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Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Like most books I read, Beautiful Creatures was just randomly picked up and looked interesting, so I read it. Plus, I needed some books to occupy me and it was somehow on my to-read list already. I just didn't get the chance to read it over the summer. Call that lucky to be in the library at the time.
I will probably admit, that although I read the entire series, I didn't really like the first 2 books in the series. Except for the ending and the summaries. Which was why I continued reading the series. :) Or maybe there was just something special about Ethan, Lena, Riley, Link, etc that I just can't place a tab on? Or was there a little cliffhanger (which I totally love) that just urged me to read on and give the series another try?
I will also admit that I liked Beautiful Chaos overall. The character haven't changed... although they have. In a way. Ethan is still plain Wayward, just like from Day One. Besides getting "chased around" by his other self, of course. Lena is back to herself again, although she is now a light and dark caster due to the Seventeenth Moon. I didn't really enjoy Lena's distance and major meltdown from Beautiful Darkness, so it's nice to know that we get her back again.
Link has changed majorly in a way, at least in physical and how do you say this? erm, he's developed "Vampire-like" senses after being bit by John Breed from Beautiful Darkness, so he's now one-quarters Incubus. He's still on and off with Once Upon A Siren, Riley, but she's still same old, same old Riley. In Mortal form, yet continues about life Siren Style with no powers.
Overall, Beautiful Chaos is my favorite book out of the series so far. It's more action-packed than the books before it, even if it has quite the sad ending. I will most likely read the fourth and final book in the series, Beautiful Redemption (released already) because I just have to know what happens next to Ethan, Lena and the other characters.
Speaking of which, and I know I'm a bit off-topic, but who's excited for the Beautiful Creatures movie? I know am! The trailer looked awesome...
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-beautiful-chaos-by-kami-garcia-and-margaret-stohl/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I will probably admit, that although I read the entire series, I didn't really like the first 2 books in the series. Except for the ending and the summaries. Which was why I continued reading the series. :) Or maybe there was just something special about Ethan, Lena, Riley, Link, etc that I just can't place a tab on? Or was there a little cliffhanger (which I totally love) that just urged me to read on and give the series another try?
I will also admit that I liked Beautiful Chaos overall. The character haven't changed... although they have. In a way. Ethan is still plain Wayward, just like from Day One. Besides getting "chased around" by his other self, of course. Lena is back to herself again, although she is now a light and dark caster due to the Seventeenth Moon. I didn't really enjoy Lena's distance and major meltdown from Beautiful Darkness, so it's nice to know that we get her back again.
Link has changed majorly in a way, at least in physical and how do you say this? erm, he's developed "Vampire-like" senses after being bit by John Breed from Beautiful Darkness, so he's now one-quarters Incubus. He's still on and off with Once Upon A Siren, Riley, but she's still same old, same old Riley. In Mortal form, yet continues about life Siren Style with no powers.
Overall, Beautiful Chaos is my favorite book out of the series so far. It's more action-packed than the books before it, even if it has quite the sad ending. I will most likely read the fourth and final book in the series, Beautiful Redemption (released already) because I just have to know what happens next to Ethan, Lena and the other characters.
Speaking of which, and I know I'm a bit off-topic, but who's excited for the Beautiful Creatures movie? I know am! The trailer looked awesome...
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-beautiful-chaos-by-kami-garcia-and-margaret-stohl/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
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TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated An Amish Christmas Wedding: Four Stories in Books
Feb 24, 2021
<a href="https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2020/11/21/an-amish-christmas-celebrate-lit/">Travelers Wife 4 Life</a>
This was such a good collection of stories to get me in the Christmas spirit! I had the privilege of reading last Christmas’s book (<a href="https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2019/12/16/amish-christmas-bakery-celebration-lit/">An Amish Christmas Bakery</a>) by this collection of authors (Vanetta Chapman is new though) and truly fell in love with each author’s unique writing style. While not interconnected each story brings hope and warmth into my mind and I hope you will like them too!
<b>Evergreen Love</b> by Amy Clipston – I so enjoyed this story filled with mishaps, love, and second chances. Ryan and Lorene both show growth as characters and a sweet desire to learn from their previous experiences. They were fun to get to know and they showed a great look at forgiveness and the importance of communication!
<b>Holiday of Hope</b> by Kelly Irvin – This story was adorably sweet and heartfelt. I loved Henry’s journey, his special patience with his nephew (especially how he took it all in seamless stride not trying to force things), and his dedication to his first wife and subsequent openness to second chances. Leesa was also a very interesting character whom I rooted for from the beginning. I loved her courage, strength, and willingness to help others; even when it was outside her comfort zone. Overall, I loved the sweet romance in this book and enjoyed Kelly Irvin’s descriptions of deep snow Montana life.
