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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated Stellarlune in Books

Dec 19, 2022 (Updated Dec 19, 2022)  
Stellarlune
Stellarlune
Shannon Messenger | 2022 | Children, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sophie’s Next Chapter is One Fans Will Love
Sophie Foster has just learned that her friend Keefe has run away to the Forbidden Cities in order to hide from the changes that are being forced on him. As much as Sophie wants to try to find him, she decides that her best course of action might be to find a way to stop the next step in the plans for Keefe. Meanwhile, her friends have a less than positive reaction to the action she just took against their enemy, the Neverseen. Will this drive a wedge in her circle of friends?

If that teaser doesn’t make sense to you, then this book isn’t for you – yet. You really need to read these books in order. Heck, I wish I’d had time to reread the last one before I dove into this one. Fans will be thrilled with what we get, however. I only felt the pacing slowed down a couple of times, which is saying something for a 700 page book. We definitely got some advancement on the overall story as well. Meanwhile, the characters continue to mature, and I loved how that lead to some natural progressions in relationships. Sophie’s world continues to be fun as well. Naturally, there’s a cliffhanger, which means I’m already anxious for the next book.
  
Resolve And Retribution
Resolve And Retribution
Michael W. Holman | 2013 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is an incredibly in-depth tale, which doesn't make much sense to start with. As the story progresses though, and you get more information on who Tabitha is and what she can do, it starts to make more sense.

Ben is a boy at the start of this book, and in his fifties by the end. I think this is one of the rare occasions when I have read about the main character ageing in such a way. It certainly made for a nice change, although it did get a bit confusing when the age changed with no notice or warning given.

There is action and suspense here, as well as courage, friendship and loyalty. The English that is spoken is from a few centuries ago. With a detailed backstory, you get the whole thing - beginning, middle, and end (of this book). It does end on a minor cliffhanger, so fair warning.

I would have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone who wants to read something to get their teeth into and likes vampires with a difference.

* 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!
Jan 17, 2016
  
She Who Became The Sun
She Who Became The Sun
9
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
She Who Became the Sun is a book that I could really immerse myself in. It took its time over laying the foundations of what will continue to be, I’m sure, an epic story. This is a re-imagining of the life and rise of Zhu Yuanzhang - the peasant rebel who expelled the Mongols, unified China and became the founding Emperor of the Ming dynasty. So, no small story then!

Shelley Parker-Chan has added a twist to the story, though. The Zhu Yuanzhang in this story is actually female. Born a girl, she steals her brothers identity when he dies so that she can survive - girls were not important enough to survive otherwise. She decides to live her brothers life, and as a fortune teller has foretold, she will rise to great heights in his name. And this process starts by Zhu being taken in and educated by the monks at a monastery.

This isn’t fantasy as much as it is historical fiction. Ok, there is a little bit of magic, but I took that as being an explanation of a leaders charisma. The writing IS beautiful, particularly the descriptions of the relationship between Zhu and the eunuch General Ouyang, and the queer story of Zhu and her wife.

We’re left on a bit of a cliffhanger, I’ll warn you, but we won’t have long to wait for the sequel!
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Blood and Stars in Books

Sep 24, 2017  
Blood and Stars
Blood and Stars
Jaime Lee Mann | 2017 | Children, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
No cliffhanger (0 more)
Children's Fantasy
This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Finally, after leaving everyone on tenterhooks, the fifth book in the Legend of Rhyme series is here. Blood and Stars by Jaime Lee Mann continues on from the tense ending to book four, finally resolving a lot of loose ends. With all the favourite characters from the series, this book transports readers back into the fantasy world of Coraira for more adventure and magic.

Blood and Stars is split into four stories, which eventually all merge together in an explosive climax. Firstly, as expected, the main characters, twins Ariana and Asher, have found themselves separated from each other once again. With Ariana destined to rule Coraira, legend suggests that Asher will be the opposite – a ruler of darkness. But, is there a chance he can be saved from this fate? Meanwhile, the present ruler of Coraira is dying. The only person who could potentially save Calla is her evil twin sister Elora, the infamous witch in the previous books. Can she be trusted enough with such an important task?

Concurrently, in the ethereal world of the mermaids, readers are reintroduced to the mer-queen, Starla and her apprentice, Teagan. Abandoned at birth, Teagan is hoping to discover what happened to her parents; however, her curiosity leads her into the lair of a sea witch. Be that as it may, some dangerous situations result in silver linings.

Eventually, with the majority of the book already concluded, another character is brought back into the story. Grimblerod is still under the curse of an evil king, but he now has hope that it can be broken. As long as his love for Freya does not fail, Grimblerod’s patient determination will lead him back to where he belongs.

