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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.
The Fulbourn (Pitch & Sickle, #5)
10.0
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When the King of Daemonkind comes to call, be ready for hell to follow. After Lucifer’s...
MM Historical Gaslamp Fantasy
ClareR (6253 KP) rated Lying Beside You in Books
Oct 2, 2022
Lying Beside You is the third book in the Cyrus Haven series - and I’ll admit now that I haven’t read the first two. It didn’t affect my enjoyment though. There are enough hints at the background that I could understand what was going on and who was who.
Cyrus is a busy forensic psychologist and criminal profiler, and to add more to his load, he has a lodger with a distressing background (which is only hinted at, but that’s all you’ll need), and his brother is due to be released from a secure institution. His brother has lived and been treated there since he murdered the rest of his and Cyrus’ family.
I found it fascinating how Cyrus seemed to be able to forgive his brother for his actions - particularly as he’d learnt from his job how his brother wasn’t in control of himself at the time. On the other hand, he seemed hesitant to have him back out in society and in his house. But he’s designed to it. I liked how it showed how complex his feelings towards his brother were.
And what a nice person Cyrus is generally. His lodger has had a very bad experience (which we don’t find out about in this book). He’s patient and tries to help her, and understands that she needs time and space. He’s a great character actually.
You might get from this that I specifically like the characters in books, and that I just see plot as a nice aside. Well, you wouldn’t be wrong. But this has enough exciting plot to keep the crime fiction fans very happy. It all gets quite frenetic towards the end, and I had no idea who the perpetrator was up to the big reveal.
It’s a great book - many thanks to the Pigeonhole and Michael Robotham.
Cyrus is a busy forensic psychologist and criminal profiler, and to add more to his load, he has a lodger with a distressing background (which is only hinted at, but that’s all you’ll need), and his brother is due to be released from a secure institution. His brother has lived and been treated there since he murdered the rest of his and Cyrus’ family.
I found it fascinating how Cyrus seemed to be able to forgive his brother for his actions - particularly as he’d learnt from his job how his brother wasn’t in control of himself at the time. On the other hand, he seemed hesitant to have him back out in society and in his house. But he’s designed to it. I liked how it showed how complex his feelings towards his brother were.
And what a nice person Cyrus is generally. His lodger has had a very bad experience (which we don’t find out about in this book). He’s patient and tries to help her, and understands that she needs time and space. He’s a great character actually.
You might get from this that I specifically like the characters in books, and that I just see plot as a nice aside. Well, you wouldn’t be wrong. But this has enough exciting plot to keep the crime fiction fans very happy. It all gets quite frenetic towards the end, and I had no idea who the perpetrator was up to the big reveal.
It’s a great book - many thanks to the Pigeonhole and Michael Robotham.
Sexted by Santa (Thrust Into Love #4)
10.0
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Christian Kringle: College professor, reluctant Santa, and...fake dating my neighbor? I'm a...
Contemporary MM Romance Seasonal Single Dad Age Gap
ClareR (6253 KP) rated Nasty Little Cuts in Books
Feb 24, 2022
I learnt a new phrase today: Domestic Noir. My ignorance is probably down to the fact that I would never normally read a book in this category. I’d avoid it. I’m glad that I didn’t let it put me off this time though, and after reading Tina’s previous book ‘Call Me Mummy’, I knew that I was going to be in for one hell of a good read.
This book is phenomenal. It’s read-it-thorough-your-fingers-with-your-eyes-shut kind of phenomenal.
Reading it on The Pigeonhole, one stave a day for 10 days was a feat of endurance - the wait between staves was tortuous. This is NOT an easy read, and should probably come with some sort of trigger warning. It’s dark, emotional, visceral. It’s violent and frankly traumatic.
Debs and Marc should probably have never got together, never mind got married and had children. They’re both emotionally scarred from terrible childhoods and have never confronted, or been treated for, these psychological and physical injuries. And now they just seem to vent their feelings on one another with physical violence.
