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Awesome Christmas Songs & Music
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** The BEST Christmas Music & Radio app on the AppStore! ** It's the app to have this Christmas!...
Spelling One
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Spelling One is the first in the Spelling for Kids interactive spelling workbooks series, which...
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Merissa (14024 KP) rated Ripped (Mars Fitness #1) in Books
Jan 22, 2025
EDIT: I requested this book and had completely forgotten that I'd already read it, but the blurb still pulled me in, so that was good. Even though I could remember the story once I started, I was still loving the read, as the emotions and circumstances kept me turning the pages.
I'm so happy I have re-read this and can honestly say all my previous comments still stand. A great way to start a series and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
RIPPED is both the first book in the Mars Fitness series and also the first book by this author I have read. Let me start by saying I want more! Both of the series and by this author.
Connor's world is upended when he walks in on his boyfriend and best friend after getting home from a spin class. No, they're not 'doing the do' but it's pretty obvious anyway. Distraught, he ends up back at the gym and collapses on Sawyer and Donnie. Whilst this is a pretty quick start to Donnie and Connor's relationship, it is also not rushed. Both of them feel attraction immediately, but they also both have issues they want to work through.
One thing I absolutely adored was that Connor's family was dysfunctional! It made a nice change from a cookie-cutter family where, even if there's a disagreement, it's sorted out with minimum fuss. I'm sorry but not all families are like that! The other thing that got me was when Donnie was talking to Roger and his parents. So emotional and perfectly written. Grief isn't linear and it doesn't always make sense. I loved Roger's presence in this story, comfort and encouragement instead of power and threats, even if he is dead.
A great read that I couldn't put down. I want to see more of Connor and Donnie and I'm really hoping they turn up in Sawyer's book, which comes next. HIGHLY 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!
Mar 28, 2023
Jan 22, 2025
I'm so happy I have re-read this and can honestly say all my previous comments still stand. A great way to start a series and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
RIPPED is both the first book in the Mars Fitness series and also the first book by this author I have read. Let me start by saying I want more! Both of the series and by this author.
Connor's world is upended when he walks in on his boyfriend and best friend after getting home from a spin class. No, they're not 'doing the do' but it's pretty obvious anyway. Distraught, he ends up back at the gym and collapses on Sawyer and Donnie. Whilst this is a pretty quick start to Donnie and Connor's relationship, it is also not rushed. Both of them feel attraction immediately, but they also both have issues they want to work through.
One thing I absolutely adored was that Connor's family was dysfunctional! It made a nice change from a cookie-cutter family where, even if there's a disagreement, it's sorted out with minimum fuss. I'm sorry but not all families are like that! The other thing that got me was when Donnie was talking to Roger and his parents. So emotional and perfectly written. Grief isn't linear and it doesn't always make sense. I loved Roger's presence in this story, comfort and encouragement instead of power and threats, even if he is dead.
A great read that I couldn't put down. I want to see more of Connor and Donnie and I'm really hoping they turn up in Sawyer's book, which comes next. HIGHLY 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!
Mar 28, 2023
Jan 22, 2025
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Weight of Him in Books
Mar 6, 2022
40 of 230
Book
The Weight of Him
By Ethel Rohan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In The Weight of Him Billy Brennan undergoes an unforgettable journey in a starting attempt to resurrect his family and reignite hearts, his own most of all.
At four hundred pounds, Billy can always count on food. From his earliest memories, he has loved food's colors, textures and tastes. The way flavors go off in his mouth. How food keeps his mind still and his bad feelings quiet. Food has always made everything better, until the day Billy's beloved son Michael takes his own life.
Billy determines to make a difference in Michael's memory and undertakes a public weight-loss campaign, to raise money for suicide prevention--his first step in an ambitious plan to save himself, and to save others. However, Billy's dramatic crusade appalls his family, who want to simply try to go on, quietly, privately.
Despite his crushing detractors, Billy gains welcome allies: his community-at-large; a co-worker who lost his father to suicide; a filmmaker with his own dubious agenda; and a secret, miniature kingdom that Billy populates with the sub-quality dolls and soldiers he saves from disposal at the toy factory where he works. But it is only if Billy can confront the truth of the suffering and brokenness within and around him that he and others will be able to realize the recovery they need.
