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Because I had always loved the film, I knew that the book would definitely be for me – and I wasn’t disappointed. With Matilda, I had always loved that there was a bookish character. And while I was reading this, I realised that there aren’t nearly enough bookish characters in books. Books should be full of book-loving characters as they are instantly relatable to anyone reading the books. This is why I have always related to Matilda as a character.
Matilda never tries to hide her intelligence, and I love that. It’s something that a lot of adults can’t do. I was even saying to one of my friends at work that I act more ditsy than I actually am when I’m there. I’ve always hidden parts of myself because I want to fit in. Matilda doesn’t even try to fit in with everyone else, even though she excels everyone around her. I think everyone could learn a lesson about personalities from Matilda.
I love that she goes against the crowd. When everyone around her is trying to tell her that she can’t possibly be as smart as she is and that she is worthless, she defies them every time. She doesn’t dumb herself down and try to become like everyone else just to avoid people making fun of her.
The best thing about Matilda is that the book stays funny and entertaining all the way through. Even at the worse parts it never drops it’s humour, which makes it perfect for kids.
The happy ending is like the icing on the cake for me. I’m a sucker for happy endings, but I feel like this one was perfect. It felt like a fairytale.
If you enjoyed the film, you need to buy the book. It’s ten times better than the film and has so many important messages to both adults and children.
Matilda never tries to hide her intelligence, and I love that. It’s something that a lot of adults can’t do. I was even saying to one of my friends at work that I act more ditsy than I actually am when I’m there. I’ve always hidden parts of myself because I want to fit in. Matilda doesn’t even try to fit in with everyone else, even though she excels everyone around her. I think everyone could learn a lesson about personalities from Matilda.
I love that she goes against the crowd. When everyone around her is trying to tell her that she can’t possibly be as smart as she is and that she is worthless, she defies them every time. She doesn’t dumb herself down and try to become like everyone else just to avoid people making fun of her.
The best thing about Matilda is that the book stays funny and entertaining all the way through. Even at the worse parts it never drops it’s humour, which makes it perfect for kids.
The happy ending is like the icing on the cake for me. I’m a sucker for happy endings, but I feel like this one was perfect. It felt like a fairytale.
If you enjoyed the film, you need to buy the book. It’s ten times better than the film and has so many important messages to both adults and children.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Perfect Mother in Books
Apr 3, 2019
The May Mothers is a group of first time mothers in New York City who all have babies coming in May. Winnie, Francie, Nell, Collette, and Token seem to have the closest relationships in the group. The ladies meet before the babies are born and then a couple of months after the babies are born, they decide it's a good time for them to have a night out to enjoy themselves. Nell arranges for them to all meet at a bar called The Jolly Llama. While there, Winnie's son, Midas goes missing. All of the women are determined to find out what happened. But in their investigations, they find out more about each other than they ever could have imagined.
I really enjoyed this book. Normally, I listen to audio books on they way back and forth to work or when I'm in the car, but I found myself listening to this book as often as I could, so I could find out what happened to Baby Midas. The author has you fooled for a while thinking one person is responsible for this heinous crime, but then the twist comes along and **BOOM** mind blown. I didn't see it coming.
The funny part was when the twist did come, I was walking around the grocery store and I said a little loudly, "What the F***!" That got a few people to look in my direction. I was never a part of a mommy group, so I couldn't quite relate to that part of the story. But being concerned about the welfare of your child is something every mother can relate too. There were parts when I was sure I knew how this story was going to end. But I was quite shocked. Another great un-put-downable.
This is the first book I've read by Aimee Molloy, but I look forward to reading more. If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend that you do.
I really enjoyed this book. Normally, I listen to audio books on they way back and forth to work or when I'm in the car, but I found myself listening to this book as often as I could, so I could find out what happened to Baby Midas. The author has you fooled for a while thinking one person is responsible for this heinous crime, but then the twist comes along and **BOOM** mind blown. I didn't see it coming.
