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LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated The Food Critic in Books
Nov 5, 2018
I can't express how excited I was when this delightfully paced little gem arrived in my inbox. I've devoured everything Ms Hargrave has ever offered me and I have to say that this beauty was no different. Characters, plot, sex, it was all spot on. And considering it's a short book, it certainly packs a very sexy punch.
The lead characters are thoroughly engaging and have you rooting for them from the very start of the book. Serena the consumate professional, until that moment on the table. Stuart, a master of so many different trades. Together they sing from the pages. They both hook you into their own separate worlds and you devour the book in a similar way to how you would a very delectable treat.
The sensuality in this book is hinted at throughout, but the food porn is truly out of this world. It was so well written it had my mouth watering for the tastes described with such finesse and details, and Ms Hargrave had my appetite thoroughly whetted for not only food, but a good many other things too! To hook someone into a story so completely, and have them wanting to recreate certain scenes is definitely a sign of skill!
As far as epilogues, this is one of the best I've read. It was a real happily ever after and it left me with a serious case of the warm fuzzies. I love it when a book leaves me with happy feels, and this one certainly didn't disappoint. As I said, for a short book it was fabulous, it had everything I wanted, it was very enjoyable and is a book I would highly recommend for anyone who's looking for a short burst of sexy escapism.
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
The lead characters are thoroughly engaging and have you rooting for them from the very start of the book. Serena the consumate professional, until that moment on the table. Stuart, a master of so many different trades. Together they sing from the pages. They both hook you into their own separate worlds and you devour the book in a similar way to how you would a very delectable treat.
The sensuality in this book is hinted at throughout, but the food porn is truly out of this world. It was so well written it had my mouth watering for the tastes described with such finesse and details, and Ms Hargrave had my appetite thoroughly whetted for not only food, but a good many other things too! To hook someone into a story so completely, and have them wanting to recreate certain scenes is definitely a sign of skill!
As far as epilogues, this is one of the best I've read. It was a real happily ever after and it left me with a serious case of the warm fuzzies. I love it when a book leaves me with happy feels, and this one certainly didn't disappoint. As I said, for a short book it was fabulous, it had everything I wanted, it was very enjoyable and is a book I would highly recommend for anyone who's looking for a short burst of sexy escapism.
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
Chance Match (Perfect Match Agency #2)
8.0
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CAN LOVE BE QUANTIFIED BY A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST AND AN ALGORITHM? SOMETIMES… BUT, NOT ALWAYS. ...
MM Mpreg Paranormal Romance Omegaverse
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Review Posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-parrot-in-the-oven-mi-vida-by-victor-martinez.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
Oh. Another required reading. Yay. After Dreamland's disaster, I was going to call it quits here and go hide in a cubicle for awhile. Not that it's bad idea... but I'm pretty sure I would've failed high school already with that many absences (so not happening).
Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida is about a fourteen-year-old boy named Manny who lives with his abusive father and just wants to fit in with the others around his neighborhood.
I had hoped that Parrot in the Oven was going to be majorly better than our last reading in English. I guess it went out okay in the end, but I ended up flipping back and forth to find a certain something.
A glossary, which I didn't find to my misfortune. With the Spanish terms and translations that were used in the book at the least. It would've have helped me so much since I haven't taken Spanish. Okay, there were a few translations in English after the Spanish throughout the book, but not all of them. I still say that a glossary would have been majorly helpful (and not just to me... I hope). In fact, I have no clue what the title says. Besides the Parrot in the Oven part. I
guess it's time to stroll on over to Google Translator.
Parrot in the Oven, is a bit different, but similar when compared to other realistic fiction. It might just be me and realistic fiction (because I'm definitely not it's biggest fan, considering the fact I rarely give realistic fiction a high rating...), but there tends to be not so much going on, besides a typical Mexican American teenager with family problems typically contained in realistic fiction and wanting/trying to fit in with others (also typically found in realistic fiction). I might be wrong with that view.
*holds up warning sign* ATTENTION: MINI-SPOILER ALERT!
You have been warned of the next paragraph containing tiny mini-spoilers that may give away a tad bit too much information about the book. Continue at your own risk.
The end tends to be rushed into 2-3 chapters. Manny was going on with his typical life, until a disaster at a party, and then boop. He decides to join a gang. Shortly after, boop. Someone gets in trouble, he realizes something within just hours/a day and boop. Goes home and "happily ever after," the end.