With a mix of new and old characters, Jaime Lee Mann smoothly draws her fans back into the storyline with a (mostly) happy ending. There are a couple of things left incomplete, but nothing that will majorly irritate readers. There is no dreaded cliffhanger.

As it may have been some time since children read the last book, or parents and teachers are only just being introduced to the story, the author has provided an in-depth character guide in the end pages to bring everyone up to speed.

Blood and Stars was a more straightforward story than previous books. It resolved more issues than it created. There will be a final book coming (hopefully) soon, but there is no way of guessing what it will feature.

Legend of Rhyme is a series suitable for girls and boys. Mildly scary in parts, the adventure of the twins and their companions will entertain children and their parents. With discussion questions at the end, the books make readers think more about the storyline and help them to understand and interact with the narrative. This is certainly a series for young fantasy lovers.
  
Oh hey! Another book has been knocked off my kindle library. How very relevant. Sarcasm intended there.

<b>ATTENTION: BIRDS HAVE INVADED BOOKWYRMING THOUGHTS. THE BIRDIE APOCALYPSE IS NEAR. ~Sincerely, You Have Been Birdified</b>
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iiTRgOpfhJM/U2qVoO_yHnI/AAAAAAAADO0/yjZFuon1rqc/s1600/th.jpg"; border="0" height="200" width="180">
Shoo. *kicks the bird out* I have made another Twitter account. It's called TopSecretSophia. If you believed that was a true account made by me – if it even exists, you obviously got fooled. I should warn of a few things that will be different in this review:
~ No Tweet goes over 140 characters. I've checked through Tweetdeck.
~ There will be text lingo. If there are any... they'll be in caps. Usually. I have a habit with it to distinguish it unless I'm on my Kindle. :p

<b>Tweet #1</b>
Janus (MC) works at a warehouse destroying hard drives for a living. Some she pieces together into this place called the Shadownet.

<b>Tweet #2</b>
AD1 actually links to websites/twitters of people on Shadownet, who are like Alter Egos. It's majorly cool IMHO. Usually it doesn't happen.

<b>Tweet #3</b>
Would love to be Janus for a day! She seems to be really different from other heroines you see in novels and does things BEHIND the screen.

<b>Tweet #4</b>
Early in the novel I got confused whether the Twitters are doing it automatically, which would be REALLY amazing, or Janus is doing it.

<b>Tweet #5</b>
I have met a new fun word next to hoopla: HULLABALOO. Have you noticed words starting with "H" tends to be more fun? What's with that? O_O

<b>Tweet #6</b>
This will make an interesting movie. Someone PLEASE notify me if Assured Destruction movie tickets go on sale. Or I will haunt you (JK). O_O

<b>Tweet #7</b>
Why can I never say the right thing? ~ Janus | That tends to be my case... A LOT. #TongueTied

<b>Tweet #8</b> (Quote)
Google is sometimes closer to Hollywood than to the realities of a true computer forensics team.

<b>Tweet #9</b> (Quote)
People are so over dramatic. Really? Are all mail carriers felons then? It’s a wonder any mail makes it to the right place.

<b>Tweet #10</b>
Interesting end... I shall be "stalking" the series. It's a semi-cliffhanger. Better than an actual cliffhanger, right???

<b>Verdict in a Tweet</b>
If you're ever on a social media break and Twitter sick, Assured Destruction might save you. However temporary that is, it's a cure. ;)
------------------
Updated Review copy provided by the author for tour review
This review and more can be found over at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/05/blog-tour-assured-destruction-by-michael-f-stewart-review-and-giveaway.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
  
Hunters&#039; Watch Brigade: Initiation
Hunters' Watch Brigade: Initiation
Paula Millhouse | 2018 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hunters' Watch Brigade: Initiation by Paula Millhouse
Hunters' Watch Brigade: Initiation is the first book in the Hunters' Watch Brigade series, that deals with witches, vampires, demi-gods, shifters, and all other paranormal personnel.

Sam is a sassy, sometimes cheeky, female who is confident in herself and her abilities. Her father is Poseidon, and she has an easy relationship with him, even though she doesn't understand why he didn't stick around when she was a child. Max is her Maine Coon familiar (yes, she's also part witch). Max is more to her than that though, but he is resisting with every fibre of his being. He knows he can shift and become a guardian, but is worried about being taken away from Sam if he does so.

I loved these two, both separately and together. Things go full on between them once Max does shift, but then it wouldn't seem right any other way, considering all the time they have spent together.

