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Merissa (13489 KP) rated Solomon's Sieve (Knights of Black Swan #7) in Books
Apr 6, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
This book starts with a speed date from hell and someone talking to you from the afterlife - I kid you not! Only Victoria Danann could bring those things together and make it work in such a way that it seems absolutely 'normal'.
Being back with the Black Swan is always a pleasure and this book is no different. After six previous books, there is a sense of familiarity with how characters will react, what they will say, what their body language will tell you.
The one thing I will say about this book - and it is also the reason I am only giving 4 stars instead of the usual 5 to Victoria - is that it is such a busy book! There are a lot of things going on so you will need to read carefully. For example, you have the Sol/Farnsworth story, Raif and Mercy, B Team being brought back from retirement, Z Team having their babysitting mission, and Rosie having her sabbatical. Unfortunately for me, it felt like there was so much going on that I missed out on parts. I would have loved for Raif and Mercy to have their own story, linked with Farnsworth's search. I felt like they were only in the book for a couple of scenes and now they're together.
This is my only 'niggle' with the book and of course, I can still highly recommend this series as one of the best paranormal romances that I have read. These books are definitely keepers and are to be kept, cherished and re-read for years to come.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
September 6, 2016
Being back with the Black Swan is always a pleasure and this book is no different. After six previous books, there is a sense of familiarity with how characters will react, what they will say, what their body language will tell you.
The one thing I will say about this book - and it is also the reason I am only giving 4 stars instead of the usual 5 to Victoria - is that it is such a busy book! There are a lot of things going on so you will need to read carefully. For example, you have the Sol/Farnsworth story, Raif and Mercy, B Team being brought back from retirement, Z Team having their babysitting mission, and Rosie having her sabbatical. Unfortunately for me, it felt like there was so much going on that I missed out on parts. I would have loved for Raif and Mercy to have their own story, linked with Farnsworth's search. I felt like they were only in the book for a couple of scenes and now they're together.
This is my only 'niggle' with the book and of course, I can still highly recommend this series as one of the best paranormal romances that I have read. These books are definitely keepers and are to be kept, cherished and re-read for years to come.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
September 6, 2016
Merissa (13489 KP) rated Eternal Flame (Guardians #1) in Books
Apr 10, 2023
This book has a twist on the tale of vampires in that they have been chosen by the gods as protectors of the human race and actually dwell in an alternative realm. They are all hot and some have special skills. They all have a weakness, which are silver bracelets, as we find out with Marcus.
There are too many excellent characters in here to name them all but I will admit to having a soft spot for Seth and Baal! An excellent book and, I hope, the start of a new series. How it ended leaves it wide open for the next book along, whilst also neatly tying off this story.
There are a couple of reasons I haven't given this 5 stars. For one, there is insta-love and... bonded mates or not, this bugs me. For someone who has not been in a relationship for 5 years and has been so hurt in the past, it just beggars belief that she would fall into bed with Marcus after the first date, no matter how big the attraction.
I would also liked to have known more about the gods, who they are and what their role in this is. I get the feeling they have a big part to play in this but we don't really hear much about them. Are they Egyptian? I'm not sure although Egypt plays a big part in this.
On the whole, a totally enjoyable paranormal romance with a twist. If you enjoy hot alpha males, demons and shifters all in one book then I can recommend this one to you.
* 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. *
July 23, 2016
There are too many excellent characters in here to name them all but I will admit to having a soft spot for Seth and Baal! An excellent book and, I hope, the start of a new series. How it ended leaves it wide open for the next book along, whilst also neatly tying off this story.
There are a couple of reasons I haven't given this 5 stars. For one, there is insta-love and... bonded mates or not, this bugs me. For someone who has not been in a relationship for 5 years and has been so hurt in the past, it just beggars belief that she would fall into bed with Marcus after the first date, no matter how big the attraction.
I would also liked to have known more about the gods, who they are and what their role in this is. I get the feeling they have a big part to play in this but we don't really hear much about them. Are they Egyptian? I'm not sure although Egypt plays a big part in this.
On the whole, a totally enjoyable paranormal romance with a twist. If you enjoy hot alpha males, demons and shifters all in one book then I can recommend this one to you.
* 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. *
July 23, 2016
Embrace the Mystery (The Blood Rose #3)
8.0
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Mastyr Quinlan pursues the artist, Batya, with only one thing in mind but soon discovers that his...
