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The Hidden Mind
Book
When psychologists try to understand the way our mind works, they frequently come to a conclusion...
Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds
David C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van Reken
Book
For more than a decade, Third Culture Kids has been the authority on "TCKs"--children of...
Treating Depression Naturally: How Flower Essences Can Help Rebalance Your Life
Book
Feelings of depression are as unique as you are. Whether you find yourself overcome by the strain of...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Jigsaw Man in Books
Feb 21, 2021
This is a gruesome and dark thriller and it's great!!
I must say though that if you're a bit squeamish and don't like graphic descriptions of murder, then don't read this. If you do or don't mind a bit of gore, then crack on.
The characters are great, the plot is absorbing and complex and the ability of the author to capture the feelings of the various protagonists is excellent.
I absolutely love a good "baddie" and Nadine Matheson has created one such character in Peter Olivier; he is deliciously evil, extremely charming, highly intelligent, an excellent manipulator and everything you would want in a (fictitious) serial killer ... think Ted Bundy crossed with Jeffrey Dahmer and you have a pretty good picture.
This is a gripping read which although starts a little slow, it builds in tension and action as you turn the pages culminating in an exciting finale which definitely leaves the door open for a sequel and the intriguing backstory lends itself to a prequel ... well I would certainly read either or both!
Thank you to HQ (an imprint of HarperCollins UK) and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
I must say though that if you're a bit squeamish and don't like graphic descriptions of murder, then don't read this. If you do or don't mind a bit of gore, then crack on.
The characters are great, the plot is absorbing and complex and the ability of the author to capture the feelings of the various protagonists is excellent.
I absolutely love a good "baddie" and Nadine Matheson has created one such character in Peter Olivier; he is deliciously evil, extremely charming, highly intelligent, an excellent manipulator and everything you would want in a (fictitious) serial killer ... think Ted Bundy crossed with Jeffrey Dahmer and you have a pretty good picture.
This is a gripping read which although starts a little slow, it builds in tension and action as you turn the pages culminating in an exciting finale which definitely leaves the door open for a sequel and the intriguing backstory lends itself to a prequel ... well I would certainly read either or both!
Thank you to HQ (an imprint of HarperCollins UK) and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Rebel Heart (Dust Lands, #2) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
I didn't like this as much as the first. I wanted more Jack!
That being said, it was another riveting adventure across the hard world they live in and I enjoyed it.
Meeting back up with old friends and making new ones was cool. The Free Hawks are a great bunch and seeing Maev and Ash again was nice. I cant quite remember Creed but he made it all a bit more light-hearted with his flirting.
Lugh has been annoying me since he came back at the end of the last one and he didn't endear himself to me at all in this one, though at the end of the book I understand his feelings but that doesn't excuse him for the rest of the story.
DeMalo was also a little strange. And Saba's decision about two thirds through the book annoyed me too. Why would you do that?!?!
Jack got mixed up in trouble as usual but I still love his and Saba's relationship and I so hope they get some sort of HEA in the third book.
P.S. What's happening with that heart-stone??
That being said, it was another riveting adventure across the hard world they live in and I enjoyed it.
Meeting back up with old friends and making new ones was cool. The Free Hawks are a great bunch and seeing Maev and Ash again was nice. I cant quite remember Creed but he made it all a bit more light-hearted with his flirting.
Lugh has been annoying me since he came back at the end of the last one and he didn't endear himself to me at all in this one, though at the end of the book I understand his feelings but that doesn't excuse him for the rest of the story.
DeMalo was also a little strange. And Saba's decision about two thirds through the book annoyed me too. Why would you do that?!?!
Jack got mixed up in trouble as usual but I still love his and Saba's relationship and I so hope they get some sort of HEA in the third book.
P.S. What's happening with that heart-stone??
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles, #1) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
My paperback copy of this book contained the prequel, <i>The Strange Case of Finley Jayne</i>, as well as <i>The Girl in the Steel Corset</i>.
2 stars for The Strange Case... and 3 stars for The Girl in...
I wasn't sure what to expect with this. It isn't my usual sort of read, though I have read quite a few steampunk books (Lindsay Buroker mainly).
Some aspects of this book I really liked, like the different abilities of Griffin's friends, the storyline was also quite intriguing although I figured out who the bad guy was by about half way through.
Things I wasn't so keen on: the steel corset only came into play after the half way point; I was expecting it to be part of Finley from the start. And the romance. I know that in Victorian times it wasn't acceptable to be left alone with someone of the opposite sex without a chaperone and to just be all in your face with love and romance but I read for the romance and although you know they have feelings for each other, nothing actually happens.
I don't think I'll be continuing the series.
2 stars for The Strange Case... and 3 stars for The Girl in...
I wasn't sure what to expect with this. It isn't my usual sort of read, though I have read quite a few steampunk books (Lindsay Buroker mainly).
Some aspects of this book I really liked, like the different abilities of Griffin's friends, the storyline was also quite intriguing although I figured out who the bad guy was by about half way through.
