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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated I Owe You One in Books
Apr 4, 2019 (Updated Apr 5, 2019)
Predictable but sweet
This book had to grow on me. In the beginning, Fixie drove me a little crazy. I was less irritated with her devotion to her family (perhaps I could relate there), but I was annoyed at how clueless she was in her adoration to Ryan Chalker, who was just terrible. And truly, Fixie's siblings were pretty awful to her, too. There were very few side characters in this one who were easy to like. Even Sebastian, whose laptop Fixie rescues (and who, obviously, becomes her love interest), goes back to his girlfriend a little often for my taste. Which is sad, because otherwise the Fixie/Seb dynamic is quite enjoyable and really quite funny. Still, the poor girl was clearly under a lot of pressure with her family and the store, so I get some of her behavior there. As for Ryan, I'm not so sure what her excuse was!
Still, this book wins you over with time. Fixie is an engaging character and really, rather endearing. She can't help but be who she is and she really can't help whom she is surrounded by (except Ryan--let's just all agree he's awful). When Seb enters the scene, things become more funny, and things pick up as Fixie starts to grow into her own skin. This growth is a Kinsella staple, and she does it well. There's moments of her trademark humor, as well.
Overall, this one is predictable but sweet, and once I got past some of Fixie's issues, I enjoyed it. It's a light, quick read.
Still, this book wins you over with time. Fixie is an engaging character and really, rather endearing. She can't help but be who she is and she really can't help whom she is surrounded by (except Ryan--let's just all agree he's awful). When Seb enters the scene, things become more funny, and things pick up as Fixie starts to grow into her own skin. This growth is a Kinsella staple, and she does it well. There's moments of her trademark humor, as well.
Overall, this one is predictable but sweet, and once I got past some of Fixie's issues, I enjoyed it. It's a light, quick read.
Solid Wood: Case Studies in Mass Timber Architecture, Technology and Design
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Blood Group Diet
Health & Fitness and Food & Drink
3.0
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Blood Group diet is a handy iOS App designed to educate the users with respect to their blood group....
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Up Next, Murder in Books
Jun 3, 2020
Next Up? More Fun
Step-sisters Liv and Camry are ready to tackle the second season of their hit podcast, Missing or Murdered? This time, they are looking at the case of some remains that were recently found in their home base of Santa Maria, California. Brinkley Douglas disappeared one night while walking home from her boyfriend’s house, and Joel Zander has always been the number one suspect in everyone’s minds. Now that her body has been found, the case is heating up again. Liv is keeping an open mind, especially since she isn’t sure Joel is guilty. But why won’t he talk to her? Can Liv figure out what happened?
I enjoyed the first book in this series, and I’m thrilled to say the follow up was just as much fun. The case is compelling. I was drawn in right away, and I needed to know what was going to happen next. Fortunately, the climax wraps everything up well. The characters are great, from Liv and Camry to their friends and family. Brinkley’s family members and the suspects are real enough to draw us into the story. My issues from the first book – the romantic sub-plot and one character’s stutter – are still present, although they are minor annoyances. And I can’t leave out the fun; this book made me smile and laugh even as the tension increased. I do recommend reading the first book first, but you’ll be anxious for this one before you know it.
I enjoyed the first book in this series, and I’m thrilled to say the follow up was just as much fun. The case is compelling. I was drawn in right away, and I needed to know what was going to happen next. Fortunately, the climax wraps everything up well. The characters are great, from Liv and Camry to their friends and family. Brinkley’s family members and the suspects are real enough to draw us into the story. My issues from the first book – the romantic sub-plot and one character’s stutter – are still present, although they are minor annoyances. And I can’t leave out the fun; this book made me smile and laugh even as the tension increased. I do recommend reading the first book first, but you’ll be anxious for this one before you know it.
DOCTOR INSTA: Consult Online
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Science Illustrated
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Science Illustrated is release 6 times a year (every 2 months) and delivers natural science, break...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Christmas Escape in Books
Nov 18, 2021
Christy Sullivan and her best friend Alix have spent Christmas together since they were children. This year they are planning to go to Lapland, a snowy wonderland. The trip will include Christy's husband and their young daughter, Holly. But when Christy faces trouble with her marriage, she asks Alix to take Holly to Lapland without her. She'll be joined by their family friend, Zac--whom Alix has been avoiding ever since Christy's wedding. But as Alix, Zac, and Holly enjoy their time in Lapland, Alix realizes she may have made a mistake in avoiding him. Meanwhile, Christy starts to wonder if her friendship with Alix and marriage will survive the holidays.
