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Chapter chats with caroline (9 KP) rated We have always lived in the castle in Books
Apr 14, 2024
Plotless (2 more)
Made no sense
Kiddish
CONFUSED! Is what I’m after finishing this novel. This Novel does showcase some excellent writing and story telling skills by the author.
Chapter 1 needed my utmost attention and I had to slow down my reading pace to understand all those directions and the story because there was a lot going on. From chapter 2, the story began to flow more easily and I was able to pick up some pace with my reading, by chapter 5, I was enjoying the story with the entry of cousin Charles and Merricat’s attempts to frighten him with all that poison talk. By Chapter 7, I was back to the blurb in search of some missing element, like a plot or some kind of purpose or meaning to this story but failed to find any and by chapter 9, this book began to wear me out in terms of reading, I had to put it down and pick it back up a couple of times. This is how I actually felt throughout this book.
Though, I enjoyed the writing and the narration from Merricat’s POV but as far as the story goes, this book just didn’t make sense to me. There was no plot or purpose as to why the characters behaved in a particular manner, was Merricat dead or alive — I had no clue. It was absolutely not a horror story and was very childish. And the ending just went on in circles and the chapters grew longer and tiresome to get through. The book just left me with a lot of unanswered questions.
I personally wouldn’t recommend this book unless you are looking for a good piece of writing.
Chapter 1 needed my utmost attention and I had to slow down my reading pace to understand all those directions and the story because there was a lot going on. From chapter 2, the story began to flow more easily and I was able to pick up some pace with my reading, by chapter 5, I was enjoying the story with the entry of cousin Charles and Merricat’s attempts to frighten him with all that poison talk. By Chapter 7, I was back to the blurb in search of some missing element, like a plot or some kind of purpose or meaning to this story but failed to find any and by chapter 9, this book began to wear me out in terms of reading, I had to put it down and pick it back up a couple of times. This is how I actually felt throughout this book.
Though, I enjoyed the writing and the narration from Merricat’s POV but as far as the story goes, this book just didn’t make sense to me. There was no plot or purpose as to why the characters behaved in a particular manner, was Merricat dead or alive — I had no clue. It was absolutely not a horror story and was very childish. And the ending just went on in circles and the chapters grew longer and tiresome to get through. The book just left me with a lot of unanswered questions.
I personally wouldn’t recommend this book unless you are looking for a good piece of writing.
Merissa (13993 KP) rated Textual Confusion in Books
Oct 31, 2024
TEXTUAL CONFUSION is a standalone story about two men whose story starts with a text message. When Asher receives a text in the middle of the night, he knows he should ignore it, but can't resist answering. This leads to more than he ever thought possible.
Asher and Markus were great characters. I do love it when one of them is an a$$hole to everyone apart from the one he loves, even if I don't like it in real life. But, hey, that's why we read, right? I also loved that everyone else could see how deep Markus was in, apart from Asher, who had his own reasons for not believing.
Sasha and Danny are the best supporting characters, especially Sasha, who made me LOL a few times! And speaking of other characters, in this book, you get not one but two protagonists (if you don't count Asher himself!) You've got his psycho ex who didn't want Asher but doesn't want anyone else to have him either. You've also got his mother - a term I use very loosely!
There is a third-act breakup which may be triggering to some people, just so you know. There were a couple of things that happened that I personally don't like (spit-swapping, for one) that knocked off half a star, but nothing too bad.
On the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed this high-angst, hot and steamy book and read it in one sitting. 4.5 stars, rounded up, and definitely recommended.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
23 Oct, 2024
Asher and Markus were great characters. I do love it when one of them is an a$$hole to everyone apart from the one he loves, even if I don't like it in real life. But, hey, that's why we read, right? I also loved that everyone else could see how deep Markus was in, apart from Asher, who had his own reasons for not believing.