The funny part was when the twist did come, I was walking around the grocery store and I said a little loudly, "What the F***!" That got a few people to look in my direction. I was never a part of a mommy group, so I couldn't quite relate to that part of the story. But being concerned about the welfare of your child is something every mother can relate too. There were parts when I was sure I knew how this story was going to end. But I was quite shocked. Another great un-put-downable.
This is the first book I've read by Aimee Molloy, but I look forward to reading more. If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend that you do.
AT (1676 KP) rated Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther in Books
Feb 15, 2020
I ran across Cat Tale on the New Books shelf at my library. I had no real interest in the subject prior to seeing the cute picture on the cover, along with the bright color scheme. I was also drawn to the word, "Weird," in the title. I flipped the book over, and read the praised reviews on the back, so I decided to give the book a try. I'm so glad that I did! Number one, I live in Florida, but am a transplant from the north. So I see a lot of names on counties, streets, schools, etc., and know them from that, but not from what any of the people or places were involved with in their day. So I did get a little basic name history while reading, which was an added bonus.
The book, itself, reads like a fiction novel. Plus, it's pretty funny throughout, which made it that much more enjoyable! I kept looking names and events up to make sure that they were real when the book seemed too fictional. (They were real.) It's amazing how messed up the whole process got while trying to save the species, and how such a small number of people can end up being so detrimental to any project. There were some unforgettable characters (again, real people!) that assisted Florida during this process. I quickly was drawn to the story and information. To me, it ended up being wildly interesting. Without ruining the details for you, I realize that any non-fiction account needs to be taken with an open mind and a grain of salt at times. However, everything that I questioned was information that could be found easily. I wish more non-fiction books were written for smooth reading like Cat Tale was. Craig Pittman took a potentially dry, possibly boring subject, and made it very engaging all the way through. It's definitely worth reading, if you're even the least bit curious. (Or, if you simply like the cover picture and color scheme!)
The book, itself, reads like a fiction novel. Plus, it's pretty funny throughout, which made it that much more enjoyable! I kept looking names and events up to make sure that they were real when the book seemed too fictional. (They were real.) It's amazing how messed up the whole process got while trying to save the species, and how such a small number of people can end up being so detrimental to any project. There were some unforgettable characters (again, real people!) that assisted Florida during this process. I quickly was drawn to the story and information. To me, it ended up being wildly interesting. Without ruining the details for you, I realize that any non-fiction account needs to be taken with an open mind and a grain of salt at times. However, everything that I questioned was information that could be found easily. I wish more non-fiction books were written for smooth reading like Cat Tale was. Craig Pittman took a potentially dry, possibly boring subject, and made it very engaging all the way through. It's definitely worth reading, if you're even the least bit curious. (Or, if you simply like the cover picture and color scheme!)
Mrs Moneypenny's Financial Advice for Independent Women
Moneypenny and Heather McGregor
Book
Get a money makeover from the legendary FT columnist, Mrs Moneypenny, author of Mrs Moneypenny's...
The Magic Misfits
10.0
Rate It
Book
‘I adored Magic Misfits. This man is far too talented for my liking, and needs to be...
children
Little Red Hood
Sarah Ardizzone and Marjolaine Leray
Book
She started life as a little red scribble and then, there she was: a little red hood. The wolf is...
Execution is the sixth book set in Elizabethan world of Giordano Bruno. I have read the first book in this series, so it was definitely on my radar, but as so often happens with me, I got distracted by other books 🤯
The fact that I haven’t (yet) read books 2-5 has made no difference at all to my great reading enjoyment, so this can be read as a one off (but why would you do that? Books 1 and 6 are fab, so I’ll be reading books 2-5 without a doubt).
Bruno is working undercover for Elizabeth I’s spymaster, Francis Walsingham, and they hope to stop what becomes known as The Babington Plot - a plot to kill Elizabeth I, break Mary Queen of Scots out of prison and put her on England’s throne instead. This is all about Elizabeth’s claim to be queen. Henry VIII has disowned her as illegitimate when Anne was beheaded, and she was a Protestant to boot! Babington and his crew are staunch catholics, and they want a catholic on the throne. Mary fits the bill.
