and have come out even stronger. This story shows how a characterās past and the decisions made influence the present and future, sometimes to the point of getting revenge by pursuing a vendetta.
The story begins with the shooting of a top CIA official, Carl Venable. His dying breath to the operative, Jude Brandon, to save his daughter, Dr. Rachel Venable, and give her the choice of eliminating Huber to prevent him from wreaking further havoc on a global scale. Huber wants revenge on Rachel, believing that she killed his father by poisoning him. Enlisting the help of her good friend, CIA operative Catherine Ling and her on again, off again boyfriend, Richard Cameron, they work together to bring Huber down.
Johansen noted, āEvery other chapter has a choice come into play. It is all about making choices. Rachel had to decide if she would go after the bad guys. Brandon whether he would involve himself emotionally with Rachel. Catherine made the choice not to hide from her desire for Cameron, as well as knowing she had to give Rachel space and control over her own destiny. The bad guy Huber is pure evil without redeeming qualities and his choice was to inflict as much collateral damage as possible. Even though I have a choice as a writer, I just wanted to kill Huber for doing terrible things to the people I love in my books.ā
Both Rachel and Catherine had similar experiences of having to overcome rape. At the age of fifteen Rachel was captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan, watched them kill her mother and brother, and was brutally raped as well as tortured. What Johansen does wonderfully is to show how Rachel is determined to overcome her past experiences. One of the reasons she becomes a medical doctor is to heal people. Both Catherine and Rachel are intelligent, tough, strong, independent, and stubborn.
The book quote has Rachel determined to not be seen as a cripple. āI wrote that because I consider it the bravest thing she ever said. She went through a terrible event, but she fought and conquered it. Catherine also had a tough life, growing up on the Hong Kong waterfronts. She learned from it to become stronger. These two women are more similar than different. They had rough teenage years that they had to overcome. I think they are more sisters than friends and will always go to bat for each other. I think Catherine is more like the older sister because she has a son, which makes a big difference.ā
Johansen writes female characters that are something other than constant damsels in distress. They find a way to survive and have come out even stronger. This story shows how a characterās past and the decisions made influence the present and future, sometimes to the point of getting revenge by pursuing a vendetta.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Teacher (DS Imogen Grey, #1) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
This book was fucking awesome.
A lot of the plot was predictable and I was pretty sure I knew what was going on very soon into the book, but that didn't take away any of the shock factor this books gave out.
"Most definitely *not* for the faint-hearted!" I have to agree with this warning, a lot of this book was absolutely brutal. I'm a big fan of blood and guts, in movies and books, but even this made me wince a few times. Diamond really knows how to describe a gory bloodbath!
To begin with this book is a little confusing, each chapter tells the story of a different character and to begin with there just seems to be thousands of narratives and no explanation, but it quickly wraps that up for you and that's when the ball really gets rolling. I warn you, you will get hooked on this book, it's one of those stories where you just want to keep reading and reading and reading.
Miles and Grey were such an excellent duo together. The fact they were both damaged in some way really made them click but not bring the mood of the book down at all. <spoiler> I also love the fact that these two didn't get it on! Finally, a female and male character who can remain buddies without having to fuck each other!</spoiler> Miles was definitely my favourite of the two, he was flawed and withdrawn but he had a good heart and a good brain and he knew what he needed to do at all times, no fucking about.
Abbey's story really hit me hard and I found it quite difficult to read... the things she went through (tw//r*pe) were absolutely horrific and the people who reacted to it were awful. People reacted in the worst possible way after the admission of a r*pe victim and I think Diamond's writing really reflected a problem a lot of society have in understanding where the blame lies. Women (and occasionally men) are never <i> ever</i> asking for it. I wish we knew a little more about the darker things in Abbey's life, it would have nice to have known what became of her dad. I also would have liked to know whether anyone ever found out about the bad things she did... <spoiler> for example, would they not have found Christian's body in the Samurai if they were pulling the museum apart? </spoiler>
Parker's tale broke my heart and I'm so happy with how everything turned out for him, those men got what they deserved! <spoiler>Though it would have been nice to see Morris get what he deserved!</spoiler>
I've already gone on to recommend the book to friends and family, though if you're sensitive to gore and/or rape then this is definitely a book to steer clear from! Really enjoyable book to read (not in a morbid way) and definitely the best book I've read in what feels like forever! Would have been 5 stars if it wasn't for the fact I guessed everything <spoiler> apart from Abbey killing and hiding Christian!</spoiler> before it happened.
A lot of the plot was predictable and I was pretty sure I knew what was going on very soon into the book, but that didn't take away any of the shock factor this books gave out.
"Most definitely *not* for the faint-hearted!" I have to agree with this warning, a lot of this book was absolutely brutal. I'm a big fan of blood and guts, in movies and books, but even this made me wince a few times. Diamond really knows how to describe a gory bloodbath!
To begin with this book is a little confusing, each chapter tells the story of a different character and to begin with there just seems to be thousands of narratives and no explanation, but it quickly wraps that up for you and that's when the ball really gets rolling. I warn you, you will get hooked on this book, it's one of those stories where you just want to keep reading and reading and reading.
Miles and Grey were such an excellent duo together. The fact they were both damaged in some way really made them click but not bring the mood of the book down at all. <spoiler> I also love the fact that these two didn't get it on! Finally, a female and male character who can remain buddies without having to fuck each other!</spoiler> Miles was definitely my favourite of the two, he was flawed and withdrawn but he had a good heart and a good brain and he knew what he needed to do at all times, no fucking about.