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
Oh. Another required reading. Yay. After Dreamland's disaster, I was going to call it quits here and go hide in a cubicle for awhile. Not that it's bad idea... but I'm pretty sure I would've failed high school already with that many absences (so not happening).
Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida is about a fourteen-year-old boy named Manny who lives with his abusive father and just wants to fit in with the others around his neighborhood.
I had hoped that Parrot in the Oven was going to be majorly better than our last reading in English. I guess it went out okay in the end, but I ended up flipping back and forth to find a certain something.
A glossary, which I didn't find to my misfortune. With the Spanish terms and translations that were used in the book at the least. It would've have helped me so much since I haven't taken Spanish. Okay, there were a few translations in English after the Spanish throughout the book, but not all of them. I still say that a glossary would have been majorly helpful (and not just to me... I hope). In fact, I have no clue what the title says. Besides the Parrot in the Oven part. I
guess it's time to stroll on over to Google Translator.
Parrot in the Oven, is a bit different, but similar when compared to other realistic fiction. It might just be me and realistic fiction (because I'm definitely not it's biggest fan, considering the fact I rarely give realistic fiction a high rating...), but there tends to be not so much going on, besides a typical Mexican American teenager with family problems typically contained in realistic fiction and wanting/trying to fit in with others (also typically found in realistic fiction). I might be wrong with that view.
*holds up warning sign* ATTENTION: MINI-SPOILER ALERT!
You have been warned of the next paragraph containing tiny mini-spoilers that may give away a tad bit too much information about the book. Continue at your own risk.
The end tends to be rushed into 2-3 chapters. Manny was going on with his typical life, until a disaster at a party, and then boop. He decides to join a gang. Shortly after, boop. Someone gets in trouble, he realizes something within just hours/a day and boop. Goes home and "happily ever after," the end.
Andrea (28 KP) rated Mockingjay in Books
Aug 18, 2017
Takes the first two novels to a new level (1 more)
Interesting take on PTSD and mental illness
Needs more than one reading
This is a story about a traumatized girl suffering from PTSD as much as it is about war. She isn't the only one who suffer that diagnosis though as we see several aspects of the illness in various characters. All of it is handled fairly well and doesn't romanticize the distress.
Perhaps my favorite part of this book (and even through the series) is that we see "villains" who aren't wholly evil and "heros" who make inexcusable choices. Both do so because they feel they are doing the best thing for their cause, even if it ends up with a significant cost.
The ending is something that many hate, and I must admit that I didn't like it the first time either. I didn't feel happy or satisfied. It wasn't until I realized I wasn't SUPPOSED to feel happy and satisfied with the story's ending that I started to understand the depth. This isn't a pretty picture where people live happily ever after. Even when they get some happiness, if they get some happiness, there are scares that don't go away. This is the cost of war and drastic change. Sometimes all we can hope for is the ability to move on and find little joys in what comes next each and every day while we try to distance ourselves from the horrors of our past.
Perhaps my favorite part of this book (and even through the series) is that we see "villains" who aren't wholly evil and "heros" who make inexcusable choices. Both do so because they feel they are doing the best thing for their cause, even if it ends up with a significant cost.
The ending is something that many hate, and I must admit that I didn't like it the first time either. I didn't feel happy or satisfied. It wasn't until I realized I wasn't SUPPOSED to feel happy and satisfied with the story's ending that I started to understand the depth. This isn't a pretty picture where people live happily ever after. Even when they get some happiness, if they get some happiness, there are scares that don't go away. This is the cost of war and drastic change. Sometimes all we can hope for is the ability to move on and find little joys in what comes next each and every day while we try to distance ourselves from the horrors of our past.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Taboo (Albright Sisters, #2.5) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I had very high hopes for this book. While I wasn't disappointed, I shouldn't have set my standards so high just because of a pretty cover. The gorgeous cover is what intrigued me and I literally couldn't stop myself from buying it. I didn't know it was part of a series so I definitely am going to read the other three novels in the series. Although, I am so confused as to how they can consider this novel 2.5. What disappointed me about Taboo was the completely simplistic and unimaginative plot.
