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Changed (Gold Hockey #19)
Changed (Gold Hockey #19)
Elise Faber | 2023 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
CHANGED is part of the Gold Hockey series and we finally get Mads and Lucas' story. Mads is Ben's sister, and we have met her in previous stories, where we found out she was a drug addict, and then a recovering addict. Now, she is fighting hard to make amends to those she has hurt in the past. Most people accept her recovery and help her make amends. Not Lucas though. Oh, no! He's been a hard-ass from the beginning but we find out why. Lucas has been on the receiving end of addicts who say they are quitting but don't. THAT is why his trust in Mads is non-existent. He is constantly doubting her word and waiting for her to mess up. When he makes the realisation that Mads is trying, and he has been a jerk, he will do anything he can to make up for his past behaviour.

This was an emotional story, with plenty here about how the actions of family can have an effect on a child/young adult/whatever, especially when drugs and abuse are in the mix. Lucas is self-aware enough to realise he is letting his own past affect his current views and tries to amend that.

Along with Mads and Lucas, there is a whole side story going on with Brit and Stefan, although they don't overshadow the main story. And then there is a final moment with Rome that I did not see coming! I knew he was being mentioned but simply thought it was because his was the next book in this series.

This was a great addition to the series, full of emotions and feelings, where life doesn't always run smoothly or as expected, but where family can be found to either make up for the one you have or to enhance the one you already have.

A fantastic read that I definitely recommend.

** 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!
Aug 28, 2023
  
    Toca Life: Hospital

    Toca Life: Hospital

    Education and Entertainment

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    Experience the excitement of a busy medical center with Toca Life: Hospital! Welcome newborn babies...

TD
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

I have not read anything with Genies, nothing NADA! So when I saw this I jumped on the chance to read it. I love reading short story collections, you get to read from authors that you have never read from before and to see if you like their writing style. This collection of short stories is from authors all over the world and it is their take on the djinn and some of the myths,tales that they have heard whilst growing up or heard. The only author that I had heard and read beforehand was Neil Gaiman, I read ‘The Ocean at the end of the Lane’ years ago and enjoyed it so I knew there would be one possible story that I would like.

So going into this I knew nothing about Genie’s/Djinn other than Aladdin! The book has an introduction written by the editors Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin explaining how this book came together and the different authors involved. We also had the The Djinn Falls In Love by Hermes which is poem about a djinn which I really enjoyed.

There are 20 stories in this collection in total and are all very different, however I found the majority of them to be a little dull and wasn’t holding my attention or the story line/plot got confusing. There were however some really great ones that I loved such as ‘Spite House’ and ‘Reap’. I must admit that there will be something for everyone as there several different genres within.

‘Reap’ by Sami Shah – This was a 5 star from me. This is a story about a small team who use a drone for surveillance on a small village in Pakistan. They have to watch the residents of this village and one family has 11 children, but one day Miriam, the youngest, doesn’t return with the clan. This has supernatural elements and is pretty scary but truly wonderful and had me gripped all the way through.

This is not one of my favourite short story collection as there were just too many that didn’t hold my interest or was a little confusing. The cover though is beautiful and recommend if you want to read some different interpretations about Djinn.

I rated this 2.5 out of 5 stars
  
In the Role of Brie Hutchens...
In the Role of Brie Hutchens...
Nicole Melleby | 2020 | LGBTQ+, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Brie Hutchens is an eighth-grader at a Catholic school. She loves soap operas and dreams of being the star of the school play. She wants to go to drama school next year. Brie also has feelings that she's pretty sure are different than the other kids at her school. For instance, she gets a fluttery feeling looking at photos online of her favorite soap opera actress. But when Brie's (very religious) mom walks in on her doing so, Brie freaks out and tells her Mom she's been chosen to crown the Mary statue at her school's ceremony. She hasn't of course, and even worse, she probably stands no chance at earning the gig, since it usually goes to a top student. One like Kennedy, whom Brie usually avoids. But as Brie starts to spend a little more time with Kennedy, she realizes Kennedy gives her the same feeling as that soap actress. And that none of this is going to make her mother happy (or help her crown Mary).