There’s loads of backstory that explains why they are in their current predicament, and honestly, I did feel some sympathy for them. But then, and Tina Baker does this so well, she gives with one hand, and snatches away with the other. Every past revelation of abuse or trauma, is bookended by domestic violence.
Honestly, it sounds horrendous, doesn’t it? But I couldn’t stop reading. As I said on The Pigeonhole: What a reading experience this has been. I’ll leave a review, but what can I say that will do this book justice?
Well, I can say this: Read It.
This book is phenomenal. It’s read-it-thorough-your-fingers-with-your-eyes-shut kind of phenomenal.
Reading it on The Pigeonhole, one stave a day for 10 days was a feat of endurance - the wait between staves was tortuous. This is NOT an easy read, and should probably come with some sort of trigger warning. It’s dark, emotional, visceral. It’s violent and frankly traumatic.
Debs and Marc should probably have never got together, never mind got married and had children. They’re both emotionally scarred from terrible childhoods and have never confronted, or been treated for, these psychological and physical injuries. And now they just seem to vent their feelings on one another with physical violence.
There’s loads of backstory that explains why they are in their current predicament, and honestly, I did feel some sympathy for them. But then, and Tina Baker does this so well, she gives with one hand, and snatches away with the other. Every past revelation of abuse or trauma, is bookended by domestic violence.
Honestly, it sounds horrendous, doesn’t it? But I couldn’t stop reading. As I said on The Pigeonhole: What a reading experience this has been. I’ll leave a review, but what can I say that will do this book justice?
Well, I can say this: Read It.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Replacement ( A Culling of Blood and Magic book 1) in Books
Dec 2, 2022
216 of 230
Kindle
The Replacement ( A Culling of Blood and Magic book 1)
By K.M. Rives
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
She was never meant to be a member of the Culling. He was never supposed to find his mate. Fate stepped in to ensure both.
There was only one reason the bond would choose Emery Montgomery. Her twin was dead. As soon as the silver band of the Culling appeared on her wrist, binding her to the vampire prince himself, her world turned upside down.
Forced to compete for the heart of her enemy in an archaic version of The Bachelor, Emery had only three things on her mind: Keep her witch heritage a secret, find her sister's murderer, and above all, don’t fall for the sinfully handsome prince.
August Nicholson wanted nothing to do with the pompously groomed women in his Culling, that was, until Emery showed up. She was unlike any other, calmed the dark twisted side of him few knew existed.
Instantly drawn to her, August must struggle against her intoxicating presence, because while he may want her for himself, he needs her to play her part to protect his family more.
Together, Emery and August must fight their feelings and find the culprit behind her twin’s murder, because if the Montgomery women were being hunted, Emery was next.
Took me a while to find a flow with this book but once I had it was really good. It had this strange feel of medieval castle with Kings and Princes mixed with the modern world very strange world building but I really liked it. The characters are fun and you find yourself fully invested towards the end. Highly recommended.
Kindle
The Replacement ( A Culling of Blood and Magic book 1)
By K.M. Rives
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
She was never meant to be a member of the Culling. He was never supposed to find his mate. Fate stepped in to ensure both.
There was only one reason the bond would choose Emery Montgomery. Her twin was dead. As soon as the silver band of the Culling appeared on her wrist, binding her to the vampire prince himself, her world turned upside down.
Forced to compete for the heart of her enemy in an archaic version of The Bachelor, Emery had only three things on her mind: Keep her witch heritage a secret, find her sister's murderer, and above all, don’t fall for the sinfully handsome prince.
August Nicholson wanted nothing to do with the pompously groomed women in his Culling, that was, until Emery showed up. She was unlike any other, calmed the dark twisted side of him few knew existed.
Instantly drawn to her, August must struggle against her intoxicating presence, because while he may want her for himself, he needs her to play her part to protect his family more.
Together, Emery and August must fight their feelings and find the culprit behind her twin’s murder, because if the Montgomery women were being hunted, Emery was next.