The rundown: boy and girl fall in love despite being in different classes of society. Because society would never accept their relationships, someone meddles, breaking them apart. One turns into a whore while the other turns into a crybaby and runs to another country. Said crybaby returns and, because he cannot get his once lover out of his head, he blackmails her into becoming his whore. Eventually, the truth comes out and the couple lives happily ever after.
Despite the uncreative plot, I really enjoyed this book. The erotic scenes were great except for one particular scene that just wasn't my taste. Despite that, they were expertly written. The only thing that actually bothered me was the fact that the female protagonist became a whore for the ton so that sex wouldn't be ruined for her. It was a major "Wtf?" moment and I almost threw the book across the room, especially since Michaels like to repeatedly bring this point up.
Overall, a pleasing erotic novel.
The rundown: boy and girl fall in love despite being in different classes of society. Because society would never accept their relationships, someone meddles, breaking them apart. One turns into a whore while the other turns into a crybaby and runs to another country. Said crybaby returns and, because he cannot get his once lover out of his head, he blackmails her into becoming his whore. Eventually, the truth comes out and the couple lives happily ever after.
Despite the uncreative plot, I really enjoyed this book. The erotic scenes were great except for one particular scene that just wasn't my taste. Despite that, they were expertly written. The only thing that actually bothered me was the fact that the female protagonist became a whore for the ton so that sex wouldn't be ruined for her. It was a major "Wtf?" moment and I almost threw the book across the room, especially since Michaels like to repeatedly bring this point up.
Overall, a pleasing erotic novel.
Contains spoilers, click to show
3.5
This was definitely new level of apocalypse! I've read a few Dystopians (The Hunger Games and Divergent, for example) but none were quite like this. The idea is intriguing - something is causing people to turn into violent maniacs who usually murder those surrounding them before bringing themselves to death. I'm many, many ways, the fact these characters cannot see - are not allowed to look - at what's causing so much chaos is the suspense, leaving you with questions such as: what are they, why do they exist and how do they exist, what is their purpose, what do they want? I never would have thought of it without Tom's insight, but I suppose he had a point - are these creatures consciously evil of the destruction they are causing? Either way, it makes for an interesting, albeit frustrating, concept. I chose to read this before watching the movie and I can understand how this could play out better on the big screen, but I feel like Josh did an excellent job at using the absence of sight with his words. I read Bird Box in one sitting, was curious about the nature of these creatures, interested in the possibility of a relationship between Tom and Malorie. The ending felt like it could have been final: Malorie and the kids and up at their destination and live happily ever after; but I'm fully aware there is at least one more novel, which I look forward to reading so I can hopefully get more answers about these deadly creatures.
This was definitely new level of apocalypse! I've read a few Dystopians (The Hunger Games and Divergent, for example) but none were quite like this. The idea is intriguing - something is causing people to turn into violent maniacs who usually murder those surrounding them before bringing themselves to death. I'm many, many ways, the fact these characters cannot see - are not allowed to look - at what's causing so much chaos is the suspense, leaving you with questions such as: what are they, why do they exist and how do they exist, what is their purpose, what do they want? I never would have thought of it without Tom's insight, but I suppose he had a point - are these creatures consciously evil of the destruction they are causing? Either way, it makes for an interesting, albeit frustrating, concept. I chose to read this before watching the movie and I can understand how this could play out better on the big screen, but I feel like Josh did an excellent job at using the absence of sight with his words. I read Bird Box in one sitting, was curious about the nature of these creatures, interested in the possibility of a relationship between Tom and Malorie. The ending felt like it could have been final: Malorie and the kids and up at their destination and live happily ever after; but I'm fully aware there is at least one more novel, which I look forward to reading so I can hopefully get more answers about these deadly creatures.
Mathos (The Hawks #3)
10.0
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All he has to do is find the princess, help her claim the throne, and not fall in love with her....
Fantasy Romance Shifters
Smith's Corner: Faith & Fox (The Heartwood Series #4)
8.0
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She’s haunted by her history, but he’s the warm embrace she craves. Can they weather the storm...
Contemporary Romance Erotic
Hunted by a Jaguar (Eternal Mates #4)
10.0
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A jaguar shifter with a dark secret, Kyter has spent his entire life running from his demons. When a...
Paranormal Romance
A Deal with the Elf King (Married to Magic, #1)
8.0
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The elves come for two things: war and wives. In both cases, they come for death. Three-thousand...