There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing of this book, with smooth transitions from one scene to the next. It does end on a sort-of cliffhanger, so fair warning. Definitely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
U(
Untamed (Uninhibited, #1)
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Actual rating: 3.5 stars.
<i>Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. </i>

I was a little dubious reading this little serial as I've not read anything by the author before and I generally don't read 5 star reviews because of personal choices.

Going into <i>Untamed </i> I was pleasantly surprised by the way it was written. I had expected it to be a quick serial number with little going on and a quick steamy sex scene but there was plenty happening in this serial.

Dr Cari Dunn is a celebrity architect with a stalker. A pretty crazy stalker as stalkers are want to be. The network she does a TV show for hires a bodyguard to protect her - queue Jasper. A sinfully hot male with an alpha streak - just how I like my males!

As it's a pretty short price of writing everything meshes together nicely with a wickedly good sex scene and a great cliffhanger that leaves the series open for the next instalment which is released a week after this one.

I think the one big thing that put me off a bit was the mention of Christian Grey. Those are two words that will put me off any book but thankfully he was only mentioned once in passing.

We'll see where the next part takes us in this ride.
  
The Clockwork Dynasty
The Clockwork Dynasty
Daniel H. Wilson | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
7.5 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Let me start by saying that I originally wasn't sure about this book. I had seen it on Netgalley a while back and loved the cover but after reading the description I just wasn't sure if it was something I would enjoy. I love fantasy and enjoy some sci-fi but humanoid clockwork type robots...not so sure. So I kept it on my radar but didn't request it until I read Mogsy's review on the bibliosanctum. I started it immediately and was so engrossed that I finished it in one day. It. Is. Amazing!

June is a character that I related to from the start. Her incessant curiosity and intelligence were refreshing and her love for her grandfather was endearing. I really enjoyed learning about Peter's story. The non linear storytelling, with flashbacks of his memories alternating with the present, was easy to follow. When Peter and June start working together the pacing really picks up and I couldn't put it down, I had to know what happened. The ending leaves room for a sequel but not with a cliffhanger, which is nice but I still want the sequel now lol. I really have no complaints about any part of this story. It's a wonderful adventure that makes you think. Anyone on the fence about this book like I was should just go ahead and read it, it's worth it.

**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.**
  
Legacy
Legacy
Shannon Messenger | 2019 | Children, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sophie’s Journey Continues – Now with Twice the Alicorn Cuteness
This book opens nine days after the previous book ends. Sophie is finally able to talk to Mr. Forkle, one of the leaders of the Black Swan. However, he is most interested in discussing the most likely target for the Neverseen’s next attack instead of answering Sophie’s questions. His theory makes sense, but can Sophie and her friends figure out a way to stop them? Meanwhile, the Council has a surprising and game changing offer for Sophie. Will she take it?

Naturally, that just scratches the surface of this book since it is almost 800 pages. But it is worth it to watch the plots and sub-plots unfold. Sophie is on quite a journey, and this is another large step forward since we get some twists and revelations in this book. Obviously, I don’t recommend starting here. There’s been a lot of world building in the previous seven books, and that’s always important in a fantasy series. Plus, because the books build on each other, there are major spoilers for events in the earlier books. The characters and their relationships continue to grow, and I loved watching that. Plus there’s plenty of humor and alicorn cuteness. The target middle grade audience will love it, as will anyone who enjoys fantasy. The pages flew by as I got lost in the story. Just be ready for that cliffhanger.
  
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Dan Lacey (7 KP) rated The Stranger in TV

Feb 26, 2020  
The Stranger
The Stranger
2020 | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Acting (2 more)
Storyline
Bingeworthy
Bingeworthy (0 more)
A genuine masterpiece.
I want to start with the trailer to this Netflix original. Whilst flicking through the vast abyss that is the Netflix catalogue I stumbled upon this and allowed the trailer to play in full. It painted a picture of a bit of a mystery caper and I found it quite captivating.

Now I wont lie to you, my wife and I watched all 8 episodes over 2 nights not through choice but through what we deemed at the time (1am to be exact) a necessity. Every episode ended on a perfect cliffhanger.

Now I'm going to keep this spoiler free but I do want to talk about the story in general. I like to think of myself as someone who can normally guess early on 'who dunnit' why they 'dunnit' and any general twists and turns along the way, but the whole series I sat second guessing myself coming up with general theories that would feel at home with someone wearing a tin foil hat. And the moment I thought I'd worked it all out was the moment it was revealed to me some 5 seconds later.

This is the series you will recommend to your family, your friends and maybe even.... a stranger ( yep I just said that).

I emplore you to take a few hours grab the popcorn and give this a watch I promise you will not regret it.