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Merissa (11765 KP) rated River Girl in Books

Dec 17, 2018 (Updated May 31, 2023)  
River Girl
River Girl
R.E. Whaley | 2016 | Contemporary, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Pauline is taking a river trip in memory of her sister, and to try to figure out what to do with her life. Her guide, Fiona, doesn't show up and so a replacement is assigned to her. Although sparks fly between them, Ellis has problems with his memory and blows hot and cold. The reasons for this are explained, and he gained my sympathy.

There is action, adventure and mystery in this story. The transition from one scene to another is sometimes a bit jolting, and the characters' feelings are very changeable, both to each other and in general circumstances.

A contemporary, a mystery, and a romance all rolled into one.

* 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 24, 2016
  
E
Echoes
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<b><i>I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<h2><strong><cite>Echoes</cite></strong><strong> by Alice Reeds is so confusing yet interesting at the exact same time.</strong></h2>
Alice Reed's latest novel is <i>super</i> vague in its synopsis with two teens (Fiona and Miles) applying for an internship and somehow waking up on a deserted island with no recollection of how they got there in the first place.

<strong>I can't tell if my feelings are a good thing or a bad thing. </strong>I have so many thoughts and feelings about <i>Echoes</i>, so I'm going to run around in the middle. &#x1f914;
<h3><strong><i>Echoes</i></strong><strong> is confusing AF</strong></h3>
Reeds lays out this book in two time periods - Berlin and the island. Berlin is supposedly right before they got to the island, but I am left with so many questions of <i>how</i> they even got there.

Heck, I'm left with so many questions after finishing the novel. If that was Reeds's intention, she did a phenomenal job with it, because I'm confused AF with a vague idea of what even happened.
<h3><strong>There is instalove</strong></h3>
You don't even need to try to know that this is instalove and enemies to lovers on the spot. Fiona and Miles are high school enemies - they've hated each other from the moment they met and <i>somehow</i> ended up on an island together. Alone. What else is going to happen in the world of book tropes? &#x1f937;
<h3><strong>To be honest, this book makes you think</strong></h3>
I don't think I've walked away even one step ahead from each chapter without having to retrace my steps and think about what really happened. This might be why I'm still super confused - I'm constantly asking, "How did this happen?" and "Why did this happen?"

<strong>I had to step away </strong><strong><i>a lot</i></strong><strong> because I was confused.</strong> My brain was just pure:

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2767" src="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2017/08/what-the-fuck.gif"; alt="" width="320" height="159" />

I'm still lost and I have not returned from this lostness. (Maybe I was tired.)
<h3><strong>It still kept you interested despite the confusion</strong></h3>
I <i>nearly</i> DNFed this book, but I wanted to know <i>what</i> happened and what <i>will</i> happen at the end. Fortunately for fictional books, I don't get killed for being curious.
<h3><strong>The characters felt pretty flat and writing was meh</strong></h3>
I didn't care too much about Fiona and Miles - sure I want them alive, but do I care? Not really... I cared more about how they got there in the first and how they got from Berlin to a deserted island. All I got from the characters is:
<ol>
  <li>Fiona is a champion kickboxer</li>
  <li>Miles is a wealthy and popular kid at school</li>
  <li>Their fathers didn't really give a shit about them</li>
</ol>
Plus the writing! First of all, let's set aside that confusion and focus on the writing by itself, which was okay, but definitely not the best. <strong>There was a lot of telling and descriptions that made me want to roll over and fall asleep</strong> than "I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT." And for me, meh writing + confusion = does not have the desire to continue the book.
<h2><strong>Honestly, </strong><i><strong>Echoes</strong></i><strong> is just plain confusion, which is great if you want to be confused. I just felt like I had no answers by the end of the book when all I wanted </strong><strong><i>were</i></strong><strong> answers.</strong></h2>

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/echoes-by-alice-reeds/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
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Nadya R (9 KP) rated The Tea Rose in Books

Jul 2, 2018  
The Tea Rose
The Tea Rose
Jennifer Donnelly | 2006 | History & Politics, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fiona is 17 years old girl who works in Burton's tea factory. She leads a life of Irish emigrant with her big family. There is Joe as well. The next door boy she is inlove with and also he is inlove with her since they were children. The only light in their light is their cacao box. It consist all of their savings set aside to support their dream - to have their own shop. When one day everything broke down. His father died in accident. Joe, the men she always love, is forced to marry to other woman.
London's atmosphere is so vivdly described. With only two word Donnally took us into her universe. Everything is so bright. It's make you feel the smell of the tea into English's humid air. You can hear Joe, who call you to go and buy some of his fruits and veggies. This is also the time of Jack the Ripper. Series of brutally killed women spread the fear trough the people in Whitechapel. Trying to take the ill baby to the doctor, Fiona's mother Kate became a witness of another Jack's murder and for that she paid with her life. The baby died a couple of days after her mom. Fiona's bigger brother Charlie disappeared, heart-broken because of his mother death. And Fiona end up with her little brother. But when their life is threatened, they catch the first ship to New York. There from poor little girl without a family, she become one of the richest women in New York.
Unputdownable! Totally deserve to be read. All this tragedy. Her misfortune love with Joe. Every time when they are going to meet I became so happy, only to be disappointed because they missed out the chance. Its a huge book with its 800 pages (Bulgarian edition), but they aren't enough for me. I wanted to learn more about Fiona's success. How she became this powerful woman. I missed this ten years that aren't described in the book.
Amazing book that kept me awake three nights in a row.
  
