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The Caretaker (The Sin Bin #2)
The Caretaker (The Sin Bin #2)
Dahlia Donovan | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Caretaker (The Sin Bin #2) by Dahlia Donovan
The Caretaker takes us back to Cornwall, this time via Cardiff. Freddie has finally managed to leave home where his loving but interfering dads constantly try to suffocate him. Unfortunately, there are a couple of homophobic idiots living in the same house as him, and they delight in making his life a misery. This is something he doesn't need, not on top of his very stressful job. Freddie is the 'happy bunny' that was able to support Graham and BC through his cancer in The Wanderer. Of course, being a happy bunny for others doesn't mean that Freddie doesn't have deep emotions, it's just that he tries to keep everyone else's spirits high, to the detriment of his own at times. Taine is one of BC's rugby buddies, and sees Freddie for the first time at the hospital as he drops in to try and cheer up the young children on the oncology ward. Taine is convinced that Freddie is too young for him, but feels an attraction to him anyway. The attraction only deepens the more time they spend with each other. However, the interfering dads strike again and it could all be over before it really got started.

With appearances from old favourites, there is an abundance of characters in this book that will delight and frustrate you. It is very well written, showing Freddie's depths of emotions plus everything else that he is dealing with too. Taine is a bit of fool in parts of this, but to be fair, I could understand how he felt, given the insult that was thrown at him. The Caretaker is very well written, and draws you back into the world of The Sin Bin. Now we know what they are going to do with the name, so I'm sure it will be interesting reading in the future, to say the least!

Filled with humour and emotions, this book is a wonderful addition to both The Sin Bin series, and Dahlia Donovan's collective works. Absolutely 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!
http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=24681
  
Gray Mountain
Gray Mountain
John Grisham | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Samantha Kofer is a real estate attorney working for a huge law firm in New York City. When all of the banks go belly up so does Samantha's job. She was given the option to being furloughed for one year and during that year, she is encouraged to volunteer during this year off at a non-profit that the firm has chosen.

Trying to find the right place to volunteer has been difficult since there are so many out of work lawyers who are all going through the same thing. She found "The Mountain Legal Aid Clinic[who]ran its low-budget operations from an abandoned hardware store on Main Street in Brady, Virginia, population twenty-two hundred and declining with each census Brady, was in southwest, Virginia, Appalachia, coal country."

In Brady, Samantha works with Mattie and Annette and meets many of their clients who are poor people in need of everything from simple divorces and wills to black lung disease claims Mattie's nephew, Donovan, is also in Brady and his firm fights coal companies tooth and nail for the people of coal country who have been destroyed by their illegal practices. There are a lot of things that happen that help to shape Samantha into a more respectable lawyer, but they don't come without great loss.

John Grisham likes to get the heart of the matter, he likes to grip at your heartstrings so that you can feel the characters that he is portraying. For a big New York City attorney, though, Samantha is not really a character I got to enjoy as much as I thought I would. She seemed a bit of a wimp in some instances. Whining about never setting foot in a courtroom or drafting a will. I wanted to jump in the book and smack her one good time. Whether or not you have done these things, you are a lawyer, and is this not in your job description? This is one of the worse John Grisham books I have read. It didn't have the same go getter attitude that the other books have.

Overall, the book kept me interested and wanting to know what was going to happen next. There were parts that had me on the edge of my seat. I'm wondering if there is going to be more from Samantha Kofer, because the story seemed unfinished.



First title in Take Control of Your TBR 2015!
  
BF
Bunny Finds a Friend
6
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Cara Jong is working as a process server when she delivers a summons to a Santa. Except this Santa is a gorgeous woman, who immediately strikes a chord with Cara. The two share a "moment," which stays with Cara for some time. She eventually tracks down said Santa, who turns out to be Jude Donovan, a well-known children's book author. The two "meet cute," so to speak, at a reading of Jude's and sparks fly. They begin dating, but it seems like things just aren't meant to be. Will Cara's flighty nature and lack of commitment (all well-documented by her older sisters) doom the relationship? What about Jude's ex and her young daughter Zoe, who doesn't seem happy to have her Mom dating again? Can Cara and Jude overcome these obstacles and find happiness?

