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By Degrees

JB McDonald

(0 Ratings) Rate It

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Con’s a firefighter; he knows a burning flame when he sees one. But as things heat up between him...

Merissa (12788 KP) rated Atlantis Rising (Atlantis Rising, #1) in Books

Dec 17, 2018

I received this book from Young Adult Bound Book Tours in return for a fair and honest review.

If you like stories based on Atlantis then I'm sure that you will enjoy this. It is a light, young adult book that incorporates a sideline of romance but it doesn't overpower the story.

Allison had a hard start in life. She was left in foster care at age 3 but she can't remember anything from before that. She was in the system for a while before being fostered and adopted by the McKyes. Three years ago though, she is approached by a man in the park who was there with his family and told that her abilities (that she knew about... sort of) were wanted by a 'bad man' who wouldn't hesitate to hurt her family to get to her. So Allison tries to fade into the background. She thinks she's doing okay until Ian and Brandy come along and shake things up.

This is a well-written story that moves along at a steady pace. Ian and Brandy are brilliant characters and really help this story to come alive. There are lots of other great supporting characters though, not just including the family and Lillian (who rocks!).

The ending is bittersweet and I am hoping that this will be part of a series. There are unanswered questions left over and I really want to see more of Allison and Ian. Definitely recommended!

Kudos

What Beauty There Is

Cory Anderson

10.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

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Perfect for fans of Patrick Ness, Meg Rosoff and Daniel Woodrell, What Beauty There Is is an...

Suspense Coming of age

Mount Mercy

Helena newbury

9.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

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From the author of Alaska Wild comes a standalone romantic suspense that will leave you breathless....

ClareR (5869 KP) rated Fragile in Books

Nov 2, 2021

Fragile

Sarah Hilary | 2021 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

I think there is always a case for choosing a book based purely on the cover. This is another of those times where I’ve done precisely that - and I loved this book.

Fragile is a haunting thriller, where two young people, Nell and Joe, run away to London from their foster home after a tragic event. An event that we’re drip fed the information of as the book progresses.

Joe and Nell become separated, so Nell decides to go and knock on the door of the last place she saw him. When Dr. Robin Wilder opens the door at Starling Villa, Nell manages to talk him into employing her as his housekeeper. But all is not as it seems. Is Nell really safe here? What happened in Wales before she ran away to London with Joe? What does Dr. Wilders wife want with Nell? And where is Joe?

Nell and Joe’s backstories about their lives in care are heartbreaking. From a young age, Nell becomes the house ‘mother’, cleaner and cook. It’s a horrible life for her and so well described. Joe’s life isn’t any better.

Actually, the writing is so descriptive: people and places are described picture perfectly, and some scenes are so emotive, whilst others are really tense. The gripping finale was heartbreaking.

Sarah Hilary is a new author to me, and one that I’ll certainly look out for in future.

Kudos

Footwork

TA Moore

10.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

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Bode Harlan has never claimed to be a good guy, but he’s trying to keep his nose clean and his...

Contemporary MM Romance First Love Second Chance Bad Boy

Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated Orient in Books

Mar 15, 2018

There are some books that manage to transcend their genres to become something else altogether, and while "Orient" is ostensibly a mystery, it is also one of the finer literary works likely to be published this year. It follows Mills Chevern, a foster kid who has bounced in and out of several families on his way from Modesto, California to the titular town of Orient on New York's Long Island. While a handful of the townspeople feel sympathetic to him and try to help him adjust to the community's somewhat insular nature, most are suspicious of anyone new. Shortly after his arrival, strange creatures begin washing up onshore and residents being dying. Mills and recently returned native Beth begin to search for answers in places that the locals, who are all to happy to point the finger at the new and unfamiliar resident, refuse to look, and in the process learn about the dark secrets hiding beneath the veneer of the seemingly idyllic coastal community. There are more than enough twists and surprises to keep fans of the mystery and suspense genres happy, but there is so much more here. It goes into tremendous detail about the lives of its characters, really giving you a sense of the town, and really making you care for the people you're reading about. The prose itself flows beautifully and contains countless quotable moments. This is a gorgeously entertaining read that is very likely to wind up on more than a few year-end best lists.