Francis Walsingham is desperate to find an excuse to dispose of Mary, and Babington is providing the goods. There is a secret letter exchange going on between the plotters and that Walsingham knows about, but he needs to catch them in the act - and he needs to ensure that Mary implicates herself completely.
This is all historical fact, as is Bruno’s existence, and I think that’s what puts the icing on the cake for me. I love historical fiction that brings real characters to life on the page. Bruno is a great character - he’s intelligent, funny and emotional. Basically, he’s a great character to build a story around.
So much research must have gone in to this book, and I really appreciate that. The side characters add couloir and substance to the whole story.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and I’ve now given myself the rather enjoyable task of catching up with Bruno!
The fact that I haven’t (yet) read books 2-5 has made no difference at all to my great reading enjoyment, so this can be read as a one off (but why would you do that? Books 1 and 6 are fab, so I’ll be reading books 2-5 without a doubt).
Bruno is working undercover for Elizabeth I’s spymaster, Francis Walsingham, and they hope to stop what becomes known as The Babington Plot - a plot to kill Elizabeth I, break Mary Queen of Scots out of prison and put her on England’s throne instead. This is all about Elizabeth’s claim to be queen. Henry VIII has disowned her as illegitimate when Anne was beheaded, and she was a Protestant to boot! Babington and his crew are staunch catholics, and they want a catholic on the throne. Mary fits the bill.
Francis Walsingham is desperate to find an excuse to dispose of Mary, and Babington is providing the goods. There is a secret letter exchange going on between the plotters and that Walsingham knows about, but he needs to catch them in the act - and he needs to ensure that Mary implicates herself completely.
This is all historical fact, as is Bruno’s existence, and I think that’s what puts the icing on the cake for me. I love historical fiction that brings real characters to life on the page. Bruno is a great character - he’s intelligent, funny and emotional. Basically, he’s a great character to build a story around.
So much research must have gone in to this book, and I really appreciate that. The side characters add couloir and substance to the whole story.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and I’ve now given myself the rather enjoyable task of catching up with Bruno!
Merissa (13919 KP) rated Pumped (Mars Fitness #3) in Books
Feb 12, 2025
PUMPED is the third and final book in the Mars Fitness series and, in my opinion, the one with the least amount of Mars Fitness in it! LOL Everest works there and we do meet the guys, but that's about it. Anyway, moving on...
Everest and Owen have a hot and steamy one-night stand during a bachelor party. After that, nothing. Well, apart from lots of bad attitude. Owen likes to plan and have things organised, whereas Everest is more of a go-with-the-flow kinda guy. Everything changes when a tragedy happens and Owen and Everest are announced as co-parents in the will. Oh my, but my eyes had major leakage by this point. It was so well-written!
There was lots of toing and froing as these two figured out how to co-parent a little girl who needed lots of love and reassurance, as well as boundaries! Owen (obviously) was the bad guy, while Everest was the happy-go-lucky anything-goes-one. This completely worked with their personalities but it did mean I didn't particularly like Everest during a couple of parts.
Their realisations were funny and I loved how it wasn't instantaneous and they had to work at it. Nothing was easy in this book! Ivy has an old soul with a wise head on her young shoulders, for all she is six years old. I thought she was extremely well-written and have lived through temper tantrums like hers with my own daughters.
A great ending to the series, although I wish we could have more. Thoroughly enjoyable and HIGHLY 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!
Feb 12, 2025
Everest and Owen have a hot and steamy one-night stand during a bachelor party. After that, nothing. Well, apart from lots of bad attitude. Owen likes to plan and have things organised, whereas Everest is more of a go-with-the-flow kinda guy. Everything changes when a tragedy happens and Owen and Everest are announced as co-parents in the will. Oh my, but my eyes had major leakage by this point. It was so well-written!
There was lots of toing and froing as these two figured out how to co-parent a little girl who needed lots of love and reassurance, as well as boundaries! Owen (obviously) was the bad guy, while Everest was the happy-go-lucky anything-goes-one. This completely worked with their personalities but it did mean I didn't particularly like Everest during a couple of parts.