<b>Wreathed in Joy</b> by Kathleen Fuller – I loved this friends to more gone awry story! Definitely one of my favorite sub-genres and Kathleen Fuller nails it. Mary and Jakob are sweet and the best of friends until a sad misunderstanding changes everything. But I enjoyed watching them banter and rekindle their friendship. It was full of sweet moments, memories, and the courage to try again. A great reminder to always give people second chances. Such a sweet story and I loved the ending.
<b>A Christmas Prayer </b> by Vannetta Chapman – Ever had the feeling that life is not going where you planned? Well, Rachel and Micah’s story is definitely one you will like. It was like ‘watching Rachel bloom’ as Micah so eloquently put it. I loved Micah’s caring nature, his use of Cloe (a Beautiful lab
This was such a good collection of stories to get me in the Christmas spirit! I had the privilege of reading last Christmas’s book (<a href="https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2019/12/16/amish-christmas-bakery-celebration-lit/">An Amish Christmas Bakery</a>) by this collection of authors (Vanetta Chapman is new though) and truly fell in love with each author’s unique writing style. While not interconnected each story brings hope and warmth into my mind and I hope you will like them too!
<b>Evergreen Love</b> by Amy Clipston – I so enjoyed this story filled with mishaps, love, and second chances. Ryan and Lorene both show growth as characters and a sweet desire to learn from their previous experiences. They were fun to get to know and they showed a great look at forgiveness and the importance of communication!
<b>Holiday of Hope</b> by Kelly Irvin – This story was adorably sweet and heartfelt. I loved Henry’s journey, his special patience with his nephew (especially how he took it all in seamless stride not trying to force things), and his dedication to his first wife and subsequent openness to second chances. Leesa was also a very interesting character whom I rooted for from the beginning. I loved her courage, strength, and willingness to help others; even when it was outside her comfort zone. Overall, I loved the sweet romance in this book and enjoyed Kelly Irvin’s descriptions of deep snow Montana life.
<b>Wreathed in Joy</b> by Kathleen Fuller – I loved this friends to more gone awry story! Definitely one of my favorite sub-genres and Kathleen Fuller nails it. Mary and Jakob are sweet and the best of friends until a sad misunderstanding changes everything. But I enjoyed watching them banter and rekindle their friendship. It was full of sweet moments, memories, and the courage to try again. A great reminder to always give people second chances. Such a sweet story and I loved the ending.
<b>A Christmas Prayer </b> by Vannetta Chapman – Ever had the feeling that life is not going where you planned? Well, Rachel and Micah’s story is definitely one you will like. It was like ‘watching Rachel bloom’ as Micah so eloquently put it. I loved Micah’s caring nature, his use of Cloe (a Beautiful lab
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Long Call in Books
Sep 13, 2019
Well, this was an excellent police procedural; one of those mysteries that you get caught up in from the start. I'll be honest that I've never heard of Ann Cleeves or any of her previous series. That's clearly my loss, and I'm definitely interested in her other works now.
I won't go into too many details here and spoil the plot, but I'll say that this is a great read, filled with all the little details and nuances that you get from a strong writer. I was heartened from the beginning to find our protagonist, DI Venn, to be gay. You don't get a lot of that in the mystery world. His sexuality is a part of the book, but not the focus, and it was just really nice to read about a gay detective. Matthew is a fascinating character, who is grappling with facing members of the Barum Brethren, a religious sect that he grew up in, but of whom he is no longer a member. He is also a straight-laced policeman, and a strong leader who can admit his faults. It will be nice to follow him in a new series.
His team is interesting as well--quirky Jen and annoying Ross are the main two--and I hope they come along in the second book. Cleeves is quite adept at creating her characters, and all are easy to imagine. There's a wide cast of characters in this one, and plenty of suspects, but not so many as to get confused or lost. There's a main plotline (murdered man) and a secondary one--that may be related--and both are intriguing and keep you guessing. We learn things along with the team, as they investigate, which is always a favorite of mine. It's a small-town setting, and many folks are complicated, many have secrets, and it's difficult to work out which secret may have led to murder! (Though I'm proud that I had an inkling about some things!)
In the end, this was a really strong mystery. It quietly keeps you guessing and invested in the story. The characters are excellent, and I'm just so heartened to find a gay lead! It's thoughtful and smart, without any gimmicks. Definitely recommend. 4+ stars.
