![Neliem](/uploads/profile_image/68f/7dadfa9e-8025-4555-ad32-b8e7aa42d68f.jpg?m=1558445697)
Neliem
Book
Half the population of the island of Madera are dead, killed by an unforgiving and indiscriminate...
YA Young Adult Fantasy Romance Romantic Fantasy Neliem
![Call of Duty: Black Ops II - Uprising](/uploads/profile_image/b5a/b818bf35-45ca-45b2-afd2-7b6d25ed7b5a.jpg?m=1560950433)
Call of Duty: Black Ops II - Uprising
Video Game
A new era in warfare continues. Call of Duty®: Black Ops II Uprising, the latest downloadable...
![Halloween Party Murder](/uploads/profile_image/6b8/13eeea5c-c92c-4d01-98c7-92c4a78086b8.jpg?m=1630476554)
Halloween Party Murder
Barbara Ross, Leslie Meier and Lee Hollis
Book
Small town traditions are celebrated throughout Maine during the holiday season. But when it comes...
![40x40](/uploads/profile_image/0a7/1a16271f-2229-41e1-8992-647ffe04e0a7.jpg?m=1522328231)
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated Grounds for Murder in Books
Feb 23, 2022
After a bit of a slow start, this book picks up and presents some interesting twists along the way to a logical conclusion. There are plenty of suspects, and they are well-drawn enough to keep us guessing. I did wish that we learned a little less about Fab’s love life and that Lana’s attraction to the police chief were turned down a notch, but both are minor issues overall. I feel like we have a small core of regulars here, but I really like them. As a non-coffee drinker, I didn’t find the talk of coffee went too far, and I’m sure that coffee lovers will find this book makes them reach for their favorite mug. This is a fun debut, and I hope to visit Lana again soon.
![The Drowning Sea](/uploads/profile_image/13c/07a9e80d-f897-43ee-a8a4-0735963a613c.jpg?m=1655960911)
The Drowning Sea
Book
For the first time in her adult life, former Long Island homicide detective Maggie D’arcy is...
![40x40](/uploads/profile_image/e82/5f7fcbf7-b29e-4a60-9c2b-13e1ffeace82.jpg?m=1674070030)
Debbiereadsbook (1110 KP) rated Escaping Exile (Escape Trilogy #1) in Books
Oct 29, 2018
Andrew didn't know how long he'd been on the island, but it was a long time. When a ship wrecks on his beach, a scent pulls him to find Edmund, half dead from the wreck. But there are others who want Edmund, and they don't mean to save him. Andrew has to keep HIS monster at bay, along with those on the island, if he wants to keep Edmund safe.
So! I'm in a bit of a quandary about this book!
If you follow my reviews, you'll know I'm not a fan of books written in the present tense and first person. I don't know why I don't like them, I just don't. You'll also know, I will ALMOST always say I wanted to hear from the other main character, if a book is written from a single point of view.
And thus: my quandary. This book is written present tense AND first person. Had this book been written from both Andrew AND Edmund's point of view, in resent tense/first person, I have no doubt, NONE at all, I would have dumped this book as soon as that became clear. But it's ONLY Andrew who has a voice here. And of course, at this point I'm gonna say I needed to hear from Edmund, because I really did! But HAD Edmund had a say, I might not have finished it! You see my problem?!?!?!
Putting that fact aside, I really did enjoy these 80 pages of a vampire falling in love with his rescue, who in turn rescues him from his banishment. Andrew has been banished for killing one to many humans and keeping this human alive might just be his salvation. Edmund, curious mind that he has, wants to study Andrew's kind. And as they grow closer, Andrew's beast pushes hard for Andrew to bite Edmund, which Andrew doesn't want to do. But Edmund takes the choice away from him.
Andrew's voice is strong and clear, and he tells his story well. I saw no spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading.
It's just my bloody quandary!
So, since I really am surprised I enjoyed this first person/present tense...
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
![40x40](/uploads/profile_image/73c/02169f8d-0b52-4cd3-9c5c-c8b72471873c.jpg?m=1526751891)
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Jaguar (Painter Place Saga, #3) in Books
Nov 4, 2019
My Thoughts: This is the continuing saga of Painter Place, where there is no shortage of drama. In this episode we find Caroline abducted and taken into the jungle to escape the cartel. The thing is, it is her former boyfriend whom Caroline thought to be dead that is her rescuer. How will this affect her marriage? Will she ever get home to her family and children?
This is a fast-paced novel that will keep the reader on the edge until the very end. Pamela Poole writes her books that will make the reader think. Always full of valuable lessons for all of us to consider. I enjoyed meeting new characters and of course meeting up with some old ones. I do believe that the author was trying to convey how powerful our prayers can be; and enjoyed reading about the jaguar. I certainly look forward to her next book in the series.
?????
![Church of Marvels](/uploads/profile_image/459/4b8233c3-0ecb-445a-a9e7-340a1d74b459.jpg?m=1522324811)
Church of Marvels
Book
'A SKILLFUL TRIUMPH' Jessie Burton, author of The Miniaturist - 'IRRESISTIBLE' Emma Donoghue, author...
![Sweet Paradise (Boise Montague #2)](/uploads/profile_image/82b/174ab7d9-7821-421d-a452-02598757b82b.jpg?m=1617167765)
Sweet Paradise (Boise Montague #2)
Book
In this harrowing Caribbean noir murder mystery, we meet Private Investigator Boise Montague, a man...
Mystery Caribbean Noir
![40x40](/uploads/profile_image/873/04e743b1-2ff7-4cb0-aea2-d7676fe7e873.jpg?m=1522361995)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Girl Who Stayed in Books
Feb 13, 2018
This was an interesting book and I confess it had the misfortune of being read during a crazy time for me of illness and work: not its fault. Zoe is a tough character to crack at first, but she's also a victim of abuse, and her slowness to reveal herself--in the book and to others--makes sense. Crosby does a good job of displaying (versus telling) how Zoe's relationship with her parents has formed her into the adult she is today. What I enjoyed is that Zoe is a complicated individual with many layers. I've read too many books lately where a character had a bad childhood or suffered some form of abuse and that seems to be a reason to make them have only one character trait, which they must act upon, with no sign of reason. Zoe is nuanced, even if she takes some time to warm up to.
There are several scenes in the book that are nearly heartbreaking as you read. For instance, when Zoe finds a projector and a bunch of film belonging to her grandfather and manages to splice together enough film to capture a few moments of her late sister as a kid. As she describes the moment, it's powerful, and you can completely picture it. In another scene, she reminisces about how her mother "helped" her fix up Zoe's bathing suit before a first date--an event that ended poorly. This moment is not only formed so clearly, but says so much about how Zoe continued to relate to her Mom. It's very well-done.
The book spends most of its time focusing on Zoe's late second coming of age story (at nearly 40), with a few characters from Sullivan's Island thrown in, but there is a subplot to Hannah's disappearance that picks up pace near the end. The very end of the story felt a little rushed (though exciting). I'm still a bit torn about the actual ending--it sort of pissed me off--but I understand Crosby's choices.
In writing this review, I'd probably push my rating up to a 3.75 stars. It's a different book, and I enjoyed Zoe. I almost wish I could encounter her again.
I received an ARC of this book from Edelweiss - thank you! It is available for publication on 4/19/16. You can find a review this novel and many more at my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>.