This was a cute book, with fairly realistic characters leading a fairly realistic life--something that's harder to find than one would think in lesbian literature. Cara's a regular gal, with a typical lack of commitment found in a myriad characters in literature, gay and straight. Perhaps the biggest issue with this book is that it sort of seems like a sketch of what could have been an even more fully-developed and even more enjoyable novel. We don't get to see a lot of Cara and Jude's actual relationship development, for instance. Their courtship and issues are quickly glossed over. I would have liked to have seen more of what led them to fall for each other--and fall apart. After all, those sorts of things (falling in love, struggling to maintain a relationship while juggling exes and children and jobs) are what we all have in common.

Cara's sisters are also supposed to add a bit of comic relief, perhaps, to the novel, but they sometimes come across as harpy and annoying. While several of them are dealing with complex issues, they don't get the full attention they truly deserve.

Still, this was a fun, quick read. It's always refreshing to read lesbian fiction with normal characters navigating life. I liked Cara, sympathized with her on a multitude of levels, and did enjoy reading about her journey. Overall, 3.5 stars.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley - thank you!
  
Forged In Flood
Forged In Flood
Dahlia Donovan | 2018 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
new favourite from this author!
I had the honour of beta reading this book, so I was gifted my copy of this book.

Ten years ago, a stupid mistake nearly cost 3 young men their lives. It left them all scarred in a multitude of ways. Ivan has shut himself off from everyone, working in his beloved forge, while Rolland and Wes have taken it upon themselves to educate the youth of today on the errors of drink driving. But Wes and Rolly have had enough of waiting for Ivan, their Viking to get over his self inflicted guilt. And they choose the night of the worst flooding in living memory to make Ivan see sense.

This is NOT part of the Sin Bin series, but there are some cross-over characters, mainly Sarah and her husband Remi. You don't NEED to read them, but you SHOULD!

I loved this! I've loved almost all of Ms Donovan's work, and each and every time, the new book becomes my new favourite, and this is no exception!

Ivan makes this book, he really does. His struggle dealing with his guilt. His struggle dealing with becoming like his namesake of a father, and him not really wanting to. Dealing with the destruction of his forge and his home. Dealing with the after effects of the original accident, and a second one too.

But mainly, because watching him deal with his ever growing attraction to Wes and Rolly, and his NEED to be with them, is a joy to behold! He doesn't want it, not at first but they are persistent buggers now they have decided to pursue Ivan, rather than waiting for him to come to them.

There are some lighter moments, written only in a way Ms Donovan can. Her boys do like to play with their food and these three are no exception to that rule. I don't think I can ever look at a pot of honey in the same way, every again!

Because I read it in one sitting, because it made me cry in places, because it made me laugh out loud in others (and not many books can do that with me when I'm reading!) and just bloody well because . . . . .

5 stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
40x40

Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated the PC version of FIFA 14 in Video Games

Jun 19, 2019  
FIFA 14
FIFA 14
Sports
With the worldwide impact of FIFA at an all-time high, EA Sports has captured the majesty of the sport of Soccer with the amazing FIFA 14. The game is available for the PC, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360 systems and is due soon for the next generation consoles.

While I played Soccer in High School I will admit that my knowledge of the professional game is limited as names such as Pele, Beckham, and Donovan are the players that I would be able to identify the easiest. Regardless of your level of skill and experience, FIFA 14 has something for you from eye-popping graphics to the most realistic action and player options of any soccer game to date.

Some of the best changes are in the A.I. of your players as they now make much smarter and more tactical runs that allow players far more options when devising their tactics. Players also have better options to accelerate and shield the ball which is very good as the defense has improved and players will have to make sure to put some thought into their attacks and passing and not rely simply on blasting as many shots as they can on goal.

On the subject of passing this is my biggest frustration with the game as I found it often hard to be accurate and that passes were often slow which allowed defenders to get back in time to thwart my strategies.

Thankfully the improved shooting mechanics that allow players to adjust stride, approach, and angle combined with improved ball physics and you have far more options than before on how to attack the goal and in time, get your shots in the back of the net.

As in the real sport, the refs can be a pain as they can really raise your ire by calling fouls in a questionable fashion but that is simply part of the game.