I won't go into too many details here and spoil the plot, but I'll say that this is a great read, filled with all the little details and nuances that you get from a strong writer. I was heartened from the beginning to find our protagonist, DI Venn, to be gay. You don't get a lot of that in the mystery world. His sexuality is a part of the book, but not the focus, and it was just really nice to read about a gay detective. Matthew is a fascinating character, who is grappling with facing members of the Barum Brethren, a religious sect that he grew up in, but of whom he is no longer a member. He is also a straight-laced policeman, and a strong leader who can admit his faults. It will be nice to follow him in a new series.
His team is interesting as well--quirky Jen and annoying Ross are the main two--and I hope they come along in the second book. Cleeves is quite adept at creating her characters, and all are easy to imagine. There's a wide cast of characters in this one, and plenty of suspects, but not so many as to get confused or lost. There's a main plotline (murdered man) and a secondary one--that may be related--and both are intriguing and keep you guessing. We learn things along with the team, as they investigate, which is always a favorite of mine. It's a small-town setting, and many folks are complicated, many have secrets, and it's difficult to work out which secret may have led to murder! (Though I'm proud that I had an inkling about some things!)
In the end, this was a really strong mystery. It quietly keeps you guessing and invested in the story. The characters are excellent, and I'm just so heartened to find a gay lead! It's thoughtful and smart, without any gimmicks. Definitely recommend. 4+ stars.
Easily likable characters (1 more)
Interesting Plot
A Good Supernatural Mystery
I love books that are spooky and deal with ghosts. While The Belles of Desire, Mississippi by M.L. Bullock was too spooky, it was still a really good read.
I loved the plot and the world building for The Belles of Desire, Mississippi. While the synopsis is mostly accurate, I never felt like Jerica's life was in danger while at Summerleigh. This novel goes back and forth between the 1940s and present day. We get to read from the perspective of Jerica and Harper in different chapters. I loved reading from both points of view. I've never been to Mississippi, but I do live in the south, and I feel like M.L. Bullock did a great job portraying the south. I felt like I was a bystander in this book, and I loved every second! There are a few plot twists which I never saw coming. A few of my questions were left unanswered, but this is a series, so I'm hoping they'll be answered in the upcoming books. One of my questions was how come Jeopardy couldn't show her sister Harper what had happened to her? Why was she able to show only Jerica, a complete stranger to her?
I really enjoyed the characters in The Belles of Desire, Mississippi, and I also loved all the Belle's names! For the most part, all of the characters were well written. The only problem I had was that I felt like Harper and Jerica should have been able to figure what the "Horrible Thing" was that Jeopardy would talk about. It was pretty obvious to me what had happened when Jeopardy's mom sent her off to do an errand. It became much clearer each time it was mentioned. I could understand that Harper, as a child, didn't really understand what was happening, but I can't believe Harper, as a grown up woman, and Jerica, another grown adult, couldn't figure out what Jeopardy meant when she spoke of the "Horrible Thing." Besides that, I loved the characters in the book. The Belle sisters were my favorite.
The pacing was fantastic throughout The Belles of Desire, Mississippi. I was enthralled with the story from the very first sentence. This whole book flowed so beautifully, and I found myself devouring this novel very quickly.
Trigger warnings for The Belles of Desire, Mississippi include minor profanities, some underage drinking, underage smoking, ghosts, death, violence, murder, and molestation.
Overall, The Belles of Desire, Mississippi is such an enthralling read. It has very likable characters and fantastic world building. While I had a few questions left unanswered, I was still satisfied with this novel. I would definitely recommend The Belles of Desire, Mississippi by M.L. Bullock to those aged 15+. This novel is definitely a great supernatural mystery!
I loved the plot and the world building for The Belles of Desire, Mississippi. While the synopsis is mostly accurate, I never felt like Jerica's life was in danger while at Summerleigh. This novel goes back and forth between the 1940s and present day. We get to read from the perspective of Jerica and Harper in different chapters. I loved reading from both points of view. I've never been to Mississippi, but I do live in the south, and I feel like M.L. Bullock did a great job portraying the south. I felt like I was a bystander in this book, and I loved every second! There are a few plot twists which I never saw coming. A few of my questions were left unanswered, but this is a series, so I'm hoping they'll be answered in the upcoming books. One of my questions was how come Jeopardy couldn't show her sister Harper what had happened to her? Why was she able to show only Jerica, a complete stranger to her?