Took me a while to find a flow with this book but once I had it was really good. It had this strange feel of medieval castle with Kings and Princes mixed with the modern world very strange world building but I really liked it. The characters are fun and you find yourself fully invested towards the end. Highly recommended.
Debbiereadsbook (1780 KP) rated All the Wrong Pages (Collier Creek) in Books
Oct 17, 2023
loved this!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 4 of 6 in the Collier Creek multi author series; you don't need to read the other books first. But you NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED to read them, OK?? Cos all these books, and I have 2 more to read, have been awesome!
Logan and Cooper have been butting heads ever since high school when Logan stole Cooper's date for prom. Logan has crushed on Coop for as long, and it's become second nature. But then Cooper was made to see, really SEE why Logan is driving him nuts, and an overheard conversation crosses the T's and dots the I's. And then?? Logan is his, but will Logan let Coop in??
What I loved the most about this, was the dawning realisation that Coop had. It sort of crept up on him, till it hit him upside the head and then he ran with it. It was like a light bulb went off in his head and once he made the connection between Logan's behaviour and Logan's feelings?? Holy Moly!!
I loved the chemistry between these two. Hawt off the page, once they make the move. Loved that Coop never realised how perfect for him Logan was, before he got his hands and mouth on him. LOVED the smexy times!!
Again, super low angst. Most of the drama is before they get together, and that which comes after is not relationship based, but job based. But loved how both their work issues were solved in one fell swoop! It does lead nicely into a new series from McIntyre, too.
I can't fault this, really I can't. I just wish I could give them all more stars!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 4 of 6 in the Collier Creek multi author series; you don't need to read the other books first. But you NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED to read them, OK?? Cos all these books, and I have 2 more to read, have been awesome!
Logan and Cooper have been butting heads ever since high school when Logan stole Cooper's date for prom. Logan has crushed on Coop for as long, and it's become second nature. But then Cooper was made to see, really SEE why Logan is driving him nuts, and an overheard conversation crosses the T's and dots the I's. And then?? Logan is his, but will Logan let Coop in??
What I loved the most about this, was the dawning realisation that Coop had. It sort of crept up on him, till it hit him upside the head and then he ran with it. It was like a light bulb went off in his head and once he made the connection between Logan's behaviour and Logan's feelings?? Holy Moly!!
I loved the chemistry between these two. Hawt off the page, once they make the move. Loved that Coop never realised how perfect for him Logan was, before he got his hands and mouth on him. LOVED the smexy times!!
Again, super low angst. Most of the drama is before they get together, and that which comes after is not relationship based, but job based. But loved how both their work issues were solved in one fell swoop! It does lead nicely into a new series from McIntyre, too.
I can't fault this, really I can't. I just wish I could give them all more stars!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
New Nebraska Lessons
10.0
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She’s the only human on campus. Four paranormal guys all want a taste. But now a killer might beat...
Paranormal Reverse Harem Romance
I absolutely loved Kerry Daynes’s first book, so when I was given the chance by NetGalley to read and review this book I knew that I was in for a treat.
Kerry Daynes gives us an insight into the world of forensic psychology and the different settings that she has worked in, from hospitals to her own private practice to a mother-and-baby unit. Her job is so varied and she talks about a wide range of characters that she has met throughout her career.
Kerry Daynes doesn’t pretend to be a robot and is the first to admit that sometimes her prejudice or feelings do appear during sessions with some of her patients. She says the most important thing is to realise this and to try to put them to one side at that moment in time. I have always been interested in psychology and it is the career I want to go into in the near future, and this book has ignited that passion even further but also put some of my doubts to bed.
I really did enjoy this book, and while I know that statistics and studies are important to back up facts in the book, I did feel that at some points the references and statistics were a bit too heavy, especially if you are not someone who likes to go away and read up on them afterwards. While they didn’t bother me too much, I did sometimes find I was skimming over them a little, so I wonder what people who don’t have any experience of psychology would think of these parts.