Paranormal Romance
Merissa (13489 KP) rated Eternal Bloodthirst (Blood Moon #1) in Books
May 8, 2023
In a genre full of vampires, S.J. Blackrose has managed to carve out her own niche with a set of vampires different from any I have previously read. In this, there are two types of Vampire - one feeds from each other, and the other feeds from humans. They have soulmates but they are always from the opposite 'set'. They have a choice to become one or the other once they are together.
However, a twist is made to this within the story, and that is that a time limit is now imposed upon those who have found their mates. In an effort to show how important a bond is, and how respected it must be, Lilith creates a time limit of 100 years. If you have not bonded within that time, you will both die. Simple, but effective. Amongst this, you have a history of lies and manipulations, the return of an old enemy thought long vanquished, secrets amongst those who you thought you knew, and a mahoosive cliffhanger ending. Excellent.
This book is well-written and with a smooth pace. There were a couple of editing errors that I found but nothing to spoil the general flow of the story. Told from a multiple set of viewpoints, this makes for an in-depth and tantalising glimpse into any given situation and certainly helps to move the story onward.
Definitely recommended for fans of vampires out there, who like things with a twist and a dash of spice.
* 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!
Jan 5, 2016
However, a twist is made to this within the story, and that is that a time limit is now imposed upon those who have found their mates. In an effort to show how important a bond is, and how respected it must be, Lilith creates a time limit of 100 years. If you have not bonded within that time, you will both die. Simple, but effective. Amongst this, you have a history of lies and manipulations, the return of an old enemy thought long vanquished, secrets amongst those who you thought you knew, and a mahoosive cliffhanger ending. Excellent.
This book is well-written and with a smooth pace. There were a couple of editing errors that I found but nothing to spoil the general flow of the story. Told from a multiple set of viewpoints, this makes for an in-depth and tantalising glimpse into any given situation and certainly helps to move the story onward.
Definitely recommended for fans of vampires out there, who like things with a twist and a dash of spice.
* 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!
Jan 5, 2016
Merissa (13489 KP) rated Lust (Seven Princes of Sin #1) in Books
Apr 1, 2022
LUST is the first book in the Seven Princes of Sin series and boy, is this going to be a good one!
Now, before I go any further, please take note of the Trigger Warnings. This is a dark story with some graphic descriptions.
This is Donna and Adam's story. She is sent in to kill him, being as he and his brothers pose a threat to The Saints. However, Adam feels something for her from the beginning, even if he doesn't know what it is. He also recognises her from the surveillance photos he has. He lets her into his life, just to see what her plan is. What he didn't plan on was falling for her though.
I love all of these brothers! Strong, protective, and they value women -- the exact opposite of what Donna has lived with up until now. Each brother is different, which means I can't wait for their stories now!
I love how even though our boys are sons of hell, the real evil comes in the form of humans or those who are supposed to be 'good'.
There were a couple of editing errors that have slipped through the net, but nothing too bad and easy enough to ignore.
If you can deal with dark stories then I suggest you give this one a go. A fantastic start to the series that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending. Just be careful with those trigger warnings.
** 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!
Now, before I go any further, please take note of the Trigger Warnings. This is a dark story with some graphic descriptions.
This is Donna and Adam's story. She is sent in to kill him, being as he and his brothers pose a threat to The Saints. However, Adam feels something for her from the beginning, even if he doesn't know what it is. He also recognises her from the surveillance photos he has. He lets her into his life, just to see what her plan is. What he didn't plan on was falling for her though.
I love all of these brothers! Strong, protective, and they value women -- the exact opposite of what Donna has lived with up until now. Each brother is different, which means I can't wait for their stories now!
I love how even though our boys are sons of hell, the real evil comes in the form of humans or those who are supposed to be 'good'.
There were a couple of editing errors that have slipped through the net, but nothing too bad and easy enough to ignore.
If you can deal with dark stories then I suggest you give this one a go. A fantastic start to the series that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending. Just be careful with those trigger warnings.
** 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!
RavenclawPrincess913 (253 KP) rated The newlyweds window in Books
Jul 30, 2022
Will be writing a review for the couple story's I enjoyed in this book:
Gasping for Air
Author: Ogechukwu Emmanuel Samuel
"Humans! They are the worst thing to have happened to Earth since the beginning" I agree with this 100% humans have ruined the earth with their greed.
I liked this story was very interesting. It was scary but caught my attention. The ending was super confusing.
Border Control
Author: Aldine Jojo Elhassan
This story was sad due to this girl's traumatic delivery and mistreatment from the nurses. Scary to read to being pregnant currently it gave me anxiety and almost had me crying.