I really enjoyed the characters in The Belles of Desire, Mississippi, and I also loved all the Belle's names! For the most part, all of the characters were well written. The only problem I had was that I felt like Harper and Jerica should have been able to figure what the "Horrible Thing" was that Jeopardy would talk about. It was pretty obvious to me what had happened when Jeopardy's mom sent her off to do an errand. It became much clearer each time it was mentioned. I could understand that Harper, as a child, didn't really understand what was happening, but I can't believe Harper, as a grown up woman, and Jerica, another grown adult, couldn't figure out what Jeopardy meant when she spoke of the "Horrible Thing." Besides that, I loved the characters in the book. The Belle sisters were my favorite.
The pacing was fantastic throughout The Belles of Desire, Mississippi. I was enthralled with the story from the very first sentence. This whole book flowed so beautifully, and I found myself devouring this novel very quickly.
Trigger warnings for The Belles of Desire, Mississippi include minor profanities, some underage drinking, underage smoking, ghosts, death, violence, murder, and molestation.
Overall, The Belles of Desire, Mississippi is such an enthralling read. It has very likable characters and fantastic world building. While I had a few questions left unanswered, I was still satisfied with this novel. I would definitely recommend The Belles of Desire, Mississippi by M.L. Bullock to those aged 15+. This novel is definitely a great supernatural mystery!
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Night of the Dragon (Shadow of the Fox #3) in Books
Apr 10, 2020 (Updated Apr 10, 2020)
ARC copy provided by Inkyard Press.
This review and other musings can be found at Bookwyrming Thoughts.
I think I’ve been completely ruined once again by Julie Kagawa, so I had to nurse my soul for about a week before I could muster up the courage to write a review.* With Night of the Dragon, the third and final book of her Shadow of the Fox trilogy, Kagawa has taken my heart and chucked it straight into another galaxy. I don’t know the rest of my current reads; what are they?
I’m… not sure when my heart will return this time.
Night of the Dragon is a continuation of Soul of the Sword.
We continue to follow Yumeko and her friends as they race against time to stop Genno from summoning the Kami Dragon and destroying Iwagoto. Safe to assume eventually it will be the world. And not just the short time they have: they have a challenging journey ahead because Genno will stop at nothing to prevent them from ruining his plans. Like the first two books, Kagawa introduces us to new yokai from Japanese mythology: each of them just as cruel, vicious and caring for nothing but spilling the blood of anything that stands in their way.
Tatsumi has a bit of an identity crisis here.
He’s not sure if he’s Haikaimono now that they’ve merged their souls or if he’s still Tatsumi. But over the course of his journey from Shadow of the Fox when he first meets Yumeko through the third book, he’s changed drastically. He’s not the only one who’s changed either; his literal resident demon inside of him has changed too, but he’s still the same badass Kage from the first book. He’s just more bloodthirsty.
I’m here for all the slow burns!
My heart is all mushy with the ships being sailed. Finally! Inside my heart cried because, at this point in the series, I’m cheering the group on to success. All the odds are against them, but I want my favorite cinnamons to conquer.
My heart still cries from wherever it landed.
I’m not surprised by the ending, but it doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt any less than it did. Either way, it was beautiful and perfect, and I couldn’t ask for anything less. (But I mean, it’s Julie Kagawa! I should know at reading 90% of her works that endings to a series are going to be *chef’s kiss*.)
Soul of the Sword was a struggle for me to get through, but it is so worth going through for Night of the Dragon. All the questions I had from the very beginning of the series get answered as everything comes together for an ending that made me want to cry and question my life choices.
*How do I bring justice to such perfection?! All the words have flown out the window. What even is a review?
This review and other musings can be found at Bookwyrming Thoughts.
I think I’ve been completely ruined once again by Julie Kagawa, so I had to nurse my soul for about a week before I could muster up the courage to write a review.* With Night of the Dragon, the third and final book of her Shadow of the Fox trilogy, Kagawa has taken my heart and chucked it straight into another galaxy. I don’t know the rest of my current reads; what are they?
I’m… not sure when my heart will return this time.
Night of the Dragon is a continuation of Soul of the Sword.
We continue to follow Yumeko and her friends as they race against time to stop Genno from summoning the Kami Dragon and destroying Iwagoto. Safe to assume eventually it will be the world. And not just the short time they have: they have a challenging journey ahead because Genno will stop at nothing to prevent them from ruining his plans. Like the first two books, Kagawa introduces us to new yokai from Japanese mythology: each of them just as cruel, vicious and caring for nothing but spilling the blood of anything that stands in their way.
Tatsumi has a bit of an identity crisis here.
He’s not sure if he’s Haikaimono now that they’ve merged their souls or if he’s still Tatsumi. But over the course of his journey from Shadow of the Fox when he first meets Yumeko through the third book, he’s changed drastically. He’s not the only one who’s changed either; his literal resident demon inside of him has changed too, but he’s still the same badass Kage from the first book. He’s just more bloodthirsty.