Sasha and Danny are the best supporting characters, especially Sasha, who made me LOL a few times! And speaking of other characters, in this book, you get not one but two protagonists (if you don't count Asher himself!) You've got his psycho ex who didn't want Asher but doesn't want anyone else to have him either. You've also got his mother - a term I use very loosely!
There is a third-act breakup which may be triggering to some people, just so you know. There were a couple of things that happened that I personally don't like (spit-swapping, for one) that knocked off half a star, but nothing too bad.
On the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed this high-angst, hot and steamy book and read it in one sitting. 4.5 stars, rounded up, and definitely recommended.
** 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!
23 Oct, 2024
Merissa (13993 KP) rated Festive Trees And Mistletoe (Hope Valley Christmas #3) in Books
Dec 9, 2025
FESTIVE TREES AND MISTLETOE is the perfectly named book three in the Hope Valley Christmas series. You don't have to read the other books before this one, although I'm sure you'll want to.
Pete is the one who lives in Hope Valley, well, Charnwell actually. He runs a Christmas Tree Farm and Garden Centre with his sister, Sadie. Charlie was spending time over Christmas and New Year in the village pub when he got dumped. Pete and Charlie meet on New Year's Eve, when both of them end up outside, unwilling to witness all the happy couples around them bringing in the New Year. There is a spark of attraction, but Charlie has literally just been dumped, so nothing happens. Not until the next December anyway...
This is a cosy read, full of Christmas cheer, and two men who really belong together, but decide they are going to be 'just friends'. You can imagine how well that works out, but they do have a couple of little speed bumps along the way. Both of these guys are wonderful, but Pete is seriously a 'good guy' in the best way possible. Throw in a hot lumberjack vibe too, and all is good in the world!
I loved that this was mostly low angst, with just the usual quandaries and worries that every new relationship brings when you live in two different places. Cooper and Jax also made my heart melt!
All in all, this was a brilliant Christmas read, that is slow-burn but high heat. I absolutely loved it and HIGHLY RECOMMEND it.
** 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!
Dec 9, 2025
Pete is the one who lives in Hope Valley, well, Charnwell actually. He runs a Christmas Tree Farm and Garden Centre with his sister, Sadie. Charlie was spending time over Christmas and New Year in the village pub when he got dumped. Pete and Charlie meet on New Year's Eve, when both of them end up outside, unwilling to witness all the happy couples around them bringing in the New Year. There is a spark of attraction, but Charlie has literally just been dumped, so nothing happens. Not until the next December anyway...
This is a cosy read, full of Christmas cheer, and two men who really belong together, but decide they are going to be 'just friends'. You can imagine how well that works out, but they do have a couple of little speed bumps along the way. Both of these guys are wonderful, but Pete is seriously a 'good guy' in the best way possible. Throw in a hot lumberjack vibe too, and all is good in the world!
I loved that this was mostly low angst, with just the usual quandaries and worries that every new relationship brings when you live in two different places. Cooper and Jax also made my heart melt!
All in all, this was a brilliant Christmas read, that is slow-burn but high heat. I absolutely loved it and HIGHLY RECOMMEND it.
** 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!
Dec 9, 2025
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Thirteen Minutes (2021) in Movies
Feb 25, 2022
A new disaster film, cue excitement. Even a low budget disaster film can be good…
Life is disrupted when a storm turns its eye on a small town. Residents are tested, and they must put their differences aside to help each other make it through safely.
... that thing I said above about even low budget disaster films being good? Yeah, I don’t know how much this cost (I’m assuming not a lot), but it was not good.
This could have been a great short that ran 13 minutes, instead, it’s 1 hour and 48 minutes long. Those extra 95 minutes are made of bloated storylines, and while they overlap, none of them really have any weight. Removing a couple could easily have allowed the others more time to develop and actually let the viewer become more invested.
Out of the cast I can’t really call out anyone. There are faces you’ll recognise from other things, and they’re generally solid actors, but in this... there wasn't really a lot for them to work with.
There are many moments that defy sensible behaviour, as you'd expect from a disaster film. Only one amused me, while the others were mainly annoying.