The Newlyweds' Window
Author: Husnah Mad-hy
"But her fate was like the rest of the unmarried women; marry young, give the husband and their families some children (at least one boy), and subdue her dreams to the more practical and 'real life' expectations of Swahili women- cooking, cleaning, raising, tending to her husband, attending weddings and funerals, and the likes." This is ok if you want this in life but every girl should not be forced into it.
"She watched and could sometimes hear as they made love every night for six months straight." This is majorly creepy.
This story was creepy and confusing the main character gave off stalker vibes and needs to mind their own business and give the people some privacy.
Black Pawpaw
Author: Obinna Ezeodili
This ones really sad how they have to beg for help and than the abuse the main character receives. Also Binye seeing her as mama instead of his mom is sad. The mom should be around more. The sexual assault is sad and screwed up too and very triggering. And the Aunt died from self defense this girl shouldn't have to be punished for it she was defending herself during sexual assault.
Gasping for Air
Author: Ogechukwu Emmanuel Samuel
"Humans! They are the worst thing to have happened to Earth since the beginning" I agree with this 100% humans have ruined the earth with their greed.
I liked this story was very interesting. It was scary but caught my attention. The ending was super confusing.
Border Control
Author: Aldine Jojo Elhassan
This story was sad due to this girl's traumatic delivery and mistreatment from the nurses. Scary to read to being pregnant currently it gave me anxiety and almost had me crying.
The Newlyweds' Window
Author: Husnah Mad-hy
"But her fate was like the rest of the unmarried women; marry young, give the husband and their families some children (at least one boy), and subdue her dreams to the more practical and 'real life' expectations of Swahili women- cooking, cleaning, raising, tending to her husband, attending weddings and funerals, and the likes." This is ok if you want this in life but every girl should not be forced into it.
"She watched and could sometimes hear as they made love every night for six months straight." This is majorly creepy.
This story was creepy and confusing the main character gave off stalker vibes and needs to mind their own business and give the people some privacy.
Black Pawpaw
Author: Obinna Ezeodili
This ones really sad how they have to beg for help and than the abuse the main character receives. Also Binye seeing her as mama instead of his mom is sad. The mom should be around more. The sexual assault is sad and screwed up too and very triggering. And the Aunt died from self defense this girl shouldn't have to be punished for it she was defending herself during sexual assault.
Merissa (13489 KP) rated The Remembering Tree in Books
Oct 3, 2022
THE REMEMBERING TREE tells a story of magical healing and a belief in God, although it is not overly religious. When Gemma's husband dies, she is left alone, with just her fifteen-year-old daughter. Shortly after, her grandma dies and she is left a home, plus money for renovations, so they move there. Once at Moonstone House, things fall into place and Gemma realises things are not always as they seem.
Although this is listed as supernatural suspense, I would also add romance to that. Whilst not the main part, it does help and support the story move along.
I found this to be a quick and easy read, with the story pretty much going in the direction I thought it would. There are a few coincidences that raised my eyebrows as it seemed rather too easy, but that may just be me.
I was also left with a couple of questions - the main one being why wasn't Gemma named after a jewel? She named her daughter one, and it's what her family was known for, but she wasn't and it never explained why. I wanted to know!
I am probably in the minority here but the last part - the final ending, if you like - didn't do anything for me. In fact, for me, it actually took away from the story. I had enjoyed it up to that point but then felt a little let down.
All in all, this was a great read that I enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending if you like cosy mysteries with a romantic element.
** 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!
Although this is listed as supernatural suspense, I would also add romance to that. Whilst not the main part, it does help and support the story move along.
I found this to be a quick and easy read, with the story pretty much going in the direction I thought it would. There are a few coincidences that raised my eyebrows as it seemed rather too easy, but that may just be me.
I was also left with a couple of questions - the main one being why wasn't Gemma named after a jewel? She named her daughter one, and it's what her family was known for, but she wasn't and it never explained why. I wanted to know!
I am probably in the minority here but the last part - the final ending, if you like - didn't do anything for me. In fact, for me, it actually took away from the story. I had enjoyed it up to that point but then felt a little let down.
All in all, this was a great read that I enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending if you like cosy mysteries with a romantic element.
** 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!
Where to begin with this book? Well, first off, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and was lost in the story whilst I read - it’s very ‘all-consuming’. The main reason for that is that it’s completely out there! It’s unpredictable. I tried to think of another couple of words to go with that, but I can’t get any better than ‘unpredictable’ to be honest.
