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Haunting You (Bewitching Women #2)
Haunting You (Bewitching Women #2)
Viola Estrella | 2014 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
It is bad enough trying to pass exams at the best of times, let alone when it is the Bar exam and you're being distracted by an angry ghost. This is what happens to Rachel all the time. Since someone very close to her died and she helped him to move on, she can't stop seeing ghosts. She pretends like she can't but some are very persistent. Enter Ella, a control freak ghost who needs someone to keep an eye on her irresponsible brother who is looking after her two sons.

This story is fun from the very start, although that is not to say that it is all light and fluffy. There is a dark element to this that I won't go into too much detail about so I don't ruin the book. The sexual tension is between Rachel and August from the start and Nicholas and Zach are there to help things along too.

It is well-written with plenty to keep you interested page after page. The characters develop as the story moves on and one of my favourites was Nicholas. There is suspense, family obligation and pressure, humour, and nosy neighbours - what more could you want?

Definitely recommended.

* 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!
September 14, 2016
  
Surface Scratch (Neon Scars #1)
Surface Scratch (Neon Scars #1)
Gale Ian Tate | 2023 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
SURFACE SCRATCH is the first book in the Neon Scars series, and also the first book published by this author. If you're looking for a light and fluffy romance then you've got the wrong book. This one is quite dark so be prepared.

Caleb has had a hard time of it recently. He and his family were in a car accident, leaving him with some major scars. His brother walks out and his mom dies. But then he gets a job at a nightclub and is intrigued by his boss, Marcus. He gets drawn into a world of vampires where, just as with humans, some are "good" and some not so much. There are also hunters who come across more as the bad guys than anything else.

As I said, this is dark. The loving is rough and almost violent (although written incredibly well.) I enjoyed Caleb and Marcus' story but am also looking forward to finding out more from the other characters. Vincent especially made me laugh as every time he called Caleb "Buttercup", I was hearing it said by different characters from The Princess Bride movie!

A great beginning to a series with a fantastic group of characters. Definitely recommended by me.

** 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!
May 5, 2023
  
Psycho Shifters (Cruel Alphaverse #1)
Psycho Shifters (Cruel Alphaverse #1)
Jasmine Mas | 2022 | Paranormal, Romance
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
PSYCHO SHIFTERS is the first in the Cruel Shifterverse series and, as the titles of the book and series suggest, this is not a warm and fluffy book! What it is, is a gripping and intriguing story, from the alpha-holes to mysterious portents in the Sacred Lake.

Sadie has had a hard life, frequently whipped with a belt. So long as it protects her sister, she's okay with it. Well, not okay, exactly, but you know what I mean. A series of events lead her to being left alone at a training centre where no one thinks pretty much of her, including the other alphas she's supposed to be with.

Each of the other alpha's have distinct personalities and react to her presence in their own delightful ways. We find out more about Jax and Cobra than we do Ascher, which is a story all by itself.

There are plenty of raunchy moments here so be prepared. Also, it doesn't skimp on violence, which is perfect for this book.

It does end on a cliffhanger, so consider yourself warned. Poor Ascher! I can't wait to see where we go next. Definitely recommended by me.

** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
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Merissa (11805 KP) rated Wish (Indigo Dreams #1) in Books

Dec 17, 2018 (Updated Jun 7, 2023)  
Wish (Indigo Dreams #1)
Wish (Indigo Dreams #1)
Grier Cooper | 2014 | Contemporary, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the story of Indigo, a sixteen-year-old girl who dreams of being a ballet dancer. Having taken ballet lessons for years, she understands that it isn't something that will just happen without a lot of hard work. However, she is struggling at the present due to family circumstances. Wish tells her story, about the circumstances and decisions made that set her on the path to her future.

This was very well-written with characters that were believable and fully dimensional. The storyline was well-paced and continued to hold my interest throughout. The romance between Jesse and Indigo actually takes a back seat in the story behind the ballet which makes a nice change in a Young Adult book. You never know which way things will go until you get there. This is not just some "everything is peachy" fluffy book, it is a book that deals with a serious subject, alcoholism, in a very realistic way and shows how it impacts not only the drinker but friends and family too.

This is a very different book that is well worth the time it takes to read. I would like to read more about Indigo and her dreams. Definitely recommended.