TC
The Charity Shop Detective Agency
Peter Boland | 2022 | Crime, Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Every now and again I like to take a break from the usual hard-hitting, dark and gritty crime thrillers I usually read and immerse myself into something a little more sedate and The Charity Shop Detective Agency hit the spot perfectly.

I absolutely fell in love with the three main characters in this story - Fiona, Partial Sue and Daisy ... oh and not forgetting Simon Le Bon! Despite being retired, they have the skills and insight needed to assist in bringing the perpetrator to justice. There is a supporting cast of equally excellent characters that all added to and had their place within the story.

The plot is engaging and had some great twists and turns that kept me guessing and on my toes. The pacing was perfect for me and felt right for the story.

Highly recommended to those who enjoy a cozy mystery with believable characters and I can't wait for the next in the series ... sign me up!

Many thanks to Joffe Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Charity Shop Detective Agency.
  
Try Not to Breathe
Try Not to Breathe
Holly Seddon | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
7.5 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Amy Stevenson was seriously injured 15 years ago. The person who attacked her has never been caught. Alex Dale is a journalist who has suffered a lot of loss over the past few years, but she is determined to get her life back in order and try to help to find out who hurt Amy. Will Alex be able to solve the mystery? Will she be able to keep her health under control long enough?

There are so many unanswered questions when it comes to the night Amy was attacked. With the help of her ex-husband, Matt, a police officer and Amy's ex-boyfriend, Jake, will Alex be able to find out what really happened to Amy.

This is Holly Seddon's first book and she hit it out of the park. This mystery had you guessing who could have done it. There were a couple of times, when I was certain I knew who the culprit was, but at the end, I was wrong. I was shocked at the end by the turn of events. Alex, dives deep in to Amy's past to find out what is going on. She investigates the case more than the police did when they had the case.

This book had me intrigued from the very beginning. I was invested in Ale and was routing for her to accomplish her goal of helping Amy and the world find out who attacked her. I got worried when she hit a setback in the case, hoping it wouldn't be a setback in her quest to try to get healthy. When her doctor gives her a health update, that isn't quite what she hopes to hear, it puts a fire under her in my opinion, that makes her work harder on the case. Whether it's to beat the inevitable, or to prove that she can still do the job she loves, I'm not sure.

Working with Jacob(Jake) who has his own issues he is going through, proves to be most helpful. Jake has visited Amy quite a bit over the past 15 years. Unfortunately, his wife, Fiona has no idea. With his first child on the way, Jake has to make a decision about whether or not he can keep up this charade, but will Fiona find out before he has a chance to help Alex solve the mystery.

Overall, this was one of the best books I have read this year. It was hard to put down and it kept me captivated throughout the entire book. Highly recommended.
  
The Secret of Roan Inish (1995)
The Secret of Roan Inish (1995)
1995 | Action, Drama, Family
7
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Not Great Overall
A young girl suspects that her long lost brother might have become a seal living by the sea. I know it sounds farfetched but The Secret of Roan Inish is actually based in Irish folktales.

Acting: 10
Loved all the performances here all around. Jeni Courtney is solid in the lead role as Fiona. She really fleshes out a character you can get behind and root for throughout the duration of the movie.

Beginning: 8
Intriguing start although it didn’t hook me in all the way. I was curious to see more after the first ten minutes, but didn’t necessarily need to. All in all, it was a good setup for the remainder of the story.

Characters: 10
All of the characters involved in the story are fun and full of energy. Fiona was strong for sure. However, I think my favorite character was Eamon played by Richard Sheridan. Fun characters definitely helped the story advance along more smoothly.

Cinematography/Visuals: 3
The cinematics definitely left a lot to be desired. Sadly it took away from the overally enjoyment of the movie. To be fair, it doesn’t seem like the budget was extremely high, but at times it honestly felt like I was watching a PBS show.

Conflict: 3

Entertainment Value: 4

Memorability: 5
Even as I rewatch the movie, I’m struggling to remember parts that really stuck out. It’s not impactful nor does it hit you with any kind of punch. It’s the kind of movie you put on to perhaps keep a fidgety kid occupied. Even then, I’m not sure if kids today would sit still and watch this for long enough.

Pace: 10
Story moves along fairly quickly. Nice blend of exposition and action. It allows you to get attached to the characters while smoothly advancing things. Definitely didn’t feel like 103 minutes.