Told against the backdrop of rural, contemporary Ireland, The Weight of Him is a big-hearted novel about loss and reliance that moves from tragedy to recrimination to what can be achieved when we take the stand of our lives.
This was not a book I’d normally pick up and it came to me in a box subscription. I’m so glad it did it was so beautifully written and dealt with a some important issues suicide, grief , depression, weight loss and lots more. I loved it I didn’t put it down it had such a sad underlying story. Definitely glad it landed on my tbr.
Book
The Weight of Him
By Ethel Rohan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In The Weight of Him Billy Brennan undergoes an unforgettable journey in a starting attempt to resurrect his family and reignite hearts, his own most of all.
At four hundred pounds, Billy can always count on food. From his earliest memories, he has loved food's colors, textures and tastes. The way flavors go off in his mouth. How food keeps his mind still and his bad feelings quiet. Food has always made everything better, until the day Billy's beloved son Michael takes his own life.
Billy determines to make a difference in Michael's memory and undertakes a public weight-loss campaign, to raise money for suicide prevention--his first step in an ambitious plan to save himself, and to save others. However, Billy's dramatic crusade appalls his family, who want to simply try to go on, quietly, privately.
Despite his crushing detractors, Billy gains welcome allies: his community-at-large; a co-worker who lost his father to suicide; a filmmaker with his own dubious agenda; and a secret, miniature kingdom that Billy populates with the sub-quality dolls and soldiers he saves from disposal at the toy factory where he works. But it is only if Billy can confront the truth of the suffering and brokenness within and around him that he and others will be able to realize the recovery they need.
Told against the backdrop of rural, contemporary Ireland, The Weight of Him is a big-hearted novel about loss and reliance that moves from tragedy to recrimination to what can be achieved when we take the stand of our lives.
This was not a book I’d normally pick up and it came to me in a box subscription. I’m so glad it did it was so beautifully written and dealt with a some important issues suicide, grief , depression, weight loss and lots more. I loved it I didn’t put it down it had such a sad underlying story. Definitely glad it landed on my tbr.
Aquaponics Digest Magazine, Organic Gardening Technology
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Great Magazine (5 Stars) by 3Parts2Me A great read, chock full of valuable tips and tricks. Two...
Vagueness and Law: Philosophical and Legal Perspectives
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Vague expressions are omnipresent in natural language. As such, their use in legal texts is...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Honey Girl in Books
Mar 4, 2021
I loved this book so much I could cry. (I did cry.) Oh Grace, my sweet, emotional girl, and oh this book. This beautiful book. Do not go into HONEY GIRL thinking it is a gimmicky read because of the Vegas marriage premise. It's a real, heart-wrenching book that will rip and tear at your soul. But don't worry, this is a good thing. Because this is a ridiculously romantic and adorable story, as well as a nuanced coming-of-age/finding yourself (hey, it can happen at twenty-eight) story.
"Have you ever gone to bed thinking of someone you only knew for a night? Have you ever stared up at the sky and wondered where it was you saw yourself, all those years ago? Which star it was you followed here?"
Rogers writes with a lyrical beauty. She gives us Grace and Yuki, two sweet, lovely, flawed, real characters whom I adored. As for Grace, I wanted nothing but good for her. I identified so much with an anxious workaholic crippled by the expectations of her parents. ("Being angry at his unattainable expectations is so much easier than accepting that the only ones I have to meet are my own." -- I think I may need to have this bronzed, as it sums up my life.) Grace struggles with the pressures placed on her by her ex-military father, by intense racism that makes it difficult to succeed in a field where she's extremely qualified, and with mental health/anxiety issues. Rogers handles all of these excellently, covering them so well in her story, along with Grace and Yuri's burgeoning relationship. It seems like it should be too much for one book, but everything fits perfectly together.