Things I wasn't so keen on: the steel corset only came into play after the half way point; I was expecting it to be part of Finley from the start. And the romance. I know that in Victorian times it wasn't acceptable to be left alone with someone of the opposite sex without a chaperone and to just be all in your face with love and romance but I read for the romance and although you know they have feelings for each other, nothing actually happens.
I don't think I'll be continuing the series.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated ABEL 1: It Can't Be You (Phoenix Club, #1) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
I liked this, it had a lot of good things going for it...but...there were a few things that bothered me.
I liked the characters, apart from the flashbacks of Craig obviously. I liked how Abel was so caring of his younger sister and hated himself for what had happened to her under his watch. I liked the camaraderie between all the club staff. I liked Devlin's insistence with his feelings for Abel.
However, I didn't really like the threesome--I knew it was done for a good reason but I can't say I enjoyed reading about Abel hooking up with someone who wasn't Devlin. I didn't like the use of no condoms--Okay, they're likely to be tested regularly working at a gay club but really? I also didn't really like how all the main characters used "babe" when talking to each other, it made them all sound alike and I couldn't really see Devlin using it.
I'll admit I'm intrigued where this is going to go next as I can't see Devlin quitting his pursuit of Abel after the club night and I really liked their relationships progression. I'll keep my eye out for it.
I liked the characters, apart from the flashbacks of Craig obviously. I liked how Abel was so caring of his younger sister and hated himself for what had happened to her under his watch. I liked the camaraderie between all the club staff. I liked Devlin's insistence with his feelings for Abel.
However, I didn't really like the threesome--I knew it was done for a good reason but I can't say I enjoyed reading about Abel hooking up with someone who wasn't Devlin. I didn't like the use of no condoms--Okay, they're likely to be tested regularly working at a gay club but really? I also didn't really like how all the main characters used "babe" when talking to each other, it made them all sound alike and I couldn't really see Devlin using it.
I'll admit I'm intrigued where this is going to go next as I can't see Devlin quitting his pursuit of Abel after the club night and I really liked their relationships progression. I'll keep my eye out for it.
Charlotte (184 KP) rated Victory Lap in Books
Mar 20, 2021
Trying to put feelings into words is always difficult but with Victory Lap it's harder.
I love Kiki, her resilience, how she knows who she is, the beautiful soul that shines from within......I also ache for her.....becoming your true self isn't easy, especially with bullies always there. The support that a "normal" girl would get from their parents is lacking on her father's side, I hate him, his outdated ideas and his constant verbal abuse.
Josh is like a lot of people....blind to the signals of interest. I feel for him as it does cause a few issues.
He also has his own identity to look into and work out what he wants from life. So on the whole I like him but he'd definitely be the mate I sigh about the most.
It hurts knowing that this brilliant piece of fiction mirrors so many people's lives. Worse that it's the young that have to behave like adults and deal with things that adults themselves seem unable to wrap their heads around.
Regardless of who you are, where your niche is READ THIS!!
I love Kiki, her resilience, how she knows who she is, the beautiful soul that shines from within......I also ache for her.....becoming your true self isn't easy, especially with bullies always there. The support that a "normal" girl would get from their parents is lacking on her father's side, I hate him, his outdated ideas and his constant verbal abuse.
Josh is like a lot of people....blind to the signals of interest. I feel for him as it does cause a few issues.
He also has his own identity to look into and work out what he wants from life. So on the whole I like him but he'd definitely be the mate I sigh about the most.
It hurts knowing that this brilliant piece of fiction mirrors so many people's lives. Worse that it's the young that have to behave like adults and deal with things that adults themselves seem unable to wrap their heads around.
Regardless of who you are, where your niche is READ THIS!!
Adam Green recommended It Could Happen To You by Chet Baker in Music (curated)
Cori June (3033 KP) rated The Outsiders in Books
Jun 20, 2021
A great read about a kid in Oklahoma who is just trying to understand life. Written in 1967 it follows Ponyboy, yes that's his real name, his two brothers, and thier 'gang' of greasers as they try to navigate a world where they are labeled little better than hoods and have to avoid getting jumped by the socs from the rich side of town.
It's a coming of age story that I have mixed feelings about waiting so long to have read. It talks about class structure and how the way you present yourself to the world isn't always a reflection of self.
There is a lot of heavy stuff in it that translates well even decades later. And yeah, there will be people who say there's a little more than friendship between a few of the characters and whether or not that's true is up to the reader.
The book is told by a 14 year olds pov. An old (kind of) soul. But even if he thinks he's in the know he's still 14.
There is triggering things with violence, abuse, alcohol, and smoking, it's worth the discussion (in my opinion).
It's a coming of age story that I have mixed feelings about waiting so long to have read. It talks about class structure and how the way you present yourself to the world isn't always a reflection of self.
There is a lot of heavy stuff in it that translates well even decades later. And yeah, there will be people who say there's a little more than friendship between a few of the characters and whether or not that's true is up to the reader.
The book is told by a 14 year olds pov. An old (kind of) soul. But even if he thinks he's in the know he's still 14.
There is triggering things with violence, abuse, alcohol, and smoking, it's worth the discussion (in my opinion).