Players can match up against another players online via the Seasons Mode or Custom Match to allow players to test their skills against other players online.

While fans are always going to find something to complain about or nit-pick in every sporting simulation, FIFA 14 is a step forward for the franchise and is well worth adding to your collection.

http://sknr.net/2013/11/05/fifa-14/
  
BS
Broken Symmetry
Dan Rix | 2013
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
(This review can be found on my blog <a href=http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a> at the end of October).


The blurb to this book sounded super intriguing, and I knew right away that I had to read it. Luckily, I was right about it being intriguing even if the blurb was a little off.

Blair Adams' dad disappeared 12 years ago without a trace. One day, he mysteriously shows up coughing up blood and making no sense in what he says. He tells Blair that she was the one that actually vanished for 12 years, not him. When Blair's father dies suddenly, Blair makes it her mission to find out what happened to him. She decides to start interning where her father worked to try to make sense of everything. There, she finds out she has two extra sets of chromosomes and that she can crossover into a reflection by using a mirror. However, nothing is as straightforward as it may seem, and Blair may just meet the same fate as her father.

The title is definitely interesting. After reading the blurb, the title stood out to me more. I think Broken Symmetry is a fantastic choice for a title as this is what the book's main focus is.

I think the cover is pretty but boring. It doesn't really give its readers a clue as to what the book is going to be about other then some girl is going to be in it. I wish this would've had a more sci-fi feel to it. I would've also have liked to see something about mirrors or reflections as this is what the book focuses on.

The world building is decent enough although I couldn't get a real picture of it with all that scientific jargon which just confused me more than anything. There's also one scene in the book that involves a severed appendage and to save you from some mini spoilers, let's just say that it didn't seem medically possible due to how much time had elapsed. However, I'm not a doctor so maybe I'm wrong. Also, when the characters would cross over into a mirror, shouldn't their reflection have been right there on the other side? Perhaps I'm just over thinking things.

I definitely enjoyed the pacing! I felt that it takes off right way and just gets faster and faster. I was totally hooked the whole time! I couldn't wait to finish this book to see what would happen next although I was disappointed when it did end because I was totally enjoying it.

The plot was definitely grabbed my attention. I like the whole idea of being able to enter a parallel universe just by going through a mirror. It's a little bit scary to think about though. I kept wondering if I was just a reflection, so the plot line is one that certainly makes you think. I also enjoyed the sub-plot going on between Blair and Damian. There's not a hardcore romance sub-plot between the two, but there's definitely some romance in this book. I must mention that there's a couple of plot twists in this book. One was fairly easy to figure out especially as Blair kept being told that she was the one thing that didn't belong. The other twist was a bit more difficult for me to figure out.

I loved, loved, loved the characters! I loved how Blair went from the pretty, popular girl to hardcore girl fairly quickly just to find out what happened to her father. I loved her sarcasm and wit. She was super funny, and I just all around enjoyed reading about her. I also liked Damian with his sarcasm and wit that was enough to match Blair's. I loved his devil may care attitude about crossing over, but I would've liked to learn more about his back story such as how and why he ended up where he did. Mr. Donovan was also an interesting character. He came across as a caring father figure and mentor. He seemed very intelligent as well. I would've liked to read more about Amy though. I actually found her a bit fascinating.

As for the dialogue, it was extremely confusing due to all the scientific jargon. Most of the time, I ended up not really understanding what was going on because of it. I know Mr. Donovan is a scientist and supposed to be very intelligent, but the majority of the readers aren't going to understand all that scientific lingo. I was really surprised Blair understood it because I didn't understand one word of it really. Other then all the scientific mumbo jumbo, the dialogue is very interesting. I loved the banter between Blair and Damian the most. There are a few swear words in this book as well.

Overall, Broken Symmetry by Dan Rix is a truly interesting albeit scary read. It does leave you thinking what if" long after you've finished read it. I think if there wasn't so much scientific wording used, this could've been a 5 star read, but unfortunately, the dialogue is what lets it down a bit.

I'd recommend this book to those aged 15+ who like to ponder over things as well as those that want to get immersed in an interesting read.

(I won this book in paperback form through the Goodreads First Reads Program).
  