Honestly, no review of mine can do this book justice. I love the characters of Grace and Yuri and the supporting cast is excellent (and the book is diverse). It's hilarious and funny yet deftly and kindly covers mental health issues. It also takes an insightful look at racism--especially in academia--and how difficult it makes life for Grace. There's romance, friendship, family, and so much more. I loved it all, and I highly highly recommend HONEY GIRL. I cannot wait to read what Morgan Rogers writes next. 4.5+ stars.
"Have you ever gone to bed thinking of someone you only knew for a night? Have you ever stared up at the sky and wondered where it was you saw yourself, all those years ago? Which star it was you followed here?"
Rogers writes with a lyrical beauty. She gives us Grace and Yuki, two sweet, lovely, flawed, real characters whom I adored. As for Grace, I wanted nothing but good for her. I identified so much with an anxious workaholic crippled by the expectations of her parents. ("Being angry at his unattainable expectations is so much easier than accepting that the only ones I have to meet are my own." -- I think I may need to have this bronzed, as it sums up my life.) Grace struggles with the pressures placed on her by her ex-military father, by intense racism that makes it difficult to succeed in a field where she's extremely qualified, and with mental health/anxiety issues. Rogers handles all of these excellently, covering them so well in her story, along with Grace and Yuri's burgeoning relationship. It seems like it should be too much for one book, but everything fits perfectly together.
Honestly, no review of mine can do this book justice. I love the characters of Grace and Yuri and the supporting cast is excellent (and the book is diverse). It's hilarious and funny yet deftly and kindly covers mental health issues. It also takes an insightful look at racism--especially in academia--and how difficult it makes life for Grace. There's romance, friendship, family, and so much more. I loved it all, and I highly highly recommend HONEY GIRL. I cannot wait to read what Morgan Rogers writes next. 4.5+ stars.
Cristy Amanda (87 KP) rated Children of Blood and Bone: Book 1 in Books
Sep 28, 2019
A hidden wonder!
Contains spoilers, click to show
This was a "desperation" book buy. I happened to be in my local WHSmiths buying my toddler some books and wanted something new to read myself. I picked this up off the shelf, took a cursory glance at the blurb and decided why not - at the very least it will give me something to read for a few days.
This book was totally captivating and eclipsing! Within the first 5 pages I was hooked and could not put it down. Not consciously hooked straight away as I sometimes am, but in the sense of I literally couldn't make myself stop reading yet didn't know why. Within a day and a half I had finished and was thoroughly torn up to discover I couldn't even get the sequel yet. (So I now have to make do with re-reading it almost continuously which is no hardship!)
The clever descriptive writing soon sucks you into the world of the storyline and convinces you it is not only plausible but very real. The charactors felt as though they were my very own family and I was totally invested in their futures.
Whilst the reason for the book being written is heartwrenching in itself, the story line is so cleverly written to portray the social issues and paradigms of the modern world in an intelligent yet disconnected way. I have never felt such an emotional rollercoaster as I did reading this book. Each time it looked as though they would succeed in restoring magic, my own heart soared with hope. And each time the plans didn't pan out, I personally felt like a candle in the night had been extinguished. The social caste differences and brutal violence were traumatic in their own right, yet to illustrate the point with the demise of some charactors who were pivotal to the aim of the protagonists, really drove home the risks, suffering and sacrifices of the charactors in the story, as well as further illustrate the point of the novel. The ending was totally unexpected and soul-destroying and I am somehow both excited and apprehensive to read the next book upon its release. I don't think any amount of time can prepare me for the adreneline building heartwrenching rollercoaster still to come. I 100% recommend this novel to everyone and commend such an inspirational, thought provoking and clever interpretation and translation of modern day societal issues into fantasy fiction.
This book was totally captivating and eclipsing! Within the first 5 pages I was hooked and could not put it down. Not consciously hooked straight away as I sometimes am, but in the sense of I literally couldn't make myself stop reading yet didn't know why. Within a day and a half I had finished and was thoroughly torn up to discover I couldn't even get the sequel yet. (So I now have to make do with re-reading it almost continuously which is no hardship!)
