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    Tokaido

    Tokaido

    7.6 (7 Ratings) Rate It

    Tabletop Game

    In Tokaido, each player is a traveler crossing the "East sea road", one of the most magnificent...

The House on Crow Mountain
The House on Crow Mountain
Rebecca Lee Smith | 2021 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mystery Thriller, Cozy Rules
The House on Crow Mountain is probably the most uncozy-like cozy I have ever read. Don’t get me wrong it totally adheres to all the cozy rules; no graphic language, sex, or violence. It also follows the popular cozy tropes; a small town, a broken-hearted woman who returns home to make a new start, clever pets, etc. It is just I consider cozy to be a light afternoon read. More fluff than serious. I mean no disrespect to the books and authors I have read to date, some are among my all-time favorites.

This book from the first sentence to the last pulled me into a hard mystery thriller that just happened to follow cozy rules. It has everything; gripping suspense, a leading lady wracked with grief and guilt, and a possible love interest trying to redeem himself from a tragic mistake, or was it? There are far-reaching family secrets, menacing red herrings, and a sinister plot. There was no guessing whodunnit before the reveal. I really (I mean really) did not like the person, but there were so many other people to not like, to suspect, to think about that it barely registered. I could not put this book down as the story unfolded and the floating, maybe relevant plotlines merged bringing the story to its climax.

I seriously hope for this to be a series as there are characters that I would love to learn more about, but I tell you, I would be okay with this being a one-off. The story as it stands has mostly been told and it is that good.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
  
Lust (Seven Princes of Sin #1)
Lust (Seven Princes of Sin #1)
S.N. Hunt | 2021 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
LUST is the first book in the Seven Princes of Sin series and boy, is this going to be a good one!

Now, before I go any further, please take note of the Trigger Warnings. This is a dark story with some graphic descriptions.

This is Donna and Adam's story. She is sent in to kill him, being as he and his brothers pose a threat to The Saints. However, Adam feels something for her from the beginning, even if he doesn't know what it is. He also recognises her from the surveillance photos he has. He lets her into his life, just to see what her plan is. What he didn't plan on was falling for her though.

I love all of these brothers! Strong, protective, and they value women -- the exact opposite of what Donna has lived with up until now. Each brother is different, which means I can't wait for their stories now!

I love how even though our boys are sons of hell, the real evil comes in the form of humans or those who are supposed to be 'good'.

There were a couple of editing errors that have slipped through the net, but nothing too bad and easy enough to ignore.

If you can deal with dark stories then I suggest you give this one a go. A fantastic start to the series that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending. Just be careful with those trigger warnings.

** 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!
  
Werewolf By Night (2022)
Werewolf By Night (2022)
2022 | Action, Adventure, Horror
The latest offering from Marvel Studios has arrived and it is a change of pace for the studio as it delves into the darker side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Werewolf By Night is a visually appealing tale that lovingly plays homage to the classic Black and White horror movies of old yet infuses modern content and a touch of humor.

When a group of Monster Hunters is assembled at Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader, the assembled guests are tasked to compete against one another to find a relic and oh yes, content with a deadly monster in the maze as well.

The hunters are informed that they are fair game for one another and the combination of competition and survival promises danger and deadly encounters along the way.

Things are not as they seem as one of the hunters named Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal) has a dark secret or two and when he ends up working with Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly), things get very interesting and deadly.

The show is deeply-enjoyable and makes me wish that this was a series versus a special but I would think that audiences will see some of the characters again in the future. There is a bit more violence than one might expect from the MCU but due to the Black and White filming, it is not as graphic as it could be but still might be more than some younger fans would expect.

Composer Michael Giacchino has done an amazing job with the show as the pacing is solid, the characters are interesting, and the visuals capture the enduring nostalgia of the bygone classics.

I enjoyed the special from start to finish and should be an enjoyable experience not only for Marvel fans but for horror fans everywhere.

 

Look for it on Disney+ on December 7th.
  
Good Samaritans [Audiobook]
Good Samaritans [Audiobook]
Will Carver | 2018 | Crime, Thriller
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Oh my word ... what a book ... absolutely brilliant and the best audiobook I have listened to this year so far and, I think, it will take something remarkable to beat it!

This is a very dark, disturbing and extremely gripping story that will draw you in, shake you around and spit you out the other side and all the while you're thinking, what the heck and why am I enjoying this so much?!?

It's all kinds of wrong but so right and deliciously wicked and addictive.

I'm not even going to go into the story - you'll just have to buy it - but what I will say is that the characters are scarily normal which makes them ultra creepy, the story is riveting and there's some great twists that I didn't see coming and the build up of tension is palpable.

There are graphic descriptions of murder, a lot about suicide, mental health and a number of sex scenes (maybe too many if I'm honest and this is my only negative) so if any of these are triggers for you, I would steer clear.

Would I have enjoyed it as much had I read the physical book? I'm not sure if I'm honest because the narrator made all the difference and was absolutely perfect and brilliant. I fell in love with his voice from the beginning ... it was so contradictory to the content of what he was reading that it made the story all the more creepy and disturbing.

I haven't read or listened to any of Will Carver's work before and after listening to Good Samaritans, I won't make that mistake again and I must thank Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of Good Samaritans and introducing me to another excellent author.