The Royal Marine (The Sin Bin #4)
The Royal Marine (The Sin Bin #4)
Dahlia Donovan | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Royal Marine (The Sin Bin #4) by Dahlia Donovan
The Royal Marine is the fourth book in The Sin Bin series, and it's time for Hamish's story. He has worked with Earp for a while now, and get set up on a blind date with Akash. Luckily (or unluckily) Akash is set up with Scottie on the same evening. Now we all know that Scottie is having major issues at the moment and, to be fair, acting like a jerk. So it comes as no surprise when Akash chooses to be with Hamish. Scottie is none too pleased about this, and continues to pop up throughout the book, with pleas and demands for Akash to go for a drink with him. During this time, Akash and Hamish are slowly getting to know each other. The spark is there, but it needs to be more than just sex. In between Akash's bakery and Hamish's work overseas, their relationship continues to move forward.

Now, I'm stopping right there, because I could go on. I could tell you about what a first class prize prat Scottie is, and how I think (hope) that I know who his match is. I could tell you how amazingly written the twins are, and how brilliant Akash is with them. I could tell you about the constant wit and banter, in amongst the danger, from Hamish, Earp, and the rest of the team. But seriously? Why would I do that? Why would I HAVE to do that? This is the fourth book in the series, and I would recommend that you read them in order for total enjoyment. So therefore, you know about Dahlia Donovan's writing style, her quick wit and sense of humour that comes across loud and clear in her writing. You know some of the previous characters and like/love the updates on their lives. So really, I don't have to tell you ANYTHING about this book, series, or author!

In case you haven't realised yet, I love Dahlia Donovan's books, her writing style, her characters, her charm. What I don't like is not having a mascara warning, and sobbing into my breakfast as I desperately try to finish The Royal Marine before I start work. Oh my, this book ripped my heart out. Did I get a happy ending? I'll leave that to you to read and find out.

I absolutely recommend this book, and the series, so GO READ IT! Now!

(And, no, I wasn't serious about the mascara warning before someone says it should be written on the cover somewhere!)

* 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!
  
Avoiding Alpha
Avoiding Alpha
Aileen Erin | 2014 | Young Adult (YA)
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
So Tessa is now a Werewolf, Human and Bruja (Witch in Spanish) She has accepted the fact she is one and can't do anything about it. She has also accepted that Dastien is her mate. But what she hasn't accepted is that she is going to have to change into a wolf... And that scares her.

With the Vampires gone, and her and Dastien enjoying life as mates. Things couldn't be better (other than the changing into a Werewolf part) However there is a Tribunal approaching because of the whole Dastien biting her thing... (Because wolves aren't allowed to bite human and Dastien broke that rule. They have to have tribubal. Although he bit her due to her being his mate, it still has to happen) She is terrified of what might happen to them both.

Then Meredith her best friend and room neighbor. Was cursed a few years ago so her wolf can't come out and she is never about to change into one again. This curse is now breaking. With Meredith finding her mate in Donovan, who is one of the seven (one of the high Werewolves, who are in charge of all Were.) She freaks and her wolf tries to break out and this gets her really ill. So ill she could die.

Tessa tries to find away to help her by breaking the curse and freeing her wolf. She tries magic and asks for her cousins help. But unfortunately there is no way to break another Witches curse. So Tessa suggests trying to keep the curse to save her life and then working on away to stop this curse later. Once Meredith is better.

We then find out who cursed her and why, Tessa then tries to talk to this Witch and get her to break that curse. But this Witch the leader of the Coven hates all Werewolves and will only break this curse (put the curse back on her and stop the wolf coming back) if she can do the same to Tessa and she joins the Coven she is destined to lead. But Tessa won't join.

Tessa tries to break the curse again and tries to keep Meridith's wolf at bay. But is unsuccessful in doing so. She goes back to the Coven ready to make a deal, but in going there she learns how to break the curse completely. But in order to break this curse she needs to accept she is going to have to change to become a wolf. Which she finally does.

With the Tribunal approaching Tessa has so many emotions. She needs to relax and save Meredith and become one with who she is.

3☕ – NOT A BAD BOOK

Love, Christina ?