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Merissa (12934 KP) rated The Bookshop of Secrets in Books
Feb 13, 2025
I loved this story! It is the third or fourth book by this author I have read and, just like the others, I was gripped by the story and the characters. The descriptions of the world Lara lives in are crisp and clear, defining the current state of affairs for her without hitting the reader over the head!
Fleming is a name that is dropped (which I loved!) as well as Edward and Wallis. There was also a hint about Sandra's background which was perfect and I would love the know who the inspiration was for her part. How the story was woven around these characters and situations astounds me. I found it to be phenomenally written and perfectly paced.
If I had one bad thing to say it would be that my romantic little heart was desperate for an official, rock-solid HEA for Lara. Don't get me wrong, it was alluded to, but I want to know for sure. In fact, not just for Lara, but for Bill, Phil, Miguel, Bea, Hector, Sandra... do you want me to continue? Suffice it to say, this book was outstanding but I'm not ready to let go of these characters yet. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me and I can't wait for the next book by this amazing author.
** 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!
Feb 5, 2025

Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Don't Fail Me Now in Books
Apr 9, 2019
This was a great YA Novel. A book about love, family and adventure. Michelle and her siblings are black kids from Baltimore, Maryland. Michelle knows that she and Cass have a half-sister, Leah, that is white, and that is about all the know about her. Until she shows up with her step-brother at Michelle's job with information about their father. With this new information and the current state of affairs, Michelle decides now is a good a time as any to drive across the country to see her father before he is no longer there.
Five kids, in an old station wagon are heading across the country without any of their parents being aware. They have very little money and barely more than the clothes on their back, but they are determined to find Buck Devereaux and collect whatever it is he has for them.
Their adventure is not without some complications. Will they make the journey successfully? Will these siblings, Michelle, Cass, and Leah be able to build a relationship? Will they reunite with the father they barely know? How will this trip change their lives for the future?
One of the things that drew me to this book where the characters. They were characters I could relate to, when I was that age and the kids are all from Maryland where I live. Plus, who doesn't love a good road trip. All of these factors made this an excellent book and something I would recommend to young adults from mixed racial backgrounds and diverse family dynamics.

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Merissa (12934 KP) rated Last Chance (Royal-Kagan Shifter World #7) in Books
Oct 5, 2017
Yes, Gwen is a virgin and she's human, but she is NOT weak. She has weak moments, when events overwhelm her, but come on, be honest. If you had undergone all that she has, you'd feel overwhelmed at times too. And don't forget, once you've stopped fighting for your life, the adrenaline drops, and it is then that you feel overwhelmed. I loved Gwen, and her sassy, feisty attitude, that will not just accept what her mates are telling her. Xander and Vlad are both exceptional males, but that didn't stop me from wanting to whomp them upside the head when they started - either at each other, or their misguided attempts of 'protecting' Gwen. There is so much in this story, more than enough to get your teeth into. Molly, the Ulgran clan, Lena, past incarnations, current situations, prickly males and sassy females. Not only do you get Gwen's story, but you get an update on Lena and Molly, with it being an integral part to both this story and moving forwards.
With no editing or grammatical errors, the pacing was smooth, leading to a gripping story with natural peaks and troughs. It flowed smoothly, from one scene to the next, leading up to the ending. I was completely enthralled with this story, and it has definitely left me a) wanting to read them all again, and b) waiting oh so patiently for the next one!
Highly 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!

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Among the Ten Thousand Things in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Jack Shanley is a fairly well-known New York artist. He's a married father of two. He's also an adulterer, who carries on affairs in his New York studio. This comes back to bite him, so to speak, when one of his exes sends his wife a large box chronicling their entire relationship - emails, texts, sexts - all printed and contained in this one box. The box is delivered to Jack's apartment and opened by his eleven-year-old daughter, Kay, and fifteen-year-old son, Simon. They show the box to their mother, Deb, forcing her to confront the many flaws of her husband. Meanwhile, Kay and Simon are (justifiably) traumatized by the box's contents and the possible dissolution of their parents' marriage.
This was an odd book. As a child of divorce, a lot of this book hit home, and I felt myself feeling a great deal of sympathy for Deb, Kay, and Simon - especially as they disappear off to their vacation home, of sorts, to recover. (Alas, no vacation home when I was a child.) Julia Pierpoint is certainly a strong writer and her prose is lovely and well-crafted. Still, the book often just seems a little flat.
The strangest part of this book, to me, as many other reviewers have pointed out - is that is constructed in four parts - parts one and three basically deal with the immediate aftermath of the box's delivery and how the family reacts. Parts two and four tell us what happen to Jack, Deb, Kay, and Simon for their entire lives. It's an odd author tool, and I'm not sure it entirely works. For me, I was caught up enough in Part One's tale and then found Part Two incredibly jarring - even more so to be dumped back into the current story at Part Three. Part Four repeats Two a bit and tells a bit more about what happens to the characters. It's an odd device, and I really would have preferred not to have had Part Two stuck in there at all. I suppose it's an artistic overreach that appeals to critics but not most actual readers.
Overall, I found the book an intriguing look at a family dealing with a father's betrayal. Not a ton happens - it's not that sort of book - but Pierpont's writing is strong, and I liked Simon and Kay. I am not sure the book is one that will leave a lasting impression with me, though.
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