You either need to take yourself seriously, or embrace the inevitable ridiculousness behind the idea. If this had leaned hard into the ridiculousness it could have been great. 13 Minutes disappointed on so many levels that adding truly terrible effects may actually have helped! I won’t need to watch this again, a disaster film that barely has a disaster in it was not what I signed up for.
[Side note: Initially I gave this 2 out of 5 stars. I have since retracted a star for this film's sheer audacity.]
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2022/02/13-minutes-movie-review.html
Life is disrupted when a storm turns its eye on a small town. Residents are tested, and they must put their differences aside to help each other make it through safely.
... that thing I said above about even low budget disaster films being good? Yeah, I don’t know how much this cost (I’m assuming not a lot), but it was not good.
This could have been a great short that ran 13 minutes, instead, it’s 1 hour and 48 minutes long. Those extra 95 minutes are made of bloated storylines, and while they overlap, none of them really have any weight. Removing a couple could easily have allowed the others more time to develop and actually let the viewer become more invested.
Out of the cast I can’t really call out anyone. There are faces you’ll recognise from other things, and they’re generally solid actors, but in this... there wasn't really a lot for them to work with.
There are many moments that defy sensible behaviour, as you'd expect from a disaster film. Only one amused me, while the others were mainly annoying.
You either need to take yourself seriously, or embrace the inevitable ridiculousness behind the idea. If this had leaned hard into the ridiculousness it could have been great. 13 Minutes disappointed on so many levels that adding truly terrible effects may actually have helped! I won’t need to watch this again, a disaster film that barely has a disaster in it was not what I signed up for.
[Side note: Initially I gave this 2 out of 5 stars. I have since retracted a star for this film's sheer audacity.]
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2022/02/13-minutes-movie-review.html
Merissa (13993 KP) rated Jenelyn's Journey: The Werewolf of Wittlich in Books
Nov 21, 2022
A very different story is being told here and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
JENELYN'S JOURNEY: THE WEREWOLF OF WITTLICH is the first book in the Jenelyn's Journey series and we start off in L.A. with Jenelyn and her parents. Because she is now eighteen, she must start her Journey, following where the Spirits lead. She will start her Journey in Germany, the starting point changing for each person but following as tradition dictates. Luckily for Jenelyn, a German couple who helped her mother on her own Journey, have agreed to let Jenelyn stay with them.
I loved the changes in German and American cultures and traditions, as seen through Jenelyn's eyes. She had a wide-eyed wonder about the architecture, places, and people that I thoroughly enjoyed. She was both naive and street-smart which worked for her. She makes friends and has great relationships with various people in her life, which just makes the goodbyes so much harder! Gretchen and Laszlo were brilliant characters with their own secrets but always supportive of Jenelyn.
I would say this book was a bit heavier on the mystery side than the Spirits. There wasn't as much on the supernatural side as I was expecting, but I still found it interesting, especially with how it all tied together. The book is immersive in Germany, so I expect the same will happen in the next book - I won't say where she's off to next so I don't spoil it for anyone.
A very different story is being told here and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I loved the changes in German and American cultures and traditions, as seen through Jenelyn's eyes. She had a wide-eyed wonder about the architecture, places, and people that I thoroughly enjoyed. She was both naive and street-smart which worked for her. She makes friends and has great relationships with various people in her life, which just makes the goodbyes so much harder! Gretchen and Laszlo were brilliant characters with their own secrets but always supportive of Jenelyn.
I would say this book was a bit heavier on the mystery side than the Spirits. There wasn't as much on the supernatural side as I was expecting, but I still found it interesting, especially with how it all tied together. The book is immersive in Germany, so I expect the same will happen in the next book - I won't say where she's off to next so I don't spoil it for anyone.
A very different story is being told here and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Merissa (13993 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 (13993 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
Rate It
Book
Mastyr Quinlan pursues the artist, Batya, with only one thing in mind but soon discovers that his...
Paranormal Romance
Merissa (13993 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