Overall, I really did enjoy the book and I enjoyed reading about the patients that Kerry Daynes included and felt satisfied when we found out what happened to them afterwards.
Kerry Daynes gives us an insight into the world of forensic psychology and the different settings that she has worked in, from hospitals to her own private practice to a mother-and-baby unit. Her job is so varied and she talks about a wide range of characters that she has met throughout her career.
Kerry Daynes doesn’t pretend to be a robot and is the first to admit that sometimes her prejudice or feelings do appear during sessions with some of her patients. She says the most important thing is to realise this and to try to put them to one side at that moment in time. I have always been interested in psychology and it is the career I want to go into in the near future, and this book has ignited that passion even further but also put some of my doubts to bed.
I really did enjoy this book, and while I know that statistics and studies are important to back up facts in the book, I did feel that at some points the references and statistics were a bit too heavy, especially if you are not someone who likes to go away and read up on them afterwards. While they didn’t bother me too much, I did sometimes find I was skimming over them a little, so I wonder what people who don’t have any experience of psychology would think of these parts.
Overall, I really did enjoy the book and I enjoyed reading about the patients that Kerry Daynes included and felt satisfied when we found out what happened to them afterwards.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Valkyrie’s Bond ( Half - Blood Rising book 1) in Books
Jul 22, 2022
125 of 230
Kindle
The Valkyrie’s Bond ( Half-Blood Rising book 1)
By Lucy Roy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As a rare halfblood among a race of witches and shifters, Freya has enjoyed living a quiet life away from the royal court of Lindoroth and among those who know little about her. She’s had the freedom to make her own choices, and fighting alongside the local marshals is just an added bonus.
When obligation arrives on her doorstep to remind her of promises made long ago, her quiet life comes to an end. With hardly time to say goodbye, Freya is whisked off to the capital city of Iladel to attend a prestigious royal academy with her peers, where appearances can be deceiving and connections are everything. While there, she’ll be reunited with her childhood friend, Prince Aerelius, and begin to experience life at the royal court in ways she never did as a girl.
As Freya and the prince dive into old routines and explore new feelings, they uncover the secrets and schemes that lurk below the court’s surface. When a secret is unveiled that changes everything, they must do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of their kingdom. If they fail, long-held alliances will shatter and war will come to the shores of their land, threatening all they hold dear.
I adore this author and this didn’t disappoint. I love the world and character builds and the story came to so well. I love the idea of the Valkyries they are fascinating. If I had one thing that maybe stopped it being a 5⭐️ was that it waited till the last 4 chapters before the action kicked in. Although the build up was still enough to make me want more.
Kindle
The Valkyrie’s Bond ( Half-Blood Rising book 1)
By Lucy Roy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As a rare halfblood among a race of witches and shifters, Freya has enjoyed living a quiet life away from the royal court of Lindoroth and among those who know little about her. She’s had the freedom to make her own choices, and fighting alongside the local marshals is just an added bonus.
When obligation arrives on her doorstep to remind her of promises made long ago, her quiet life comes to an end. With hardly time to say goodbye, Freya is whisked off to the capital city of Iladel to attend a prestigious royal academy with her peers, where appearances can be deceiving and connections are everything. While there, she’ll be reunited with her childhood friend, Prince Aerelius, and begin to experience life at the royal court in ways she never did as a girl.
As Freya and the prince dive into old routines and explore new feelings, they uncover the secrets and schemes that lurk below the court’s surface. When a secret is unveiled that changes everything, they must do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of their kingdom. If they fail, long-held alliances will shatter and war will come to the shores of their land, threatening all they hold dear.
I adore this author and this didn’t disappoint. I love the world and character builds and the story came to so well. I love the idea of the Valkyries they are fascinating. If I had one thing that maybe stopped it being a 5⭐️ was that it waited till the last 4 chapters before the action kicked in. Although the build up was still enough to make me want more.