The pandemic of teenage suicides is disturbing, and reflects their despair at the state of the world left for them by previous generations. Parents with money think that they can prevent their childs’ suicide and cure their anxiety throwing money and anti-depressants at the ‘problem’, and sending them to an Anxiety Abatement Centre - and that’s how Simon meets the Prophet and Louise. And that’s where the quest begins.
It turns out that adults are responsible for more than Climate Change. You can add child abuse and big Pharma into the mix as well. And then there’s the political state of the country, where no party is any better than the other, and what’s more, they’re interchangeable. There was a lot of head nodding going on as I read.
And Noah Hawley breaks the 4th wall as he talks directly to the reader, talking about his thought process in writing the novel.
This book is a huge exaggeration of the state of the world, at the same time as it’s not. I hope it doesn’t come to the things that happen in Anthem, but we’ve seen snapshots of it on the news already.
It’s just the right level of crazy, believable, unbelievable, mind-blowing fiction that keeps me well-entertained. I know Noah Hawley is a screen writer, and I can see this as a film - hey, I’d watch it.
The pandemic of teenage suicides is disturbing, and reflects their despair at the state of the world left for them by previous generations. Parents with money think that they can prevent their childs’ suicide and cure their anxiety throwing money and anti-depressants at the ‘problem’, and sending them to an Anxiety Abatement Centre - and that’s how Simon meets the Prophet and Louise. And that’s where the quest begins.
It turns out that adults are responsible for more than Climate Change. You can add child abuse and big Pharma into the mix as well. And then there’s the political state of the country, where no party is any better than the other, and what’s more, they’re interchangeable. There was a lot of head nodding going on as I read.
And Noah Hawley breaks the 4th wall as he talks directly to the reader, talking about his thought process in writing the novel.
This book is a huge exaggeration of the state of the world, at the same time as it’s not. I hope it doesn’t come to the things that happen in Anthem, but we’ve seen snapshots of it on the news already.
It’s just the right level of crazy, believable, unbelievable, mind-blowing fiction that keeps me well-entertained. I know Noah Hawley is a screen writer, and I can see this as a film - hey, I’d watch it.
Merissa (13489 KP) rated Winterian Sky (Ninety Planets) in Books
Nov 6, 2023
WINTERIAN SKY is the first book in the new Ninety Planets science fiction series. In it, we find a planet besieged on two fronts - one is by an incoming attack force, the other is by a virus with no known cure that is decimating the population.
Chesterfield is the lone scientist dedicated to finding a cure. Danacio is a Guard of Winterian, prepared to lay down his life for his planet. Together, these two go on a journey to figure out where the virus originated from and how to cure it. They meet a brilliant couple who have suffered their own losses, just as determined as Chesterfield to find the answers and the cure.
This is a fast-paced book that will keep you turning the pages. All of the characters are well-rounded and I loved how they all worked together, meshing with purpose. As the first book in a new series, there is world-building but also worlds-building. You get an idea of the Alliance and the things they stand for. I can't wait to read more in this series, and I'm seriously hoping for an update on Winterian and how their war is going on.
Love plays a big role in this story - whether it is familial love or romantic. There are moments of closeness between our two MCs but it is closed-door/fade-to-black which worked perfectly in this story.
A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and I can't wait to return to the Ninety Planets!
** 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!
Nov 6, 2023
Chesterfield is the lone scientist dedicated to finding a cure. Danacio is a Guard of Winterian, prepared to lay down his life for his planet. Together, these two go on a journey to figure out where the virus originated from and how to cure it. They meet a brilliant couple who have suffered their own losses, just as determined as Chesterfield to find the answers and the cure.
This is a fast-paced book that will keep you turning the pages. All of the characters are well-rounded and I loved how they all worked together, meshing with purpose. As the first book in a new series, there is world-building but also worlds-building. You get an idea of the Alliance and the things they stand for. I can't wait to read more in this series, and I'm seriously hoping for an update on Winterian and how their war is going on.
Love plays a big role in this story - whether it is familial love or romantic. There are moments of closeness between our two MCs but it is closed-door/fade-to-black which worked perfectly in this story.
A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and I can't wait to return to the Ninety Planets!
** 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!
Nov 6, 2023
Zombie (The Cursed Manuscripts)
7.0
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On December 21, 2012, according to the Mayan Calendar, the world was supposed to end. It didn't. But...