This is a very sweet, heartwarming, and touching story about a young girl finding her way and finding herself. I'm a sucker for coming of age stories, but when they are lesbian coming of age stories? I'm sold. Brie is an interesting character, who even comes across a little ungrateful at times--though perhaps she's just a typical teenager. She's embarrassed her dad works at her school and often seems a bit self-centered and in her own world. Okay, yeah, she's a teenager. But her battle with her sexual identity is certainly one I could identify with and it's presented in a lovely and truthful way. It's exactly the kind of book kids this age need, especially teens being raised in a religious environment.

The book is more religious than I expected, but it's not off-putting. As someone whose first love love came from a religious Catholic family, I saw so much of my past life in this book. I loved the fact that Brie is a soap fan--as kid who grew up loving Dallas, Days of Our Lives, Passions, and Sunset Beach, this part of the book was totally fun. Yet, Melleby worked in the angle in a serious way, too, as Brie uses soaps as a way to realize that maybe she isn't so different after all (thank you, soaps, for having some progressive characters ahead of your time).


"But when Brie and her mom sat in the living room, watching their soaps, Brie forgot they had so little in common."


Brie is fun and sweet and she's decidedly her own person, yet scared of how her religious mom and her Catholic school friends might see her if she reveals she likes girls. Her agonizing over this, her fear of coming out, is raw and realistic. The difficultly of coming out really resonates here, and Melleby does a wonderful job capturing how hard it is, even now.

Overall, this is a lovely and tender book--funny and sweet--and a great children's/YA read. If you love coming of age stories, YA novels, or any LQBTIA youth fiction, I think this novel will tug at your heartstrings.
  
An Amish Family
An Amish Family
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Kathleen does herself well with her writing. I do not know if she can out do herself anymore with her stories. Each one that I have read has been good enough for me to want to read more. I have yet to to come across any that is not good.

These stories show the stuggles and faith though out the book. Each story is different and yet endearing to read. You will not know the ending until you get to the last page of that story. Then you will want to know know more about that family and how they are doing.

Building Trust:
In Building Trust, Grace and Joel are eager to marry. Though Grace does not know why her father or anyone else in her family can figure out why her father is acting so angry at Joel King? Joel can not recall why Grace Miller father is upset or recall the reason. Though as you read we find out. Will Joel be able to build trust with Grace father? Grace is told she can not marry Joel King.

Joel King is determined to find out why he can not marry Grace. Will it he get to marry Grace? Will Vernon be able to forgive Joel?

A Heart Full of Love:l(In An Amish Cradle)
Ellie is expecting her first child with her husband. Though when she gives birth to twins. Her mother decides that will take care of the twins and keep them safe. In doing so, she will not let Ellie bond with her daughters.

What is Ellie's mother dealing with that she won't let Ellie take care of her own daughters. Ellie knows she will need help with her daughters. Ellie wants time with her daughters and takes care of them.

Ellie starts to have questions about what happen with a girl named Rachel. She goes over to her parents house and to find the answers. What a sweet ending his story has.

Surprised by Love
Emily feels the need to be seen with a boy. Out of nowhere she chooses Reuban. Will her ploy work with her mother? Emily finds out that Reuban's mother is pressuring him to marry as well.Reuban play along.

Will it be really a match by god, Both do not know it until the past seeks up on them. Do they even know that love is being created by them both seeing each other. Or will they find that they were surprised by love, that they may have started an everlasting love?

A Gift For Anne Marie: (In An Amish Second Christmas)
In A Gift for Anne Marie, Anne Marie wondering about the changes that are coming. She finds out about her mothers letters. When she does she finds out that her mother is getting re-married and they are moving. Anne Marie does not like it at all. She start to feel the changes between her and Nathaniel. Nathaniel does not like the fact that Annie Marie may be moving. Is there anything either can do about it?