The clever descriptive writing soon sucks you into the world of the storyline and convinces you it is not only plausible but very real. The charactors felt as though they were my very own family and I was totally invested in their futures.
Whilst the reason for the book being written is heartwrenching in itself, the story line is so cleverly written to portray the social issues and paradigms of the modern world in an intelligent yet disconnected way. I have never felt such an emotional rollercoaster as I did reading this book. Each time it looked as though they would succeed in restoring magic, my own heart soared with hope. And each time the plans didn't pan out, I personally felt like a candle in the night had been extinguished. The social caste differences and brutal violence were traumatic in their own right, yet to illustrate the point with the demise of some charactors who were pivotal to the aim of the protagonists, really drove home the risks, suffering and sacrifices of the charactors in the story, as well as further illustrate the point of the novel. The ending was totally unexpected and soul-destroying and I am somehow both excited and apprehensive to read the next book upon its release. I don't think any amount of time can prepare me for the adreneline building heartwrenching rollercoaster still to come. I 100% recommend this novel to everyone and commend such an inspirational, thought provoking and clever interpretation and translation of modern day societal issues into fantasy fiction.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2579 KP) rated Judge Thee Not in Books
Sep 13, 2019
I’m Still Trying to Judge My Reaction to This Book
Midwife Rose Carroll is surprised to step into the Amesbury, Mass., post office one June afternoon and find Mayme Settle complaining loudly about postmistress Bertie Winslow. The problem isn’t poor service but Bertie’s untraditional lifestyle, specifically that she lives with another woman. Mrs. Settle doesn’t feel this is proper, and is making her feelings known. While Rose is upset for her friend, Bertie is more than willing to let the slight go. However, one morning Mrs. Settle is found dead in her bed, and the police are quick to rule it murder. Unfortunately, they are just as quick to focus on Bertie as their prime suspect. Can Rose help the police find the truth?
The mystery is good with several viable suspects; however, I felt the pacing was off. It was a bit too slow in the beginning and a bit rushed at the end. While it wraps everything up, we get a lot of information thrown at us rather quickly to do so. It is always fun to spend time with Rose, and I love her friends. There were some interesting developments with her family in this book, which I enjoyed. The suspects were strong, but I felt the victim was a bit of a cliché, needing more time alive to become more real to me. My feelings on the victim also plays into my issues with the theme. As the title suggests, we get a few passages that look at how humans judge others. The problem was I felt these were too modern for a book set in the 1880’s. Mind you, I haven’t done the research, so maybe I’m the one judging too harshly. Other viewpoints were certainly not shown as anything other than wrong, and Rose comes off as almost judging others a few times herself. The title comes from a version in Matthew 7 in the Bible, and is taken out of context, as it usually is. These issues pulled me out of the book (and certainly bothered me) when they popped up, but the focus of the book was mostly on the mystery. Those who have enjoyed previous books will want to pick up this book and judge it for themselves. Most will probably be glad they did.
The mystery is good with several viable suspects; however, I felt the pacing was off. It was a bit too slow in the beginning and a bit rushed at the end. While it wraps everything up, we get a lot of information thrown at us rather quickly to do so. It is always fun to spend time with Rose, and I love her friends. There were some interesting developments with her family in this book, which I enjoyed. The suspects were strong, but I felt the victim was a bit of a cliché, needing more time alive to become more real to me. My feelings on the victim also plays into my issues with the theme. As the title suggests, we get a few passages that look at how humans judge others. The problem was I felt these were too modern for a book set in the 1880’s. Mind you, I haven’t done the research, so maybe I’m the one judging too harshly. Other viewpoints were certainly not shown as anything other than wrong, and Rose comes off as almost judging others a few times herself. The title comes from a version in Matthew 7 in the Bible, and is taken out of context, as it usually is. These issues pulled me out of the book (and certainly bothered me) when they popped up, but the focus of the book was mostly on the mystery. Those who have enjoyed previous books will want to pick up this book and judge it for themselves. Most will probably be glad they did.
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Tin nóng: Ứng dụng iPad và iPhone của Tiếp Thị & Gia Đình, tuần san có số...