Abbey's story really hit me hard and I found it quite difficult to read... the things she went through (tw//r*pe) were absolutely horrific and the people who reacted to it were awful. People reacted in the worst possible way after the admission of a r*pe victim and I think Diamond's writing really reflected a problem a lot of society have in understanding where the blame lies. Women (and occasionally men) are never <i> ever</i> asking for it. I wish we knew a little more about the darker things in Abbey's life, it would have nice to have known what became of her dad. I also would have liked to know whether anyone ever found out about the bad things she did... <spoiler> for example, would they not have found Christian's body in the Samurai if they were pulling the museum apart? </spoiler>
Parker's tale broke my heart and I'm so happy with how everything turned out for him, those men got what they deserved! <spoiler>Though it would have been nice to see Morris get what he deserved!</spoiler>
I've already gone on to recommend the book to friends and family, though if you're sensitive to gore and/or rape then this is definitely a book to steer clear from! Really enjoyable book to read (not in a morbid way) and definitely the best book I've read in what feels like forever! Would have been 5 stars if it wasn't for the fact I guessed everything <spoiler> apart from Abbey killing and hiding Christian!</spoiler> before it happened.
Alice (12 KP) rated The Countess Conspiracy (Brothers Sinister, #3) in Books
Jul 3, 2018
What happened? Something went wrong with The Countess Conspiracy and Iām not 100% sure what it was that made it go wrong. Iām about 85% sure that it was Violet Waterfield, the remaining 15% though no idea.
The Countess Conspiracy follows the story of Sebastian Malheur and Violet Waterfield ā the two remaining members (honorary included)of the Brotherās Sinister. In previous books Sebastian has become reviled by most people due to his ācrazedā notions on reproduction of plants and comparing them to Darwinism and proving the theory correct.
He started off as a joker before becoming infinitely more serious as the books progressed and I missed the funny side to him. Unfortunately spends the better part of this book serious and seems to lose himself in his and Violets plot.
ā
Now Violet is my main issue with this book. Throughout I wanted to pull the stick out of her butt and beat her over the head with it. She was stuck-up, prudish, overbearingly annoying, flat out rude and completely beyond any hope.
At about 50% I gave her the benefit of the doubt what with her history with her previous husband and the many many miscarriages but in the next chapter I wanted to beat her over the head to knock some sense into her again. She was awful and insufferable.
In the latter pages of the book she redeemed herself most highly but by that time Iād already resigned myself to the fact that this book would get a 3 star review and not a 4.
ā
I found that parts of the book were a little bit Americanised particularly towards the end and it felt a little too modernised at some stages which detracted from the regency part of the genre.
It wasnāt an overly bad instalment just one that I didnāt enjoy nearly as much as the previous ones. There were parts to the story that I didnāt like and the characters I had some issues with (Violet and her sister Lily) being the biggest ones but overall it was alright.
The only thing worse than an unlovable woman was an unlovable woman who whined about not being loved.
The above is something to do with Violet and her motherās rules, the only thing was though was that Violet whined ā and she whined a lot.
āI know.ā He didnāt look away from her. āIsnāt that what I said? Only one of us is in love, and it isnāt you.ā
God that quote from Sebastian near broke my heart. I felt so sorry for him ā the manās been in love with her for 16 years and heās had no chance in hell of getting her.
A final parting quote:
Knitting makes even the most conniving soul look innocent. Her mother had it right. For some reason, butlers rarely suspected that a woman who had started knitting would stop and sneak about a house. Idiocy on their part; they were knitting needles, not shackles.
That is the quote that made me smile. Itās such a misplaced quote for the story but itās still really good.
The Countess Conspiracy follows the story of Sebastian Malheur and Violet Waterfield ā the two remaining members (honorary included)of the Brotherās Sinister. In previous books Sebastian has become reviled by most people due to his ācrazedā notions on reproduction of plants and comparing them to Darwinism and proving the theory correct.
He started off as a joker before becoming infinitely more serious as the books progressed and I missed the funny side to him. Unfortunately spends the better part of this book serious and seems to lose himself in his and Violets plot.
ā
Now Violet is my main issue with this book. Throughout I wanted to pull the stick out of her butt and beat her over the head with it. She was stuck-up, prudish, overbearingly annoying, flat out rude and completely beyond any hope.
At about 50% I gave her the benefit of the doubt what with her history with her previous husband and the many many miscarriages but in the next chapter I wanted to beat her over the head to knock some sense into her again. She was awful and insufferable.
In the latter pages of the book she redeemed herself most highly but by that time Iād already resigned myself to the fact that this book would get a 3 star review and not a 4.
ā
I found that parts of the book were a little bit Americanised particularly towards the end and it felt a little too modernised at some stages which detracted from the regency part of the genre.
It wasnāt an overly bad instalment just one that I didnāt enjoy nearly as much as the previous ones. There were parts to the story that I didnāt like and the characters I had some issues with (Violet and her sister Lily) being the biggest ones but overall it was alright.
The only thing worse than an unlovable woman was an unlovable woman who whined about not being loved.
The above is something to do with Violet and her motherās rules, the only thing was though was that Violet whined ā and she whined a lot.
āI know.ā He didnāt look away from her. āIsnāt that what I said? Only one of us is in love, and it isnāt you.ā
God that quote from Sebastian near broke my heart. I felt so sorry for him ā the manās been in love with her for 16 years and heās had no chance in hell of getting her.
A final parting quote:
Knitting makes even the most conniving soul look innocent. Her mother had it right. For some reason, butlers rarely suspected that a woman who had started knitting would stop and sneak about a house. Idiocy on their part; they were knitting needles, not shackles.
That is the quote that made me smile. Itās such a misplaced quote for the story but itās still really good.
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