* 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!
Jan 12, 2015
  
AA
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not totally romance, not exactly chick-lit, not altogether a mystery, so what is it? A bit of all of the above really. ALL ABOUT EVIE is a fluffy read that's fairly quick and utterly harmless. Evie, at 41, is a nice change from the 23-year-olds that run rampant in lighter fiction. Yes, her age does come into play since she's an old geezer in the world of show business, but it never became overbearing or unnecessary and added another dimension to her character. Evie narrates in first person, while when it cuts to another character it is written in third person, a bit jarring at first, but I didn't have any problems with it. The plot was fine, as was the pace, there's not much to rave or quibble about, the book was just nice. I think the most irritating thing about the book was the excessive mentioning of Evie's TMJ (temporomandibular joint, which should actually really be called TMD - temporomandibular joint disorder/dysfunction), I really got sick of her bringing it up and then confusing it with lockjaw. We got it, you have a problem with your jaw, move on. But on the whole, I wouldn't say there was anything earth-shattering about the book but it's a perfectly good beach read. One thing, this is the first of three books (not sure if they'll be more), so it's not a standalone, which was unfortunate for me. At this time I'm not sure if I'll be on the look-out for the other two.
  
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Sam (74 KP) rated The Note in Books

Mar 27, 2019  
The Note
The Note
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Maya Flowers sees a new commuter on her train, and knows that he’s The One, so she becomes obsessed, imagining what his life is like and who he is until she plucks up the courage to give him a note.

When I realised that this was based on a true story, I decided to read it, thinking that because it was meant that it wouldn’t to be too pink and fluffy. And I was quite glad that I picked it up because it was entertaining.

I really liked Maya, the fact that she seemed so normal. I loved that her obsession with James was so obvious, it made her such a relatable character.

I did struggle a bit with the pace of the novel. It was quite slow all the way through, when I’m more into novels that jump straight into a good juicy plot. But I should have expected this from a book that’s about missed chances.

It was definitely an enjoyable read, with some funny parts. It also definitely made me smile. However I did definitely struggle with it, and to say that it’s only short, it took me a bit longer to read than I thought it would. It just seemed to be missing something.

But since it’s based on a true story, I’m not sure I can really comment much on the plot.

It’s definitely worth reading if you like Jojo Moyes, and I did enjoy it. My only comment is that the pace seemed to let it down.
  
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Juliette Jackson recommended track This Is the Day by The The in Soul Mining by The The in Music (curated)

 
Soul Mining by The The
Soul Mining by The The
1983 | Alternative
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Album Favorite

This Is the Day by The The

(0 Ratings)

Track

"Do you know that film Empire Records? It's got Liv Tyler and Renée Zellweger in it and it's a very 90s’ coming-of-age movie about these kids who work in a record shop. I used to be completely obsessed with it, I wanted to be Liv Tyler and I wanted to have her fluffy jumper. They used to put loads of sugar in their coffee and when I was fifteen and starting to make coffee for the first time, I used to put ten sugars in it, because that was what the kids in Empire Records did! This song comes on at the end, just as all the characters are dancing together. It’s so lifting and so fresh. There are no other songs in the world where an accordion sounds so good. “I've listened to other songs by The The but I'm much more of a song person than an album person. I'll make playlists and go back again and again to the exact same song. I feel like they've got a couple of other bangers, I can't think what they're called, but 'This is the Day' sounds exactly like what it is. It sounds exactly like what they're singing: ""This is the day when things fall into place!"" “It's also a song that me and Celia really bonded over when we first met. We both realised at the same time how much we love that film and we both have it as our 'wake up in the morning and pull your finger out' song."

Source
  
Sweat Connection (Hot Under the Collar #1)
Sweat Connection (Hot Under the Collar #1)
Katherine McIntyre | 2023 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Quite possibly McIntyre's best work to date!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

I'm not rehashing the blurb, and I'm not telling you the story, I'ma just gonna jump straight in!

READ THIS FREAKING BOOK, PEOPLE!

It's so well written, from both Rhys and Cole's POV, in the first person, each chapter headers the change.

It's steamy and smexy (sooooooooooooooooooo smexy!) It's deeply emotional, for both Rhys and Cole and that surprised me, don't ask me why, cos I've no freaking idea! I just expected this to be a light and fluffy book. And it is, but with a heavy side of emotions.

It's sweet and cute, it's so freaking cute. Full of the warm and fuzzies that low/no angst books carry. Full of emotion and love.

Rhys is in a dark place when he comes into contact with Cole, and after that, it's just two guys falling in love! Throw in McIntyre's skill with found families, and extended families, and a 2 yr old called Sammy and you've got, for me, possibly McIntyre's best work yet!

AND this is the first in a new series and I cannot wait for the next one!

I'm making this a relatively short review, I might start ranting and raving, and if I allow myself free reign, you could end up with a 10,000 word review!

I'm putting this on my Masterpiece shelf! I abso-freaking-lutely loved this book and I can't see why anyone wouldn't.

5 full and shiny stars.

*same worded review will appear elsewhere