Plot: 10

Resolution: 3
Wasn’t in love with the resolution as it left me with an actual lack of completion. I wanted more closure of sorts, but it wasn’t to be. Had the ending been slightly better, I could see moving this movie up into C-range.

Overall: 66
Even what little hope I had that The Secret of Roan Inish would be good was dashed. A number of others out there, critics and audience members alike, seem to disagree and I’m ok with that. It’s possible that I missed the mark of what this movie was intended to hit. I won’t apologize for that, I’ll just say it wasn’t my cup of tea and leave it at that.
  
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Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Saga in Books

Nov 30, 2020  
Saga
Saga
Brian K. Vaughan | 2012 | Comics & Graphic Novels
8
9.2 (21 Ratings)
Book Rating
I'm old! Like I've pro'lly been reading comics for way too long (I was there the first time Jean Grey died)! But, when I say this what I consider one of the best comics EVER, I am behind that statement 100%!

Brian K. Vaughn has created an amazing story, with characters that are far from perfect but at the same time have merit and worth. It is clear that a lot of time went into the creations of each of the characters introduced, as well as the various settings. Long story short? This dude is a frigging GENIUS! Just sayin'..

And hey, how about those visuals from series artist Fiona Staples? Man, those covers she turns in are ridiculously rich in detail, but the inside stuff? Dear God, she has it goin' on! While I have some love for a number of Marvel characters, I am glad that Marvel never tried to lure her in, because she is far too good for them!

I could go on and on about the series and how good it is, but well, there's a more than fair number of users on here have said it better. Let's just leave it at this: Best.Comic.EVER! Now, scoot, go read it already!!
  
Killing Eve - Season 3
Killing Eve - Season 3
2020 | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Bored now
I have to be honest, I was glad when series 2 ended as it seemed like a fitting end and also because the Eve and Villanelle relationship was getting rather tedious. And I’m afraid to say my verdict on series 3 has probably been influenced by this.

This is definitely the weakest of the seasons so far. It still has it's funny and witty moments and some of the kills are rather ingenious as always, but overall this whole season just feels rather tired. We’ve seen all of this in the other two series, the constant back and forth with Eve and Villanelle and it’s getting rather dull. It was fun originally to watch the killings and look at all the cool and silly outfits Villanelle wears, but after 3 seasons it’s nothing new anymore. You can predict exactly what the characters are going to do and it just isn’t interesting any more. It was nice to see more of Fiona Shaw’s character Carolyn but even that was spoilt by her beyond irritating daughter Geraldine.

 I really hope this is the last series of Killing Eve, as I just don’t see where they can take it from here that will reinvent it and mix it up.
  
Furyborn: Empirium Trilogy Book 1
Furyborn: Empirium Trilogy Book 1
Claire Legrand | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
8.3 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
When I saw this book on Netgalley, I knew I had to read it. The description grabbed me & it sounded like a book that I would fall in love with. Once I finally found time to read the book it grabbed my attention. Unfortunately, I wound out of time to physically read the book so I ended up buying the audiobook. When I first listened to the narrator's voice I was hesitant but by the end I loved it. Fiona Hardingham (Narrator)just added a little bit more to the story. I was so glad that I switched to audiobook that I think it added a half star to my rating.

My rating would be a 4.5 but since I cannot do a half star I'm going to round up to 5. The plot was fascinating and I loved all of the characters that I read. This book was jam packed with action, swoon worthy heroes, and some really powerful women. I loved that Rielle & Eliana had their flaws and I loved that we got to know them on a fundemental level. It was fun to see the growth in them.

All in all, I really liked this story. I probably wouldn't consider it young adult though. I think it belongs in the adult fantasy section.
  
DO
Death of a Nurse (Hamish Macbeth, #31)
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Poor Hamish. He’s still as unlucky at love as he ever was. After spying an attractive nurse, Gloria, while out making rounds on his beat, he arranges to meet her for dinner. He’s stood up, and only finds out several days later that the nurse has been murdered.

Gloria’s employer, Mr. Harrison, soon has a new nurse, and it doesn’t take long before there is another body, and another murder for Hamish and his new constable Charlie to investigate. Instead of having to deal with Inspector Blair as usual, Hamish is at first pleased to find the case being handled by Inspector Fiona Hemming, but it becomes all too apparent that her interest is as much in Charlie as it is in solving the case, and she has little use for Hamish. The killer is no match for Hamish’s intuition and power of deduction, however. Luckily for Inspector Daviot Hamish is only interested in seeing justice served and getting back to his quiet highland existence, so he has no qualms about once again letting his superiors take credit for solving the case.

All of the usual suspects make an appearance, Dick and Anka, Elspeth, and of course Priscilla. This book was so typically Hamish, and I loved it. Fans of the series should really enjoy this one, but the mystery would work as a standalone as well.

NOTE: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.