I hate rating books low, but this just did not work for me. It was a sweet enough story and I liked the fun, snowy Arctic setting, but, oh, this book could have been so much shorter and enjoyable. The repetition is intense, to the point I found myself skimming sections. We are constantly bombarded by everyone's thoughts and issues. Did you know Alix has commitment issues? Oh you will. Christy struggles with perfection? The overwhelming focus on the characters' tropes and the rehashing and pontificating on thoughts and feelings was incredibly frustrating. It was very slow moving with far more telling than showing. I was not that invested in Alix and Zac's relationship.
There's a sweet storyline involving Christy's aunt, who lives at Lapland, which I enjoyed, and others have enjoyed the overall story more, so take my review with a grain of salt, but most of this book was just too repetitive and trite for me. 2.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Harlequin and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
I hate rating books low, but this just did not work for me. It was a sweet enough story and I liked the fun, snowy Arctic setting, but, oh, this book could have been so much shorter and enjoyable. The repetition is intense, to the point I found myself skimming sections. We are constantly bombarded by everyone's thoughts and issues. Did you know Alix has commitment issues? Oh you will. Christy struggles with perfection? The overwhelming focus on the characters' tropes and the rehashing and pontificating on thoughts and feelings was incredibly frustrating. It was very slow moving with far more telling than showing. I was not that invested in Alix and Zac's relationship.
There's a sweet storyline involving Christy's aunt, who lives at Lapland, which I enjoyed, and others have enjoyed the overall story more, so take my review with a grain of salt, but most of this book was just too repetitive and trite for me. 2.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Harlequin and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
I listened to this frankly stunning novel on audiobook via NetGalley. I think that this will be a book that people will want to read in one sitting - I couldn’t put it down (which makes work really inconvenient!).
Three friends reunite after many years. Mush has stayed in Kinlough, Joe has become a famous singer, and Helen has been working as a journalist in Canada. As teenagers, they hung around in a group of six, until one of its most popular members (Kala) goes missing. It seems that her disappearance has had a huge effect on all of her friends since then. Helen comes home for a wedding and during this time, remains are found in a hold-all. And they’re Kala.
Mush helps his mother run a coffee shop and is, I think, the most likeable character. He wants to pick up friendships where they were left off after Joe and Helen had left. I can’t help but think that Helen uses this as a way to get him to help her look into the disappearance of Kala.
This isn’t just about Kala though. It’s a book that looks at all of these characters and their lives. They all have issues of one kind or another, whether these issues are caused by Kala’s disappearance, their family lives or something more - the town itself has a violent undercurrent.
It’s beautifully written: the snatches of scenes from childhood are idyllic, the interactions of the characters range from funny to sad to menacing. Do these characters really know one another, and who can they trust? There are a lot of lies to uncover!
I will be very keen to read whatever Colin Walsh writes next - he’s definitely one to watch!
Three friends reunite after many years. Mush has stayed in Kinlough, Joe has become a famous singer, and Helen has been working as a journalist in Canada. As teenagers, they hung around in a group of six, until one of its most popular members (Kala) goes missing. It seems that her disappearance has had a huge effect on all of her friends since then. Helen comes home for a wedding and during this time, remains are found in a hold-all. And they’re Kala.
Mush helps his mother run a coffee shop and is, I think, the most likeable character. He wants to pick up friendships where they were left off after Joe and Helen had left. I can’t help but think that Helen uses this as a way to get him to help her look into the disappearance of Kala.
This isn’t just about Kala though. It’s a book that looks at all of these characters and their lives. They all have issues of one kind or another, whether these issues are caused by Kala’s disappearance, their family lives or something more - the town itself has a violent undercurrent.
It’s beautifully written: the snatches of scenes from childhood are idyllic, the interactions of the characters range from funny to sad to menacing. Do these characters really know one another, and who can they trust? There are a lot of lies to uncover!
I will be very keen to read whatever Colin Walsh writes next - he’s definitely one to watch!