Their realisations were funny and I loved how it wasn't instantaneous and they had to work at it. Nothing was easy in this book! Ivy has an old soul with a wise head on her young shoulders, for all she is six years old. I thought she was extremely well-written and have lived through temper tantrums like hers with my own daughters.
A great ending to the series, although I wish we could have more. Thoroughly enjoyable and HIGHLY 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!
Feb 12, 2025
Merissa (13919 KP) rated Worth the Risk (Worth It #3) in Books
Dec 29, 2025
WORTH THE RISK is the last book in the Worth It series, rounding off the overall story about Radley.
It's time for Jude to take the spotlight, something he's become familiar with after staying with Alfie in the last book. And for him, the only one who would match him is Warren. He is an undercover officer, on his last chance, after he was reprimanded for going off-script. The only trouble is, with Jude, it doesn't feel like a script, but all too real.
I liked Jude in the other stories, and really wanted his. What I didn't expect was for it to be as good, or as heart-wrenching, as it was. And the thing that I absolutely loved was although things happened that shook the ground underneath him, he was prepared to listen to explanations, rather than just run away with misconceptions or miscommunications.
Warren was perfect for him. A big squishy marshmallow who knows how to protect. While I found it funny to read how he disregarded all protocol, I'm sure he would be a nightmare to work with!!! Still, he was perfect for Jude and the story. I'm so glad I got to read their story.
The overall arc also gets sorted, with a couple of twists here and there that I did not see coming! I loved how it not only gave me a very satisfying ending to the series, but also caught me up to date with the couples and their families that I have met while reading the stories.
This was an outstanding series, and I really hope it's not the end of Worthbridge! The best of a really good bunch, and HIGHLY 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!
Dec 29, 2025
It's time for Jude to take the spotlight, something he's become familiar with after staying with Alfie in the last book. And for him, the only one who would match him is Warren. He is an undercover officer, on his last chance, after he was reprimanded for going off-script. The only trouble is, with Jude, it doesn't feel like a script, but all too real.
I liked Jude in the other stories, and really wanted his. What I didn't expect was for it to be as good, or as heart-wrenching, as it was. And the thing that I absolutely loved was although things happened that shook the ground underneath him, he was prepared to listen to explanations, rather than just run away with misconceptions or miscommunications.
Warren was perfect for him. A big squishy marshmallow who knows how to protect. While I found it funny to read how he disregarded all protocol, I'm sure he would be a nightmare to work with!!! Still, he was perfect for Jude and the story. I'm so glad I got to read their story.
The overall arc also gets sorted, with a couple of twists here and there that I did not see coming! I loved how it not only gave me a very satisfying ending to the series, but also caught me up to date with the couples and their families that I have met while reading the stories.
This was an outstanding series, and I really hope it's not the end of Worthbridge! The best of a really good bunch, and HIGHLY 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!
Dec 29, 2025
RavenclawPrincess913 (253 KP) rated Breaking Dawn (Twilight, #4) in Books
Feb 22, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
In the Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer my favorite book is Breaking Dawn. Why is this you ask? Renesmee, she is my favorite character out of the whole series. I love how her mother Bella went through all that pain and never gave up on her. I also understand why Rosalie was on Bella's side through it. I would have done the same if I was in their shoes. I found Edwards reaction cute when he could hear Renesmee's thoughts while she was still in Bella's belly. I also don't blame Jacob for sided with the Cullen's when he found out about Bella being Pegnant it was the right thing to do. I found Jacob imprinting on Renesmee very weird at first but later understand that it was necessary for the plot and it's different while she's still young. I find Renesmee to be an extremely intelligent young child and love the way she communicates. Also Irina deserved what she got in the end and kind of found it funny when Aro backed down because he was scared. I find him very creepy by the way too. I also love the ending when Bella let's Edward in her mind by letting her shield down and his reaction to it was adorable.
Would I recommend this book? Yes
Would I recommend this book? Yes