I’m here for all the slow burns!
My heart is all mushy with the ships being sailed. Finally! Inside my heart cried because, at this point in the series, I’m cheering the group on to success. All the odds are against them, but I want my favorite cinnamons to conquer.
My heart still cries from wherever it landed.
I’m not surprised by the ending, but it doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt any less than it did. Either way, it was beautiful and perfect, and I couldn’t ask for anything less. (But I mean, it’s Julie Kagawa! I should know at reading 90% of her works that endings to a series are going to be *chef’s kiss*.)
Soul of the Sword was a struggle for me to get through, but it is so worth going through for Night of the Dragon. All the questions I had from the very beginning of the series get answered as everything comes together for an ending that made me want to cry and question my life choices.
*How do I bring justice to such perfection?! All the words have flown out the window. What even is a review?
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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated French Kissing in Books
Aug 3, 2020
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<b><i>"French Kissing" by Catherine Sanderson is one of those romance novels you enjoy for a few days and then forget how it ended. </i></b>
<b>Synopsis:</b>
Sally Marshall decided to try a French online dating site. This was after she leaves her long-term boyfriend and Lila's father when she discovers he was cheating on her. With his secretary. After six months of healing, Sally is now ready to find her perfect match.
However, online dating has its downside. Meeting weird and creepy men, having one-night stands and being judged that she is a mother. Sally has to go through self-discovery in her journey to happiness.
<b>My Thoughts:</b>
"French Kissing" was average. It is very well written, but it follows a plot that, to me, has been overused by many writers, especially in the romance genre. It becomes another drop of water in the sea.
Sally is a very normal character and easy to love. She is struggling with the online dating. She believes she is at a disadvantage due to being a mother and her journey will teach her that she just hasn't met the right person yet. I am not a mother, and I don't know how Sally must truly feel, but I can imagine this situation being a big burden to her. Also, considering how men behave in today's world, where they want as little responsibility as possible and they are very reluctant to date women that already have children - I can understand how difficult this is for Sally. On the same aspect, this means that this is not Sally's fault. There is always someone out there that will be able to love her just the way she is - daughter included.
I liked the fact that this book was set in France. It gave a nice charm to it. However, on many occasions, there are French sentences with no explanation nor translation. If you don't understand French, you should buy a dictionary when you are buying this book. I can imagine this being an issue for many readers.
To conclude - it was an okay read. It will fill up your time nicely and bring you on an adventure of self-discovery. Perhaps you will also be able to connect with Sally on a whole new level. I wouldn't say "French Kissing" is a favorite, nor would I recommend it on the spot if someone asked me. However, if you love romances set in France with a focus on online dating - this might be worth your time.
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<b><i>"French Kissing" by Catherine Sanderson is one of those romance novels you enjoy for a few days and then forget how it ended. </i></b>
<b>Synopsis:</b>
Sally Marshall decided to try a French online dating site. This was after she leaves her long-term boyfriend and Lila's father when she discovers he was cheating on her. With his secretary. After six months of healing, Sally is now ready to find her perfect match.
However, online dating has its downside. Meeting weird and creepy men, having one-night stands and being judged that she is a mother. Sally has to go through self-discovery in her journey to happiness.
<b>My Thoughts:</b>
"French Kissing" was average. It is very well written, but it follows a plot that, to me, has been overused by many writers, especially in the romance genre. It becomes another drop of water in the sea.
Sally is a very normal character and easy to love. She is struggling with the online dating. She believes she is at a disadvantage due to being a mother and her journey will teach her that she just hasn't met the right person yet. I am not a mother, and I don't know how Sally must truly feel, but I can imagine this situation being a big burden to her. Also, considering how men behave in today's world, where they want as little responsibility as possible and they are very reluctant to date women that already have children - I can understand how difficult this is for Sally. On the same aspect, this means that this is not Sally's fault. There is always someone out there that will be able to love her just the way she is - daughter included.
I liked the fact that this book was set in France. It gave a nice charm to it. However, on many occasions, there are French sentences with no explanation nor translation. If you don't understand French, you should buy a dictionary when you are buying this book. I can imagine this being an issue for many readers.
To conclude - it was an okay read. It will fill up your time nicely and bring you on an adventure of self-discovery. Perhaps you will also be able to connect with Sally on a whole new level. I wouldn't say "French Kissing" is a favorite, nor would I recommend it on the spot if someone asked me. However, if you love romances set in France with a focus on online dating - this might be worth your time.